a san diego christmas

When it comes to the holidays, there are three things that rise to the surface. Food. Lounging. Movies. We have had such a fabulous time here in San Diego! This week, we've seen three movies already. And, they've all been excellent.

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Frost & Nixon
3. Valkyrie

As for the oscar winners- my predictions are as follows. Costume and Makeup for the Curious Case, and Best Actor for Frost & Nixon.

We've had some fantastic meals, a few stunning runs on the beach, great sidewalk shopping, and authentic greasy Mexican food. What more could you want? Movie theatre popcorn. Sweat pants. Presents. No make-up. Contagious laughter. And, when you throw in a Chargers football win- everyone is happy. Everyone, of course, meaning Jonathan.

Hope everyone is having a very happy holiday! We return to snowy Seattle on New Years day.

mr. accolade

My last blog post has given me quite a headache. Now, Jonathan's every come-back around the house is, "Well, I'm just glad I'm ranked below snow on your list of what you're thankful for!" And of course, it has taken on a life of its own. He now lets me know that I would most likely rank just after wind, but before rain on his list. Ohhh man- he keeps me laughing, that's for sure!

As much as I have adamantly tried to convince him that my "what I'm thankful for" list was in no particular order, he hasn't been assured. But that's just Jonathan. He's in to rankings. He's all about graphs, top ten lists, movie critic comments and weird, random facts. He's always interested in important titles, fancy degrees, useless factoids, historical accuracy, and scientific data. His co-workers call him The Professor. I call him Mr. Accolade.

Exhibit A)
When I want to see a particular movie, he'll always go with me. But not without pointing out that my choice was only given a B- on Yahoo's latest viewer grade.

Exhibit B)
His beloved Chargers have had a horrific year and most likely have no chance at all of making the playoffs. And even though he might quite possibly be the biggest, most ridiculous Charger fan out there- he now swears he's not watching one more game this year. Yea, right! God forbid you watch a team that isn't ranked.

Exhibit C)
He let me know just how much more he really loved the bottle of wine we drank last night. After all, it was number 13 in the newest list of Best Wines in the World.

Exhibit D (and my favorite one)
He keeps a notepad for recording his runs. The date. How many miles he ran. What his time was. And he's been doing it for years. He loves putting all of the numbers into a graph to see (on average) how many miles he's run each year, and what he needs to do to pick up the pace...per month...per day.

Jonathan: "Did you know that I've run 436.2 miles this year so far?"
Hannah: "No...no I did not. How would I have known that?"

He's a nerd. And I love it.

thanksgiving in anchorage

Jonathan and I had a fabulous time at home in Anchorage for Thanksgiving. We ate, watched 3 feet of beautiful snow fall, followed some moose through the neighborhood, attended the Great Alaska Shootout, ate some more, caught up with great friends, and laughed way too much.

It always happens as you get older...and perhaps wiser. You start to really appreciate the little things in your life that mean so much, and are so over-looked. This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for so many things:

1. Family. It's quite amazing how many people contribute to our immediate family. And, it's funny how many are being added each and every year. This year, we are at a total of 15. Eleven girls. Four guys. It is a circus of a life to live in, and I wouldn't change any of it for the world. My dad is ridiculously hilarious. But don't ever let him know it.

2. Snow. It is everything that is clean and fresh and warm and familiar to what a home during the holidays is for me. Waking up in the morning would not be the same without snow. Four or five kids lounging on the couches. Sweat pants. Hot coffee. Warm smells of cinnamon and toast and eggs and bacon and waffles and hash browns. And a windowsill picture frame of an untouched winter wonderland. And you- burrowed inside.

3. Jonathan. He is my favorite friend. And it seems like he has always been there-somewhere. He has morphed into my family seamlessly and has an uncanny ability to get along with anyone. We share a same love of family, desire for adventure, and need for unnecessary indulgences. He just gets it.

