STARTING THE YEAR OUT WITH PINK RESOLUTIONS!

Since I make the pretty much make same resolutions every year, I though I would post mine from last year. Hopefully we will achieve them all. Happy New Year!

PINK AND GREEN ORGANIZER FROM "TRULY MOM"

Resolution: I will write it down!

(www.trulymom.com)

A NEW LILLY PULITZER DESK CALENDER

Resolution: More dates with my family and friends

(www:lillypulitzer.com)

PINK FIELD HOCKEY STICK BY STX (Daughter's actual stick)

Resolution: I will watch more of the game (vs. socialize)

(STX Pink Flamingo Field Hockey Stick (Length=33")

BOLLÈ SKI GOGGLES

Resolution: More Skiing

Bolle Nebula Ski/Snowboard Goggles (Passion/Vermillon Gun)

CHOCOLATE & HEREND

Resolution: Eat more chocolate and buy more Herend

(Herend Hand Painted Rabbit Large)

PINK HUNTER WELLIES

Resolution: More "Singing in the Rain"

TEA

Resolution: Drink more Tea

The Republic of Tea - Get Gorgeous #1 Be Well, 36 tea bags

PARIS

Resolution: Help the U.S. Government improve the value of the U.S

dollar against the Euro so I can justify a trip to France

AND TREASURE THE PEOPLE I LOVE

(even if they are "Ugly")

UglyDoll Bop N' Beep Pink/Green 12-Inch

101 Things to Buy Before You Die: Judith Leiber

From all the postings I have been reading, it sounds like everyone had a wonderful holiday!

I have become a little obsessed with Judith Leiber. This Hungarian purse designer is featured in the above book "101 Things to Buy Before you Die". When I headed to the St. Joe Ball this year, a friend of mine rented a Judith Leiber purse from a purse rental company. She said she did it for the experience and it was a beautiful, burgandy simple bag. Another friend of mine carried the tomato purse by Judith Leiber--very stunning. I usually just carry a plain black purse and thought--I think I would like something special.

I think it would be nice to own one or two of these purses (even though they are very expensive --hello ebay). Judith Leiber does have some plain version that are not as flashy. These purses have 10,000-13,000 swarovski crystals and are truly works of art.

Featured in Sex In the City--The Movie

Purse Puppy Oink! Monogram! Beautiful

This Egg Will Not Crack!

A rose is a rose

Merry Christmas!

May your days be merry and bright!

Treasure your family and make beautiful memories for your children.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

The Pink Preppy Party Girl

TENNIS-BALLS-A-RINGING

Well, hit the USTA tennis circuit today with my oldest daughter. Yes, she was crushed 0-6, 0-6 but to top it off, it was by an 11 year old. Her mother says she plays 3 hours a day! Wow...not only is it a lot of time but also, expensive! Her friend who is also 14 almost lost to a 8 year old and she is pretty good. So watch out for the young kids--peaking a little early I would say! Is the world crazy out there? In spite of the recession, we have been fortunate to be invited to a few parties this year. Tonight was a lovely party with a small group of friend and their children. Lovely, lovely, lovely, perfect evening! Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season--4 more days.

HOMEWORK--TAGGED TWICE AND I AM ON IT!

TAG #1 OBSESSIONS TAG! or I say...MAKE ME LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND USE MY BRAIN TAG

Tagged by Diary of a Southern Belle who is gracious, kind and a fabulous shopper. Check out her blog:

So here's the rules:

List 5 obsessions/addictions that you have

Tag back to the person who gave you the award-oh I guess

Post the Rules

Tag 5 more people!

My Obsessions!

1. Lilly Pulitzer (a common theme I think)

2. Stationery (engraved, beautiful, fun, stationery)

3. Ribbon (always purchasing)

4. Travel --always thinking and planning

5. Sideboards--I am looking for a wonderful, mahogany George V pedestal sideboard. Seems like it would be easy, but it is not.

TAG #2 TAGGED BY Pink Tutu. Love your blog and thanks for tagging me.

CANDY CANE TAG

1. What is your favorite Christmas movie? Charlie Brown's Christmas--It's a classic and Snoopy makes me laugh every time.

