Adios 2011!

2011 was quite an "interesting" - to put it mildly - year for me, and - I'm not going to lie - I am not at all sad to see it go.  In general, things didn't go exactly as planned, despite my strongest efforts to veer back on course.  Of course, my "problems" are much less monumentous than those many others out there face and I have a lot to be thankful and greatful for.  But sometimes it's just not enough, you know?  In any event, my (mostly work- and friend-related) issues aside, there were some joyous occasions this year that I'd like to share with you (especially considering I didn't start blogging until later in the year). 



In March, I helped throw a wonderful Sex and the City themed bridal shower for my friend Tina.

In April, we served in the wedding party and had a great time at Tina and Jose's wedding.

In May, my middle sister graduated from college!  So proud!

 

Also in May we got Zoe spayed, and then couldn't get her off the couch for months!  Nothing's wrong with Simba, but I guess he felt Zoe's pain.

In June, my youngest sister graduated from high school.  Check out her cap that my mom bedazzled!

In July/August we traveled to the Dominican Republic to attend a friend's wedding.

In September we made a mini family vacation out of moving my sister into college.

Also in September we attended another friend's fabulous wedding.

In October we enjoyed a long weekend in Chicago with Tina and Jose.

And in general I would say that this was a good year for Esposito and I as we grew closer and made the time and effort to celebrate our love.

Looking through the pictures it actually seemed like I had a pretty eventful year!  Notwithstanding,  I'm SO ready for 2012 and all the new year has to bring (hopefully it will turn out much better than 2011!).  Hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve and best wishes for the New Year!

Clockwise from top left - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Friday's Fancies - New Year's Eve

For this edition of Friday’s Fancies, the theme is New Year’s Eve – totally appropriate given that we will ring in the new year this weekend (isn’t it crazy how quickly time flies? I swear, I still think we’re in 2010 and it’s almost 2012!!)

While every year Esposito and I vow to do something fun and extravagant for New Year’s, it never fails that once we start putting a plan together things fall apart. Either the options are totally out of our budget (it is still on my bucket list to celebrate a New Year’s Eve in Atlantic City at least once!), none of our friends want to join in, or in general we can’t make up our minds about what to do. This year is no different – though we started with high hopes of actually going somewhere for New Year's, we ended up not making plans at all. Instead, we will most likely be ringing in the New Year in NYC – watching the ball drop in Times Square and then spending some time with my sister and her friends at a small bash she’s throwing in her apartment.

Since spending New Year’s Eve in Times Square requires warm and comfy clothing, my outfit options are limited – as much as I’d love to throw on a pair of sparkly heels and a cute dress, that just wouldn’t be appropriate for the planned festivities of the night. So I’m styling this New Year’s Eve Friday’s Fancies with a look that I’d love to wear to watch the ball drop in NYC – comfortable and cozy since we’ll be standing outside for hours, with a touch of glam. I’m going to try to see if I can finagle something similar to wear from what I already have in my closet!

Friday's Fancies - New Year's Eve by wpolanco featuring a belted coat

Note - that sliver of red you see above is one of our New Year's traditions. My grandmother always said you should ring in the New Year wearing red underwear for good luck! We also eat 12 grapes when the clock strikes twelve!

Head on over to Long Distance Loving to see the other Friday's Fancies looks!  

What do you all have planned for New Year’s?  What will you be wearing?

Tangerine Dreams

If you haven't already heard, Pantone announced Tangerine Tango as the 2012 Color of the Year. 

"Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need
to recharge and move forward."

I personally love the color - so bright and fun, and works as well in spring and summer as it does in fall and even winter given the red undertones.  While I would probably shy away from a purely Tangerine room or outfit, I love the idea of tangerine as an accent color with gray, navy or cream.

  via  

  via  

 via

 via 

via

 via

Here's a few ways to add some tangerine to both your wardrobe and your home.

Tangerine on You and in Your Home by wpolanco featuring orange jewelry

Work It Wednesday - Black Blazer

For this edition of Work It Wednesday, I'm styling a basic black blazer.  I see a black blazer as an investment piece in your wardrobe - it adds instant polish to any look and is extremely versatile.  My black blazer is part of a suit that I use for work, but works just as well as a stand-alone piece in my wardrobe.

For a casual weekend outing:

Work It Wednesday Casual Black Blazer by wpolanco featuring straight fit jeans

For a night out on the town:

Work It Wednesday Night Out Black Blazer by wpolanco featuring a black jacket

For a basic, professional work look:

Work It Wednesday Professional Black Blazer by wpolanco featuring a black jacket

Head on over to The Good Life for Less to see the other Work It Wednesday posts!

More Living Room Pinspirations

Now that the holidays are just about over, I'm back to thinking about our living room plans (see posts on layout options and pinspirations). Here are some additional images, found via pinterest, guiding our decision making process.  I'll be sharing some potential couch contenders tomorrow, and then hopefully whipping up a mood board by the end of the week!

