A Christmas Marathon- The Hasty Family

Our fourth Christmas also took place on Christmas Day. Eric's family doesn't get up until noon on the weekends so we were able to complete my family's Christmas and still make it in time for The Hasty Family Christmas. Renee always does a wonderful job picking out presents for all of the kids, some of them we pick out for ourselves, but a couple of them are surprises. This year, Renee surprised me with a Hot Chocolate Pot, complete with an automatic mixer. She bought the Hot Chocolate Pot because it has the handle that I talked about loving in a previous post. To see that post, click here.

A picture of my favorite mother-in-law and me:
Eric and me:
Eric and his younger brother, Evan, working on Evan's new computer. We bought him the last key part!

Eric and all of his presents. :)

A Christmas Marathon- The Steffes Family 2

Christmas number 3 was at my parents home on Christmas morning. We've done Christmas the same way for as long as I can remember. First, I wake everyone up. Actually, that is a recent change. My parents used to be the first ones up, but as they get older they need some help. Second, we open the pet's presents. This year the puppies got a squeeky ball and the cat got some yummy treats! Third, we distribute and open our stocking presents. We do one present at a time so we can all see what everyone gets! Finally, we move on to the big presents, still only opening one at a time.

Best Gift: A TIFFANY BLUE VINTAGE BIKE!!!!!
Most Random Gift: Sharpies. Apparently there was some miscommunication, but I will put them to good use!


My mom's beautiful Christmas tree with LOTS of presents!
Truman playing with his toy:
Dad getting some loving from Wilson:
Mom and me in our matching PJs!
Awww....Eric and me in our Christmas Jammies....and Eric in his elf hat. He's going to kill me for posting this picture....at least it isn't on Facebook!

A Christmas Marathon- The Steffes Family

No one celebrates Christmas like the Steffes Family. We really know how it is done. The next Christmas Eric and I attended was at my Grandma Steffes' home in Wien, MO on Christmas Eve. My parents and I arrived early that morning, but since Eric had to work he didn't join us until after lunch. We entertained ourselves by playing Rock Band for Wii, Beatles version! We took turns playing the guitar and drums or being the vocals. We also played some Wii Fit, I have great videos from the Wii Fit. We also played a new board game, True Colors. You have a deck of cards and each card has a statement such as "Honest Abe, this person is least likely to tell a lie" and then you vote on one person playing the game who is most similar to the statement.

A picture of Eric and me:
The Bob Steffes Family:
The Gary Steffes Family:

Santa came to the house!
Playing Rock Band for Wii:

A Christmas Marathon- The VanStrien Family

Eric and I have 6 (SIX!) Christmases to attend every year. Have you ever seen that movie with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn called 4 Christmases? That movie is nothing compared to what Eric and I go through every year. This year, our marathon began at Paul and Rita Cordia's house (Eric's aunt and uncle) on Sunday, December 20th. This year we decided to do a gift exchange, where everyone brings a generic gift and after drawing numbers to determine the order you can either open a gift or steal a gift someone else has opened.

Best Gift: A Cookbook (Which I got!)
Most Random Gift: A Harmonica (What the heck?!)

A picture of the Hasty Family:
Carson, the baby of the family, on his new tractor:
The Cordia/Boots Family:
The Grandkids with Eric's Grandma, Ethel:

A Week of Holiday Pinups

At last, this may very well be my favorite afterall.

Merry Christmas!

A Week of Holiday Pinups

Next year my Christmas Card will look like this, except it will be me posing next to the very large card at the bottom of the tree. Hahahaha. Oh to dream. Merry Christmas Eve, Everyone!

A Week of Holiday Pinups

I admit, this one struck me as a little creepy at first. Why is Santa's severed head floating in the air? Then I realized the girl was holding a mirror and Santa's head was attached to a string to make a mask. Then I totally fell in love with her Santa outfit.

