Christmas Calories Do Count

Ah.... like always Christmas came and went way too fast! But it was a good one. My family usually goes somewhere for Christmas, Key West, Hawaii, a cruise... but this year we stayed in good ole suburban Virginia, and I loved it! Although my dad is planning on Hawaii for next Christmas and I don't hate that at all. 

This was my first post grad Christmas and it's going over really well. Don't get me wrong, I am super jealous of my brother who is all but hibernating during his month-long break, but at the same time, I am a person who thrives best when on a routine. So, it was awesome having Christmas Eve and Day off, but it's been nice to get up and do my normal work routine (from home- yes, amazing - and only half a day) which gets me back in some type of routine.

Yesterday I met up with my Little sister from my sorority (who is on break and lives in Northern Va) and we went shopping. The shopping was great, I got 70$ Gap jeans for 25$... a dolla makes me holla! And Anne Taylor was 50% off everything *deadly*. However, shopping was a bit of a rude awakening at the same time. The fitting rooms showed me that Christmas Calories do, indeed, count.

Our family's saying during the past couple of weeks has been "Christmas calories don't count hehehehe." Welp, that is beyond false. I have been so bad the whole month of December. Starting the night before my birthday (Dec. 6) I jokingly told my mom "I give up being healthy the month of December" which was a dumb thing to say because.. I did just that.

I've worked out a good amount but 45 minutes of running and lifting weights can only hold so much ground against 2 slices of pecan pie, peppermint bark, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, chips and dip, cookies... I think you get the point.

Excited to essentially detox and be healthy in January! And the rest of the year!

Out in Arlington weekend before Christmas

The biggest mistletoe there ever was

very patriotic tree in my office building... gotta love DC!

  

started snowing on our Christmas Eve walk

Moxie loving the snow

brother-in-law, brother, me, and sister on christmas!

My sister and favorite puppy before presents 

Michael Kors camera case from the brother

Fav Christmas present, Tory Burch ballet flats!

Thank you Santa.

So regal

Casual Christmas tree ornament circa pre-school

Mark my words... I will have a King Charles at some point in my 20s!

Christmas dinner, all of my favorites!

my number 1 weakness

my number 2 weakness

snowy day after Christmas!

thoroughly enjoy working from home

Birthday Fun

December is craziness so this is a delayed post! My birthday was December 7th (a day which will live an infamy). I wasn't crazy about turning *gulp* 23 but now that's it's come and gone, it really doesn't seem like that big of a deal. I think it's safe to say I still have a good amount of youth left in me. ;) I'm also somehow convinced 40 looks like Jennifer Aniston... so that might be a rude awakening.

For my birthday a bunch of friends were able to come to DC to go out and celebrate. It's fun having your birthday on a Friday! We all started at my sister's house and went from there. It was so nice to see all my friends from relatively different friend groups all come together! And I got such cute and great presents. Let's just say my friends know I love earrings! And I got an oreo ice-cream cake. Yea.

From my parents I got a Michael Kors tote and wallet. That wasn't the original birthday plan but I went shopping with my mom on Black Friday and simply couldn't resist, so they became my birthday present, and it was more than worth it, I'm mildly obsessed. (I stare at my tote sometimes at work...)

I went out to dinner with my mom the Eve before my birthday, went out with my friends for my birthday, spent the rest of the weekend with my sister and brother-in-law who kept treating me to birthday-girl everythings, and then went out to dinner with my whole family the Monday afterward my birthday weekend. It was never-ending and I loved it! And now Christmas is around the corner so there's no time to be disappointed it's over. :)

Bonefish Grill for my birthday eve dinner... Chilean Sea Bass was to die 

Key Lime Pie because birthday calories don't count!

Came downstairs to these, love my mom!

Some goodies from my mom! She da bomb.com

l'occitane is amazing

beautiful anthropololgie earrings

love love love

prime work earrings

black and gold is my signature color combo ;)

south moon necklace, already wore out and got so many compliments!

cutest penguin!

my fragrance <3

in love with this sweater

workout clothes, my absolute fav!

friends know me too well #ilovesocks

All the girls for my birthday!

continued birthday weekend activities with my sister

this is an image I like to see 

obsessed.

weeee

photo shoot... I have a problem

crabtree and evelyn lotion kit and baggie, perfect for work!

my oreo ice cream cake!

I made a great wish;)

roomates from college! <3

out in Arlington

my best friend couldn't make it, but we went out the next weekend!

last but certainly not least, got this as well! two things i love most in this world - coffee and vanilla.

Safe to say my friends and family are too good to me! I had a great birthday!

Tacky Christmas

It isn't Christmas without tacky holiday sweaters. When my big from my sorority (who now lives & works in DC) invited me to a tacky Christmas party, I simply couldn't resist! Unfortunately, my mom is not into holiday sweaters (I guess I should be thankful for that), so we had to find some on our own.

After Goodwill, our go-to for themed parties in college, was a bust, Macy*s ended up having some winners. Although not as tacky as some of the ridiculous over-the-top sweaters (that my grandma wears) with actual items sticking out and bells attached, our tacky still worked in a minimalist type of way.

We couldn't resist pairing it with red tights. And true to college form, we cut the bottoms to spice them up a little.

It was a super fun party, ice luge included. I LOVE everything about the holidays, Christmas, winter, and my birthday is Friday! December is the best month hands down!

Little and Big

Instagram style

pregame fun

note the great tie collection

some sorority sistas from college

frands being sillay

blondies