Our Christmas Gift Exchange 2014

As I mentioned here Jameson and I like to switch things up every year when it comes to what we do for gifts. This year we decided that the Friday before Christmas we would go to the mall to divide and conquer.
The rules:
1. We had exactly 1 hour to do our shopping
2. A $50 budget for each of us
3. Have fun!
I have to be honest and say that both Jameson and I went slightly over our set budget but we both agreed our gifts were perfect and totally worth the slight splurge! We try very hard during the year to stick to our set family budget so it is always nice to indulge every once in awhile and buy things for each other that are just treats!

John Varvatos Cologne  |  Le Creuset Kettle

HIS GIFT: The morning before our shopping trip Jameson was getting around in the bathroom and as he was spraying his cologne he said that cologne reminds him of Christmas. It's something he wears almost every day but never buys for himself. In the past it has always been a gift from me, his mom, or sister. So after he said that I just knew that I would have to get him some again this year. With the idea that I wanted to get him a new scent this year I wandered into Nordstrom and smelled half of their collection before a sweet sales woman walked up to me and said "You have to smell this, it is my absolute favorite." I smelled the stick she handed to me and knew this was the perfect one! The lady at Nordstrom told me that this cologne sells out every year and I was happy to snag the last one! Not only does it smell great but John Varvatos is also a designer from Detroit who is opening up a store downtown this Spring. Jameson loves supporting local Detroit businesses so this was just the icing on top of the cake!

HER GIFT: While we were eating our favorite Chinese food at the mall prior to shopping Jameson admitted to me that he had absolutely no idea what he was getting but not to be alarmed because he works well under pressure. And I have to admit he came through on his promise and totally nailed my gift! I had been using our Keurig for hot water when I make tea and I have been wanting a legit tea kettle for months. Needless to say I felt totally spoiled when he got me this Le Creuset kettle. The yellow matches other accent  pieces we have in our kitchen and William-Sonoma had it for 20% off which was an added bonus! He told me he spent 30 minutes chatting with the sales lady in the store learning about all things kitchen related then spent the last 30 minutes sitting in a massage chair in Brookstone. Silly boy.

It was such a special evening exchanging gifts and spending some quality time as just the two of us before the crazy Christmas activities begin. We will be spending the holidays with my family and I absolutely cannot wait to see all of them. My parents, sister, brother-in-law, grandparents, great aunt...needless to say it will be a full house! But spending time with the ones I love fill my heart with so much joy and is hands down the best part about Christmas!!

Peanut Butter Cups

This week I attended a cookie exchange with one of my coworkers and a fun group of ladies she has done cookie exchanges with for over 10 years. We had dinner at a local Italian restaurant and had our own private room with such a cozy ambiance. The room was complete with stone walls and a warm fire place which created a perfect environment for an enjoyable girls night. We spent a lovely evening chatting, drinking red wine and of course eating cookies! I made a couple of different kinds but one of my favorites (and easiest) recipes is for Peanut Butter Cups. Growing up I always made this with my mom to give our teachers and her coworkers during the holiday season. These treats are so delicious and could not be any easier to make!

Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:

9oz white baking chocolate

1 1/2 cups of creamy peanut butter

8oz semi sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts (chopped)

Directions:

1. Arrange 50 miniature (1 inch) baking cups on a baking sheet

2. Heat white chocolate and 3/4 cups of peanut butter over low heat until melted and combined

3. Spoon mixture into baking cups

4. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes or until hardened

5.  Heat semi sweet chocolate and remaining peanut butter over low heat until melted and combined

6. Spoon mixture into hardened baking cups and top with chopped peanuts

7. Refrigerate again until hardened then enjoy!

Christmas Gift Traditions

Jameson and I will be celebrating our second Christmas as husband and wife this year and we are doing something a little different as far as gifts go this year. Friday we are going to our local mall to divide and conquer. We will have 1 hour and a set budget then be set free in the mall to go shopping for one another. After an hour is up we will head home and exchange our gifts. We thought this would be a fun way to do gifts this year and create special memories together!

When it comes to the 5 Love Languages receiving gifts is not high on either of our lists. We both would prefer spending quality time together at a local coffee shop over getting a gift any day. That being said we don't want to completely skip over Christmas gifts all together so we try and find creative ways to exchange . Last year we only did stocking stuffers and we had 4 categories we had to buy gifts for: something you want, something you need, something to eat, and something to read. This was a fun way to keep the gift spending at a minimum but still create a special first Christmas together! Here is what I got him last year:

want: cologne | eat: starbucks gift card | 

need: undershirts | read: Car Guys vs. Bean Counters

Every year we will probably continue to switch up what we do for Christmas gifts just to keep things interesting. I would love to hear if you have any fun Christmas gift traditions. Do you go all out? Or keep things simple?

