5 on a Friday–Christmas

{this was supposed to post yesterday. but as a new mom. with a sick kid and sick myself + working 40.00 hours per week with like 1.5 hour commutes this week, I forgot to hit post. sue me.}

Christmas is RIGHT around the corner and I am way behind on my Christmas shopping. I am actually at a total loss for about 80% of my family and friends so I think I will be dragging my feet and buying rushed gifts this year. Whoops. I can blame it on the infant, right?!

I feel like as you get older, the things you want for Christmas cannot be bought. But, as I do every year. it is time to list out my CCL (Coveting Christmas List) and I am going to rank them from 5 to 1 – 5 being the don’t get your hopes up, it ain’t happening sista … to 1 being this is a totally logical gift that could end up under your tree. With that said, let me begin.

{ FIVE }
New countertops, new sink, and new faucets. Granite to be specific. I am so tired of bleaching coffee stains & black marks from our trivets out of the out of date ‘80s white countertops we have.  I know that in the grand scheme of reality, Kyle wouldn’t let upgrade the kitchen anytime soon either due to the financial costs of having a baby.  But goodness – I would love for some new tan countertops.

{FOUR}
Tory Burch Everything. The York Handbag to be specific (In either the dark brown, light brown, or black), a new pair of Caroline flats (size 10 in any color but gray), and a new wrap bracelet in a fun color. I feel like I am due for a new handbag and I bought a pair of Caroline’s during Friends & Family and those are my new Revas and well, I love her wrap bracelets. And let’s be honest, I cannot even hide my adoration for all things Tory.

{THREE}
Decorative Wall Décor for our house.  We have put a pause on all things decorating and revamping of our house due to wanting to conserve money and not spend outside our means.  So adult like.  Which means – we aren’t finishing our house as much as we would like.  It happens. We have a baby.  but I would love the wooden sign off Etsy for over our bed or the 3 Ivory Tiles from Pottery Barn for over our guest bed.

{TWO}
Crate & Barrel White Canisters.  I had bought 1 a few years back for sugar and LOVED it.  it is sturdy and the clamp thing is high quality and I was in love and knew I wanted more but had no reason {at the time to buy more} and then they stopped making them which I realized when I went to register for more for our wedding. So, we registered for some from Bed, Bath, & Beyond and they ended up looking good & actually being crap {guess the $19.95 price tag should have been a warning}. In fact there is a small one that was never used that is just taking up pantry space that needs to make a trip to our local Goodwill.  Now, Crate & Barrel has the white canisters back and I want like 3 of them – 1 in each size.  Plus I love the little chalkboard piece so you can label the canister since currently I have to open each one to find the rice or the flour. And, I have an unhealthy obsession with all things Crate and Barrel because their stuff is high quality and good looking.  Oh the saga of being a home owner who wants a pretty organized pantry. =D

{ONE}
Gift cards. Gift Cards. And more gift cards. Since our allowances were cut significantly with the birth of our precious baby girl, my cash flow to do things like buy new clothes or go to spin class has been cut.  And with my desire to go to spin one day a week in the morning since Flywheel is so close to me I would love gift cards there.  Or to The Loft or to The Limited where I legit buy all my clothes for work.  I seriously do not know how people have more than 1 kid and still make ends meet & I can tell you we are NOT living outside of our means, just sticking to a very tight budget. So, gift cards are key to me being able to do fun things and buy pretty things. 

And, shameless plug: not sure you if people shop online, but if you do… you should do all your shopping through EBates. If you start your shopping trip there and then go to the store, you get cash back for each purchase.  to date, I have received like $200 back, it isn’t a lot, but it is nice to get a check from them 4 times per year.  Sign up HERE. Right now I have $8.00 pending and I just got a check like 2 weeks ago. 

Everyone have a fabulous holiday season – it will be a semi fun one for us since it  will be M’s first Christmas! But…. what is on your Holiday want list?!

:: Weekend Round Up ::

Let me tell you.  Kyle and I lived.on.the.edge. this weekend.

:: Total scarcasm ::

it was too hot to breathe and function, I am legit ready for the fall.

:: Our Weekend Went Like This ::

Friday I didn't leave work till like 6:15 because I was busy cleaning up a franchise owner's background screening snafau. But then I went for drinks at the W in Midtown to celebrate my friend Tiffany's birthday so all was right in the world.

But, I was at home and in bed by like 10:30 that night. Again. Living.On.The.Edge.

Saturday we slept till like 10:30 AM. I am not ashamed. After my work week I needed it.

But then it was HOT HOT HOT like 104* HOT so we didn't leave the house {other than popping our head out the door to tell the dogs to shut their mouth and stop barking}

So I was on the couch all day reading Hunger Games and watching Lifetime and Bravo and E! ... you know killing brain cells with reality television.

Then Kyle randomly asked me if he could "take me on a date" and he took me to dinner. The romance lives on!!

Kyle also decided it is time for a new vacuum so we researched vacumms. I am pulling for a Dyson. Kyle doesn't want to spend that much money.  I just have to keep reminding him we have gift cards from the wedding!!!

I went to Pure Barre with my friend Afton. Followed by a manicure and pedicure. Quality girl time with a great friend. A much needed simple get out of the house afternoon.

And I had to go to Crate and Barrel to pick up something I ordered weeks ago. But it was too hot and I said nevermind.

And I read and finished the 1st Hunger Games book.  Now I have to anxiously wait for the other 2 to come in the mail.

I stalked Etsy and found things that I just had to have to decorate our house. For example THIS. I am in love with this bible verse. And I want it and I know exactly where I will put it should I chose to spend my allowance on it.

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I am looking forward to the short week this week! {Not looking forward to having to be a manager and put one of the people who report to me on a performance plan...} I have to go update my name on my passport tomorrow and then I am 100% a Shanahan.  But I LOVE short weeks and knowing I can sleep in, but going back to work on Thursday will be odd.

100% Registered!

It is official. We are 100% registered. We are kind of registered at 4 places total. As annoyed as I was (still am) with Target’s registry and their awful website I had to keep our casual plated and bowls on there since Target was the only place that had big enough bowls for Kyle’s taste.  I actually deleted the registry and then had to recreate it, but their web site was so jacked up it took me 6 tries to set it up.  Seriously Target, get it together.

I had a short day since I worked a client BBQ earlier this week and since “register at Bed Bath and Beyond” has been on my to do list for WEEKS I decided to just go and knock it out.  I had started the registry online but I needed to go in person to feel the towels and sheets (which ahem we desperately need and want) and look for dishes.  I figured I would be in and out REAL fast but that scanner thing out smarted me.  Then I went at lunch today to “reactivate” our Target registry which took all of 15 minutes.  And with that … we’re registered!

I like where we’re registered (with the exception of horrible awful Target) and I like that all 4 places have 4 different price points. I have been in and invited to many-a-weddings where they are only registered at 1 place and nothing is under $80 and many of those weddings I was a full fledged out of college broke girl.  Therefore, I did not want to do that to anyone who was invited to my wedding.  So you can use your big blue 25% off coupon at Bed Bath & Beyond or you can go to Anthropologie or Crate and Barrel and spend a little more. or you can hit up Target for a cute and cheap casual plates.  And of course, all gifts will be loved and appreciated.

We are registered at:  Bed Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel,  myregistry.com (for Anthropologie!!), and Target.  If you go to the “where we’re registered” tab you can be directed to any of those registries directly!

…..Another thing to check off the knot.com “to do” list.