Early New Years Dinner

A gift from Mor Mor that comes out every year- Tomte having a good time with their Pigs

My parents tree. You may notice the Swedish flags...

More Tomte

Lucy woken up from a nap.

The yummy leftovers as I forgot to take photos the night before.

My Mom and Dad always have Jon my brothers and I over for dinner on New Years Day. Since they will be cruising this year they invited us over before they left (My mom more for us to enjoy her Christmas decorations as Jon and I were too busy to come over to check them out earlier). The biggest surprise of the evening... My dad cooked Sri Lankan food! A total treat as I honestly cannot remember the last time he cooked us an entire meal let alone food from his motherland!! Sure a dish here and there but everything? Wow! What an unbelievable treat! Okra, Rice, Beef, Chicken, and Lentils. Jon and I took home all of the leftovers and ate everything again last night (It tasted even better as all of the ingredients got to spend more time together!) I can't wait for my Dad to cook for us again soon! What a fun and yum night!

Christmas Part three- a relaxing day with the Warren's

Charlie posing with the tree and the gifts

My sexy husband making pancakes

Kate aka Julia

Jon and Laura

My festive reindeer poncho which i recently acquired on my last Thrifting excursion (recent as in forever ago), and my amazing new gold sequined beret from Laura (how did she know I have been on the hunt for the right one in what seems like forever?!)

Christmas Morning we thanked Kitty for letting us celebrate as well as her and everyone for all of the gifts and wonderful food. Stopped by our house to wish the babes Merry Christmas give them some love, and make sure they had food and water. Then off to the Warren's for Christmas with Jon's wonderful family Jim, Kate, Laura, Jay and Zack. It was a late start for all so we started off with Breakfast which the Christmas tradition is Kate brings out the griddle and Jon makes his yummy pancakes, Kate was channeling Julia Child with her eggs, cinnamon rolls, and hash browns (doing the best impression of her ever!). Next we opened gifts again lots of cook ware Zack got us a mini prep plus food Processor (finally! Thank you Zack! I have been dying for one of these!). After gifts we all took the dogs for a walk, then relaxed and watched movies, ate snacks, hung out and talked, ate more snacks, played games, and ate the best Mac N' Cheese I have ever had thanks to Kate! As always we had such a great time (I wish I took more pictures!). Thank you all so much for yet another great Christmas! Jon and I cannot wait for next year!

Christmas Part two- Kitty's Mountains

The view of the drive home from the car.

Kitty and My Dad waiting to eat!

Patrick, Mom, and Kitty getting everything ready for dinner

Jon in one of his new Cardigans from my Mom

You may see my dad "Cruising" the Mediterranean in this robe

Yum Plate of Swedish Meatballs, My Mom's amazing Gravlax, HoneyBaked Ham, Sillsallad, LiverPate, and Swedish Cheeses.

the Puzzle-Completed

The Puzzle- on its way to being put together

My Mom putting her finishing touches on the Gravlax

Hurry up and take the picture so we can eat!

Christmas Eve has always been Christmas for my family as that is how Swedish Christmas is celebrated so it worked out perfectly for both Jon's and my families (as his family is total Christmas morning). Growing up we always went up to visit my dad's Swedish "sister" Kitty in Wrightwood (we always called it Kitty's mountins) We would celebrate Christmas eve with a putting together the same Christmas puzzle from 1985, enjoying a huge feast, opening gifts and then the next morning my brothers and I would go skiing. We hadn't done this in years! This year Kitty invited us up (or maybe we invited ourselves?). Because I had to work up until the last minute we were unable to go up early as planned but it was still so much fun! We still got to put together the puzzle (Michael is so good at this we were all sitting there for quite a while trying to put together our pieces, Michael comes along and pretty much puts the puzzle together). Next we enjoy a fantastic meal. Then open gifts which consisted of lots of cruise wear for my dad (my parents and some of their friends left this morning for a two week cruise of Spain, Italy, and the Greek Isles), lots of cook ware for Jon and I as well as a Pendleton Blanket (finally!) from Patrick, and Cardigans and Robes for all courtesy of my Mom. Thank you Kitty for letting us all celebrate with you again in your fabulous Mountains!

