show me your glory

It’s a familiar path, this is home. I feel my body relax as soon as my feet hit these salt-stained, splintering boards. They lead me out into the water, closer to the deep. I know these waters; I’ve splashed in her brackish shallows on sunny days of seasons past. I’ve watched her rise, angrily battering these same weathered boards, leaving them warped and twisted, but better for it. Tonight, in the quiet stillness, she reflects the sinking sun, the daytime sky’s final dramatic act before the nighttime curtain call. She doubles the beauty that dances above and everything seems multiplied.

“Show me your glory!” Moses cried out to Creator God. A humble man’s bold request in a moment of passion. My plea echoes the same. Just a girl standing on the edge of the earth, peering up at the almost-night sky, “Show me, God. Teach me your ways, show me your glory.”

“I am loving and I am compassionate and I will show you. But there are things far too wonderful for you to see.”

So God placed Moses in the cleft of a rock, high enough and close enough to see his goodness, but hidden and protected and from the things too wonderful. The mighty hand that lovingly reached down to cover him on that hill is the same hand that curled around a mama’s finger in a stable somewhere in Bethlehem. And when those same hands grew strong and calloused, they climbed a different hill to do the only thing that would truly accomplish what they had set out to do since the beginning of time when they gathered dirt in a garden: to make us close to him.

That is the hope and the heart of this season, and the joy of this promise is what sustains us throughout the year. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Not to be close to us, but so we could be close to him. That is reconciliation, that is forgiveness, that is hope. 

I pause to take it all in, living in the cleft of this mountain is daunting and thrilling and scary, but the view is impossible to beat. When I’m overwhelmed by the wonder of it all, I can’t help but smile at the glorious unseen. The things too wonderful…

Someday.

For further reading:

Exodus 33:12-23

Ephesians 2:13

Romans 5:8

Guilt-free Friday!

Y'all. Y'allllll. This week has been in-sane in the men-brane. Seriously. So much going on, here & there & everywhere. Lots of big, exciting news, but I think I might hold out on you, just a few days, and enjoy this sweet holiday with the family. Truth be told, it really snuck up on me. Before you know it, ready or not, Christmas is here! So, on to the first batch of Christmas cookies & wrapping up the Christmas shopping that I started just yesterday!! Madness, I know, but in a deliriously fun and exciting kind of way. Also on this weekend's agenda? A Pink Martini Concert with all the favorites and a work party that promises to be just a little rowdy... 'Tis the season, right?

Hugs and mistletoe kisses to you and yours. xoxo

Until next time... Hey! It's ok...

...If a Crewcuts catalog has you fully convinced that you might actually be a suitable mother after all (as long as a J. Crew model is the father...)

...If you can't tell if you love the haircut or if you just so happen to have a huge, lesbian crush on Jessica Alba.

....If figuring out your favorite Michael Jackson song feels like a defining moment...

hey mama

I'm working in the office today, Which would lead you to believe I... 1. showered 2. dressed in business attire 3. am actually doing work.

Instead though, I... 1. Have dirty hair in a messy ponytail 2. Am wearing 3 different patterns (at the same time) 3. Am listening to old-school Kanye West (hence the blog title) and drinking excessive amount of coffee (as per usual) 

Before I left the house though, I walked into the kitchen to pick up some outgoing mail & my mom and I realized we kind of match. We are both super into the holidays. Like for real. But we try to save the Santa suits and light-up sweaters for the week before Christmas. We keep it festive the rest of December, but in a subdued kind of way. This is our take on semi-seasonal style. So you can be kind of Christmasy without looking like you work in your local mall's "North Pole," ya dig?

[patterns in action; stripes, leopard, and laceprintfloral? Yeah, I went there, but the black keeps the look grounded. and if anyone even tries to question my legitimacy, I'm wearing a massive timepiece, so clearly I mean business.]

Mom's scarf (by CAbi) is the perfect shade of red, and it's lightweight, making it appropriate for this 65 degree day.

Ok, so maybe we don't match, but our approach is similar. Relaxed and causal with bold pops of color. 

p.s. You might recognize my sweater, it's made it to the blog before. For some reason, every time I wear it I feel like a fashion blogger. Go figure. 

if you must...