                                                                   Source: decodir.com via LifeofaDoctorswife on Pinterest

 

                                                                                  Source: hgtv.com via Rachel on Pinterest

 

                                                                     Source: southernliving.com via Dana on Pinterest

                                                                             Source: houzz.com via Kim on Pinterest

                                                                   Source: reddoorhome.blogspot.com via Lindsey on Pinterest

                                                               Source: 6thstreetdesignschool.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

                                                                  Source: Uploaded by user via Jennifer on Pinterest

                                                                       Source: younghouselove.com via Traci on Pinterest

                                                                    Source: blogginwithtaylor.blogspot.com via Taylor on Pinterest

                                                                 Source: mydesigndump.blogspot.com via Tara on Pinterest

Source: kellymoorehead.blogspot.com via Wendyjp on Pinterest

My Weekend in Pictures

...and what a wonderful weekend it was! Last minute shopping and prepping the house for the holidays on Friday, family time on Saturday, and a very lazy Sunday, spent on the couch watching movies with Esposito. We were both fighting a cold all weekend (and still are) but we made the best of it anyway.  If you follow me on Instagram (@wendisiya) then you may have seen most of these already.  If not, here's a recap of my weekend in pictures.

 Uncharacteristically warm weather for December in Jersey prompted us to go out for ice cream on Thursday night.

Though I didn't host any Christmas festivities at my house this year, I caught the Martha Stewart bug on Friday evening and spent it cooking and cleaning.  Lemon and Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Potatoes and Baked Parmesan Tomatoes recipes courtesy of Pinterest.

I lost Esposito's watch maybe a year ago when he gave it to me to take it to the jewelers for a battery change.  I have no idea where it's been for the past year, but we found it under the couch on Friday night (and we often move the couches to dust under them so there is no way it was there all along!)

 A festive red and sparkly accent manicure for the holidays.

 My Christmas Eve outfit - winter white and sparkly shoes.  Esposito and I exchanged our main gifts early so I wore my new monogram necklace as well!  And yes, on Friday I went out and found my mom, sisters and I matching beige tops with gold sparkles to continue our dressing alike tradition!

 My mom and I on Christmas Eve.

My sisters and I on Christmas Eve. 

 Esposito being silly on Christmas Eve.

Our main gifts to each other this year - I bought Esposito a Michael Kors rose gold watch with black band, and he bought me a monogram necklace. 

 My Christmas gifts so far.

 Esposito wearing some of his new clothes he received for Christmas.

A little glam for Christmas Day - wearing my new faux fur vest from Esposito, a festive red sweater, and my new monogram necklace.

You can find me and other bloggers over at a {little} dash of ash's instagram link party today.  How was your weekend?

Happy Holidays!

I'm off to enjoy our traditional Christmas Eve dinner/dancing party at my mom's house (followed by some gift action when the clock strikes midnight) and then making the rounds to see Esposito's family tomorrow. Hope you all have a great weekend, and Happy Holidays!

Friday's Fancies - White Christmas

I'm linking up to Long Distance Loving's Friday's Fancies series again this week - the theme is White Christmas.  I'm not the biggest fan of snow, so I'm not really wishing for a White Christmas, though I do love wearing winter white so I gladly styled an outfit in the theme.  Check out some of the other White Christmas looks over at Long Distance Loving!

Fridays Fancies White Christmas by wpolanco featuring wool pants

Christmas Traditions

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is dressing up with my mom and sisters on Christmas Eve.  I'm not sure exactly when it started - my mom would typically dress my sisters and I in the same dresses for family pictures and such when we were little, but sometime around high school or perhaps slightly earlier, we began sporting the same outfits along with my mother on major holidays.  At some point, my dad even joined in with a coordinating shirt/tie combination. 
Now that we are older, we only really dress alike on Christmas Eve.  Though my sisters and I have complained time and again that we are too old to dress alike, I'm not going to lie - last year we chose to all wear winter white (and style it as we pleased) instead of buying a matching ensemble and I had an anxiety attack about it on Christmas Eve - to the point that I drove to the mall, and braved the last-minute shopper crowds, to buy us a matching outfit to wear on my way to my mom's for dinner! 

I thought I'd share a few pictures of Christmas outfits past so you could see what I'm talking about.  This year, we are going with a theme again (sequins) instead of matching outfits - but I can't promise that I won't end up picking something up for us to wear sometime in the next two days!  And for sure, I plan on maintaining this tradition with my own kids one day!

Christmas 2007 in Silver

Christmas 2008 in Cream and Gold

Christmas 2009 in Purple
I don't have a family picture from this year, but trust me, my mom wore the same dress!

Christmas 2010 in Silver and Black Lace

The pictures of us in red in silver above aren't pictures from any holiday, but when we took an updated family portrait in 2009, we also picked out matching ensembles to wear as well!

Do you have any holiday traditions you love?