4. Home. It's hard to come by. One that isn't perfect. One that isn't always clean. One that's been in the family for 60 years. One where the left hallway floor board creeks. One with pencil hash marks up the side of the kitchen wall. It's a soft old t-shirt that's been washed a hundred times. It just fits.

invested

You’ve got to be. In the holidays that is. This year, more than ever it seems, I am clinging tightly to all that the holidays have to offer. Last week at church, our priest gave a homily about what it is you would do differently if you knew that this was your last Thanksgiving...your last Christmas. And it started me thinking. It’s not about the gifts. It’s not about the sacrifices I make to fly home for the holidays. And it’s definitely not about the money. For me, it’s all about family, friends, and...well, decorations. I have to admit- decor is one of my favorite parts of this time in the year. Soft twinkle lights, beautiful glittered ornaments, warm fires and soothing music. And when the décor and the family come together, I am completely happy.

Here are a few things I’ve been working on:

1. The magic tree. I came across this picture in a Pottery Barn catalog and decided I had to have one of my own! My magic tree is filled with glittered butterfly pins, and gold and silver birds. Mine is a mini tree this year to start. I absolutely love it, and hope to start a tradition of having not only the main Christmas tree in our house every year, but a separate “magic tree.” I guess it brings out the kid in me. Maybe, by magic, Santa can deliver one present under the magic tree extra early- one week before Christmas.


2. Name cards. I am going home in two days for Thanksgiving in Anchorage and wanted to take something to add to our dinner table for the big meal. Name place cards are one of the things that I love in all holiday catalogs! They make the table so personalized and also add a bit of color. I know. Me? Color?


3. History. I want to start emphasizing the importance of history during the season. Jonathan collects Christmas ornaments, and has about 30 unique ones he’s picked up from his travels around the world. Since becoming a couple, we have continued this tradition. We brought home the cutest ornament in the shape of an elephant bell from Thailand, and a blue and white shoe from the Dutch colony of Curacao when we were in the Carribean. I also dug up some old-time artifacts. Hanging on Jonathan’s stocking is a mold of his hand when he was 3 years old. So cute. So small. And I think it makes for another historical touch to our Christmas.

If my magic tree, place cards, and touches of history are all that I unwrap this year- I will be happy. And if family and friends are all that I have around me this Christmas- I will most definitely be happy. Even if it’s my last!

hip happity birthday jonathan!

I can't help but absolutely LOVE birthdays. And I know that it's because my mom did such a fantastic job of them while I was growing up. They are everything that is colorful, whimsical, and magical in the course of an ordinary month. Jonathan turned the big 33 today! While he isn't as excited about getting older as I am, I wanted to bring some flimsy fun to the day. My sister Natalie helped me hit up the party store for 33 colorful balloons and my favorite New York cupcake shop for 6 rainbow cups of frosting.

The day was filled with coffee and waffles in the morning, watching the Notre Dame game in pajamas, a birthday massage for Jonathan at the spa, a home-cooked meal on our new dining room table, a very nice bottle of wine, and some birthday singing to candles. It was a great day to be 33!

another one bites the dust!

Yes- another one has jumped off the deep end. Well, gotten married that is. Chrissy is one of my best friends from Saint Mary's College. She married her long time boyfriend Mike Openlander. Chrissy Openlander. Christina Openlander...I'll have to get used to that one. Right about now- they should be basking in the hot sun on a sandy beach somewhere in Mexico. I couldn't be happier for them!

Jonathan and I had a great trip to Columbus, OH. We even got to spend some time with Jonathan's sister (and my new sister-in-law) Meredith. She's a junior at Ohio State. So, it was great to kill two birds with one stone. Meredith and I got our shopping on, and put in a few fabulous hours of girl talk. What a fun weekend!

