Please Note the Yellow

For Christmas, Sean and I received our mixer from my Mom and Bri. Not just any mixer, but the mixer of all mixers.

Anyone who is married and has been through the registry process, knows that the KitchenAid stand mixer is a registry must. Now our hand mixer is new and functions quite well...and was also on our registry so the neccessity for a stand mixer seems a little silly- especially for someone who claims not to be a baker. However, between my Banana Walnut Bread, Peanut Butter and Jelly cupcakes, Pumpkin cookies, pies etc. and thanks to my Julia Childs of a neighbor who is a cooking queen, I guess I have now had some practice and I am sure the stand mixer will come in handy.

I felt the need to document it's first use, hence the picture, (which also doubles as a self-portrait.) The stand mixer's first official confection creation was a batch of snickerdoodles for New Years Eve! It was then followed by my Banana Walnut Bread. (Yes all in one night) Yum! I guess Mom and Bri aren't trying to keep us skinny.

Please note: If you are confused by the title of this blog, don't be. Please note the yellow...the beautiful yellow hue of the mixer. In registering, we had not set the colors of our home yet and yellow seemed to be the best option beyond the standard colors. When we opened it on Christmas, knowing the investment of such a kitchen staple, we wanted to think about the color. What we didn't know is that Brilynne could only find yellow at her Macy's in New York and thus lugged it on the bus back from NYC. So please note the yellow. Isn't is beautiful?!? Thanks Brilynne!

A Very DeFrehn Christmas

Christmas was filled with cooking, entertaining, running between two houses and lots of merriment. We are both blessed and cursed with our mothers living within 2 miles of one another and extended family within 10. It always means lots of driving and dividing time, but we are so thankful to have our family nearby! This Christmas, with Brandon, Lauren, Hunter AND Brilynne (my sister) in town, we had lots of festivities to enjoy on top of showing off our new house. As busy and exhausted as we were Sean, and I agree this was one special Christmas! With a new niece around and a new house, my camera was out a bit...enjoy the pictures!

Our FIRST tree!!!

Our Christmas table

My wrapping theme for the year- Frosty!

For the third year, everyone together for Christmas Eve

Our adorable niece opening her first presents from Aunt Brittany

and Uncle Sean! Note the second camera

Niece's first Christmas

Cooking Christmas morning in our aprons-

Merry Christmas Yall & Twinkle and Shine. Thanks Debb!

Nan hard at work!

The best part of my Christmas:)

"No crying on Christmas Hunter" Or Uncle Sean

will have to bounce you to sleep:)

No Nan that wasn't for you.

Married Christmas <3>

2009 in Review

January- Engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

February- Put an offer on Cedar house, Engagement party and the announcement that Brandon and Lauren would be having a baby!

March-Wedding date solidified, Decided to drop offer on Cedar house

April- Wedding planning in high gear, wedding dress and bridemaid dresses purchased

May- Second offer put on Cedar House, We find out we are having a niece! Brittany's Birthday

June- Bridal shower and wedding planning kicks into high gear, We become homeowners!!!

July- Head to Texas for Lauren's baby shower, DeFrehn Consulting office is moved to the Cedar House, Sean's Birthday, Bachelor and Bachelorette parties

August- I learn to SCUBA for our honeymoon, WEDDING!!, Aruba for the honeymoon and then we return to our new house together

September- Settling in we have a housewarming party and begin regular dinners with our neighbors

October- Our niece, Hunter Alexandra DeFrehn is born, Head to NYC to see the baby, Halloween party

November- We host Thanksgiving dinner at our house for Sean's family

December- Christmas dinner with Randy (Sean's Dad) and Hunter (Our niece) , Christmas with both our families, We begin our Christmas traditions!

(Note: Photo courtesy of Abby Jiu)

New year...new family..new blog!

With friends and family now all over the country, it seems Sean and I are behind the times starting a family blog. Given that the new year is upon us and our four month married lives have already been packed with events, a blog begins to seem a neccessity.

Though we have only been married four months, we have been quite busy. Wedding planning took a lot out of the year, but we managed to also buy a house, fix-it-up and managed to have some fun at the same time. We are enjoying home ownership and all that comes with it. Abby is quite happy in her new yard and Sean is always finding a new project. I have been quite busy entertaining and making things a "home" and we have been enjoying our awesome neighbors Kate and Jeff. Our home has already been broken in with a house-warming, a Halloween party, a complete Thanksgiving dinner, a Christmas dinner, and lots of visitors (including our niece- Did we mention we became an Aunt and Uncle too?!)

Sean and I feel very blessed with all the things 2009 has brought us. We can't imagine a better life together and hope you will follow us in our adventure as a family.