Remember when there was this thing called the Sun and it would come out and make everything warm and everyone happy?

Yea, I kind of remember it, but its been so long. Alicia and I took these pictures back when the lower mainland wasn’t covered in a constant patch of grey and we actually knew what the Sun was.

It was a beautiful Friday where not too many people we working so we took a little break, walked up to Commercial Drive, grabbed some treats at Starbucks (including their Coconut Mocha Frappucino and Rocky Road Cake Pop – OBSESSED) and then stopped by a pretty garden to take some pictures.

It was so beautiful and warm that I actually had a chance to wear my new pleated shorts from Forever 21, that I bought in APRIL. Well, better late then never. My floral tank top from the Garage was the perfect little pop of Spring time delight and my Kersh Cardi matched flawlessly. My favourite Spring/Summer outfit that has only seen the light of day once.

There was a sweet breeze in the air and everything was just perfect. Mid afternoon coffee, a stroll down the street, beautiful flowers blooming in a garden, and no rush to get back to the office.

And now, all we have is grey rain.

It’s OK though. Really, it is. The warehouse is starting to become full of adorable Fall apparel which works out great for me. I’m glad I saved my moola and didn’t splurge on many Summer dresses. Long sleeve knit tops and patterned sweaters will fit in just perfectly.

The Christmas Tree is officially down. Saturday was the first real day we had to put away all of our Christmas explosion. It was kind of weird to think this may be the last time we spend Christmas in the apartment. While I’m excited for newer, bigger things, I will be so sad to see this place go. We basically built it from the ground up and one day, someone else will be living in it, enjoying all it’s niceties. Sometimes, when I’m in the shower, I look at the slate tiles and think ‘one day, someone else will be in this shower, staring at these tiles, but they’ll never know how difficult it was to put them up, or how inconvenienced we were not having a bathroom for a week’.

Yes, I am very possessive over the apartment.

And I have weird thoughts in the shower…

I’m anxious to start looking for a new place. I have now taken over Chads obsession with checking MLS daily. We are still a few months away from taking a serious look at the housing market, but I can’t help but sneak a peek. It also doesn’t help that Elise has jumped on the band wagon and emails me brand new beautiful houses in Surrey that we could purchase for the same price as am older town house in Burnaby. Why must you toy with my heart Elise!?

I swore off renovations after we finished the apartment, but it has now been long enough that I want to do them again. It’s the process of making your house feel like your home, not like you’re living in someone else’s past. I need thing to look a certain way, plus it allows my creative juices to finally have their day in the sun.

Fashion Design and Interior Design are more similar then you know.

I’m getting impatient. I’m starting to get crazy over the fact that I can’t already start to plan for everything. Something has sneaked up on us (no, not babies), and right now we are sitting in a boat waiting to figure out if we are going to go, or if we aren’t going to go. It affects our decision to move, in a small way, and the fact that I don’t know, one way or another is eating away at me. It, of course, all rests on my shoulders, as it usually does. I put too much pressure on myself, I know, but I’d really like to have an answer, so I can feed my innate need to plan everything.

 In the mean time, I have started collecting images of my favorite interiors. I know we won’t be purchasing our dream home this time around, but it doesn’t mean I can’t make it look as close to it as possible. Colour combinations, fabric swatches, furniture pieces, art ideas. I’m starting a scrapbook, so that when it does come time to figure out what we want, I have some place to reference. Plus, it allows me to keep my brain occupied while I wait for things to get figured out.

Yes, I think neurotic would be the word to describe me right now!

Plum Coat (Boxing Day 70% off Thanks Mom!) – Dish Jeans – Checkered Vans

Saturday night was the night of the dueling Christmas Parties. Almost every year the ‘Santoli’ party at Darios Parents house and the Gift Exchange party at Chad’s friends house are on the same night. So we go for dinner and visit ‘Santa’ at the Santoli party and then get crazy and open gifts at the exchange party.

Chad wants to get a long distance plan so that we can phone Pat at random times of the day when we are all together and harass him. We phoned him after dinner so that Dario and him could sing ‘I Am Cow’ together. The phone was on a delay, so the singing was not very good. Sorry guys!

Also, please note Mauros reaction to his brothers ridiculousness!

Remember that post where Pat was in town and they drank all that Grappa with raspberries in it? Well there was still some leftover so Dario drank the rest and then decided to make raspberry puree by shaking the bottle like a crazy person. His expression says it all.

Umm…gross!?

This guys is insane. I think I’ve already mentioned that several times before. I bet and lost a chocolate bar on that. Stupid bet on my part, he would  have done it for free.

Oh look! Drunk Santa has arrived!

When we were kids (this party has been happening every year for 19 years!) the thought of Santa coming to our dinner party to hand out gifts was amazing. But of course, you grow up and you realize that Santa isn’t real and it becomes less of an exciting thing for you. That is, until you become the age where parents and ‘kids’ get drunk together and Santa gets wasted on Wine  and then talks like a girl to hide his real voice. Sweet Jesus, this is something everyone needs to experience.

When we were young Santa would be played by a different person each year, usually one of Dario’s cousins. The best part was trying to figure out which cousin it was. The past few years Dario’s Dad has dressed up as Santa which is just 100 times MORE priceless.

At this party, you stop getting presents from Santa when you graduate from High School. There are still a couple of youngins who are of present age so we have at least a few more years of Drunk Santa adventures.

Speaking of Drunk Santa, Ms. Clause also thought it was about time she got wasted on White Wine. She then proceeded to yell my name from the other end of the table and then run up and hug/crush/harass me. I have no idea why I got to be the special one.

Oh family events. The older you get, the more amusing they get!

I have been toying with the idea of starting a fashion section on my blog now for quite some time. I’m sure you’ve heard me mention it before in different mediums. Fashion is so much a part of my life, even if I don’t consider myself  a ‘fashionista’, so it only makes sense to dedicate a blog to it. Well, that is finally what I am going to do.

I became inspired yesterday and have created a project for myself that is going to last a year. Its going to be called ’365 Outfits a Year’. I don’t want to give too much away but I’m sure you can imagine what its about.

Along with the project I am doing, the blog will also feature things that I have bought, styling idea, fashion tips, trend forecasting, and just general fun things about fashion.

Alicia has already started an awesome fashion blog, and I’m not about to go out and copy her, but I think that even if we do talk about a few of the same things it will end up coming out differently since we both have different styles. Plus the main feature of my blog will be the 365 Outfits project. But I do LOVE Alicia’s blog and the way she puts together outfits.

I have set the launch date to be Jan 1 2010, that way it will be easy to count out all the days. If it turns out to be a success I may carry it on for more then a year, but we will see how it goes. I am very excited to put the website together and explain my mission.

I guess it is safe to say that for the next 28 days I am going to be quite obsessed with setting everything up.

2010 will be the year of Fashion.

I need an over the shoulder bag. Like now.

Hummm. I just realized I haven’t taken the Fendi out this season. I should probably do that.

But still. I neeeeeeeed a messanger bag. A hot one. Now.

Thanks.