{holiday parties and host gifts}

It's that time of year, friends - parties galore and festivities for all.  Certainly one of my favorite things in the whole wide world to do is host parties and attend parties.  Intimate gatherings are my favorite, and especially those hosted in someone's home.

{My parents' house...where my heart will always live.}

Growing up, one thing my mom always emphasized was the importance of letting people know that you appreciate something they've given you.   As a child, this meant handwriting thank you cards to those who gave me gifts.  It was something we always did and I came to truly understand how much it means to someone to receive a handwritten acknowledgment of your appreciation.

As we grow older, we tend to receive fewer gifts, but one thing we do a lot more of is attend parties.  As I'm sure anyone who has hosted a party is well aware, they can take a lot of time and effort to put together.  What better way, then, to show your appreciation to the host than to give a thoughtful thank you gift?  This has been my way of bringing the good old-fashioned courtesies that my mom taught me into present day.  {And in case you didn't already know, those old-fashioned teachings were what inspired me to create my etsy shop Simply Living...check it out!}

This week, I attended a small party at the home of my husband's boss.  Since it was my very first time in their home, I wanted to bring something extra special to show them how much I appreciated their inviting me and putting together such a nice party.  

There are SO many ideas out there for host gifts - from wine and flowers to candles and coasters.  Any gift that you take means that you have put effort and thought into showing your appreciation.  But as I'm sure you already know, I just happen to be one of those strange people who finds cooking/baking/crafting therapeutic, so that's what I tend toward for my gifts.

So I decided to try out a beverage recipe from my friend Becky's blog {y'all...she's crazy talented} and to make an almond sugar cookie recipe that I made for my coworkers last year that was a total hit.  So I gathered all my supplies and got to work.  The result?  

{Who doesn't love a gable box?}

{Oh, you didn't know that my husband moonlights as a hand model?}

Somehow, I was able to transport those bad boys all the way to Midland...on a plane...it's sort of a miracle, really.  The party was fantastic and I got to meet some great people.  And after developing this idea, I decided to carry it over into my annual Christmas gifts for my coworkers.  Stay tuned for a post on that soon.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether you make something or buy something, spend a lot of money or spend a little.  What's important is to remember that although times have changed, common principles of appreciation and courtesy haven't, and everyone appreciates knowing that their thoughtfulness was recognized.  So I encourage you this holiday season to consider showing your appreciation in whatever way suits your personality best - send a thank you card, give a candle or special bar of chocolate or spend some time creating something that's uniquely your own to share with those who give of themselves to make your holiday season more merry and bright.  

Take a moment to enjoy life, to enjoy each other and to make the most of each day.  Spend some time {Simply Living}.

{an embarrassing confession, also known as "how starbucks is ruining my life"}

Friends, I have an embarrassing confession to make.  Here's the story:

{Inversion, Houston}

This morning I had to go into work, and unlike most mornings when I'm in a bug hurry {running late}, today {since it's Saturday and all} I had time to leisurely drive in and even stop at my favorite coffee shop.  And then it happened...

I got up to the counter to order and what did I say?  "I'd like a grande coconut mocha please"...

And I was ashamed.  I felt like the whole coffee shop stopped, dropped whatever they were holding and turned around to look at me in disgust.  How dare I, nay, how COULD I, go to a local coffee shop and use Starbucks lingo?!?!

The barista {after getting over her initial shock, of course} just kindly smiled at me and replied "so, is that a large?"  I was mortified.  I was so mortified, in fact, that I couldn't even get the words out to tell her that it was actually a medium.

Now, as someone who has always and will always prefer a local coffee shop to a chain, even being willing to drive out of my way just to hit a local spot, I can't explain to you how much of a personal failure it is that I have allowed myself to frequent Starbucks enough during the workweek {there's one right at the bottom of my office building} that my brain has gotten brainwashed by their stupid lingo.

So here I sit, large coconut mocha in hand {that I'll never be able to finish because I never order larges} and ashamed that this is what my life has come to.  At least I had enough sense to call it a "coconut mocha" rather than a "mocha coconut" like Starbucks calls their significantly-less-tasty comparable beverage. {that doesn't even make sense, by the way--I mean, everyone knows that the word describing the dominant characteristic comes second--just look at Crayons..."red-orange" means an orange that's reddish, "blue-green" means a green that's bluish and so on.  And Tex-Mex...it's Mexican food with a Texas flare.  The dominant word always comes second.}

As I see it, there's really only one solution to the problem: obviously I have to spend every weekend for the next three months local-coffee-shop-hopping, right?  Yes, that seems like quite an appropriate plan of recovery. 