Linking up today with Lisa and the girls

Thanksgiving 2014

We spent turkey day this year in Pennsylvania spending quality time with both sides of our family. We got into town Tuesday night in order the beat the snow then spent most of Wednesday cuddled inside watching the snow come down and prepping some food for the big day.

This year I was in charge of the pecan pie, homemade rolls, and some roasted vegetables. I turned to the trusty Pioneer Woman for both recipes and they did not disappoint. I also love her step by step instructions with pictures, it gives me more confidence to try new things because I can make sure it looks right every step of the way.  The rolls were a labor of love considering they had to sit and rise for multiple hours, but they turned out delicious! This Georgia girl also represented well with a pecan pie, but beware this pie is not for the faint of heart when it comes to sugar. There is lots of it! But perhaps that is why it is so yummy.

This year Jameson's sister hosted and I love going over to her house for the holidays because she has such perfect decor and this year she did not disappoint! Isn't her chalkboard adorable?

Friday morning we packed up for a quick trip to my grandparents house to spend some time with my aunts, cousins, parents, and of course grandma and grandpa! We enjoyed (another) big, yummy meal and spent the night engaged in a rather intense game of Phase 10. I am so grateful to have been able to spend time with them! Saturday we headed back to State College so the boys could go to the last football game of the season. All in all we had such a wonderful time with all our family and returned back to Michigan on Sunday with full stomach's and even fuller hearts!

Soaking Up Fall

Recently a lot has been going down in the Lietzke household. And by a lot clearly I mean mostly activities revolving around football and home improvement projects. Are we predictable or what? Jameson and I have been lucky enough to take a few quick trips back to State College to watch our beloved Nittany Lions play (let's just not talk about the outcome of the games, deal?) We also got to enjoy a game in Ann Arbor with my parents to watch PSU play at the Big House. (another 1001 in 101 goal accomplished!)

Fall is always such a wonderful time of the year and I'm trying to soak up as much of it as I can! We got our first snow flurries this morning so I know it is only a matter of time before winter is here to stay. But never fear my friends, I will be burning my autumn candles all the way until the Christmas tree gets put up (which in my family is never until after Thanksgiving). I think Fall is one of my favorite seasons simply because of it's candles. You can find me burning this Spiced Pumpkin one starting in August and I recently discovered Autumn Harvest Soy Candle (Target Limited Edition) and it sure is scrumptious as well. Nothing makes me want to curl up in a blanket with a good book quite like a pumpkin candle.

Jameson and I have also managed to do a some home improvement projects, including painting a couple of rooms. When first picking out paint for the house we settled on a very light grey figuring it would be the perfect neutral. Well low and behold that light grey turned out to be way too light, almost completely white is some lighting. Like stark hospital wall white. It was no good! We decided on a darker grey color for the kitchen and living room so that the white cabinets, trim, and cove ceiling would pop. We absolutely adore it now! It's amazing what transformation a can of paint can have. All of a sudden these beautiful features are a focal point instead of just blending in with the walls. Both Jameson and I agree that these rooms finally feel finished (or as finished as they can be considering I change my mind on decor about every 8 days).

The same weekend we tackled painting our bonus room upstairs. For the first 6 month of us living here it was simply a glorified storage room/walkway to the master bedroom. This room is open to the stairs so it cannot be completely closed off, but it definitely still provides enough practical and useful space. We splashed on same paint, moved some furniture and before you know it we have a brand new office room. This little area has quickly become one of my favorite spots in the house.

Milton wanted to be a part of the pictures

I was also super excited because I could finally showcase this beautiful print from BW Prints.We met Bobbi and her husband in our young marrieds small group at our church and she is such a talented artist and designer! Go check out her website and Etsy shop, you won't be disappointed!

101 in 1001 Update

Back in March I created a list of 101 things I wanted to complete in 1001 days. I have gotten to check quite a few off the list so I thought I would highlight some of them today!

19. Go to a Tigers baseball game
I have been an overachiever and gone to 2 this summer! The first time with my parents when they visited at the beginning of July, and another time during Steph and Scott's visit in August. Their trip may or may not have corresponded with when their beloved Pittsburgh Pirates were in town. Coincidence? I think not.

