i know i’ve talked about this before, but the thing about december in texas is that it’s that sweet spot in time when the autumn colors truly come out, just in time for…christmas.  and so, while it seems rather weird to have fall and christmastime in one post, that is the reality of what it’s like around here!  december was a busy month, but a lovely one to finish off the year.

{i can’t say that i love starting with selfies but let’s go ahead and get the negativity out of the way… this was me, stuck in traffic on the way to work the monday after thanksgiving break.  caption:  “took me 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to work today.  monday, so far i’m not impressed.  #welcomebacktoreality #holidayisover”}

{when babydog sees horses for the first time.  hysterical, right??  [sidenote: for those of you who are wondering why my dad is carrying that stick, it’s because there are some mean dogs that roam around on the street that we walk on, and my mom and lucky were once attacked here while they were walking… poor lucky had to have stitches and tubes in his side because of it.  anyway, we don’t have to use it often, but it does scare the dogs away.}

{FALL!}

{…and more fall!}

{…and now christmas.  ha!  more decorations!}

{throwbacks with my sweet brother bear!}

{i was going through my jewelry and had to take this photo…can you tell that i love paris?!  a few neat pieces that i love from neat people whom i love.}

{that funny moment when mom is shaving mike’s neck before a wedding and mike is petting shiner who is sitting on the top of the couch, and you just have to take a picture because this is such a family moment…} ;)

{wedding time!  priscilla’s brother roger and now-sister-in-law catherine got married at the beginning of december.  on the left, three generations in our fur, sequins, and lace.  on the right, mike and his beautiful bridesmaid.}

{i heart my family}

{such a beautiful wedding}

{i was able to catch that fun little moment on the left when they thought no one was looking! ;)  and here they come, the beautiful bride and groom!}

{the first dance.  and a sunrise from my bedroom window.}

{ceviche on tostadas}

{this was a bittersweet day, as it was my last day of my last cooking class of culinary school.  i still have a few other classes to take before i graduate, but they’re not cooking classes and i’m definitely on the home stretch.  it’s been such a fun road and i’ve learned so much!  i’m really going to miss the cooking classes and all my foodie friends who bring interesting things to taste and have lots of great ideas in the kitchen.  this is probably the last time you’ll see me in this outfit…}

{on the left, celebrating my first day of no culinary school with…cooking, of course! ;)  chicken & lentil soup + garlic cheddar beer bread.  and on the right, i just had to take this photo, because it reminded me of the time when mike was little and mom and i played a trick on him…we sprinkled one of those hardened sweet potato drippings that was really round and black with powdered sugar…and then gave it to him and told him that it was a cookie we’d made.  and he believed us and took a bite!!  poor guy!  i can still remember his face…he lived through it though!} :P

{northpark mall had two neat exhibits this holiday season… the first one was a fashion exhibit with all kinds of outfits from different eras.  i’m obsessed with that gorgeous beaded dress with NYC on it…can i have it?!  and the second exhibit was this huge gingerbread village.  it was pretty sweet.  [no pun intended.]}

{brunch at henry’s majestic!  cinnamon apple monkey rolls to share + beer-braised corned beef hash and egg with leek potatoes}

{when you miss the memo and that tacky christmas sweater day at work is on thursday and you wear yours on tuesday instead!  oops.}

{shiner boy!  on the right, he’s in dire need of a haircut…}

{…and here he is after the haircut!  he was sooooo tired.}

{the most hilarious gift at our white elephant gift exchange at work…a horse mask!  50 shades of chicken came in at a close second…}

{i lucked out at the white elephant exchange and got this puerto rican coconut nog, made by my coworker’s husband.  it was SO GOOD.  and on the right, the sourcing department starts getting rained on by gifts like this around the holidays and we’re not complaining!}

{dog-tired}

{holiday party!  we know how to do brunch right!  mimosas and bloody marys, bucket o’ bacon, bears ‘n berries waffles, migas with ghost peppers sauce, ancho-cocoa chicken & waffles, yogurt & granola parfait, potatoes, sausage, bacon, and a scone.  we call this #hangoverbrunch}

{evening}

{no matter that i have a long commute to work, that it’s noisy here and that there is often heavy traffic, but at this stage in my life, i love city living.  like the mornings that i walk across the street to bread winners for coffee and a muffin.  or the days that i get to do window shopping while going for a run in west village.  there’s no place i’d rather be.  on that note, it’s scooter central in my garage… [or do they call those mopeds?  i don’t know…]}

{love my new baby from hearth and hovel!  now let’s hope and pray that i can keep this sweet thang alive…}

bring it, 2016!