Thursday, December 23, 2010

merry christmas to all

from our house to yours.... 

 we wish you a very merry christmas!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

kissing santa


 i have always loved going to see santa....
so when he showed up at the office brunch yesterday, 
i just couldn't resist.

sure hope i'm on the nice list this year!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

ladies who brunch

we had a lovely time at our santa brunch 
on sunday and were put in quite the festive spirit.



my girlfriend and her daughter 
(muffy's bf since the day she was born) 
joined us for a ladylike day.

we first visited with santa
and both girls said they didn't know what they would like
(could it be because they both have EVERYTHING already?!?)

muffy did not eat much, since there was a piano man 
asking children to join him on stage to sing and dance....

(the girl LOVES a stage)

and speaking of stages, we went to see our local presentation 
of The Nutcracker afterwards.



our dear little friend was a mouse. how precious.

we are in full-on Christmas mode here ....

just a few more sleeps!

Monday, December 20, 2010

jingle all the way

leave it to kate spade to put a little jingle in the season




love the ring

think the bobby pins are adorable

but am wondering if i would have a 
constant ringing with the earrings

hope you're ringing in the week before christmas 
with fun, and laughing all the way!

Friday, December 17, 2010

christmas brunch

amid cookie baking and parties, 
the annual trip to see the nutcracker ballet, 
the event muffy and i are most looking forward to 
this weekend is the 
christmas "santa" brunch at lake pearl.


we'e going with two of our very good friends 
so it should be a real festive, lady-like affair! 
(then we'll all go to see the nutcracker together)

lake pearl is actually a beautiful club set on, 
you guessed it, lake pearl, near our home.

the facilities are gorgeous and the food is amazing.

mr prep and i just attended a christmas party 
there last friday night, 
and we help muffy's post-baptism party there years ago.

the forecast calls for snow...a dusting would be nice to amp up 
the festivities, but not a blizzard. 
last year it snowed 14 inches the day of 
the nutcracker performance, 
mr prep was out of town and i was left to shovel!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

afternoon (starbucks) delight

as you're running around during your lunch hour

doing everything for everyone on your list

take time for YOU 

and enjoy this sweet little pick-me-up





a starbucks peppermint cappuccino
(a lot less calories than its peppermint mocha 
cousin also on the menu)
but just as tasty!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

christmas angels

one of my favorite christmas traditions is 
selecting an angel from the salvation army's angel tree.

i have done this for many years, 
and it's a great thing for muffy to do with me now.

she loves selecting a child her age 
and picking out things the little girl might like.

not wanting to dispel any beliefs that santa 
would not deliver for a deserving child, 
i try to explain that this child is not as fortunate 
as others and might like a few extra things under his or her tree.

this year, "our" five-year-old girl asked for a baby alive doll. 

muffy was so excited to pick it out and wrap it up with me.

we added some snuggly jammies, an outfit and socks, 
a soft stuffed teddy and coloring book and crayons.


she was so excited to deliver it last night to the drop-off location, 
and thankfully, all the angels on the tree had been adopted.

i hope in some small way, 



my little christmas angel has made a happier holiday for another.

Monday, December 13, 2010

bundle up

it was cccc-cold in chicago last week, but near what it is now!

boston is bracing for a freeze too, so i decided to update my winter wardrobe, courtesy of my mother-in-laws generous pre-christmas gift!


laundry by shelly segal
(detachable fur collar)


and patent leather accented duck boots
(a significant upgrade from my l.l.bean navy ones)

here's to keeping warm!

Friday, December 3, 2010

snowy chicago weekend


it's snowing in chicago and i'm still going!


despite unseasonably warm weather in the northeast, i'm taking off for chicago for work (and a little fun, too!)

i'm staying across from the historic water tower 
and, as luck would have it, 
across from the polo store and the new nordstrom rack! 
(yay!)

i always try to fill up my schedule so that 
i'll have plenty to do on my downtime...
this time i've got

fireworks and ice skating at navy pier

cappucinno at the four seasons
dinner at la colonial

it's a wonderful life stage production

bloomingdales

american girl place 

now, if only i could get last minute tickets 
to see michael buble!

any other festive suggestions you have?!?

Thursday, December 2, 2010

holiday stroll


tonight is our town's annual holiday stroll

mr prep, muffy and i are so excited 
because our little stationery store is along the main street.

after the tree lighting and caroling at the college 
in the center of town, residents make their way 
through our historic downtown to shop and 
enjoy goodies from more than 35 shops.

at then end of the line is the big furniture store, featuring santa!

it sounds like a fun, old-fashioned event we need more of!
(i'll try to get pictures of all of us in our matching red!)

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

blue christmas

 thanks wills and kate 
for putting diamond-encrusted sapphires back in fashion 
(as if they were ever out!)

instead of a ring, i've put earrings 
on my wish list from santa this year!


oval studs


or emerald-cut drops


i even liked these surrounded by sterling silver

ahh, i hope it's a blue Christmas at the prep house!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

poor little pocahontas



my little indian princess 
(and mr prep) 
at the thanksgiving table

Monday, November 29, 2010

giving thanks, a little late


top five things i'm thankful for
(there could be so many more)
1) my family
although we are not all together for thanksgiving anymore
2) our health
thank goodness everyone is healthy
3) our happiness
though times have been stressful with opening 
our new store and the stresses of work, we are happy
4) muffy, of course
5) togetherness


four thanksgiving memories
1) arriving at grandma's late on wednesday night to join my entire family
the uncles, dad and grandpa would drink beer, the aunts, mom and grandma would be chopping and prepping for the next day and the cousins would play
2) sneaking into the box of wine with my auntie
3) watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade
4) making an entire thanksgiving feast for me and my boyfriend
from the Cooking Light magazine

three holiday treks i remember most
1) alabama to illinois
(to grandmother's house)
2) to chicago from southern illinois
(to work at the polo store on black friday)
3) to vermont from massachusetts
(to the inlaws)

two strange thanksgiving traditions
1) my father-in-law's oyster stew
2) my father's cheese salad
(made with cubed chedder, sweet pickles and mayonaise)

one thing i made this year
1) my favorite Marie Callender's Cherry Crunch Pie!
hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

they've set the date


what will you be doing friday, april 29th?

i declare an all-out royal-watching wedding day!

i'm actually thinking of taking a personal day, 
putting on a pot of tea, 
attempting to bake scones 
and having a little english tea party for muffy and me!

i remember watching my first royal wedding in 1981 
with my mother and grandmother.

this will definitely be an event to remember.

now, if only i could get a flight to london and stay with my sister-in-law....

Monday, November 22, 2010

faux-real fur

it's that time of year....

time for fur-trimmed collars

shearling coats

stoles and muffs

and fabulous, wintery accents

whether you have the real thing
(my grandmother gave me a beautiful mink collar years ago that i have no idea what to do with -- thinking collar and cuffs on a long black wool coat?)
or a faux
(which can be even more beautiful, and last a lot longer.
i have a great aunt's knee-length coat, my mother's retro '70s leopord with matching pillbox hat and a gorgeous hand-made silver fox)
enjoy the warmth and glamour of them all!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

finally!


they're engaged!

congratulations kate & wills!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

a salute




to all our veterans
those who fought, served and sacrificed 
much love, respect and honor!



 
(i love you, grandpa!)

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

happy birthday, dear lilly


you make my world a much brighter place!

Monday, November 8, 2010

knit gifts

with the first snow already falling in new england, 
today is the perfect time to show you some of 
the cutest knit hats and scarves!


vera bradley hat


vera bradley scarf

and a few fun ones from kate spade







                                       that's enough to make me want to 
go walking in a winter wonderland!