The Better Year In Review: 2012

I can't believe there are only three days left in this magnificent year. It was a truly special one for me and my family. My brother officially became a doctor, my parents celebrated their 30th anniversary, I graduated from high school (leaving behind the school I've been at since I was 4 years old), and started my first year of college! It's a lot to accomplish in 365 days, but we did it and though we have so many pictures the memories in our heads will never fade.

Cheers and best wishes to you all in 2013!

The Better Martha Goes Kitchen Krazy: Part I (Realistic Sized Kitchens)

My mom and I are two oddballs that fit together when it comes to interior decor. When we are shopping I'll see a nice bench I'll say something like "This would be great for my dining room," and my mom will think for a second and go, "I like it, but will it fit in such a small space?" It seems like a perfectly normal conversation except for the fact that I don't have a house so obviously I don't have a dining room to be decorating. I don't know when this game of designing my future home started, but we are both on on the borderline of dementia. As long as neither of us buys furniture for the house I don't have, we are in a mentally stable state (I think).

After watching episode after episode of Kitchen Cousins on HGTV, I am now obsessed with kitchen renovations and naturally this means I had to start planning my future kitchen immediately.  Houzz.com is one of my favorite websites. I have to be very strict with myself about how much time I spend there or else I will look up from screen only to realize its 2 am.

Here are some of my favorites.

The Better Martha Returns with Thanksgiving Snapshots

I know it has been nearly a month since I last made a post. I can't believe it! I have my first semester of college under my belt and let me tell you it was no easy feat. Everything was smooth sailing until I came down with a horrible bug in November that I'm just getting over. It was so horrendous that it sent me to the ER late at night-no fun. I'm back and better than ever, but I feel horrible for not getting to make posts about Thanksgiving, my birthday, and the Christmas countdown. 

Anyway, here are some long overdue Thanksgiving snapshots. It was a particularly difficult holiday for me. I so desperately wanted to fly back home to California, but the airfare and travel time were too much to justify a few days at home. Instead I spent Turkey Day with my sister at her boyfriend's family's house which was totally worth staying on the east coast for. 

{The Better Sister lights dining room candles}

{Fancy cheese and fruit platter}

{The dining room table all filled}

{Carbs! Nom!}

{Rotisserie turkey cooking on the grill} 

{Snazzy table setting}

{Picture from helping my sister set up her Ebay store--link to be posted soon}

{Day after Thanksgiving pancakes}