The past few years I've felt kind of silly asking for anything for Christmas. I'm 23 and I have more than I could ever dream of. But still, year after year, December rolls around and my grandmother turns into Mrs. Claus, my siblings complain that they don't know what to get the girl who has everything, and I'm pretty sure my mom is just looking for an excuse to shop (I'm on to you, woman) So here it is... a list, of sorts. I think shopping for me is pretty simple... If it's gold, a little luxurious, or in any way related to coffee or wine, you're set.

1. Starbucks mugs (Taylor gave me a pretty white mug with a dainty gold handle a few Christmases ago, and I'm thinking it't the perfect start to a lovely collection, no?)
2. a plush stole with the perfect pop of red
3. kate spade iPad sleeve, for the girl who "works from home" (and you can put a new iPad in there, while you're at it.)
 4. fair isle leggings, to mix it up from last year's pajama sets. I like the idea of pairing these with an equally eye-catching, cozy sweater for opening presents and drinking mimosas on Christmas morning.
5. Sugar's berry merriment set, for obvious reasons. 
6. this print would be perfect in a kitchen
7. fancy French tea, overpriced and moderately indulgent
8. this jeweled barrette, because it's glitzy enough to make black leggings and a broken-in, men's v-neck tee feel fabulous.
9. the best wine glasses. Confession: I'd rather drink mediocre wine out of a nice glass than a fabulous vintage out of a dixie cup. Maybe it's a little pretentious, but I think the glass truly makes the experience. These by Schott Zweisel are my abs fave, bar none.  They are break/chip/scratch-resistant, and shockingly lightweight considering how remarkably durable they are. 
10. kinfolk vol. 6, to read by the fire of course

Guilt-free Friday!

Hi, remember me? I know, I feel like an absentee parent, neglecting this little spot so much lately. I certainly do miss it, and the ideas and inspirations are overflowing, but life just seems to be tugging in a million different directions. Tomorrow starts one of my most favorite months, and with lots of new & exciting things on the horizon, I can't help but feel a little giddy. I'm beyond thrilled to share this most wonderful time of the the year with you. 

Lots of good things coming up, I tell ya, lots of good things. 

Until then though, hey, it's ok...

... if you know more about who the NFL players are dating than you know about the actual rules of the game. 

.... to gain a little weight around the holidays. We'll call it the "festive fifteen" and tell ourselves it's to stay warm through the colder months. 

... to still have boxes from college waiting to be unpacked, if your diploma sits neatly unopened in it's original mailing envelope, and if you still ask for the student discount. There's nothing wrong with holding on to your youth, and if a pile of boxes in the attic and an unframed diploma makes you feel like your college days remain in the not-so-distant past, by all means. 

And just for tomorrow, one of my current favorites...

"December" by Norah Jones

[image via here]

alter ego/confessions

I couldn't decide between two different titles for this post, so I decided to go with both. Let's start with confessions... (cue Usher... these are my confessions...anyone?)

Confessions:

1. I may or may not have worn shoes from the kids section on New Years Eve. There's something so strange about sipping adult beverages while wearing kids shoes... and I like it. 

[But I mean hey, they're Michael Kors, gimmeabreak.]

2. As for the jeans... got them for Christmas 2 years ago. Yeah, seriously. And NYE was the second time I wore them. I'm sure you're asking "Why?!? They make your bum look like a mini cupcake and slim your soccer thighs in all the right places?!?" why thank you darling, you're too kind. Well, (here's the "alter ego" part) it took me 2 years to get them hemmed. Seriously. There's no excuse. So, (cue PSA) if you have jeans that are too long hiding in your closet, spend the extra $10 this week and get those puppies hemmed. You'll thank yourself. 

3. So wanna know the first time I wore these jeans? It was Christmas Eve eve. As in December 23, 2011. When I wore the exact same outfit. (aaaand cue Britney... oops I, did it again, to your heaaaart.) Shameless, but I couldn't resist. The top (by Vince Camuto) is the perfect combination of girly (pale pink, blousy bow, etc.) and edgy (gold studs... need I say more?)

