A Very Crafty Holiday Party

This past weekend I hosted a holiday party where my girlfriends and I ate a lot of yummy finger foods, listened to Christmas music, and made snow globes! They are really easy to make! Below are some pictures from the party if you'd like to take a look. I hope you all are enjoying your holiday gatherings...you guys Christmas is 10 days away!!!!! 

The Evite. I really love Paperless Post!

The food spread

As my student's would say "where's the bev?" 

Girl talk. 

My Snow globe! We kept singing "let it glowwww let it glowwww" ...ya we're nerds I know #SwagSoHard

Showing off proudly our masterpieces!

....and post holiday party relaxation

One of My Favorite Cultural Traditions: Making Tamales

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Every year around Christmas time my parent's home is filled with the smell of cinammon, mais, and butter, ah yes the time has come to make our yearly tamales!

Growing up in a Mexican-American household brought a long a lot of challenges being that my parents immigrated to the United States only a few years before my brother and I were born. However it also brought so many wonderful traditions that I now really cherish, am proud of, and would like to pass on to my future children. Making tamales for Christmas is definitely one of them. "Tradición" as my Ma proudly states of our yearly hours long intense cooking session.

The making of tamales communicates a strong message in Mexican culture, one of valuing family, nourishment, and collectiveness as Gustavo Arrelano, the writer of the widely popular syndicated column “¡Ask a Mexican!” states. I'm so thankful that my family always made holidays about what they should be about - family and food! Here are some pictures from our tamale cooking fest, take a look if you'd like!

What cultural traditions does your family practice that mean a lot to you now or growing up? 

* A great NY Times article, Where Christmas Means Tamales.

* Tamales' origin and recipe.

Thanksgiving in the Mid West

I don't know about you guys but Thanksgiving break for me is all about eating, eating, rolling in the snow, shopping and well more eating! It's tradition for me to trek out to the mid west and spend it with family or friends and this year was no different. It was my first time going to Minnesota and I absolutely loved it! My friend's family was so welcoming and all the sights just made me feel so cozy (yes I know I say that word a lot!) Anywhoos here are some pictures from my snow-cookie-puppy filled adventures!

Friends, Pups, and Pies- not a bad way to celebrate Turkey Day!

Went to visit my friend's honorary uncle and aunt after dinner (whom I love and now call my honorary uncle and aunt) and I just thought it was so wonderful that they spent time to do this. It's easy to remember the big things but being thankful for the little things is what makes life so wonderful.  

Woke up the next morning to these little guys annnd A LOT of snow! I LOVE snow!

Spent the day making Christmas cookies and having a Friends marathon in pjs

Leaving my mark at the Mall of America

Loved this little shop, it had a lot of great organic and tasty food items

Adored one of the cathedrals, this altar reminds me of the one in the Vatican, so beautiful!

Went to the sculpture garden and got a spoonful of cherry!

Little Guy oogling my cookie, down boy, down!

 *Interesting facts about Minn-e-so-ta

And well we all know what this time of year means...Christmas! I love Christmas time!! I have another tradition, which is to put up my tree the weekend after Thanksgiving and I did so with my family...well via Skype but with the fam-bam nonetheless :)

Don't lie *NSYNC's Christmas album is a part of your Christmas music repertoire!

 *What are some of your holiday traditions?