With another trip crossed off the list...we are one step closer to going home to Anchorage for Thanksgiving. I can't wait!! More cinnamon rolls. (Those of you out there know what these mean to me.) Lots of catching up on the family gossip...attending the Great Alaskan Shootout...visiting long lost friends at my favorite historical bar in downtown (F Street), and fitting in some sledding in the snow. 2 weeks and counting!

a new day

This is a new day for the world. It is a new day to be an American. What an amazing feeling to be part of such a movement in a time when people need it most. I couldn't be more proud of our country. November 4, 2008 will forever be remembered as one of the most defining moments in American history. My grandkids might even ask me where I was and what I was doing at the time. Well- I'll tell you. Jonathan and I were camped out in front of our TV here in Bellevue, WA. After a nice dinner, we sat down to the rest of the political countdown with a nice big bowl of butter popcorn. Talk about a good show! Even though I was pretty sure that Obama would win, I sat there hanging on the edge of ever pundant's predictions.

Then, after the victory was called, we all waited in anticipation for the Obama family to come out onto the stage at Grant Park in Chicago to deliver his speech. They showed Oprah Winfrey on TV near the stage crying her eyes out. They showed Rev. Jesse Jackson near stage with a calm smile. It was like waiting for the main act to come onto stage after the opening act trailed off. Finally, the crowds errupted, the new first family walked out onto a stage lined with bullet-proof glass and delivered one of the most poised addresses I have ever heard. My eyes were watered. My skin had goosebumps. What a memory it will always be.

Opportunity has always been the strongest characteristic of the American dream. And I hope and pray that the leaps and bounds our country has taken this day will ensure a more prosperous tomorrow for the everyday lives we lead.

colorbutton goes live

After much anticipation and many many long long days glued to the computer- colorbutton had gone live! I'm starting on Etsy until I get my own site up and running- which may be 6 months or so. I was so excited to get my first REAL order from a lady in California yesterday!! Starting a business has always been something I've wanted to do. And, whether I sell one or a thousand pieces- I'll be glad to have had a go at it. Wish me luck!

go irish!

Jonathan and I attended our first ND game this year. The Irish were here in town to play the Huskies. What a beautiful fall day for tailgating, watching the game in mittens, and securing another W.

houston, we have a party

Our first annual McDiffett Sisters Reunion was held in Houston, TX. The line-up included the oldest five girls, and our two token McDiffett husbands.

We had a blast! We started out the weekend going to the New Kids on the Block reunion tour concert. If you can picture it- thousands and thousands of screaming women, 80s dance moves, fabulous mixed drinks, and laughing hysterics from all of my sisters. I don’t think it could have been topped!

A Donnie Walberg quote from the concert: “I’m the only single one out here tonight, and I’m lookin’ for a girl. Can you hear that? All of you single girls out there….and those of you that aren’t and don’t even care.” Yep- that was us. Ha! Talk about feeling 12 years old again. Gotta love those Walberg boys. They never go out of style.

We also spent the weekend wedding dress shopping with Megan- McDiffett girl number three. She made every dress look amazing! And I think Dana and I were secretly picking out our dresses for a second time down the isle. Ya know- just to get to wear another incredible dress. That would be worth it, don’t you think?

We also made our way to Blanco’s, a traditional country western bar filled with cowboy hats, live Texas-only bands, sticky shuffleboard and 50-year-old couples two-steppin out on the dance floor. Fabulous, I tell ya! Megan and I kept our eyes pealed for George Straight. It felt like something right out of the movie Gone Country. We all had a great time.

Shuffleboard Scoreboard:
Hannah & Nat 15
Jonathan & Tom 3

“We knowww.”

We made a trip to the Galleria Mall downtown, ate at Houston’s famous Crave Cupcakes, stopped by the Presidents Heads sculptures and ate authentic tex mex. Brisket tacos, fajita meat queso, and dusty tequila. Mmm mm.

Thanks to Dana and Tom for hosting our first reunion! We sure made quite a few memories. Here is the full album of pics.

pillars

For the first, oh, 40 pages I thought the book was just ok. Average to be honest. I had to admit that the subject was very interesting, and I really hadn't ever read a book like it before, but it just didn't grab me. Well, with our moving to Seattle, driving cross-country, multiple trips to Alaska, a very very long flight to Thailand, and a few weeks now without a job- I slowly picked away at reading 973 pages of what I had only heard raving remarks about. And then, when I least expected it, around page 200- I was a gonner.