Traditions

This year I realized why Christmas in our home is so special: traditions. The days leading up to Christmas are filled with a comforting rhythm of repeated activities that are nonetheless exciting year after year. As a kid, I didn't really appreciate it, but as an adult, I've become painfully nostalgic, and at times militant, about adhering to these traditions. Here are a few of my favorite traditions...

  Christmas Eve Baking (mandatory) 

Some of our favorite recipes are as old as me (and some even older!) 

 Christmas Eve post-dinner neighborhood party: We have a spread of cookies that even Santa would envy, and we always warm things up with a coffee bar stocked with Bailey's, Frangelico, Godiva, and other yummy liqueurs. (and of course, hot chocolate for the little ones)

 Christmas carols

 [not a tradition, but I ended up matching my favorite little elf. Definitely will be a future tradition though... my children will be my greatest accessories. (jk...kindof...notreally)]

 We always play pool. I usually lose.

 We always get to open one Christmas Eve gift... and it's always pajamas! 

 (acting surprised is part of the fun)

 Usually only the kids get pj's, so mom and dad were surprised when they got to join in on the fun.

 Christmas morning mimosas (which I certainly started appreciating more when I turned 21 last year... champagne undoubtedly trumps Sprite.)

 [Breakfast non-casserole. For years my mom made casserole. And for years we hated it. Now we have a spread like this, it's kind of an homage to the old casserole, just deconstructed.]

After breakfast we open sibling gifts first in the living room. Then Santa gifts in the pool house, where there is always a fire burning on Christmas morning, even when this coastal town's forecaster doesn't get the Christmas memo. 


Not pictured:
1. Christmas Eve Dinner: Lasagna (a tradition that started in the Johns family when my dad was a kid, but we certainly don't mind keeping it up)
2. Christmas Dinner: Beef tenderloin. And my mom's sister and her family always make the trip from Raleigh to join us.
3. Tree-trimming music: Randy Travis- Old Time Christmas.
4. Scrabble. It's kind of like homemade Chex mix. My mom makes it, and it is pretty much snack crack.  So addicting. 

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

Shameless Saturday

Hi cupcakes! Happy Saturday! After a bit of a whirlwind week, I am so looking forward to relaxing this weekend. Taylor is visiting and I think I've roped him into spending a majority of our time baking cookies. (It doesn't take much convincing as long as peanut butter and chocolate are involved.) I hope you're having a sweet weekend too! Until next time...


Hey! It's ok...


...if the bulk of your Christmas shopping takes place on Christmas Eve


...to believe that ordering a side salad somehow counteracts the buffalo wings/potato skins/cheeseburger & fries. (Somehow it always seems to settle the score.)


...if Christmas turns you into an absolute Cookie Monster.  [Seriously guys, I made 5 batches Thursday night. (recipes to come!)]

[C is for Cookie. Or Caitlin.]

Wanted

I walked in the kitchen this morning to find the littlest one's Christmas list suggestions. It made me laugh, (let's be honest, that's my response to most anything he does...) In case you can't read it, the explanation at the bottom says:

"The hilighted are "big" gifts that are pricier than others. They are also desired the most. (5,6, and 7 are interchangeable) 9-10 are cheapest and really wanted. Money is also acceptable."

He has a habit of leaving funny little notes, which is perfectly fine with me. They always bring a smile to my face.

Set

Hi kittens... how are you today? I seem to have come down with a bit of a cold. It has left me feeling overwhelmingly lethargic these past few days, wanting to spend every free minute lounging around in my comfies, catching up on Mad Men and watching competitive cooking shows on demand [thug life.] Whenever I have a cold, I feel like Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail. My brain just seems so fuzzy...

You know what I really want? New pajamas. Which is handy because we always get to open some on Christmas Eve. I usually opt for festive pants and a comfy tee, but this year I'm all about pajama sets (I'm blaming Mad Men... those men have the best pajamas. Or Meg, she rocks a pajama set in Y.G.M. Yes, I just abbrev'd.) Here are a few favorites, and adding a monogram is a must. (I much prefer a diamond monogram, that curly, girly one is too cliche for my taste.)

