Archives for 2013

December Favorites

December 30, 2013 filed under: love, monthly favorites

1.) In case you haven’t noticed, I have a little obsession with stars and when I saw those pants at Target and on sale, I had to have them.

2.) It’s the time of the year where I crave a certain kind of German Christmas cookie (Spekulatius) and I am so thrilled that I don’t have to wait to go home for the holidays to have them, because Trader Joe’s has them now (Speculoos) as well. They look a little different, but they taste the same. Try them!

3.) I had been overdue for an upgrade on my phone for a while and a couple of weeks ago, I finally upgraded (as an early Christmas present ;)) and I am so happy with the new iPhone. It’s a serious upgrade from my old iPhone 4.

4.) I found this cute stark necklace on Etsy. Isn’t it lovely?

5.) 2013 has been a blessing in the friends’ department and when I saw this stamp, I knew I had to have it to send out more appreciation mail to my favorite people!

6.) Reibekuchen (potato pancakes) is one my favorite German dishes and every year when I go home for Christmas, I have to have them. Lots of them. They’re sold at the Christmas markets, but usually my Mom also makes them for me at home = the best!

2013 in pictures: week 52

December 29, 2013 filed under: a year in pictures

Christmas eve • dinner • friends •
my cuties • hot cocoa • Schloss Paffendorf •
friends • German pancakes • us •

2013 in pictures: week 51

December 22, 2013 filed under: a year in pictures

Sacramento Capitol • MSP airport lounge • snow •
coffee in AMS • CGN • my cuties •
Cologne Christmas Market • on the train • J and I •

December Birch Box

December 19, 2013 filed under: beauty

Oh, just look at the pretty cover of this month’s Birchbox. I was so excited when I pulled this one out of our mailbox. I received box #35 this month, but unfortunately it was a little bit of a mixed bag this time, because I am only really excited about 2,5 of the five product samples. Hmpf. Oh well.

Here’s what I received (*calculated value of the samples in parenthesis):

Eslor Skincare System – this is really a four-in-one kinda deal. There is Soothing Cleanser & Refiner ($2.33), Soothing cream ($6.50), Replenishing Scrub ($2.80) and Comforting Mask ($3.80) and I am definitely excited to try these.

The Honest Company Honey Healing Balm ($3.24) This smells really good and is perfect for my travel cosmetic bag!

Supergoop!® Daily Correct SPF 35 CC Cream ($2.04) I’m intrigued to try the newest hype of CC creams. I really don’t know what to expect.

Number 4 Non-Aerosol Hairspray ($4.50) I don’t really use hair spray very often, so I don’t know how I feel about this sample. However, I like that it’s non-aerosol. It might come in handy when I am traveling.

Fatty Sundays Gourmet Chocolate Covered Pretzels ($1.40) – I am not a fan of chocolate (or anything-) covered pretzels, so this one goes in the trash (not only, but also it was completely crumbled up when it arrived).

I paid $10 for $26.61 worth of product.

What was in your December Birchbox? Did you like the products you received?

On our way

December 16, 2013 filed under: Germany, holidays, home

I took this picture of our state capitol yesterday. It was such a gorgeous, sunny day!

We’ll be on our way to Germany today and I just wanted to check in one more time and wish you all a wonderful holiday season. I have a few posts scheduled for the next two weeks, but other than that, I think it will be pretty quiet around here, because I’ll be busy soaking up every last minute of precious time with family and friends.

As always, I’ll be trying to update a few times “from the road”, but don’t be too surprised if I don’t. Regular posting will resume after January, 6 at the latest!

I hope you all enjoy the rest of the holiday season! It’s such a special time of the year and I hope it’ll be extra-special for all you lovely people!!

2013 in pictures: week 50

December 15, 2013 filed under: a year in pictures

brrr • Christmas card sneak peek • view •
cookies • Christmas package • mail •
ice-skating • Harry Potter stamps • a little something •

So much to do, so little time

December 13, 2013 filed under: holidays

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Christmas seriously snuck up on me this year. I know, I know, it comes around at the same time every year, but I seriously don’t know how it is already here in less than two weeks. Christmas time is my favorite time of the year and I definitely try to enjoy it as much as possible.

Here’s a list of things that I want to do this holiday season. Some of it, I have already done, am in the process of doing or am planning to do when we’re in Germany.

★ Get my Christmas Cards written and sent out. I’ve been working on this for a couple of weeks and need to finish it this weekend, because most of the cards need to get out on Saturday.

★ Finalize my Christmas list. I’m pretty much done with my Christmas shopping and my list ist nearly complete. I just have to get a few little things this weekend and then I am set.

★ Watch some classic holiday movies. It’s on of my favorite things to do during the holiday season and so far I was able to catch “The Holiday”, “Home Alone” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” on TV. I am hoping to sneak in a couple more this weekend.

★ Go ice skating with my niece and nephew. My sister and I have been ice-skating since we were little and we usually went once or twice each winter, because it’s fun! We haven’t gone in a few years, but this year we talked about going ice-skating with my niece and nephew for the first time and I think it’s such an awesome idea!

