games: oakland vs houston
san antonio vs miami
baltimore vs chicago
san francisco vs new orleans
escape: christmas tree decorating
on the menu: korean chicken wings + lettuce wraps

This Sunday was one that I was looking forward to more than any other Sunday.  It had been starred on my iPhone calendar all year and I had been in preparation for it all month.  Dallas had a bye week; Mike switched up his jersey of choice for a 2nd week in a row; I had a bag full of new decorations; and the Christmas tree was out of storage.  We got up got ready and left…for ramen.  Fuelling up for the eventful afternoon ahead was crucial.  November 17th marked Mike’s 6th stamp on his frequent ramen eater card and it marked the start of my holiday cheer!  Holiday Ramen for EVERYONE!

I attribute my extreme tree decorating obsession to my upbringing.  From ages ‘as long as I can remember’ to 15, Christmas was held at my grandparents house (conveniently our next door neighbours).  Though my mom decked out our home [and my dollhouses] in musical + dancing Christmas lights, faux snow, paroles [traditional Filipino star lanterns], and holly inspired couch cushions there was no Christmas tree.  We left the tree up to our neighbours.  This tree void manifested in my adult life in the form of a holiday crazed female who is a repeat offender of putting her tree up too early and taking it down too late.

 Similar to my home’s aesthetic, my tree is made up of a mish mash of decorations.  However, over the years of collecting, a clear theme in ornaments has started to develop.  I now have tree covered in food + food related accessories and fashion.  It’s like my entire instagram album but in tree form. #ilovechristmas

As I obsessed over equal ornament distribution, Mike obsessed over Roethilsberger as he threw touchdown after touchdown [4 to be exact] while he [Mike not Ben] assembled a Korean inspired dinner.  With the help of google and his Korean cuisine go-to [James], Mike  whipped up a batch of delicious spicy + salty + sweet chicken wings.  Flavours of Korean chilli and honey bounced off my tastebuds as I bounced back and forth from wing to glass ball.  3/4’s of the way through my tree, dinner was served.  The wings were followed by lettuce wraps.  Meat on meat on meat on rice on veg all wrapped in lettuce.  YUM!

From here on out, I’m in holiday mode!  Happy tree decorating!