Merry Christmas!

For all of those that celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas to you!! (and a very, very happy day to those who don't!).. My family celebrated altogether last night (my first time as an 'adult' in the family... never realized how watching the kids open presents, and not opening any myself!). Stockings are the main event in my family, so I was super stoked for that! I got lots of everyday things that I didn't want to buy for myself (haha best ever).

Today at approximately 3 am, my youngest brother woke me up to tell me that Santa had visited. Usually I'd be excited, but I knew what Santa brought me this year, so I stayed in bed. At 7, mom woke everyone up and we got to open gifts from mom and dad (mom bought me a book about surviving away from your mother... haha, love her ideas).

Church went old school with hymnals (and an extremely short message!) and we all went over to grandma's for brunch (pancakes and bacon!). Later this evening, we're having ribs and other manly meaty meals, and going to the movies!

This is new for us, our traditions are really strict and the same every year, but with Christmas being on Sunday, and having church, it kind of threw us all off! It was still wonderful. And I am so thankful for my family and the time I get to spend with them. Plus, I got new owl jammies. No complaining over here! ;)

Merry Christmas,everyone!

So thankful for all of you! ♥

xo Haley

Christmas Cheer.

As a reference, the picture below is what I'm used to during the Christmas season...

My mom takes great pride in our home during the holidays. As soon as we get back from St. Louis for Thanksgiving, the tree is up and the house is full of snowmen. Sometimes, it even happens before Thanksgiving. I l.o.v.e my home during this time of the year. So cozy and just all around Christmas-y.

To no surprise, this Christmas has just snuck up on me! Usually I have my mom's winter decor around to remind me that Christmas is coming, but this year, it was all left up to me.

Moving out on my own has been the best experience (it's hard to believe I've been on my own for 6 months!), but things have been a bit challenging when it comes to making my new home feel like Christmas as well.

Anna put up Christmas lights (which I love!) and then she taught me (and Blake) how to make paper snowflakes (can you believe I couldn't remember how to make them?!).

I then saw a photo that Elsie had pinned on Pinterest and since we don't have a real Christmas tree in our home (waiting for Targets post-Christmas sale.. but I'm still holding out for a pink tree!), I told Anna we should use our snowflakes to make a tree on one of our huge windows!

I woke up to quite the surprise this morning when I noticed Anna made one last night!

In addition to the snowflake tree, I have like, 3 mini sized Christmas trees in my bedroom.

Seriously, Target is Christmas decor heaven.

I have found thought, that one of the perks of moving away (and close to downtown Springfield) are the lights...

These are the gorgeous views from right outside my window!

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. I just love the cozy feeling and cuddling up on the couch with a good Christmas movie and hot tea. Best feeling.

I'm making a list of Christmas traditions to start (and Elsie is providing great inspiration lately!), do you have any ideas or suggestions?! I would love to hear some of your favorites!

Blake and I have multiple jammie days during the holiday season (our first is tomorrow! We have lots of movies planned to watch!), but I'm itching to start some new traditions!

Send your ideas this direction ;)

Merry early Christmas, everyone!

Only a little over a week to shop! Eeek!

xo Haley

All I Want For Christmas...

1. I have had my eye on this beautiful Anthro bed frame for years... sigh. The $6,000 price tag has this wish on hold for a while. 2. I love anything and everything Bare Minerals. Get me a gift card to Bare Escentuals, and I will be in heaven. Seriously. 3. The Complete Sex and the City series. Yes. Puhlease. Not to mention, the SATC/HBO gift shop has Samantha inspired fake lashes. Adding that to my wish list... 4. A REAL Orla Kiely bag... I have a fake that I got in NYC last summer, but a real one would be a dream. 5. Hunter wellies. I absolutely love these boots. Need them. 6. I don't think a Dior diamond would be out of the question, right? 7. I want, want, want tickets to see West Side Story in St. Louis next February! Ah! Favorite musical, I need to see it live!

Not to mention, Breigh and I also found this gorgeous, GORGEOUS purse on Etsy today, and I am drooling over it (drooling, I tell you!)...sad to say, it's been sold, and I want it so badly! I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for more..

What's on your Christmas list this year? I know Blake's gonna have an awesome Christmas this year! I'm just freaking out about how soon a few of the gifts will be shipped. I'm cutting it close this year! :)

xo Haley

p.s. coming soon on the blog - new changes all over the place! a brand new design, concept, and schedule! I'm so excited to share this with you all... I'm having so much fun developing it (during naptime at work!) and I hope you all like it! ♥

homemade christmas cards, record players, and paintings.

Christmas was absolutely fantastic. Here's a cute card to prove it:

Boyfriend made me a Christmas card! It is pretty much the most adorable thing ever. I think I love it more than the Arcade Fire album he gave me.. :)

I love how he drew a heart, and included his heart murmur, too. Haha. So stinking sweet.