I can safely say that The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is one of the best books I have ever read! Ken Follett's historical novel is about the building of a cathedral in Kingsbrige England in the middle of the 12th century. And until I read this book, I never would have imagined a craft to be so sexy. His characters are so incrediably complex that I find myself thinking of them all of the time. Even wondering how they're doing. After all, that's what makes a good book great. Only when you can actively take a character with you, captured in your imagination, for the rest of your life has a writer really done himself justice.

And, for what it's worth- this is one of the only books that has stirred my emotions to the core. You will simply loathe some of the characters in this book. At times, I found myself sizzling mad, incrediably overwhelmed, and surprisingly happy. The Pillars of the Earth, added to Oprah's book club in 2007, has definitely found a place in my heart, and a space on my bookshelf. Enjoy!

favorite things

A man and a woman's favorite things. I started thinking about them today and was caught off-guard. Yeah, the typical would be different. Sports for him. Shoes for me. But when I really started asking questions, it turned out that we humans are really more alike than we are different. When it comes to Jonathan and I, the real difference is only noticable in the pictures. His is action. Hers is color.

Hannah's favorite things:


Jonathan's favorite things:

the canvas story

I've had three large canvases for almost 4 years now. And, they have unknowingly turned into one of my pride and joys. The canvases have been painted over about 5 times with different materials and for different purposes. Ya see, I most likely have a problem with re-decorating. I can't stand to look at the same thing for too long. (I'm sure you have noticed my blog header change at least once every couple of weeks.)

The canvases have held paint and crayon and marker and oil and charcoal. And this is the first time that I have thought about recording the canvas story. Because it has turned into just that: A story. They originally had a red poem painted across all three. Next, they had green and blue squares drawn over all of them with crayon. Then I used charcoal and oil to mix everything together in a weird mural. About a year later- I got sick of it all and painted over the whole thing with thick brown paint. And they have been that way ever since. Until today that is.

I recently bought gold spraypaint to paint a mirror frame, and had some leftover. So, I decided to make stencils and spray our initials onto the canvases. And, Voila! New dining room art!

nkotb baby!

I'm getting so excited to fly to Houston next week for the first annual McDiffett Girls Reunion. This year- it will be Dana, me, Megan, Natalie, and Caitlin attending. Bethany didn't make the 21-or-older cut. We'll be staying in Dana and Tom's new house in the historic district. And she has a full itinerary in place for us including restaurant reservations, bar-hopping hot spots, wedding dress shopping for Meg, and of course- the New Kids On The Block concert. What could be better?

Despite getting to see eachother the last could of years due to weddings, we wanted to try to start something that will force us to get to see eachother on a regular basis. My sisters have become my best friends in the world. Growing up, there were always rivalries, cliches and drastic differences in interests. This was mostly due to some of the age gaps. But as we have grown up, finished college, are of legal drinking age, and have been either engaged or married, there is something that has changed. We have all realized in some way that we are incrediably grateful to have grown up in our bustling family. It's a realization that we will always be a part of one huge connected circle. It's the laughter level, new babies, Christmas dinners and the night before wedding days. It's the back-yard wiffle ball games, the sledding trips, and the movie nights. It's oh so comforting. It's oh so fun! Can't wait to see you all in a few short days!

Growing up. It happens to all of us one way or another. See for yourself. New Kids on the Block then, and now.

colorbutton

I'm starting small. For such a long time I have wanted to devote more of my efforts toward doing what I absolutely love- photography, graphic design, and paper works. So, I've decided to start a quaint little business of designing confection paper products like announcements, address labels, invitations and greeting cards. I have no idea how the whole thing is going to work- but I'm jumpin' in for now. I intend to keep this a side-job until and unless it gets bigger then anticipated. It might also be a nice distraction if I stay home for a while when I start having kids. Don't worry- no time soon folks!