2. Favorite Christmas song? "We Need a Little Christmas"--peppy and fun--remember this song from the movie MAME that she sang during the depression after she lost everything?

3. Favorite holiday memory? Wow, so many wonderful memories..cooking hot dogs in our fireplace while we decorated the Christmas tree, going to the Mayflower Hotel in Plymouth for Christmas Eve dinner, reading the Night Before Christmas with my dad, baking cookies with my mom, my grandparent's home in Greenville, MI and the hand made stockings my grandma M made me and the 10+ year quest for the perfect Christmas tree Star!

4. What is your favorite cookie/treat to make? Snowball Cookies--I am shallow, they are delicious and look beautiful in my Waterford Crystal biscuit jar.

5. Have you ever made an igloo? I have tried and have been buried alive in the process-I survived obviously

. 6. Do you love Starbucks? Yes, Skinny Hazelnut Latte

7. What makes the perfect snowman? Carrot Nose, you have to have the Carrot Nose-- also a kit from from Amazon $19.95.

8. This one is missing . . .

9. Best gift you ever received? Dancerina and if you touch that crown, she would spin around!

10. What is the snowman's name on Rudolph? Sam--I think?

. 11. Silver or gold? For holiday decorations: Gold

12. What is your favorite Christmas decoration? My tree!

13. What's your Christmas decorating style? Traditional

14. Do you hang stockings? Yes.. at our home and my mothers (she still hangs stockings for us and has for past 45 years).

15. How many days do you celebrate Christmas? At least a month

16. What was your favorite ornament on the tree as a child? Stained Glass ornaments and Santa

17. Where will you be spending this Christmas? Home and at my mother and father's home

18. When do you open presents? Morning (the Christmas Elf visits our house Christmas eve and gives PJs and this year (new) ornaments).

I am passing this tag onto those fabulous Preppy Party People on my followers list. Please play along and thank you for stopping by and listening to what I have to say.

Cathedral Window Cookies

Photo from Flickr

Photo From: SPPress

Grandma Walker's Cathedral Windows

INGREDIENTS: 1/4 cup butter 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 2 eggs, beaten 1 (10.5 ounce) package rainbow colored miniature marshmallows 1 cup chopped pecans (I used only 1/4 cup or so) 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Melt together the butter and chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler or in the microwave. Stir to blend, then stir in the eggs, colored marshmallows and pecans. Pour the mixture into a 9x5 inch loaf pan, lined with wax paper or cling wrap. Dust with powdered sugar (optional, I skipped it) and refrigerate until firm. Remove chilled dough from loaf pan, remove the wax paper or cling wrap, and slice into 1/4 inch slices.

Grandma use to roll them in shredded coconut too. Recipe from Allrecipes.com (same as my grandmother's)

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU--NUTCRACKER?

I am a posting fool today. I have the chills so my family headed to the club for dinner with Santa, I stayed home, freezing with the chills. I wanted to share what I purchased for my son on ebay. I won--isn't it funny how they say won, a Steinbach Collectors Handcrafted Nutcracker from Germany. My son actually has his traditional Target Nutcracker fight this Nutcracker--no resale opportunity there! I am not sure who will win this battle, but it is hard to beat those lightsabers in the fight for control of the bedroom.

I just wanted him to have something special and for boys, there is not much. The girls have feather trees, cute ornaments, pink nutcrackers, christmas purses, earrings, etc. I am sure his future wife (in 20 years) will appreciate this addition to her lovely Christmas decorations. He also wants the Steinbach Yoda. We will see....

If you want one too, it can be purchased from Amazon by clicking below and May the Force be with you.....

Christmas China

While all of you on your blogs are discussing your celebrating the holidays with family, being thankful and charitable giving, I am talking about other important matters: setting my table. Deep and meaningful.... no, slighty superficial, oh yes! Below are some of my favorites china patterns. I host Christmas Eve dinner every year. I usually use my Sheffield China by Spode which looks nice on my red velvet tablecloth. Also, I have antique white, 24 inch linen napkins tied with ornament frames from Michael's that serve as placecards. I order a fresh arrangement from our local florist and then we are all set.

