I love the holidays!
Mostly because it’s an excuse to put up festive decorations and get crafty…which both make me happy. Here are some ideas I’ve come across…
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love, whit
Category Archives: holidays
Christmas with the Gossling’s
This was James and my first Christmas together as newly weds! We were both thrilled to be able to go home to Georgia for it.
We spent the first few days at home with my parents, but then they headed west to spend the holidays in Arizona…so James and I had a 100% Gossling Christmas this year. (Which is fine by me…I know how some “Christmas with the in-laws” stories can go – ha!)
I was not the best at documenting our trip…but I do have a few moments to share…
let’s start with the Carrie Underwood concert! it was fun with family and friends…
James and I spent a couple days at Gossling Farms – Sarah, Sydney, and little nephew James (not pictured…also not to be confused with “big james”, my hubby) helped me make treats for the family Christmas party! we had tons of fun that day watching the kids:
after which, us “big kids” enjoyed four-wheeling and skeet shooting!
after Papa Jim showed me the way, I shot five birdies in a row with the 12 gauge!…super proud…
We had the Gossling Christmas party on Christmas Eve Eve. A delicious dinner of honey baked ham + the works…and some tamales & toppings. Followed by the debut of the Grandma Goose Puppet Theater…a hit with the kids and a hopeful yearly tradition. I caught the whole the on video (the first minute as a separate clip – but the rest is below for your viewing pleasure….probably only family would be interested – but super cute! way to go Carrie and Adam!) (my personal favorite happens close after 7:30 minutes)
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After the show, even the big boys had some fun. Meet the Gossling brothers:
Then the kids ran around, sang some songs, opened presents, and ran around some more. getting a decent picture was close to impossible…but entertaining!…
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We ended the evening with the adult white elephant gift swap and some all-inclusive Christmas caroling (which often turned into the heavy metal version thanks to Adam and James):
then everyone went home and we were post-party pooped…
James and I purchased an Atlanta City Pass for our trip…so over the course of our two weeks home, we enjoyed the Georgia Aquarium/Dolphin Show, World of Coca-cola, Zoo Atlanta, and CNN Headquarters (unfortunately there was just not time for the High Museum of Art or the Fernbank Museum IMAX)
(there was a good picture of Pete, Lisa, and Troy…but I found this one funnier! this trip has reinforced that not having kids makes pictures much easier)
before leaving the east coast…we did make a trip up to Virginia to visit my sister, Dacy, and her family. I forgot to take pictures though, so all i have are a couple from my phone…most of which were taken by 4 year old Zia. (it was freezing, but we visited the James river anyway…seemed namely appropriate)
New Years was spent in GA. We bought a few bags full of explosives on our way home from Virginia, so after a night of food and blasting Rock Band with friends, we made some neighbors upset with our fireworks and then made our tummies upset with Waffle House at 2:20 am. It was a great way to ring in 2013!
For the record, I would count my first Gossling Christmas as a success! – any awkward or uncomfortable moments will remain un-blogged….ha!…just kidding : )
love, whit
i love the holidays…
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1. it SNOWED! … a beautiful snow. and i feel so lucky that Lora Grady Photography invited me to go play in it with her! she is wonderful…
you can go to her link above to see the rest. she is AH MAY ZIING!
2. SCHOOL’S OUT…..for Thanksgiving! my break started this last Thursday…until next Tuesday! yes YES Y E SSSS!
3. Saw Breaking Dawn … love me some dogs and vamps on the big screen!
4. SKYFALL …. love me some double OH seven even more!
5. we have a house guest!!! can’t think of anyone else i’d rather host for than Dave Cashman. what is not to love?? fun times this week! James has been all smiles having his man bestie here.
5. City Creek is the classiest mall. makes downtown holiday browsing much more festive with all the lights and window shopping! but really… classy.
6. VEGAS in a DAY! – road trip with only the best of company…Lora and Dan Grady! we will do Las Vegas in style. i will paint my nails in sparkles for the occasion!