A Week of Holiday Pinups

This one reminds me of the bell ringers outside Wal-Mart....if only they could get pinup girls instead of homeless people to volunteer! I love the guys in the background, they seem to be discussing whether the girl has noticed that they've already donated 6 times that day. Is 7 donations in one day too forward?

A Week of Holiday Pinups

I couldn't choose one favorite Holiday Pinup, so I'm taking this week to feature my favorite 5! Pinup girls make the most mundane of activities glamorous. I imagine this girl, in an old sweater she found stuffed in the back of her closet and her husband's wool socks, is cozy on the floor next to the fireplace with her peppermint schnapps and hot cocoa with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation playing on her brand new LCD television. (What? This is my dream...)

Graduate

Today, I am Graduate Pinup. As I write that first sentence my mind wanders back to the Drew Barrymore movie, Never Been Kissed, when the popular girls all show up as some version of Barbie. "You totally ripped off my Malibu Barbie idea" says one. "Nuh-uh I'm Disco Barbie" retorts the other.

After more than a year of researching and writing about brides walking down the aisle for a second time, I will be walking down an aisle of a different kind, but also for a second time. Exactly two years ago I walked down an aisle at Stephens College and accepted my Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Marketing and Management and a minor in Psychology. I remember thinking that I knew exactly what I wanted to do in life, I had such a passion to teach collegiate students about the wonderful world of fashion.

Today I will walk down an aisle at the University of Missouri and accept my Masters of Science degree in Textiles and Apparel Management. I no longer have a clear idea of what I want to do, I still want to teach at the collegiate level. I love academics, I love the university atmosphere, and I love learning. But I've discovered that collegiate professors aren't just teachers. Like me, they are never complacent. They must continue to expand, learn, and share their knowledge. Thus, teaching has become only part of my dream...

A Sneak Peek of Christmas Lights

Every year we drive around town with my parents looking at Christmas Lights. We are schedule to meet up with my parents next week for our annual get-together, but Eric and I couldn't wait. We drove by one house that always goes above and beyond with their Christmas decorating. Isn't their display so much fun?!

2nd Annual Steffes/Hasty Christmas Gathering

On Sunday Eric and I hosted our 2nd annual Steffes/Hasty Christmas Gathering. We invited my parents and my inlaws to our duplex for some tasty Holiday treats.

I made Chocolate Fondue, Homemade Gingerbread Cookies, Sweet Pepper Rotini Pasta, Garlic and Ginger dip, Pesto and Sundried Tomato Torte, Crab Cakes and Apple and Walnut Cake. I also made Mulled Apple Cider- YUM!


As I cooked, Eric slaved away trying to keep up on washing the dishes. He is so good to me. :)

A picture of our home with our new TV. Love it!

Last Day of Masters

I don't know what it is about vintage pinup posters, but I absolutely adore them! I think this one most accurately represents my life. I am pursuing an advanced education, but in the relatively unconventional field of textiles and apparel. When people ask what it is I do, I generally respond with something about studying historic textiles. At this point my questioner reacts in one of two ways: 1) They begin telling me how much they adore fashion; 2) They get a blank look on their face and wonder what in the world I would do with an advanced degree in textiles. Thus, I've found a more "academic" sounding way to put what I do. I've realized that people in academics (i.e. those who think they know a lot) tend to like things put in as complicated terms as possible. Therefore, I do not merely study historic textiles....

I am an anthropologist studying historic material culture with an emphasis on the wearable arts especially for sacramental occasions such as the wedding ceremony.

I imagine myself saying this standing on top of my desk adjusting my thigh-highs. Ha!

A Dickens Victorian Christmas

Mom had the wonderful idea of attending A Dickens Victorian Christmas, a musical showcase sponsored by Stephens College. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dickens hosted the evening in the elegant Senior Hall Parlors. They served wassail and figgy pudding and entertained us with holiday songs sung by the choir and played by various instrument ensembles, and we even got to participate in part of the evening with a sing-a-long. We had a great time and we can't wait for next year!