I’ve been working on a special secret project for the last few weeks and admittedly have been enjoying every moment of it.  I hope to share it with you soon, but until then, hopefully this can hold you over.

It has only happened a few times in the last thirty years or so.  And it even took me a second to realize what was different.  Umm, DAD?!  Your mustache?!  What happened to it?  I used the wrong length clippers, so I just shaved it off he said.  Just like that, he switched it up on us.  That’s just WRONG, I told him.  He was going to grow it back, but for Christmas, it was a very naked bare upper lip for him!  So although something was missing during our annual family photo session, we improvised to make them look as accurate as possible.

Let’s be honest, you can’t even tell the difference.

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I walked into the grocery store with my cart then down four aisles to the candy aisle.  And there they were.  The marshmallows.  A big stack.  I looked around me, then at my cart, then back at everyone in the aisle, and then hoped that they wouldn’t judge.  Who am I kidding, of course they were going to judge.  Some crazy lady was about to wipe the whole store out of marshmallows, and I smiled as I put every last one in my cart.  I was trying to think of reasons why it would be acceptable to buy twenty bags of giants marshmallows at one time, and all I could come up with was I’m having one big campfire, duh. 

I stood tall, smiled at all the people passing by as they checked out the contents in my cart and let out a chuckle, then made my way to the front of the store.  Then standing there in the end of the aisle, stocking items on the shelf; he turns around and is all Girl, where are you going with all my marshmallows.  Eeeps, haha umm, I REALLY like marshmallows.  What in the world just came out of my mouth?  You moron!  What happened to your campfire story?!  I’m not sure, I wish I could go back in time and write a cheat sheet on my hand.  MB,… CAMPFIRE!

This year, because of all the hooplaa, Christmas didn’t really feel like Christmas until it was actually the day of.  But that didn’t stop me from decking the halls.  Which meant it had to be different and better than last year.  Geesh, always trying to out-do myself.  And then I was all, YOU’RE GOING DOWN MB.  This year I wanted to keep it simple but still warm and cozy.  Which of course, meant all white decorations!  To start, I loaded the couch up with all of the most cozy cream colored blankets and pillows from Pottery Barn.

My couch=a dream.  Seriously, I’m obsessed with it.  And it’s charcoal gray.  Stop it, don’t act surprised.  All that’s missing is some snow outside and hot chocolate.  AHEM, mother nature.

For the tree I went with all white porcelain pine cones I got last year on clearance after Christmas at Crate and Barrel.  There is no better time to buy all those decorations then right after Christmas, the sales are insane.

What’s that?  Back there, you ask?

Oh, yes.  That’s Norman.  Isn’t he the best?

He loves to hang out.  Pun intended.

And, just like myself, he also likes charcoal gray and snow.  Err, marshmallows.

Better than last year?  I THINK SO!

My Christmas card collection is right by my front door so I can admire it right when I walk in.

Thoughts?  Likey?  Dislike?  How did you decorate this year?  Moose?  Meese?

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With the new year right around the corner, I decided to feature some of my most favorite things from the past year.  So.  Here is the Megan Beth It List for 2011!  Past It Lists can be found here and here!

1.  This Mac blush, Dolly Mix is bright pink, but oh so dreamy.  It doesn’t go on as bright as it looks, but leaves the cheeks shimmery and perfectly rosey.
2.  After trying out a few flat black boots options I finally decided on these fantastic boots from B.P. at Nordstroms.
3.  I’m in love with these acrylic desktop accessories from CB2.  They look great, and help me keep my desk super organized.
4.  Charcoal gray is my favorite color, so why not wear in on my nails.  And thankfully Dior makes the perfect gray color! 
5.  These are my new favorite leggings from J.Crew.  You can wear them dressed up, or down and I may or may not own them in gray as well.
6.  After receiving this candle as a gift, it quickly became a new favorite of mine.  They are candles made out of old wine bottles:  Rewined Candles.
7.  I started using this Oil of Olay Renewel Face Cream at night, and I’m so in love with it.  It leaves my face moisturized without ever becoming greasy.
8.  I’m in love.  With my iPad.  Get one.
9.  I protested getting Uggs for the longest time because they were ‘trendy’ but oh so uggly.  Get it?  Ugg-ly.  Then this past year I decided to give them a try…not to be trendy, but more just to keep my feet warm in the winter.  Now I wish I could go back in time and slap myself in the face.
10. And these thick camp socks from J.Crew are another must have during the winter.  I buy the mens socks, and wear them under my boots, or just around the house.  They’re big, cozy, and even look cute peaking out from my boots.

