Elf workshop in full effect

My family starts arriving in town tomorrow so I decided it was about time to tackle all of this:

Thirty minutes later this was the scene in my living room:

And thennnnn .... I decided to call it quits after my mom called and said she'd help tomorrow. And Ike that, the elf workshop closed shop for the evening. Don't just love Moms? Happy one week to Christmas!!!

P.S. I finally decided to check my mail and put up my Christmas Cards. Like my DIY Christmas card holder? If your answer is yes, here's my tutorial. It's easy, I promise. Good night, I'm off to watch Ashley and JP's wedding on ABC. Cue the tears I'm sure.

A Very Vegas Christmas

Hi! I miss y'all. We're down to the single digits until my family comes to Vegas. In preparation for their arrival, I've added a little Christmas cheer to my humble abode. Like I mentioned in my last post, (which was oh, I dunno ... about 10 years ago), I was looking forward to getting my Christmas tree. It still excites me to come home everyday after work, plug it in and just stare at from my couch. My life truly is that exciting.
Let it be known I got this tree at Home Depot, drove home without it rolling off the hood of my car, got it off the top of my car, put it in a tree stand and drug it into my apartment ALL BY MY LONELY. Let me tell you, it was not easy and I don't recommend doing it yourself, but it can be done. Single girl probs.

OK, so the kind gent at Home Depot helped me tie it to the top of my car, but once I drove out of the parking lot I was all on my own.

Before/After

Angel tree topper

The view of the tree from my couch

I get an ornament every year from my Mamma bear and this is 2012 from Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah, GA

So my tree stood nicely in one corner of my living room until last week when I got the bright idea to buy a new chair for my living room so I had to find a new spot for my tree. I moved it twice before it ended up in this spot:

Dragging a tree across your living room is surprisingly easier than I thought.

I don't have a fireplace, so I got this stocking hanger from Kirkland's on sale. Pretty nifty, huh? Did I just really use the word nifty?

Since I moved my tree, this has found a new home as well.

Christmas tablescape

And last but not least, we have Santa at the top of my stairs:

Ho, Ho, Ho

That about sums up the Christmas cheer in my abode. Now, my Christmas shopping? I literally have not bought one present yet. Hopefully I can get most of my shopping done this weekend. Wish me luck because I need it. I do this to myself every year. I'll never learn.

To: Lindsey ... Love, Santa

This is not a "omg come fawn over what I got for Christmas because I am so awesome and privileged post" (valley girl voice).  Trust. I am not that girl and y'all should know this by now.  I use $5 shampoo and drink gas station wine like it's going out of style. I want to know what YOU got for Christmas, so I figured your pretty little faces might want to see what old St. Nick left for me under the tree.

All right, now that we got that settled, shall we take a look at my goods?

First up is the now infamous cat hat, which was quite a hit in yesterday's post.  If you'd like to embrace your inner feline, you can get your own at your local Target.  Target has it all, but we already knew this.

And to those of you saying I look like a Victoria's Secret model in the first pic: bless you.  You are blind ... i mean kind.

You might be a wine-o if ...

You get three bottles of wine, wine stoppers, a high heeled wine holder, a wine opener, magnetic wine charms, wine tissues, wine napkins and four more of your favorite wine glasses from your family for Christmas. *hangs head in shame*

I don't think I can continue on with this post any longer without showing you my new beloved.  The Michael Kors Gansevoort Large Tote in Teak. It was love at first sight and I've been coddling her like a baby ever since.

My mom and I found this Jewelry Armoire from the Cottage Collection at Target for half off, which matches my new room perfectly . Obvs i had to have.  While we're on the subject, I hope to do a tour of my room soon.  It's almost complete!

Looks like so when opened:

My grandma got me a few new gadgets for the kitchen.  A legit Paula Deen colander because my previous ones from my college days were tiny, plastic and deformed.  Look ma, I'm all grown-up with a big girl colander.

A mashed potato masher because I didn't own one and "every body knows" (Phaedra Parks) a good Southern girl needs to know about to properly mash a tater:

And because I'm obsessed with Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton and they got married on Don Strange Ranch like I want to some day, my Grandma got me this book filled with Don Strange's famous recipes as well as  personal anecdotes by the blog's author and his wife of 48 years.  

I've only had a chance to skim, but I already love it and want to try out so many of his recipes like yesterday.

Speaking of Miranda and Blake,  I also got her latest CD, Four the Record.  I cannot stop listening.  Every girl needs this CD because her songwriting is just beyond.  "The Same Old You" goes out to Lucifer, the ex.