The site is only temporary for now, as the links haven't even been established. But I've been having a lot of fun thinking about all of the possibilities. Take a look at the future of colorbutton. For now, I'm selling on Etsy. Let me know what you think!

my new favorite songs

1. The first is a great new sound. Viva la Vida, by Coldplay. This song is best experienced blaring loud as can be with a little dancing in the livingroom.

2. The next is a new take on a very old song. Free Fallin', by John Mayer. This was one of my favorite covers we heard him play in Chicago a few months ago. Recently, it's been playing at about 10pm with the lights lowered and a nice round glass of cabernet. Enjoy!

apartment in seattle

It's what I like to call nesting. Home isn't home to me until the pictures are on the wall. I know, it's a little ridiculous. A job? Food for the fridge? They all take a close second to a fresh coat of paint and a few curtain rods. It's what you call priorities. We've found a place for most of our things and gotten rid of the rest. I can hear my dad now: "When in doubt, throw it out." Here are some more pics.

honeymoon in thailand

Thailand was unbelievable. We spent two weeks visiting temples (Wats), lounging in the sand, riding elephants, playing with wild monkeys, chartering long boats to remote islands, eating authentic pad thai, getting massages, and hanging out with my favorite. We can't wait to go back! For more pictures, click here.

wedding in alaska

It was one of the best days of our lives! We had such a great time spending a whole week with our closest family and friends. We were also lucky enough to get one of the only sunny days Anchorage had all summer. Here's to one long, happy, adventure together. Click here for more pictures.

Here is a passage from the poem that Father Medlock read and referenced during the homily at our wedding ceremony:

Lord of the Dance

I danced in the morning when the world was begun
I danced in the Moon and the Stars and the Sun
I came down from Heaven and I danced on Earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth
Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He
I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He
I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body and they thought I'd gone
But I am the Dance and I still go on
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the Life that'll never, never die
I'll live in you if you'll live in Me
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He
I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He

Sydney Carter - 1963

our story

Of all the places to meet, the two of us met at a bar. However, for those of you who are familiar with the lore of Notre Dame, you will note that our first flirts took place at Corby’s.

Perhaps one of the greatest legends of Notre Dame (no, not Rudy or Joe Montana), but Dave Wattel – yes, aka Pipes / Gunz etc. decided to bring Hannah out to meet his group of MBA friends who had just finished finals and were unwinding over pitchers of beers and games of pool. It was then that the two of us exchanged our first words and thoughts of “did he just catch me looking at him?”

That was on Dec 12th, 2006. The next night, we spent some quality time together at the Vine on our first date. Needless to say, something must have gone incredibly well as date number two concluded the very next evening at a local seafood joint called Bonefish. Two dates in a row. There must have been something to talk about.
Unfortunately, the couple would have to wait a month to see each other again as Hannah hit the road to Alaska for Christmas and Jonathan went to San Diego and later to Argentina. When Jonathan returned to his exclusive, top quality ‘Castle Point’ apartment in South Bend, he invited his long lost Alaskan date to dinner. (Hannah will be quick to point out to her friends that Jonathan called 30 minutes after his plane landed.)

Well, that was Jan 15th, 2007. Since then, we have dated exclusively. We’ve shared birthdays, holidays, and graduations. We’ve traveled to the Caribbean, driven cross country, and moved to Chicago together. But the “story” of Jonathan and Hannah transcends dates and events.

Above all things, we share a common love of family and faith, and a deep love for each other. We place a high value on openness, long talks, and good wine. Perhaps some of our best times together have been spent decorating the Christmas tree or gazing at the stars next to a campfire in the backcountry of Yosemite. If we had to sum up our story, it would simply be that it is a blessed one.

We’re excited about building a family together and hope to share the beginning of our next chapter with all of you at our wedding.