You know what they say… five Santas are always better than one!  Merry Christmas to you, and you, and you!  And please disregard the swolleness of my face.  Apparently my face hates mornings.

I had a list a mile long of things to accomplish before Christmas, and a quick trip to New York would kick off the holiday spirit.  But after our trip to New York City I was abruptly woken up the next morning and immediately felt like air was taken from my lungs.  Life separated itself from my heart and poured out my weepy eyes, into my blankets.  I can’t do this.  I can’t do this.  I can’t do this.  PLEASE not now.  I must have repeated it twenty times.  I listened to the desperate message he left me, and continued to wail uncontrollably.  It was happening.  It was progressing.  It felt like I’ve been slowly walking through this difficult journey, but in that moment, my life changed instantly.  And then I did something I haven’t done in a long time; I prayed.  He had a very serious health scare and was rushed to the E.R., followed up by time in the ICU.  Most of my days have been by his side and suddenly all the other things in my life didn’t seems so important anymore.  But after a very long and frustrating ordeal he is out now and doing better.

My Christmas wish this year was to spend Christmas together, as a family and thankfully my wish was granted.  Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – Maya Angelou

We had planned it out, I wanted to leave the city after sunset so we could look back and see the skyline.  Earlier we had hailed a cab for dinner and I happened to ask him the best place to see the skyline before we left town.  He gave us directions, street names and all, and told us it wouldn’t disappoint.  Later that evening we said goodbye to the Big Apple and headed into the Lincoln Tunnel.  I got lost a few times, and then suddenly started seeing landmarks for what we were supposed to look for.  We could see little glimpses of the city through the buildings, but then as we rounded the curve I witnessed the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.  And at that moment?  It took my breath away.

After months of planning, he still didn’t know what was going on, only that we were spending the day in Annapolis.  We decided that I would break the news to him when he got there, you know, so he couldn’t make a run roll for it beforehand.  Mom and I waited in the parking lot, and then around the corner came Amanda’s car.  They got out and rolled him over to me.  HI DAD! and after looking around at the marina he was all what are we doing here?  I took a big gulp and VERY! EXCITEDLY! SAID! WE’RE GOING SAILING!  And it’s going to be so much fun!  With one eye closed, fearing the response, I paused and waited to hear what he was going to say.  Oh.  Ok.  He said.  I had started to go over the list of reasons why he shouldn’t skip it in my head, and they were just making their way to my tongue when my brain processed what he had just said.  Wait, did you just say ok?!  And just like that, Dad was going sailing.

And a huge special thank you to Michael Eller and Tyler Davis who came along for the afternoon, to document this most special day.  This film is so dear to my heart, especially right now, and will be cherished for all of my living days.

Sail Away from Monachetti on Vimeo.

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Before Thanksgiving my mom asked me what I was going to do to contribute on Thanksgiving.  Ummm I told her.  Ummm.  I know!  I can roll the crescent rolls!  That takes some major skills and I’m a total pro at it.  You see, you definitely don’t want me helping out in the kitchen during some sort of major food production.  It could get ugly, and then we’re all sitting there trying to figure out exactly how plastic wrap got in those brownies in the first place.  True story.  So.  After volunteering my crescent roll rolling skills, I also told her that I could set the table, too!  And then I’m pretty sure right there on the other side of the internet, staring at her computer, she rolled her eyes.

Because, I just don’t set the table.  I SET. THE. TABLE.  I turn into Commander in Chief of Table Settings.

It turns into a major production, full of paint and fabric swatches and all the matching/mismatching dinner plates I can get my little hands on.  But this year I vowed to keep it simple, something not overtly Thanksgiving-ish with a Cornucopia, or pumpkins, but focusing on what really mattered:  a table full of family and friends who I am thankful for.

The white flowers are made up of white hydrangeas, organic white long stem roses, and these beautiful white parrot tulips.

And to give the arrangement a little color and texture I added in some Eucalyptus Popolus berries and leaves.

In keeping with the white, brown, silver theme, the white flowers matched perfectly with the white plates and white table cloth underneath the brown burlap table cloth.

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