I'm now the owner of this 10-piece baking set perfect for cooking and storing in the same dish. Loves.

Now for the beauty items.  Another new prized possession: a CHI BLOW DRYER!!  This Chi dryer dries my hair so much faster and makes it so much smoother than my old Revlon blow dryer. You don't even know.

When you have ridiculously thick and Amish length hair like me, you need this in your life.

I also got a baby curling iron to match my regular one:

My cousin got me this Fekkai Glossing Starter Kit, which I used for the first time yesterday.  I can't remember the last time my hair felt this soft, so needless to say, I'm now a believer in hair glossing.

I got a much needed refill on my face lotion, the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturing Gel.  The best for oily skin IMHO.  I don't know how I ever went without this every day.

I didn't take pictures of all of my stuff, but I also got a new set of chocolate brown sheets for my bed, all the clothes I asked for on my wish list, jewelry, VS lip gloss and pj bottoms, Starbucks gift cards, e.l.f. make-up, Clinique make-up, scarves and gloves, etc.

I am blessed beyond belief and my family did way too much.  Santa must have put me on top of his nice list this year, but really ... do you blame the guy?  KIDDING.

A Bargain Blonde Christmas in pictures (a lot of pictures)

I'm so proud of myself for finally figuring out how to take a picture of a Christmas tree like this!

I had a very blessed Christmas and I hope you all did as well!  I love, love, love (did I say love?) seeing how you and your fams celebrate the holidays, so I hope you enjoy today's post about how we, a little family in Texas, celebrated Christmas.

On "Christmas Eve, Eve", we looked at Christmas lights in a nearby neighborhood that is known for their beautiful and over-the-top lights.

That sign you can't read in the picture says to tune into a radio station.  The station plays music that the lights on this house flash to in sync.

Oh hello, Santa.  He was passing out candy to all the cars that drove by his house. 

After the tour of lights, we had presents with my nephew because he was staying in Dallas with his Mom and Dad while me and my mom and flew to San Antonio to spend Christmas at my Grandma's with my aunt, cousin and great aunt.  Here is the little Reesey Piecy opening some of his presents:

For his birthday I got him a play kitchen, so I gave him some play fruit that you pretend slice with a knife.  He was clearly excited about this gift.  

A pop-up "Dash the Dino" tent.

His very first alarm clock that barks like a puppy to wake him up. Look at his little toddler feet in socks! I die. 

And from my Grandma (his Great Grandma), an embroidered apron and chef hat to wear while playing with his kitchen. So cute!

 On Christmas Eve morning we flew to San Antonio and by 11 a.m., we were at my Grandma's in Boerne:

A little vintage bargain blonde with my brother.  Is Reese not his freaking TWIN!?

We almost immediately went to downtown Boerne to one of my favorite restaurants for the Mexican food and margaritas:

Hands down the best chalupas ever in the history of ever. 

Margarita on the rocks with salt.  The only way to go.

Later we finished wrapping presents to put under the tree:

We played the card game Canasta and I drank a dee-lish vodka, fruit juice and peppermint drink my aunt whipped up for me. Highly recommend throwing a candy cane in your drink.

We had some dessert too, which was a cake my grandma made that has apparently won red and white ribbons in county fairs.  Would you like a piece?

Reese's mom text me this pic of him on Christmas Eve night after setting cookies and milk out for Santa:

We woke up Christmas morning and had coffee and toast from homemade bread:

I don't think I have ever had homemade bread before. It was amazeballs. 

Then it was time to open all of theseeeeee. Cue the angels.


I'm saving all of my gifts for tomorrow's post, but here is a sneak peak of one of my favorites. Introducing Lindsey the cat:

Meow.  Ridiculous, yes.  And I wouldn't have it any other way.  Cats drink mimosas?

I also got my cousin a ridic hat so she wouldn't be left out on all the fun:

After presents we had lunch cooked by my Grandma.  On the menu was a Honey Baked Ham, scalloped potatoes, yellow squash from her garden and pea salad. It was yummy in my tummy.

Christmas night we watched The Help and drank hot chocolate.

The next day my cousin and I went shopping before a late lunch at Teka Molino, my favorite restaurant in the entire universe.  I have dreams about these puffy tacos and if went to death row tomorrow for shanking a ho, this would be my last meal:

You don't even know

After lunch, I was off to the airport and back to Dallas by dinner time.  Woo, wee.  Tomorrow I'll show you all my gifts, but now I'm off to read all of your Christmas recaps.  I hope Santa was good to y'all!!!