Christmas Part one

Both Jon and I worked up until the last moments before Christmas. Jon actually had the 22nd off but ended up helping us on a music video we were working on that was on the 22nd but was a night shoot so it went into the early morning of the 23rd. Of course this was the coldest night of the week so it was beyond painful. Luckily everyone on the shoot was fantastic so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. We slept half of the morning away and then spent the remainder of the day wrapping gifts and taking turns running out for last minute gifts (one of us had to stay home to wait for UPS who were so busy that they ended up at the house more than halfway through the afternoon but were in such great moods even with all of the madness I would never complain!)

Anyway... Jon and I celebrate our Christmas on Christmas Eve-Morning. We open gifts, then eat breakfast, Phil and Maude get to play in and with the wrapping.

Naples Boat Parade

This past Saturday was the Naples Boat parade. We have started to make it an annual thing to wander around Naples Island to check out the boats and the crazy way the Houses on the island are decorated. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Santa Lucia

A couple of weeks ago Jon and I attended the Swedish Christmas fair that is sponsored by SVEA. We go every year to eat Swedish hot dogs, drink Glogg (which is a Swedish drink with either wine or vodka, raisins and almonds served hot it is soooo good), eat Swedish treats like princess cake, and breads, visit my mom who helps her friend work at one of the many booths at the fair as well as visit many of my parents Swedish friends that I grew up with, also spend money on many of the Swedish things that are sold at the different booths, and eat more Swedish Hot Dogs. There is Swedish folk dancing, Swedish Christmas carols, dancing around the Christmas tree, and Santa Lucia. I was so thankful I had part of that day off (as we have been working nonstop!) to attend. It is something I really look forward to all year!

birds eye view of part of the fair

Jon and I (glogg in hand)

my mom.

Swedish folk dancing

Santa Lucia

Toronto brrrrr.

a quick photo from the car.

I tried to capture the snow that was falling.

We are so fabulous.

Daria at the end of a LONG day.

Last week Daria and I made a trip to Toronto for a two day photo shoot. Day one was in a studio, day two was in the most beautiful theater that was on the sixth floor of a building in downtown Toronto. The ceiling looked like the Blue Bayou restaurant in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride with trees and lights hanging from the ceiling (so mad I didn't take photos!). The girls we worked with were totally great. Although it was freezing and the days ended up being incredibly long both Daria and I had a fantastic time working hard! My dad's cousins live there and I was really hoping to get a chance to meet up with them but due to lack of sleep and the super long days I was only able to talk on the phone with them (I talked with Uncle Ranjit for at least 45 minutes as he is Hi-Larious!) I cannot wait to go back to Toronto (hopefully when it is warmer) to visit everyone and have fun! I want to go with Jon and my parents to visit everyone and explore and then road trip to Niagara Falls (our friend Cottle says the thrift store shopping there is insane!). Hopefully there will be a little time this summer.

You wanted the best...

Last week Jon and I went and saw Kiss for their '35 and still alive' tour. It was my third time seeing them live and Jon's first time. As soon as the house lights went down and the venue went dark, and the announcer says the words " You wanted the best...." I was on my feet with my hands in the air screaming at the top of my lungs. The first chords were played and the stage lights come up and there they are in all of their amazing glory. Jon was even geeking out equally as hard as I was (...he was after staring at me for a few moments probably wondering what was wrong with me). Kiss is absolutely amazing live. Any person let alone MAN that can perform in the wardrobe (weighing as much and covering as much of their bodies) that they wear are total badasses that want to rock you to the very core of your being. Wearing at least 10lbs worth of clothing each and at least 4 inch heels to boot they entertain you like no other. (who designs all of their wardrobe? that person (people?) totally amazing!) Gene coughing up blood flying over a million miles on top of the stage to rock out on his bass, with his sword and fire blowing abilities, Ace Frehley absolutely killing it on guitar, Paul Stanley holding court being the best host ever keeping the audience entertained, Peter Criss pounding the drums like no other, the fans in their amazing Kiss inspired wardrobe... this IS entertainment. I cannot wait to go back to see them again the next time they come around!

It's been a minute...

Jon and I have both been fighting these nasty colds for the past couple of weeks. We each had a few moments of functioning properly, and feeling better thinking we had kicked that jerk of a cold to the curb (thank goodness Thanksgiving Thursday was one of the sick free days!). We are both on what I am hoping is the last day of this. I am dying because the days we have been sick we have not been doing anything but laying around, watching movies and eating everything that is around us (not so much Jon but mainly I have been eating everything around me!). I cannot wait to get out and move around again...

Jon and I dancing at Klas and Josefine's wedding this past summer (my mom is cutting a rug with Josefine's uncle behind us)