★ Bake some Christmas cookies. (done!) I didn’t have much time to bake this year, but I baked some cookies to give my co-workers for Christmas which was a good opportunity to make a batch for ourselves, too.

★ See a Christmas theater performance. We went to see “An Irish Christmas” on Thanksgiving weekend and it was just perfect to start off the holiday season!

★ Decorate the tree at my parents’ house. Traditionally, in Germany you don’t get your Christmas tree until shortly before Christmas and it won’t be decorated before Christmas Eve morning. J will be getting the tree with my Dad and I will be decorating it – as always! One of my favorite parts of our Christmas tradition!

★ Take a deep breath and enjoy all the season has to offer! I want to pause, take a sip of hot chocolate, walk around the neighborhood and admire the Christmas lights and just marvel at the magic of the season! I want to enjoy Christmas cookies, Christmas coffee and tea specialties, Christmas decorations, Christmas music, and whatever else you can think of.

What’s on your to-do list for the next few weeks?

A Christmas Wishlist

December 12, 2013 filed under: holidays, lists!, love

Even though I don’t believe in Santa anymore, it’s always fun to write a little wish list for Christmas every year… some of these things are totally reasonable and in my future budget, some are just things I kinda dream of, but know they are not necessary right now, but maybe something I’ll get some time down the road.

My biggest wish – as every year – is going home for Christmas and since this is going to happen (in 4 short days!), I am really as happy as one can be! I can’t wait to spend time with family and friends!

Still, it’s fun to share a few things that I’ve been eyeing for a while and that make my heart skip a little beat.

1. Penny Black Hedgy delivery rubber stamp. I am a little bit obsessed with stamps right now. Well, that’s not really anything new, ha.

2. Hemnes 6-drawer dresser. I’ve been in love with this IKEA dresser ever since I first saw it in their catalog several years ago. I know that eventually I’ll have to replace the dresser in my bedroom (which is slowly but surely falling apart) and this is the one I want to replace it with.

3. Owl mug by West Elm. This mug is so simple, but yet so cute!

4. Jototes Camera Bag. In case that camera bag looks familiar… it’s been on my wishlist before (a couple of years ago). I apparently still haven’t gotten it, but it’s still in the back of my mind. It’s so functional and pretty.

5. Madden Girl Gamer Combat Boots. Is there anybody who hasn’t jumped on the combat boots bandwagon? I must say – I love the style, used to own boots like that way back and wouldn’t mind owning a new pair again!

6. Before Midnight DVD. I love, love, love the trilogy of Richard Linklater’s movies with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy and have seen them many times. I already own the first two movies (“Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset”) on DVD and I want this third one for my collection.

7. MacBook Pro. I currently have a MacBook Pro as a work laptop and I absolutely love it. We have a (relatively new, working) Dell laptop at home right now and I can use my work laptop whenever I want, so I know that a MacBook Pro of my very own is not in my near future, but eventually I’d like to get one.

What is own your Christmas wishlist?
Do you know what you’ll be getting for Christmas?

The holiday season and giveaway winner

December 9, 2013 filed under: giveaway, holidays

You guys, I am in the happiest mood. I simply love the holiday season. I bought this cute star lamp (at IKEA, ha! :)) a week ago and it makes me so happy. We also have a Christmas tree (teeny-tiny and fake, but hey, it’s a tree with lights and ornaments!) setup and candles lit every evening. This is truly the most wonderful time!

Not only, but also because I am flying home for the holidays in only a short week! Until then, I am trying to not have my head explode with all the things I want and need to do beforehand, but enjoy this season to the fullest.

We’ve had J’s mom visit over Thanksgiving (I know that was a week ago) and we had a great time. We played a lot of Scrabble (and I won! Ha!), watched movies, went out for a little bit of shopping and the highlight was going to the theater for “An Irish Christmas” on Sunday night. It really started off the holiday season on the right foot!

This last weekend, J and I ran a lot of Christmas errands, I’ve been working on my Christmas cards (almost done with the crafting! Hooray!) and also found some time to just relax and cozy up at home. On Saturday, we went to the Christkindlmarkt at the Sacramento Turnverein, an annual event that we’ve been to before. J and I weren’t really planning on going this year (as we’ll be going to some ‘real’ German Christmas markets very soon!), but our next door neighbors asked if we’d like to go and it was the perfect opportunity to hang out with them.

Other good things this weekend:

pots of hot tea ♥ stitching ♥ a German movie (in German) ♥ Christmas shopping ♥ gym time ♥ Mexican food ♥ Christmas cards in the mail ♥ stop at Michaels ♥ watching holiday movies ♥ knitting ♥ baking ♥

Last, but not least, I am thrilled to announce the winner of my little end-of-NaBloPoMo-Christmas-package giveaway.

The True Random Number Generator has spoken and the winner of my little surprise package is Ti! Here’s the favorite holiday memory that she shared in the comments: