Merry Christmas!

Check it out! The decorating begins the day after Halloween in this household. That may change in the future because Lee thinks it's a little insane. Like he said, I'm on Nordstrom time. How can you not like the twinkly lights of the Christmas tree? Putting it up the day after Thanksgiving simply wouldn't give me enough time to enjoy it. Lee and I buy a new ornament every year to add to the memories--we already got this years. From the game store, of course!

Something to Blog About

I've got big news this week...... Lee asked me to marry him! And I said 'Yes'! I feel like there's been a party going on around me ever since it happened. It's fun, and it only happens once in a lifetime, so I'm enjoying it. Mostly, I want to marry that boy. Sometimes people grab my hand before I can tell them I'm engaged, I'm sure they mean well, but it's a little frightening.

He was very romantic about it all--we went to one of my favorite restaurants, The Harvest Vine, and probably had the best meal I've had there. There was this wonderful white albacore with a tangy sauce and little peppers, a great bottle of Rioja, some seared foie gras and a wonderful sweet and savory desert with little bits of brunoised cheese on it, amongst other dishes. After dinner we went to get coffee at our favorite coffee place, Victrola. Then we took a little walk around Capital Hill, the neighborhood where we spend a lot of time when we met. On our way home, we went for a drive, something we typically do after date nights, so I wasn't thinking anything big was going to happen. Lee took me up to Kerry Park which overlooks the whole city of Seattle and began saying the sweetest things, but still, Lee is wonderful about saying sweet things so I still didn't have a clue even though I was teary eyed. I really didn't know he was asking me to marry him until he got down on one knee and actually proposed. It was wonderful. One of the best days of my life.

We are working out wedding details, but it should be a big party, a celebration and something we are gonna have a ton of fun at. My new ring got a workout this week with me cooking for a full Gypsy dinner, playing dodgeball and doing pedicures at work. I worked my very first Gypsy--a multi course, very formal dinner over at Culinary Communion. I have no desire to be a chef after seeing what they go through, but still love being the cook and having my little projects.

Also, on election night (Yay Obama!!) we made a meal of frites, aiolli, pumpkin soup and a beet and arugula salad--yum. Made the night even better.

Halloween

This year since we've got this new home we love, we decided to have a Halloween party. A pirate Halloween party, that is. Lee was the Dread Pirate Robert from 'Princess Bride' and I was your everyday Wench. We had tons of candles and a net strung over the bathroom, cobwebs everywhere and rats and scary cats--the best decoration of all was Kimberly's pirate ship pumpkin. She's so talented! Halloween is my second favorite holiday, Christmas is my first, so you can guarantee that I'm smiling almost all of November and December. I love the twinkly lights, the smell of baking, the brisk weather, the cheer, the mistletoe, the Christmas music, the mushroom season, the festivities downtown, the family gatherings, the cooking, the cuddling, and I could name 100 other reasons I love this season. And I'm one of those crazy people that start decorating for
Christmas right after the Halloween decorations come down.