Relatedly, see this article I found a few weeks ago that talks about how Starbucks is ruining the world {well, maybe it doesn't say that, but that's how I read it}.  It describes sort of the opposite problem from what I have.  Interesting.

Happy Saturday, all.

{it's Monday...but we have french toast and projects!}

We had a GREAT weekend this past weekend.  On Saturday, I woke up early (for a Saturday) and made breakfast for Hubs and myself.  It was soooo tasty.  I used a cream cheese-stuffed french toast recipe I found on Pinterest and modified it based on the bread that was available to me on Friday at 10 pm at HEB (it was a hearty cinnamon raisin bread).  Yes, this modification was out of necessity, but sometimes, creating things out of whatever you have on hand makes for some of the best recipes!  I also modified the recipe a little by omitting the milk (I find that the toast turns out a little better if you just use your eggs straight-up.)  and adding a little cinnamon to the egg mixture.  It turned out to be really delicious, and it's definitely something I'll make again when we have company in town.

ready to be dipped and cooked up

taking a bath

After breakfast, my friend Kristin and I packed up a cooler with snacks and Gatorade and headed out to the park to watch hubs and brother-in-law play in a couple church league softball games.  The weather was SOOO beautiful.  (I took pictures, but in classic Katherine style, I forgot to upload them.)  We spent the remainder of the day strolling through The Village shops, just enjoying having a whole free day to do whatever we wanted.  It was so great.

I also picked up some supplies for a couple projects I'm working on.  Currently, we have nothing on the walls in our bedroom.  I've been wanting to do something to decorate in there, but I've been uninspired.  When I was walking through Marshall's on Saturday, I spotted a huge wooden letter M in the children's decor section for less than $10.  I thought that would be just perfect to hang over our bed.  It's a lavender color, but I figured I could easily paint it.  So I snatched it up.  I also found two inexpensive frames that are actually meant for diplomas, but I loved the simple lines on them so I snagged those, too.  I plan to put a couple wedding pictures in there to flank the M.  I'll post some photos when it's all finished.  I also have a couple of other projects and tutorials in the works, so stay tuned!  (Some personalized plates as well as some towel hangers that I created a long time ago for our apartment and just have yet to post.)

But anyhoo, now it's Monday and I'm just tired.  I'm hoping that these projects that I have planned will get me re-energized.  What did you do over the weekend and what are you looking forward to this week?

{a beautiful day at the grove}

Some days, it's nice to just get away from the office for lunch.  It's so common in my profession to just grab a sandwich and take it back to your desk.  Today, I wanted something different.  My good friend, Kristin, and I had relatively slow days at work today, so we decided to lunch at The Grove.  The Grove is a neat restaurant located in the Discovery Green park that was built right on the edge of downtown.  It's a beautiful area with open space, green grass, a skating rink in the winter, and a pond or two for good measure.  At Discovery Green, you will find a farmers' market on Sundays and various events for children and families all throughout the week.  It's a wonderful little treasure right in the middle of the city.

We were dying to get outside since it was such a beautiful day today, so we decided that The Grove would be the best place to go.  They have seating on the patio, which allows you to look out over Discovery Green and, if you're like me, people-watch.  I'm so thankful for small breaks like this throughout my week that allow me to get outside and appreciate God's beautiful creations (both nature and people).

What is your favorite way to "take a break from the daily grind" in your neck of the woods?

{the joy of going on trips...even if they're for work}

I have a conference to go to this week.  And I'm so excited to get out of the office.  Even though it's a conference for work, the thought of getting out of the office and going to a place full of sunshine and happiness makes me want to do this:

So I think I will.  :)  Happy Monday everyone.

{it's almost party time}

It's almost party time!  And you know what that means!



haha, just kidding. She's not that old...(actually...maybe she is).

But a note for my sister: I know the flame will be exciting and might put you in a trance, but please refrain from doing this:



...because I'm not stopping the party to take you to your Wound Care Clinic for burnt lips.  (Or maybe we won't have to if one of your co-workers decides to help.  In that case...eat away.)

Yay Party!

{party}

MY SISTER IS TURNING 40!!!!!!!

Isn't she GORGEOUS?!

