WEDDING COOKIES

I know what you’re thinking- Britt is finally planning and posting about the wedding. Not quite! I am, however, practicing my wifey skills in kitchen and whipping up some Christmas cookies to fill our fun new cookie jar and share containers with friends and families in the area. 

Honored to be invited to my first Christmas Cookie Party, I wanted to bring my favorite: Italian Wedding Cookies. Second requirement was the recipe to share. I practiced my Adobe design skills and created a personalized recipe. Please print and share and let me know your thoughts. 

Third requirement was an ornament for an exchange and by the end of the evening I traded my tree decor for a Santa Cookie Jar! Who got the sweeter deal? 

I knead to keep this blog short so you can go get baked. Happy Holidays!

XoXo

Britt

THIS OLD HOUSE

When Jose and I chose to buy a historic home we wanted it to be a place we could spend our immediate time enjoying, but also have some projects we can tackle thoughout the years. Our 1949 Roma gem is just that. We can spend our mornings working on the landscaping and jumping in the pool to cool down before our afternoon activities. Over the passed weekend we got dirty in the yard preparing for some big plans! 

Summer in AZ in not the ideal time to plant plants or regrow grass but when we get a warning letter from the city about our Palm fronds we spend at lease 1 day of the weekend keeping up neighborhood appearances. The city monitors our front yard, but Jose and I are keeping an eye one the back yard everyday. 

I read somewhere that letting your palm tree overgrow not only keeps it cool but it also protects native wildlife. Take that City of Phoenix.  

As much as we envision going in, it all has to start from a clean slate. We had to say good bye to an oleander, a sage and a eucalyptus this week to clear our yard for grass to grow. With the monsoon season so rough this year, we also had to troubleshoot a green pool. After shocking and vacuuming it, we started to see crystal blue water again. 

The eyesore of the chainlink fence is what bothers me the most. Our biggest priority but also a financial responsibility is changing our chain link fence to a block-wall. It is not something I can youtube (I can, but Im not qualified to perform the duties.) Two hundred and fity linear feet need to be converted into a pool height friendly block wall and as much as I want it to happen overnight, it will take time. 

While we continue to gather quotes and cushion our block wall fund we enjoy approaching the homeownership life and all the obstacles it throws at us. And believe us its a daily chore. 

Amazing photos by @amaesphotography

ROYAL WEDDING

How many of you are staying up / waking up to watch The Royal Wedding 2018? Im not. Ill catch up tomorrow after I try and work towards better sleeping habbits but thats another blog post to come. However this Royal Wedding reminded me about the 2011 Royal Wedding and the coincidences both share.  

In April 2011 Prince William married Kate for a Royal Wedding and in July of 2011 my cousin married at my parent's home for a Royal IB Wedding. Seven lucky years later Prince Harry is marrying Meghan in May of 2018 and in June 2018 my cousin is marrying at my parent's new home for another Royal IB Wedding.   

Seven years ago I was transitioning from college life to real world and living back at home not even knowing that future Britt was to leave for Arizona end of that summer. 

We transformed my childhood home into a wedding of my cousin's dreams: minus the dog barking in the yard during the entire ceremony. (Note to future Britt: make sure neighbor's dogs are properly stowed inside a home during our ceremony.) The alley was the entrance as well as the reception and the backyard was ceremony. It was unique to be polite. But my Aunt Jan was apart of this day and may she rest in peace its beautiful to remember this moment with her. there.  

My cousin's wedding this summer which is following another Royal Wedding is set in a slightly new venue: my parent's new home. A bit larger and boujeeier than last I look forward to seeing how my cousin's dreams come to life for her special day.    

As our Royal Wedding plans continue (jk) I look for any an all inspiration to make our backyard wedding a beautiful memory to last forever.  

Congrats to Harry and Meghan. That reminds me I need to catch up on Suits. 

Catch the rest of the album on the Face Book!