[J. Crew, L.L. Bean, Ralph Lauren]

If you're married and you really want to be cute, you should scoop up some of these mens-inspired pajamas and get them monogrammed with your husband's initials... How romantic dreamy. :)

Elf Day

Hello little elves, did you have a festive weekend? I most certainly did. Saturday afternoon I dashed off to Wilmington so Taylor and I could celebrate the 3rd annual Elf Day!* We attended a handmade holiday craft show, picked out a tree, and grabbed dinner with Taylor's brother & his girlfriend at a new restaurant in town. It was so much fun! 

The remainder of the evening was spent with friends baking homemade ornaments and trimming the tree, making Oreo bark and listening to all the best Christmas music. It was absolute perfection...

The ornaments were made by mixing cinnamon and applesauce, and then baking the cut-outs for 2 hours. [i.e. olfactory heaven, seriously, the whole house smelled like cinnamon-Christmas-wonderland] I love how rustic and old-fashioned they look, so I plan on making a batch for my tree this afternoon.


The bark was ridiculously easy (only 2 ingredients!) and absolutely delicious.


*Elf Day is day each year dedicated to doing all things Christmas. The first Elf Day we bought presents, wrapped gifts, and ate ice cream for dinner. Last year, I made a roasted tomato tart and attended a festive party with my girlfriends.  

[Elf Day 2009]

FreakerUSA

If you're like me, you spent the majority of your Thursday afternoon lounging around lazily, eating bonbons, and devouring the latest issue of Matchbook Magazine that went live today. (That's really only a slight exaggeration...) And, if you're like me, you were disappointed to see that Matchbook chose to feature the "Wine Monkey" by Urban Outfitters in their roundup of amazing stocking stuffers. I know this comes as a surprise because anyone who knows me will tell you a. I love wine b. I love monkeys. But, anyone who knows me will also tell you I do NOT love a copycat. 


Enter: Freaker.

"Manufactured in Troy, North Carolina, Freakers are nationally recognized as the one-size-fits-all knit koozie that functionally makes your beverage feel special. Presented in myriad of prismatic designs; the Freaker is a strong, tight knit that keeps your liquids insulated in style!"

[Freakers: Oprah, Ralphie, and Chuck.]

[lame UO version]

Don't believe me that they stole the idea? 

Enter: Panda

[Original]

[Knockoff]

Wait, so you're telling me that Urban Outfitters stole the original design from Freaker, had it produced on the cheap in China (thus exploiting laborers), made it less functional, and still managed to charge you more for it? Yep. Lame. Mega lame. So, if you're like me, you want to go right on over to Freaker, freak all your friends this holiday season, and definitely not waste your time/money at Urban Outfitters this Christmas/ever.

After all, the Matchbook girl is original. Never a duplication/knockoff/cheap imitation. Right?

Pixie

Hi friends... Just wanted to pop in to say hello and fill you in on an amazing deal our friends at Williams-Sonoma are offering right now...


As you all know, I looove coffee, specifically lattes. I always start my day with one (or three) from the comfort of my own kitchen thanks to the Nespresso Pixie. This little machine is a life-changer. Seriously, perfect espresso, every single time, and zero clean up. (insert Hallelujah chorus) I use the Aeroccino Plus to froth my milk (perfection) and you can save $140 on the little duo if you hop on over to Williams-Sonoma right now (offer ends today.)


ALSO, with the purchase of your machine you will receive a $75 credit to purchase the Nespresso capsules (which are, in-sanely good, the absolute best quality, and ridiculously convenient.) 


Did I mention shipping is free?* Because it is. 


Tonto, jump on it. I ordered one, Rob ordered one, which basically means you should too. It makes a great gift (for yourself or someone whom you absolutely a-dore**)

[save $100]

[save $40]

*Enter the code: "ship4free" at checkout. 


**It Takes Two reference? #duh


p.s. The ideas expressed in this post are my own. I was in no way compensated by Nespresso, Williams-Sonoma, Bill Clinton, etc. etc. etc... Just a recommendation from a friend to a friend. :)


p.p.s. Notice anything looking extra festive? I decked Soliloquy's halls yesterday! Holly jolly... [Photos 1 and 3 are by Taylor (always give credit where credit is due...)]