So of course I planned a party.  :)  I am SO excited!  I have all sorts of goodies for the party and I just can't wait to see it all put together.  Here is a sneak preview of some of the goodies!

Real party pics to come!






 

{because sometimes a short hiatus becomes more like real life}

Hello friends!!!

Yes, it's been AGES since I had time to pick up my computer, but now that life is settling back down, my cravings for blog-updating have returned. So much has happened since I graduated in June! Here's a quick recap:

June--Graduated from Law School, temporarily moved from Chicago to Houston to study for the Bar exam
July--studied endlessly and took the Bar exam
August--got married, went on a honeymoon, officially moved to Houston!
September--adjusted to being a wife and having a home and prepared for my best friend's bachelorette party (woop!)

I'm still in the process of deciding exactly how to transition this blog now that Adrian and I are married (eeeeeek!) and have a separate blog for us. So please just be patient with me as I figure out exactly how to make that happen!

For now, I'd just like to say hello again and I look forward to sharing life with you once again! Coming soon will be a photo recap of the summer. Stay tuned!

{because sometimes you just need to buy stuff}

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

k.renee {that's me} will be at Handmade Market Chicago THIS SATURDAY from noon to 4pm. :)


That's right, friends. I'll be setting up a little table to sell my handmade goodies. So stop on by, say hello, and grab a drink. It'll be fun times for all.

To see who the other sellers will be, check out their website here: Handmade Market Chicago.

Hope to see you there! (p.s. bring cash. the ATM runs out sometimes)

{because the whole day is about happiness}

Today was a day full of happiness. The shower was today, and I got to see lots of people whom I haven't seen in a very long time. What a joy!

So to keep in the spirit of happiness, I thought I'd send a little bit of happy your way. These are a couple things that make me smile every time I see them. :) Enjoy!

(Photos of the shower will come later. Yes...hold your breath. Wait eagerly. Get excited.)

chimp baby

coffee bear

niece (this is just a representative sample. my nieces and nephews are the cutest and funnest kids ever. perhaps I'll do a whole post on them later...)

home...the best place in the world

Hope your day was full of happiness too!

{dear john...and other random updates}

So last night I was hanging out at my parents' house. Everyone else had gone to bed, but I wasn't sleepy yet. Dad was the last to go to bed and he left me the remote. I hadn't really been paying attention to the TV all evening because I had been on my computer and on the phone. So when Dad went to bed, I looked up and I realized that the movie "Dear John" had just started. I had been wanting to see that movie for the longest, but I hadn't really planned to be up too late last night. So I told myself "oh, I'll just watch this little part."


Yeah....right...

I was up until 2 this morning watching the movie. It was so good. And unlike The Notebook, Beaches, and A Walk to Remember (which I love but can only watch like once every few years because I just can't handle it emotionally), this one actually ended really nicely.

Then I slept until oh, I dunno, 10:30 this morning. Awesome.

The best part, though, is that this morning at breakfast I was talking to my parents about the movie, and they told me about how they used to write letters to each other when they were dating and my dad was in Germany with the Army. My heart melted. So sweet. :)

Also, I feel like I should recap some of the things I've done this past week (another post to come later when I have uploaded my pics): picnic with my niece and nephew, a surprise visit from my my mom's aunt, a trip to the park with my niece, and lots of cooking with mom. We're getting ready for the shower this weekend, and I am SO EXCITED!!!!!!

Side Note: My sweet, sweet friend Lyndsay made jewelry for me to wear at the shower. It is GORGEOUS! I'll be sure to take some photos so you can see it when the shower is over. I highly recommend that you take a look at her shop. She is super duper talented.

Alrighty, that's all for now. Look out for tomorrow's Five Item Friday! (It's almost Friday already?!?!?!)

First Post of 2011...I mean, really...it took this long?

hello friends!

Yes, it's almost the end of January and I am just now writing my first post of the year. Who does that?!

Well, a big "welcome back!" to all 2 of you who read my blog. I am excited to start off 2011 with you, and I look forward to sharing the awesomeness that this year will bring.

2011 is going to be a busy year! And what an exciting year it will be. From graduation to weddings to uprooting my life and moving it to another city, this year is destined to be full of exciting stories. Stay tuned for upcoming posts chronicling my adventures. For a sneak preview, see photos below!

