A Holiday Break Round Up

While being a member of the ad industry often finds me working late nights and weekends, I've always been lucky enough the have the week between Christmas and New Year's off to recharge. Nate is between rotations so he has been around as well. As a newly married couple, we have not seen each other all of that much as I'll be working late during the week and he is off to residency interviews over the weekend. We've taken this week to spend with each other, catching up, refreshing our place, making tasty meals and spending quality time with both of our families. Here's a little recap of our holidays, weekday adventures and good eats.

1. A faux fur vest gifted from my husband. For well over a year, I had been searching for the perfect faux fur vest, always missing out when I found one that fit the bill. Nate made sure that wouldn't happen again as he snatched up the last one from Blue Fly in my size.
2. A gift certificate to Terrain to purchase one of these amazing (and now on-sale!) trivets. Big thanks to my brother-in-law and huge props for taping the gift certificate to a jar of pickles. I heart pickles.
3. Remember the Pretty Maps I posted to my gift guide? Well, one of my best friends and I unknowingly bought the same gift for each other this year ... a map of Chicago!
4. Nate's Mom ventured back to our registry and picked up a couple of our rimmed soup bowls. Perfect for someone who is obsessed with china.
5. New welly socks from my Mom. Perfect in cream to hide the hair of my favorite furry friend, Phoebe. She is perfect welly sock height and my black ones always showed her hair!
6. I'm a bulldozer. Meaning, if something isn't used, is in bad condition or I just don't like it anymore, it hits the trash or donation bin. Problem is, last year I pitched all of my shoes without getting new ones and I have since been in need of the perfect black shoes. Enter these, another gift from my husband!

A trip to one of my happy places, Jayson Home and Garden, had me coveting all of this pretty pieces {and more}!

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

{Must have a hide rug for under my dining table ... must. And the lucite trunk.}

9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18

1. Nate and I made two soups in less than 24 hours. First, one of my all time favorites ... Thai Corn Chowder for Thursday night dinner. Followed by Friday's lunch of this super easy and fresh pea soup I blogged about last Fall.

2. Surprised Nate with his favorite family recipe of mine ... Chicken with Olives and Peppers {recipe to come shortly}!

3. Served up mini frittatas once again at an annual day after Christmas brunch. Highly recommended ... so quick and tasty.

4. Whipped up some delicious appies for a laid back NYE at a one of bestie's lake house in Michigan ... Grilled Brie Sandwiches, Crostini Caprese with Filet & Avocado and Grilled Shrimp with Greek Yogurt Dipping Sauce. Stay tuned, I will share these recipes as well.

Ah, back to the real world today. Let's see how this New Year's Resolution plays out ...