Dreaming of a White Christmas

45 degrees and rainy in Houston and Austin...it's cold and gray and different...but still charming. There are palm trees here, and it's Christmas...I find that charming anyway. The only other experience I've had like this was a few years back in Puerto Rico. It wasn't Christmas, but right after and everyone still had yard decorations up...bright green lawns, palm trees and inflatable snowmen. I think I took more photos of Christmas decorations in PR than I did of the beach.Full disclosure...I did not take the above photo...I definitely stole this from google.

Anyway. It's charming here but I miss the snow, and all of you. xoxo and Merry Christmas loves...biggest hugs to all of you.

What makes a lady?

I started reading Bossypants this week...Tina Fey makes me laugh out loud while reading, and then I interrupt whatever James is doing to read him whatever it was that made me laugh. My delivery is off, but I think he gets the comic idea.

She talks about how she went to a conference while doing research for Mean Girls, the best Lindsey Lohan movie of all time (admittedly not saying much here). At this conference the women were asked to write down the time they first time they truly felt like a woman. Turns out most of them wrote down things like being heckled at by dudes. Cat calls, nice tits, look at that ass, etc. Sad.

It was this year, my 27th on this fine earth that I think I started to feel like a woman for the first time...and it was all because of lipstick. You see, I have small lips. Tiny lips. My top lip is basically non-existant. Growing up I tried not to show my teeth when smiling in photos because it made my non-lips even smaller. I remember doing makeovers at a slumber party when I was maybe 13 and my friend's mom told me I could always draw on an upper lip with lip liner ("Just like movie stars!" she told me). Due to my non-lip complex I never wore lipstick. Gloss, tint, maybe lightly colored chapstick...yes. Bright red lipstick? No.

This year I said fuck it. I like red lipstick. I like orangey red lipstick. I like bubblegum pink lipstick. I want to wear it. So I did what any grown woman does, I bought 99 cent L.A. Colors lipstick from the dollar store near my house. Don't judge...I wanted to test my ability to wear before making a more expensive purchase.

It's not really the lipstick that makes me feel like a woman. It's the fact that I finally said fuck it.

learning to be poor...and other first world problems

James does not think I'm poor, he thinks I have extravagant taste for my income level. He may be right, but I still think I'm poor.

I am going to pretend it's Lent and give a few things up (even though I don't practice Lent when it is Lent; I don't know how else to justify this without just feeling poor).

Since we bought a car we now have to make car payments. Making car payments is something I've never done, not really. I've always either bought a car I could afford outright *amazing 1987 Honda Civic...anyone remember that death trap (?); or I made car payments to my grandparents for the now deceased Mercury Sable. Making car payments to your grandparents is about the least serious thing you can do...it is not like they send some thugs or collectors after you if you only pay them $50 one month instead of the $150 you promised. They love you, they won't do that.

Guess who will do that? Capitol One.

Things I will be giving up so I'm not so poor:

1. Cheese. Oh sure, we can still buy sharp cheddar or pepperjack for our sandwiches, but if you want a nice bucheron or chevre don't come knockin on my door.



2. Clothes. Oh god, clothes. I love clothes. So much. I like pants, dresses, skirts, shorts, tanks, blouses, sweaters, I even like vests. I don't do much shopping, I really haven't since I moved to Texas and became poor. Now I'll be doing no shopping. My dream of red pants will never come true.



3. Brunch. The ultimate first world indulgence. Mimosas, bloody marys, hot coffee with fresh cream no more. Goodbye Condesa & Taverna...I'll miss your delicious treats.




4. The idea that I can buy new furniture soon. Curtains, tapestries and a new couch? I think not.




5. Fixing all of my boots. I don't even want to buy new boots, but all of my winter boots need repairs. Guess I'll be picking my favorite pair.

So, if you're still reading: Please forgive me for being such an uppity white girl with first world problems.

The fact is, and what I'm struggling with...but I do know is this: None of those things matter, not really. All that matters is I have love, endless amounts of love from amazing people in my life who I care about so much and who I love back. Maybe I won't be able to impress those people that I love with my red pants and my awesome boots at my dinner party with a great cheese plate where we talk about how fabulous my vintage couch that I personally re-upholstered is while we reminisce about what a great brunch we had the day before. I think you guys would still like me if I asked you over for Ramen. I make a mean Ramen (and it's cheap!)

Jack's a natural

Had a little Christmas Card photo shoot Monday night courtesy of the totally fabulous MarQuito. Jack was a total pro.

We shot on location in a number of looks, it was especially difficult getting permits to shoot on the White House lawn but Marcos made it happen...what a guy.

Look for your Christmas card soon. xoxo.