Dear Philadelphia,

I wanted to write you a note to let you know that I'm here to see you and here are all the things I love about you and am looking forward to doing while I'm here visiting you.

Christmas Decorations: tree, stockings (possibly with dad's spare change), lights, candles in all the windows, wreaths and spot lights... ahh...

tea at the Park Hyatt downtown...

King of Prussia Mall...

Cheesesteaks....

the shore...

giving my presents... and lets be honest, receiving them too:)...

lily....

Wawa--diet lemonade tea, hoagies....

And of course family & friends:)

Please tell those I'm not with Merry Christmas and I love them. It's gonna be a great week:)

they make me feel 18 again...

We had our Stand Christmas Party this last Wednesday. It consisted of decorating trees (and donating them to the thrift store), a cake walk, and dressing up someone in our group like Santa with the bag of stuff they gave us. Adam and I had a blast, of course.... and i think the kids did too:

This is Andrea and Ellie, probably my two most faithful girls:). we're baking our cake for the cake walk.... holiday fun fetti...mmm

Adam asked us to make his group's cake...so we decided they probably wanted a pink disney princess cake. You can tell just how much he liked it...

Here's some of my girls and our beautiful tree which was silver and teal themed. Adam described it as classy---which made me so proud.
(below going from left to right is me, Andrea, Trista, Ellie, Megan, and Jessie)

Here is Adam and some of his group. But i dont know these kids names.

haha. i think adam is the only one in an ugly sweater.... poor guy.

The Genius of Pollyannas...

I tried to google image Pollyannas and didnt find just one photo to represent a pollyanna gift exchange, no surprise. But I did find a website somewhat portraying what i'm talking about...Did you know there is a Colorado Cat Collectors club? Here they are at their 2007 pollyanna gift exchange: click me


This year I am the queen of pollyannas. I'm in 5. One for my college friends, one for my high school friends, one for Adam's family, one for my family, and one with my cousins on my dad's side. Now all of my pollyannas had names drawn ahead of time, not numbers like how the cat club did it. I'm pretty sure my apparent obsession with pollyannas started with my family around the time that my brothers and i had money to buy any type of present; middle school I suppose.[ ...yes, we did not want to spend money on two presents, instead we drew names (between the three of us) and only bought one gift. I guess this is what happens when you grow up with brothers] Then in HS i added my closest friends, and cousins, then college, and now adam's fam.

Why are they so perfect you might ask?
1. it can cut cost in half, or in 14ths if your in the Palmer cousin one.
2. you have to plan a time to exchange them which can be as cool or casual as you want. This years HS one is being held at the Park Hyatt in Philadelphia for the Nutcracker tea--super cool. Then our College one is just through the mail--casual. it's whatever anyone can do.
3. it feels like you're getting presents for everyone even though you're not.
4. they can have themes--ie. College-3 kinds of underwear: 1.cute, 2. comfy, 3. scandalous
5. everybody wins

I am a firm believer that Pollyannas are the best way to give presents to the most number of people, and I keep thinking of more people i should be in one with---although I think adam capped me out at 5.

a new fav...

+

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So curteousy of Liz Wright, I was encouraged to try a new drug store mascara. So if you're like me, and get excited about trying new beauty products your best friends love, try this! it's only $5!

Braids

I was recently asked to write a critical blog. I have hesitated to write this one because i'm not sure who it might offend. So... if the traditional french braid occassionally makes it's rounds in your hairstyle repitore, i'm sincerely sorry if you find this is offensive.

Acceptable Braided Hairstyles for Today---the Tricia Ludwig Chapter

There has been a shift in braids over the last few years or so. Let's take a look at the braids of yesteryear...

ah yes... the simple french braid.... always reminds me of horseback riding.

the lose ended braid... even worse for those of us of the frizzy-haired persuasion....

and one last one in a side view, just clear up any confusion on which braids we're talking about.....

I do realize this is traditionally seen as a great mom-daughter moment, a form of bragging rights for those who have mastered it--especially if you can do one on yourself, and a great cost-effective way to get krimpy hair without a krimper. However I propose that these looks are outdated, unflattering, and really just need to go.

This is not to say braids all together are bad. As I mentioned before, braids have merely shifted in their looks. The braids photographed below are hot, lets see why...

Now here is Rebecca Romijn. Her braid is a risk, but when done right: adorable.
Key points: lose, side, low.

we see here the mini side braid sported by Lauren Conrad.
Cute, playful, simple, fun.

Next, Nicole Richie in a Boho look.

Jessica Alba: classy and sophisticated, with a hint of glam.

I guess overall the take away points would be: if braids are necessary, keep them loose, light, and generally smaller.


Warning: Not ever this small:

no matter how hot you are.

We Closed!!

We FINALLY closed! Here are some pictures.... inside pictures to follow...

Side...

Front...Side...

Back...

Happy December 1st!

It's December 1, and according to my husband I can now (officially) start celebrating Christmas.





So Merry Christmas!!!! I hope you get to listen to christmas music, decorate your house, light christmas candles, hang stockings, drink eggnog (or the ludwig award winning peppermint eggnog--thank you ludwig family drink contest 08), wrap presents, possibly make up a christmas rap while doing so (if you're my dad), go caroling, go look at other peoples christmas lights, watch an excessive amount of christmas movies, address christmas cards, drink peppermint mochas from starbucks, go shopping, have ugly sweater christmas parties, and do white elephant gift exchanges.... because I hope to do all these things too! I love Christmas!!

....there is a small part of me that would like to decorate our house like this someday.