7. after Vegas come CALI! …my first california visit. ever! to LA…visiting some Gossling fam for the big turkey day. and i do believe there will be skeet shooting.
8. did i mention we’re stopping in VEGAS again on our way back?!
9. Christmas is already up in our cozy abode! just love Christmastime!
10. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAND…..
a S N E A K P E E K of our wedding weekend is up via BP.FILM!!!…
Sneak Peek: Whitney + James from bc.film on Vimeo.
this gets us so excited to see the whole thing when she’s done!
we love us some bethany petersen!!!
yes, LOVE
11. i need to go to bed now… more ‘tivities coming in the ‘morrow…
love, whit
Halloween Costume Fun!
even though we pulled them together last minute for a party,
we really loved our costumes this year!
as Tinkerbell…i pulled mine together from DI for $11! gotta love that.
…james went as “Randy”…Randy is a man he found on the internet that thinks he’s Peter Pan. It’s an office-wide joke that he pulled off wonderfully! it was a hit.
…too bad his dancing ended up ripping his tights right in the crotch already!
Chelsea threw a great Halloween Costume Party….
…more people came as the night went on.
we had a doughnut eating contest….
…without hands it’s much harder than it seems!
and some bobbing for apples…
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i just love halloween and october festivities!
love, whit
it’s fall! – - – 20 pumpkin ideas…
i love fall!
i love pumpkin!
a few internet findings i’m thinking about for my “to-do” lists…
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MINI POTS OF PUMPKIN CREAM PIE!!! – love this idea
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CINNAMON ROLL PUMPKIN SHEET CAKE!
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PUMPKIN POOP! hahaha
easy PUMPKIN PRETZELS!
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love these vampire pumpkins…. made them last year off of Martha Stewart
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cute carved flowers for fall
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…i wish i could take the time to do this.
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12 THINGS TO DO WITH PUMPKIN SEEDS
CHEVRON! – so in right now..ha
and cutsie DIY PUMPKIN GARLANDS:
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and OF COURSE the PUMPKIN + CHOCOLATE CHIP combo!!!….
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and
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here’s to pumpkin everything!!!
love, whit
my life in shminstagram
visual update of what i’ve been up to this summer…
okGO!
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…italian sodas with elissa…
and play dates with elissa and nate in SLC…
…my sunflowers grew MIGHTY BIG this summer!!!
and i got some flowers from my lovah…
FIVE SPOT frozen yogurt. YESSSS!
…james and me sitting on a big bail of hay. no big d.
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and he snags pics of me as i sleep in the car…
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we upgraded in life!…
meal for $3!
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dates with chels and bryce…
…ok now you are sick of us.
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i fell in love with Mountain West Burrito…
…and love when Costco has SALES on pizza!…$6!…
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4th of July FUN with the Beach Boys…
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study time with james…
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the ugly ashy clouds out my window for days when we had all the big forest fires…
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he likes anchovies on his salads apparently…
…fancy dinners at italian cafes…
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a lovely saturday with my ladies in Salt Lake City – Temple Square…
atop the conference center with chels and carolyn
ok…
i stay busy, see?
happy summer!
love, whit
turning a quarter-of-a-century
for some, 25 may not seem old at all. in fact, i know many people dream of being that young again.
for me, it seems like just last month i was dreaming of turning 21 and how old i thought that was. then suddenly, i’m blowing out candles on a homemade pink lemonade cupcake and thinking… “twenty-five. where did the last four years go??”
my actual birthday weekend (the BiG day being may 20th) was far better than i could have imagined. i won’t lie – i was not thrilled for the date to roll around and had little intentions of making any plans. in my head, it’s just a reminder of how old i am and where i find myself in life. i never pictured it like this, for had you asked me at age 20, “where do you see yourself in five years?”, i had a different vision in mind.