And..as if that wasn't cute enough... on the back, he added pictures of my favorite people!

Jimmy+Emma+Manny = YES. Oh, and then the cast of The Room.

Blake is definitely a keeper.

And this has been playing allll day long:

It is absolutely wonderful. Quite possibly the best Christmas gift ever. Thank you Santa. :)

Andddd, finally.

The point of this blog. I've been painting a lot lately.. I did one the other night for Blake, and then a very last minute painting for Mr. Max's bedroom, and then, this one tonight. I'm gonna keep this one for myself, I think :)

Mr. Blake, you and I have a very, very good thing. And I like you x1000. Don't forget that. :)

xoxo Haley

merry christmas♥

we woke up to snow falling this christmas morning and it was absolutely wonderful. it just completes the holiday. so so fun.

this is the first christmas in years that i haven't felt like crying. i am so incredibly grateful for my family, and for what they put up with from me. they are the most amazing family ever.

not to mention - santa did a pretty rockin job at making this christmas a good one.
this was after santa came for a little visit. he gave me a record player (my first!), tucker got the newest call of duty, cooper got some sort of gun (i have no clue; i have zero interest in that) and trevor got an..i don't know what that huge red thing is. a tool holder? hahaha i'm clueless.

santa did good! :)

this is my cute little family. i have three brothers, all younger than me. they are fun, but they can be rowdy and ruuude.these are the AWESOME grandkids. grandma and grandpa spoil each and every one of us. (grandma is really good about leaving me starbucks money in the morning before i leave for school. she's so awesome. -we also both got starbucks & barnes and noble gift cards, so she asked me to go on a coffee/book date with her. soo cute.)
and this is the whole bunch. i love every single person. especially little max. he's the cutest. :)

i hope you all had a very merry christmas.

mine's not over yet!

i get to go to a movie with the boyfriend and his parents after eating dinner with my dad' side of the family.

its been a really, really good day.

:)

xo hay

oh, and p.s.

i am SO afraid of Blythes...

and look what was on my doorstep this morning?

...yup.

december.

this december i will:

*make it a habit to hang out with family more than friends

*find the best christmas present ever for blake. and colby. (and i suppose i need to find presents for my brothers too..)

*go see the pretty lights at silver dollar city

*watch too many christmas movies and drink too much hot chocolate and apple cider

*hang out with grandma as much as possible (and totally dominate at jeopardy)

*stop procrastinating about the end of the semester things i need to do

*stop complaining about the cons of next semester

*be thankful for how wonderful november was

*make december even better than november

its going to be a good month.

now if you'll excuse me, i'm going to drive 30seconds down the road to get Sonic for breakfast, before i go back to sleep.

♥ haley

i'm bored. beyond bored, actually.

so, its a tradition to make our christmas lists after we eat on thanksgiving. but our actual thanksgiving dinner is on saturday. so it doesn't really feel like thanksgiving. anyways, i went ahead and made my list. i was a bit excited. i just have a lot of christmas spirit this year.:)

so here's my christmas list:i want this dress more than anything in the world ever. for real.Twilight Saga Scene It. Yes. I am legitimately asking for this. And when I get it, I'm having a huge party to play this beautiful game.
so i don't exactly need this exact record player... but i want it. its too pretty. and to go with that pretty record player, i need these records:

prettiest. rain boots. ever. i'm not sure where i can find these, but i want them. like, bad.
the Bat For Lashes jacket that I REALLY wanted is out of stock, so i'll gladly settle for this one, i guess...:)

pretty handmade mocs. (please and thank you, mom)

happy thanksgiving! :)
xo. haley

p.s. i also really want a pink KitchenAid mixer. that's all. :)

christmas is my favorite.

unless you consider my birthday a holiday, then christmas is my very favorite. its not so much presents, even though i like those a lot, too, but i love apple cider and the breakfast casserole that my grandma only makes on christmas morning. silly reasons to like christmas, i know. but for real. those are my reasons.

:)

other things i like about this time of the year:

- all of the candy my momma makes

- how cozy my mom makes the house seem

- the many jammies nights colby and i have when it gets cold outside

- red cups at starbucks. duh.

- the Baptist version of midnight mass on christmas eve

- listening to the Bright Eyes & Sufjan Stevens christmas albums

- christmas socks (even though i don't have any. so i wear my valentines day socks instead)

- christmas movies! (i'm so watching Home Alone tonight!)

- lots of hot tea & books. perfect nights like that make the season wonderful

i can't wait to have a place of my own to make cute little handmade decorations for.

and i'll need a pink christmas tree, too.

+i'm experiencing a bit of hair envy right now:

so so so pretty. but for right now.. i'm stuck with this:

rather simple. and sort of mommy ish. i'm working on it. i keep dying it darker, but can never commit to anything other than dark brown. haha. maybe someday i'll actually take a risk with my hair and dye it some crazy color. or get some crazy cut. we'll see. :)