Mom and Dad on the famous Woodward Ave before the game

Tigers vs. Pirates --- A House Divided

29. Celebrate our one year wedding anniversary
On June 29, 2014 Jameson and I celebrated 365 days of marriage!! Friday night (otherwise known as the one year anniversary to our rehearsal dinner) we had some fine dining within the comforts of our own home. My husband - the grill master - made us D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S steaks that were seriously the yummiest thing I have ever had. We completed the meal with au gratin potatoes, asparagus, and of course our wedding cake! Jameson and I both missed out on eating much of the cake during our actual reception - we only had small bites during the cake cutting - so we were looking forward to chowing down on this. And I am happy to announce the cake was just as delicious as I remember it being. We ate way more of that cake than 2 people should. On our actual anniversary we celebrated downtown at Coach Insignia. The food was delicious but the view was definitely the best part! We had 365 degree views of downtown Detroit, the Detroit river, and Windsor, Canada.

45. Take Milton to the dog park
We have recently discovered the Oakland county park system and quickly have found Milton's new favorite place to run around. The Orion Oaks dog park is HUGE! Complete with grassy fields, walking trails, and a doggie dock. Milton loves running off the dock and jumping full speed into the water - usually with his eye on a tennis ball. He is a retriever through and through and could spend a whole day swimming in the lake. We don't mind though because a tired pup is a happy pup.

53. Host a non family member visitor in our home
In May, Erinn and Tyler came for a quick visit in between stops in Chicago and her grandparents house in Michigan. It was so good to see them both considering they spent the prior 6 months traveling all around the Pacific. We has such a good time catching up on life and can't for them to both be in Chicago! I foresee many weekend trips to the Windy City in our future.

The future Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell in Michigan

Erinn loves her a Lietzke sandwich

Clearly Milton doesn't like sharing his frisbee

61. See Lady Antebellum in concert
Jameson surprised me with a last minute date night to see Lady A at DTE and it was such a fun night with my hubby. Joe Nicols and Billy Currington were the opening acts and they did not disappoint. And of course Lady A was even better than I could have imagined!! We had such a fun night spending time together and soaking up the last bit of summer.

Happy One Year Anniversary

Why hello there long lost blog of mine, I sure have missed you!
I have lots to document about what's been going on in our household the past couple of months, but I'll ease back into it slowly with sharing some of our one year anniversary photos. Jameson surprised me with scheduling a little photo shoot to celebrate our first year of marriage and document our life here in Detroit. We sure do love this city and strive to show people that their is so much more to Detroit than what is shown on the news.

We worked with Michelle and Chris Gerard and was had an absolute blast. We went all around downtown Detroit, Eastern Market, and Belle Isle and felt like we were on a mini city tour while getting our pictures taken. Chris and his wife just moved to Corktown and shared with us some of their inside knowledge of the cities' hidden gems. It was truly such a fun evening and we have so many beautiful images to remember it with.

Jamie - thank you so much for this surprise! I love this little life we have built together and cannot wait to see where the Lord takes us in the future. Cheers to many more years love!

35th (SURPRISE) Anniversary Party

A couple of weekends ago Jameson and I packed up our bags and headed back to State College, PA to celebrate his parents 35th  wedding anniversary and Easter. We left Thursday mid morning and got in town later that night. Our visit and the anniversary party were both a surprise to his parents so we stayed with Steph and Scott Thursday.

Friday morning we woke up bright and early to get the cooking started and then took a trip to Chick-fil-a. This is a tradition every time we go back to visit because we don't have any of these delicious chicken delicacies back home. Michigan get your act together and get us some Chick-fil-a's PLEASEEE!!!!

We spent the rest of Friday decorating, preparing the food, and getting ready for all the guests to arrive. Before we knew it the house was filled with family and close friends and we all gathered in preparation for Dick and Debbie's arrival. They showed up right on time and were surprised to say the least when they walked through the door.

Steph did such a great job with the decor and included so many special touches including pictures and memorabilia from their wedding day.

Steph's incredible chalkboard art

Sibling love before the party started

the lovely host and hostess

Milton turns Two!

Sorry for the accidental blog break y'all. Life has been rather busy the past few months, but I am hoping to recap all of our happenings soon and then get back to a regular schedule of some sort.

Here are some of the quick highlights of what has been going on in our life: 35th anniversary party for Jameson's parents. Easter in PA. Packing. MOVING. Unpacking, unpacking, and more unpacking. Furniture shopping. Visit from Erinn and Tyler. Mini vacation in FL. and LOTS and LOTS of yard work.

Also today is a very special day for us because our precious puppy Milton turns 2! All you dog people out there will understand when I say that we absolutely adore this guy and can't imagine our little family without him. He brings us laughter and joy every single day and we are thankful for his continual love and affection. Happy Birthday Milton!!

lake Milton

traveling in the car Milton

sleepy Milton

frisbee Milton

begging for food Milton