H-A-double L-O-double U-double E-N spells.....

It's Halloween weekend, and as an adult, I love this holiday as much as I did when I was a kid.  I went to college at UCSB which is notorious for their huge Halloween celebrations, so that really helped foster me into adulthood.  While this year will be no where near as debaucherous as it was in college, I am looking forward to carving pumpkins, dressing up, and dancing the night away on Saturday with some equally festive friends.

This city is fabulous for Halloween too - San Fanciscians always love an excuse to dress up (bay to breakers anyone?) so I hunted down a costume earlier this week, and am prepared to get into the spirit.  I decided to be a pirate this year - honestly the selection at the Halloween Costume stores is atrocious - the choices ranged between sexy pilot, sexy bunny, and sexy cat.  Needless to say, the choices were limited, and sadly, my sexy-fill-in-the-blank years are behind me.

A few years ago when I worked at Nordstrom, I bought this ruffled blouse thinking it was quite avant guard, and have never worn it, because it really is very "pirate-y". White poofy sleeves, ruffles down the front... think the puffy shirt from Seinfeld.  That said, it is PERFECT for a pirate costume, so I got a hook, a parrot, and some petticoats, and I am ready to say "arrrrr matey" all night long!!

Happy Halloween to all!!

Nesting!

My absolute FAVORITE part about moving is the decorating part.  I swear, in another life, I was an interior designer because I am OBSESSED with design magazines, blogs, etc. My favorite part of every month is when my Home Beautiful arrives... a good glass of wine, and some cozy sweatpants and I'm set! 

As I wrote earlier, Kris and I have opposing tastes in design (he modern, me classic), so I'm on the hunt of furniture that will make us both happy.  I've been keeping an inspiration book as I scour the internet for pieces I like, to help "show" him what I think is a solid compromise.

Macy's is having this fabulous sale right now - free shipping and 15% off any "Home" order.  I was browsing through (because that is just a phenomenal deal) and came across this adorable chair.  

Reviews say it's comfy, and claim that with an ottoman it feels like you are in a recliner.  Not sure I buy all that, but it has clean lines, beautiful fabric, and does look pretty cushy.  There are several room lay-outs we are considering, but it is just really going to depend on how we feel when we move in.  If we keep my loveseat, and buy a larger sofa to go along the full wall of windows (GORG) then this chair would be perfect - if we opt to downsize and do a sofa and single chair, I think I will have to find something bigger, fluffier, and more sink-into-it good.

The BIG Move

The move is less than a week away now and I am really starting to feel the pressure!  We signed the lease over a month ago, and the waiting is just killing me.  Ever since I was a little girl, I have never done well with changes - our weekend vacation in Clear Lake would end and I would cry the entire way home, the last day of school - more tears, moving off to college - hysterics as I waved goodbye in the UCSB parking lot.  No shame.

While I am so thrilled that we are starting the next chapter of our lives in a new place together, it hit me last night that this is my last week that I will be living with my best friend.  Probably the last week I will ever live with girlfriends.  The chapter of my life in my carefree twenties, eating ramen (yes I still do), stretching pennies, and sharing clothes is closing, and having loved it so much, this life change is so bittersweet.  I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping - actually this morning there was a HUGE earthquake around 5am, and I just couldn't get back to sleep.  I layed there thinking about all the things I have to do - the packing, the hiring movers, the laundry, the cleaning, patching holes, matching paint, and THEN... more cleaning, organizing, unpacking, sorting, and revamping in the new place.  I wish this move was over and done with so I could get back to me regular nine hours of sleep!  The anxiety is killing me!

EUREKA! The PERFECT Dress

So I am pretty obsessed with weddings in general, and I have a very specific image of what I envision my mother wearing as I walk down the aisle.  While the hours I've spent daydreaming are rather embarrassing to admit, I stumbled across this dress on Nordstrom's site while getting in early on the hot NYE dresses, and couldn't resist posting it.

My mom is the ultimate lady - I think my sister and I have inherited her most prissy, lady-like qualities which is why I was always the last one picked for any group sport in school, and why I am so meticulous about my own clothing.  There are certain stories that stand out in my mind about her, and one of the ones we heard over and over as little girls, was about how her mother (our grandmother) would put her on the train in the summers to send her back to stay with her cousins in New Mexico.  Because it was the 1950's, and travel was expensive and "fancy", my mom would get dressed in her party dress, tights, mary-janes, and little white gloves to make the journey. She'd get off the train, greeted by her cousins who were dirty, shoeless, and fresh off the farm, and they'd tease her for being the miss priss from the big city.

To think of that scene makes me smile, and I always envision my mother as this woman who can do anything and everything flawlessly.  The perfect housewife, the ultra mom, the gourmet cook, and master entertainer, who can make a party out of a bottle of wine and some dried pasta.

This dress is the ultimate dress for the ultimate "lady".  The graceful back, full skirt, and boat neck on this dress are so lovely - it's so perfect... I almost want to buy it right now for my "someday" wedding!

This dress is also super lady-like.  It totally reminds me of the dress Diane Lane wears in "Under the Tuscan Sun" - a personal all time favorite... and super pretty and classic.

CGPP

In the last year, my sister got married, and with that came a whirlwind of events that we needed to put together and host.  With a limited budget, my sister went against conformity, and did NOT enlist the help of a wedding planner.  Instead she focused on what she wanted the most - good food, open bar, and beautiful florals.  Without a planner orchestrating everything, my mom and I rolled up our sleeves and got to work sharpening our flower arranging skills and frosting expertise.

All the planning was so fun, and my mom and I have even thrown around the idea of opening our own party planning company together.  Not only is this the stuff we love (flowers, food, and of course drinking), but I have to say, we are pretty good at it!   It's still such a fantasy, but one day that would be pretty amazing.  My mom simply refers to us as "CGPP" - Christensen Girls Party Planning.  It's so cute - I kind of love the idea!! I think the name needs some work in the grand scheme, but I would have so much fun, arranging flowers, setting up appointments, and orchestrating large scale events like weddings, showers, and even posh get-togethers. Oh to dream....