What is your favorite pattern or what do you do?

CHRISTMAS LABELS

Thank you to all you bloggers out there who helped me to find some unusual stationery items. One Fabulous Mom introduced me to Little Beane Boutique and I ordered these adorable address labels to seal my Christmas Cards.

A Visit From the Christmas Bat

Photo from Flickr

Most families are visited by Santa Claus, an Angel or the Christmas Elf. We were fortunate enough to be visited by the Christmas Bat. Imagine being awaken to a lovely little creature swarming around your head. After all the screams, tears and the general "freaking out" by my children, my brave bat slaying husband put an end to this little darling's life. Thank goodness we're are a tennis family--the only way to catch a bat is with that expensive Head racquet that had just been restrung. We may not let our daughter (who owns the racquet) know about this.

Now on to animal control to see if our special present has the gift that keeps on giving...a case of rabies. If so, we will have a wonderful dose of rabies shots for the next week. "Merry Christmas You Filthy Animal"--Home Alone I (modified)

YOU SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS, WE SAY HAPPY NEW YEAR--School Parties, Uh!

Living in Ann Arbor, people speak their mind freely when they are offended and we are totally geared toward doing what is best for the minor at the expense of the majority. More on this at a later time).

Hence, our school party this year is a Happy New Year party. Our elementary school is composed of many multi-cultural students (and mind you, it is never the foreign student's parents that complain), so holiday parties are always a problem. Some schools have just stopped having parties all together.

A few years ago, a parent in our school sent a rather rude letter home asking that no gingerbread homes be made because it was a Christian activity (but we can still play the dreidel game). The following year, my friends who is Muslim said, if we are going to talk about the dreidel and Hanukkah, then we need to talk about Eid. Exhausting! I would love for you to talk about them just not out of retribution.

My suggestion to all you parents out there is to..... stop being so offended all the time. I am sorry that Christmas is such a big deal in this country. My children love celebrating all holidays so please share yours with us and try not to restrict others' efforts.

Final piece of advice---worry about your own child. Do not send a letter to the entire school prohibiting gingerbread houses and stop worrying about the entire school playing the dreidel game. Make sure your own child understands the importance of learning about others cultures, is willing to share his/her own and stop being so offended all the time!!!!

So you see where we are--Happy New Year! We will be cheering in the New Year at 3:25pm on Friday if you want to join us. Cupcake--a favorite from Flickr (I have been saving it all year and no, I did not make it and probably will not make ever in my life time.

Christmas Cupcakes

All Cupcake Photos Available on Flickr

I just received a few flattering comments asking if I made these. Thank you for thinking I am this talented or patient. As I picked up the prepackage, pre-rolled cookie dough sheets from the store this morning, I realized I am very comfortable with keeping things simple for now.

Inauguration Dress

On thing that we all can agree on is that we care what Michelle Obama's dress will look like for the Inauguration. Women's Wear Daily wrote an article on the dress option submitted by designers. A few other sites have been ratings the dresses--which is more fun. (see: yahoo touch here). To see more of these dress, please check out WWD.

Isaac Mizrahi sketch for Michelle, Sasha and Malia Obama. Diane Von Furstenberg

Monique Lhuillier sketch for Michelle Obama.

Betsey Johnson

ai Milla sketch for Michelle Obama

Christmas Greens: Real or Memorex

Well after our tree fell down and the needles fell off, we purchased another "fresh tree" and fresh roping, a few fresh wreaths both pine and boxwood. I just love fresh greens but every year, it is always a mess and seems like an unnecessary expense. Please let me know what you do.

Monogrammed Gingerbread Houses--Watchout Hansel & Gretel

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Gingerbread Houses. This year we did our annual tradition and they are displayed on crystal cake plates. My trick to successful Gingerbread house assembly is A GLUE GUN! Put it together with a glue gun then fill in with frosting. Trader Joe and Ikea have great priced, unique gingerbread houses--of course, we purchased full price standard houses because we needed them immediately! For those perfectionist, Red Envelop will customize your house for you. Other spectacular houses are below as well as a cute little book.

Red Envelop Red Envelop White House Gingerbread House White House Gingerbread House Book for those enthusiast