Purl and Knit

For Christmas this year, I decided to pick up a past hobby again and personalize a couple of my gifts.  I changed it up a little by picking up new knitting patterns and was really happy with the results!

Left - Basket weave pattern scarf (k2, p2)

Right - k2, p1 (but 2 at a time)

As you can see, the scarf on the left is a little fuller, while the scarf on the right is a little more "holey".  Both came out beautifully!

Ready for gifting!   

Crusted Salmon

Last week, in hopes of consuming a healthy, yet delicious meal, I tried out a new recipe: Alaska Salmon Bake with Pecan Crunch Coating .  This dish was simple to make with minimal ingredients.  I ended up baking the salmon for 20 mins vs. 10 mins as suggested in the recipe.  With some vegetables and rice on the side, it was the perfect meal!

All prepped and ready to bake in the oven

Finished product!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

We purchased and decorated my very first Christmas tree this year!  It is a beautiful Noble tree sold for a modest $39 at Home Depot and stands 6-7 ft tall!  I love the elegance of the tree with its ornaments and the festive scent of pine in the mornings.  Just in time for my family white elephant get together this weekend!  Here are the before and after shots!

My Christmas Wish List

I discovered this neat tool online to create a collage of images and thought what better way to utilize this tool than to create my very first Christmas wish list!  It took me an hour and a half to come up with just ten items - what can I say, I already have everything I've ever wanted!  In no particular order...

1. Gucci Envy - Thank you secret santa, for getting this for me!

2. Roseark Sideways Cross Silver Necklace

3. Roomba

4. Naked Palette and Powder Foundation Santa Fe

5. Cute coffee mugs

6. Gift cards to my favorite stores

7. Tory Burch flats

8. MacBook Pro

9. DSL Camera

10. A puppy! - This really is a wish as I probably can't take care of one by my lonesome right now

Thankful

I am a very lucky girl, I proudly admit.  This Thanksgiving, and every other Thanksgiving for that matter, I have a lot to be thankful for.  But, there is one thing that overwhelms my spirit more than anything else.  When I think of this, I find it hard to contain how grateful I am and often find myself exclaiming "THANK YOU" out loud.  What I am most thankful for, are the people in my life.

These people, who are my family and close friends are one of a kind.  They challenge me through every encounter with them to be a better person, to find the silver lining, and to remember to stop and smell the roses.  They uplift me, protect me from living a destructive lifestyle, and open my eyes to new opportunities life has to offer.  They have seen me at my very worst, even when I threatened to give up on life, and spoke positivity into my life, urging me to push on for just one more day.  They take me seriously, always without judgement. And most importantly, despite all of my many shortcomings, they genuinely believe that I deserve the very best in life, and remind me of this every chance they get.  I am TrulyBlessed.