by Allison

Exploring Budapest, Hungary

Since I’m done blathering on about the holidays, it’s time to start talking travel on Fridays again.  I’ve missed revisiting my travels, and I realized yesterday I still haven’t blogged about most of our trip to Europe.  There’s a lot to share, so here we go!

train travel

After a few weeks in Poland {which I’ll get to eventually, there’s SO much interesting stuff to tell you about there} we headed off to explore a few countries to the south: Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Austria.  We only had a week to travel so we didn’t want to waste time in airports, even though flying between European countries is about the price of Chinese take out.  We wanted to really see the countries we were traveling through, and it’s been on my life list to take a sleeper train across Europe since I was a little girl, so rail it was.

budapest, hungary

We stayed  in a cheap little hotel in the middle of Budapest, which was about four times the size of our digs in Warsaw.  We spent the entire first day sleeping and relaxing in our own individual beds {luxury!} before heading out to explore the city.  {I want to add a … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

What’s in your purse series week 74

The what’s in your purse series is back!  It took a little break over the holidays when: a) my blog crashed, b) my email crashed with 30,000 emails disappearing in a blink, c) the holidays happened, and d) I was tired.

But here we are with What’s in Your Purse Series Week 74!  Can you believe it?  74 weeks of purses.  BANANAS.

If you love this series and want more of it, submit your purse. Take two photos of your purse {NICE, CLEAR, NOT-BLURRY ONES} one of the outside, one of the inside, along with a listing of the contents to:

allison AT petitelefant DOT com

what's in your purse series 74

This week’s purse is from Chavon, thank you!

what's in your purse series week 74

  • Two black notebooks – One (the large one) I use for my journal, when I’m having one of those days. The other (the small one) I use to write down things for the farm or quick recipes for homemade products.
  • Small spiral notebook for jotting down grocery lists – Contains my rental car agreement right now…my car is in the shop.
  • My Kindle – I never go anywhere without it.
  • My Wallet : Fossil
  • One ball-point pen and a Fine Sharpie
  • Hand

    • … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

What I wore Wednesday black on black

What I wore Wednesday black on black

what I wore wednesday black and black

I got dressed a few times over the holidays; maybe three times.  Or four.  Stop judging me.  Masterpiece Theater doesn’t care if you get out of your pajamas to enjoy a Downton Abbey marathon.  I mean, really.

On Wednesday though  I really did get dressed to go to dinner and a movie with some dear friends, and I figured greasy hair and pajama bottoms might embarrass them in public.

I’m a giver is what I am.

what I wore wednesday black on black
what I wore wednesday black on black

What I wore Wednesday black on black edition:

What are you wearing today?  Black on black, or are you into spring colors already?… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

The 2011 blog recap

I have years where I set resolutions, and I have years where I tell resolutions to suck it, and this year is the former.  At heart I’m a goal setter, an organizer, a lover of things clean and fresh.  I can’t wait to sit down and fully detail what I’d love to make happen in 2012.

I checked a lot of things off my Life List in 2011, and I plan to do even more in 2012.

But let’s start off with a quick recap of 2011 first, shall we?

warsawa

January -

I started the year off right with my first black eye acquired skiing at Park City with my daredevil/wild child 6-year-old boy.  And showed you how to look less tired with makeup.  Win.

February -

While I was out of town for business for 3 days, Viktor remodeled an old craft room and turned it into an office.  I wanted to marry him all over again.  I taught you how to wax your eyebrows at home, and you all laughed every time I winced in pain.  Thanks you guys, thanks a lot.  I also became Jennifer Garner‘s best friend in February, whatevs.

March -… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Happy new year 2012

Happy new year!  It’s 2012 and we’re all still alive!

Barely.

How are you feeling today?  I’m bleary eyed and ready to head back to bed, but that’s not really helping anyone is it?

happy new year

I hope your holidays were wonderful.  Mine were.  They were filled with marathons of Masterpiece Theater and chai lattes, sleeping in and snuggling with my family, fancy dinners with real china, and a few nights with dear friends.

The holidays couldn’t have been better.

I told you I’d have some fun content up while I was away, but I lied.  Not on purpose, I’d never do that to you guys, but on accident.  The holidays swallowed me, and I let them.