{April: Chicago Handmade Market}

{June: Graduation}
*assuming I pass--let's not get ahead of ourselves*

{August: Gettin' Hitched}


{Later: The Final 2 of the Fab 5 Get Hitched}

{project doing it for the ground, finals, and...ENGAGED! (no, not me again...someone else this time)}

alright, friends, so Project Doing It for the Ground was somewhat of an epic failure once Thanksgiving hit. I'm thinking of going for a Round 2 in February. Who's with me?! (Okay, you have a month and a half to think about it, so get back to me on that one)

In other news, finals are coming up at the end of this week/beginning of next week, and while I should be freaking out considering I've done significantly less studying this quarter than any other quarter, I just seem to have this overwhelming sense of calm. Praise Jesus for that, because it is not my nature to be calm, so I know it's totally coming from Him. Prayers are always welcome, though, so if you find yourself saying "self, who should I pray for today?" please think of me.

In other other news.....MY BEST FRIEND GOT ENGAAAAAAAAAAAGED!!!! :) Oh man, I could explode from excitement right now.


Isn't it absurd how ridiculously cute they are?!?! I just love these two--for their hearts, for their patience, for their love for the Lord. It just makes me want to burst in happiness. Congratulations you two!

Alright, off I go to review a little more Oil & Gas...or perhaps Mergers & Acquisitions....or maybe I should think more about Secured Transactions.....oh dear. Happy Wednesday!

sister visit!

Well, my little sister came to visit this weekend, and BOY was it fun! I've already briefed the weekend in a previous post, so I'll spare you a recap. I'll just attach photos for you to see! I'll sure miss her. :)

sisterrrrrrrr!!!

Little sister is coming to visit today. It's her fall break and she chose to spend it with me! This is very exciting. While she road-tripped it with me last summer from Houston to Chicago, I haven't gotten to have her stay with me for an extended amount of time since probably my junior year in college, so I am, needless to say, really happy about this visit.



As you can imagine, I have TONS of fun things planned--I do have to go to class on Thursday, but I've planned to make the most of Friday and Saturday. Of course, one of the main things my sister and I do when we get together is SHOP! I'm excited because since my birthday is coming up, all of the stores I shop at have been sending me coupons. (I love coupons) So that's what we'll be doing on Friday during the day.

(p.s. Unfortunately, I don't shop at the establishments featured on those shopping bags--I am still a student after all.)

Then, Adrian is treating us to The Lion King on Friday night. I'm really excited about this because it's a classic and I hear it's truly a sight to see. He is SO sweet and thoughtful to take us! (I just love him.)


Then, on Saturday, I'm hosting a GIRLS MOVIE NIGHT PARTY!!!!! I am so excited about this because I love throwing parties and decorating and cooking. I have lots of goodies for the guests to enjoy and yes, we will be watching a classically girly movie. I'll post photos next week, so tune back in for that.

Anyway, I think it's going to be a super fun weekend and I can't wait for her to get here!

What do you like to do with your siblings/best friends when they come to visit?

Apple Picking!

This will be approximately the fifth post that starts with an acknowledgment of my extreme love for fall. So, if anyone hasn't read about it yet...I LOVE FALL!!!!!!!

To celebrate fall here in the Midwest, Adrian's cousin Juan and his wife Brandi invited us to go with them to the apple orchard! They have two small sons and wanted to take them out there. I may be almost 25 years old, but I could barely sleep the night before we went because I was SOOOOO excited. It was like we were going to Disney World or something!!!

This orchard is amazing. Not only are there rows and rows of all different types of apples, but there are also plenty of other things to enjoy while you're there--an animal farm for the kiddos, a corn maze, tractor rides, a pumpkin patch, a little cafe with lots of apple-related foods, and a store for purchasing all kinds of neat things! At lunch, we had fresh apple sauce, baked apples, and the BEST apple cider I've ever had! At the store, we purchased more apple cider, apple butter, cinnamon-apple syrup, pumpkin- and apple-cinnamon-flavored donuts, dipping caramel and FUDGE!!!

This is definitely the most fun thing I've done in a while. Here are some pictures that I took while at the orchard. Happy fall, y'all!

precious? I think yes.

aren't they just the cutest little family?!

They told us..."The best way to figure out what kind you want is to just taste one! If you don't like it, throw it on the ground and go on to the next type!" Um, awesome. :)

adrian really wants a tractor...he may have grown up in the city, but he's a country boy at heart

perfect fall scene!