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The Advent

I love every last morsel of anticipation in coming of a special event.


And so, I like advent calendars.  What I don't like is all the cheap chocolate you mostly get from them as a prize for twenty four days. 

But last week when Mr. Urban and I made a quick run to Ikea (so super quick that we entered from the exit side, grabbed a closet organizer for baby Lemon that we had picked out online, and dashed in to the long checkout line), I was thrilled to find a bin filled with Fill-It-Yourself Advent calendars also waiting at the check out line. 

For the past week, I have been preoccupied with what to place inside the little boxes for our little excited girl.  One morning I ventured out to our local village toy store and picked up some tiny trinkets: thumb size purse, sparkly bracelet, jingle bell ring, wind-up Santa, finger puppet.... in total eight completely forgettable and useless items which cost $50!  I was shocked, I had assumed each item would cost mere pennies... not so!

Later that night, when I had Mr. Urban all to myself, in an excited tone (a psychological tool to get the team on board) I brought along my bag of treasures to show him, but he saw right through me...  "You know what you need to do", he said.  "I can't return things to our good neighborhood toy store"  I said.  He gave me that look of his that says I am entrusting this monumental task in your capable hands, packed up the toys for me to dispose of the next day.


I was so tempted to go with 24 organic suckers and call it a day...  but darn it, I want to be a sentimental mama and I want to find little things that mean something to my little one, preferably in a sugar free flavor!


This morning's itty bitty purple elephant eraser was a nice find for my girl.  What does it mean?  Maybe to always be on the look out for amazing little treasures hidden around in life (and in your favorite color to boot)


And so the hunt goes on....

And as I close this silly post, here are a few holiday spread pictures to inspire you for the coming weeks.  I am officially cut off from hosting, due to my rather huge mid-section, but am itching to try some of Martha Stewart's recipes from her Christmas issue.

Of Note: Pumpkin chocolate bunt cake made by me and my girl, and my mom's delicious  quince jam.

Of Note: Martha Stewart's Endive, pomegranate, fennel,  candied walnut salad

Thanksgiving table


With Love and Joy!

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