It’s all good though.  I’m back, you’re back, and we’re here to conquer 2012 together.  I can’t wait.  I have a 2011 recap post coming up shortly, but I just wanted to say hello first.  And maybe um, well.  Tackle my office a bit.  You wouldn’t believe what found its way in here over the break.  It’s not pretty.

But 2012 is all about starting over, so let’s go!… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays! I hope you and yours are enjoying a wonderful season, no matter where you are or what you’re celebrating.  I’ve been missing for a handful of days so I can really enjoy some much needed downtime with my kiddos.  I plan to be M.I.A. until after the new year so I can rest and recharge and continue to bring you fun content.

christmas table decor

I have a bunch of fun guest posts lined up over the next several days; I think you’ll really enjoy them.  They’re a bit irreverent and not at all serious, which is just how I like it.

remote control truck

In the meantime, enjoy this photo of a remote control car Charming received for Christmas.  You’ll be happy to know he’s been filling the truck bed with cat food, chasing and banging around the house teasing the cat.

She’s not amused, our cat.

But things are all right in the world if Charming is harassing the cat.

Happy Holidays!… >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

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by Allison

Homemade holiday pot simmer recipe

My mother has been making her own homemade holiday pot simmer recipe since the beginning of time.  At least since the beginning of my time.

Same diff.

Do you even know what that means?  Homemade holiday pot simmer recipe?

home made holiday pot simmer recipe

It’s basically a bunch of yummy smells thrown into a pot, filled with water, and left to simmer on a back burner on the stove while you wrap presents or hang out in your house.

I usually keep it pretty basic, using whatever I have in the kitchen around the holidays: orange peels, lemon peels, whatever holiday citrus I’m using, mixed with spices.  Sometimes I use whole cinnamon sticks I buy at the dollar store {never use the good stuff for a pot simmer, it’s a total waste}, some nutmeg, cloves, and whatever else I feel like adding.  Ginger is a yummy smell to add to the mix, but it’s really whatever you please.  Here’s my recipe:

homemade holiday pot simmer recipe

  • 1 or 2 orange peels
  • 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon or
  • 3-4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cloves

The whole point is to make you happy and to make your house smell like the holidays, whatever that means … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

Love letters from my grandfather

My grandfather was a prolific letter writer.  Even as a baby I was sent postcards from all over the world with little notes like this one:

“You would look so beautiful wearing a lei from Hawaii my dear Ali!  Wish you were here with me darling girl! Kisses, Grandpa”

golden gate bridge photo

What little girl doesn’t need a grandfather like that?  He entrusted me with all sorts of important tasks when he was away, things I still can’t believe he allowed me to do at the early tender ages of my life.  But he believed in me in a way that has scarcely been matched since his death sixteen years ago.

His death was one of the saddest days of my entire life.  I felt like I lost a part of myself.

love letters from my grandpa

Sometimes I dream about him, and can almost feel his huge engulfing arms all the way around me.  He smelled of Mercedes leather and mints, and almost always wore a fedora.

love letters to my darling

Oh how I miss him!

A few weeks ago at my mother’s house I came across a huge stash of old photos and letters from my grandfather.  He had extremely distinctive handwriting so I spotted his letters right away, and … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.

by Allison

2011 holiday card

I almost scrapped holiday cards entirely this year.  They’re such a pain in the neck, and even though I ordered the postcards way back in October, I still addressed and personalized every last one of them {100 of them, in case you’re wondering}.  It takes time, money, and patience, all of which are running a little low right now.

But there’s nothing I love more than mail in the month of December, when I get buckets of holiday cards and photos from friends across the globe.  It’s literally my very favorite thing about the holidays.  I tape every last one of them to my coat closet door and spend a month gazing happily at all my lovely friends and family.

Christmas card

Since I can’t mail a holiday card to each and every one of you {although I’d love it if I could}, this is my 2011 holiday card to you.  This is the Czarnecki family in Mirabell Gardens in Salzburg, Austria this summer.  Although I’m sporting the most unfortunate hair in the history of ever, I’d give anything to be back in Salzburg with my little family; it was completely magical.

Do you send out holiday cards?  Email … >> find out more…

Allison

I'm Allison, founder and editor of Petit Elefant. I run the gamut from granola to glamour and love everything in between. I think the beach is always a good idea, as is Diet Dr. Pepper; on ice. Sometimes I put out the fires and sometimes I start them. Sometimes I really do have it all together. Sometimes my children say otherwise. We just like to keep it real around here.