Where I've been this weekend

The happiest place on Earth!

A Christmas tree decorating party

Photo by Matt Wei

Though I live in a small apartment in Seattle, I was determined to put up a Christmas tree this year. My family has a 'spare' fake tree that my mom let me use, along with a box of lights and ornaments that we haven't used in years. It was the perfect opportunity to bake lots of cookies and invite friends over last weekend to decorate.

I spent Saturday baking: gingerbread men, chocolate chip walnut cookies, peanut butter hershey's kiss cookies... I bought store-bought sugar cookie dough because there just wasn't enough time. I cut the cookie dough into bells, trees, stars, and snowmen for everyone to decorate with colored frosting.

Photo by Matt Wei

Since I don't have a rolling pin, I used the next best thing: a wine bottle! After a thorough scrubbing it worked quite well.


My friend Katie brought her famous Santa cookies and homemade frosting. After eating one of these cookies you'll very likely go into a sugar coma and be unable to consume anything else for about a half hour. But they're delicious.
It was a great night. We decorated cookies, ate pizza, drank spiced cider, watched A Christmas Story, and, of course, decorated the tree.

Photo by Matt Wei's handy 10-second timer

And the tree!

My cousin's wedding

This weekend was my cousin's wedding. It definitely qualified as both frugal and awesome! The wedding and reception were held outdoors at my grandpa's house. It was such a beautiful setup! The ceremony's backdrop was his garden, and the only additions were wreaths of flowers arranged around the archway where they were married.

My cousin had ten bridesmaids, including my sister and I and her two sisters. We ordered our dresses online from a Hawaii-based website and they were only $40 each, including shipping! It was a bit crazy getting everyone coordinated, but I know my cousin had a great day.

Her husband is hispanic and his family cooked most of the food for the reception. It was some of the most delicious Mexican food I've ever eaten: tamales, rice, tortilla soup, this amazing pork-and-tomato stuff...My mom contributed a ham and the cake was amazing as well.

The whole event was family-designed from top to bottom, from the homemade table decorations to the music during the reception - my grandfather's rock 'n roll band! What a great weekend!