though, for being a few weeks new in town, new faces and a few familiar ones made it a special day. especially chelsea – my blog bestie and now roommate. (check out her adorable cupcakes and set-up. homemade frosting too!)
however, what made my birthday not so dreary, was a surprise that came about a few days before….
i’m cooking some dinner for me and chels on thursday night, when the doorbell rings. standing there is my boyfriend’s best friend and fiance with beautiful flowers in a vase. a huge smile comes over my face as i’m thinking, “these must be from james!” (also given that they had their iphone out recording my reaction). as i’m gawking over my lovely arrangement, stephen remembers he forgot the stuffed animal in the car and left to retrieve it.
still gawking over my flowers, i hear them call me, “Whitney, come look!”…
completely and utterly shocked, i peek around the corner to see stephen carrying my stuffed animal…
…james flew all the way from Atlanta to surprise me for my birthday!
i had no idea. at all.
best. birthday surprise. OF ALL T I M E!
having him here to spend my weekend with was more than i could have ever wished for.
i have to say, i feel like the luckiest girl because james is practically perfect in every way.
happy birthday, to ME!
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though, my birthday is over, and now i’m back to dwelling on my “quarter-of-a-century”. thinking about where i’ve been in my past and where i want to go in my future.
yesterday, i had an overwhelming epiphany regarding my divine potential and the person i could BE. my mind went crazy with goals and resolves of the kind of life i wanted and the things i wanted to spend my days doing. so much to do. so much to learn. so much to improve.
today, i feel an overwhelming wave of disappointment and self loathing because of the person i AM and my lack, or more – failure to ever reach my full potential. walking to church by myself this morning bundled up in freezing wind and hail when it’s only days until june (so messed up) really set the mood for a day that can’t seem to keep the tears from flowing.
it’s days like these when i’m glad to be in a place where nobody knows or notices me, but at the same time wishing i had familiar faces around.
i know come tomorrow, i’ll probably be feeling as good as new…but today, i hate twenty-five.
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last night i put together this super fab arrangement of freshly cut roses from my friend’s bushes…
…and this morning i woke up to find the big ones completely dead/wilted and about half the others pathetically drooping. how appropriate.
i hope the sun comes out tomorrow.
love, whit
valentine’s day ideas
so, it’s PRACTICALLY february!
if you haven’t thought about Valentine’s Day…you should! i’m not sure why, but i enjoy this holiday very much. i don’t think i’ve ever had a romantic valentine’s day spent with a significant other…so i can’t say that’s why i like the day so much. however, i’m not one that scorns the 14th and dubs it “single awareness day”….come on people, that’s ridiculous!
i like it because it’s simple and full of LOVE…and a perfect excuse to give little thoughts and tokens of love to the people in your life. growing up, valentine’s day wasn’t a HUGE deal in my house, yet i looked forward to waking up and seeing splashes of pink and red on the kitchen table where my mom had set out little treats for each of us – usually candy and some valentine socks and a special note. since we’re all girls in my house, maybe a little bottle of pink or red nail polish or a lip gloss added. it was nothing flashy, but it was special. one year, my dad even gave me fresh flowers …(i’ll never forget it, because to this day, it’s the only time he’s done that…he just doesn’t do gifts – ever)
and i always looked forward to the valentine cookies!!! my mom only made them once a year…soft, cut into big hearts, and decorated beautifully with homemade pink frosting that melted in your mouth. oh i LOVEloveLOVED them.
do you remember making a “valentine box” every year for school?!! i DO! decorating my box and putting together a valentine with candy for each kid in my class was my favorite. then coming home at the end of the day with my box full of valentines from all my classmates waiting to be opened – it was the best. at least, to me.
so, today, i still love the holiday. i still love making homemade valentines to give. family…and many to send to my friends – hand crafted with silly poems i write on the inside. ha! it’s fun. and who doesn’t love mail?! valentine’s day is for any and all…not just romantic lovers. love has so many sides to it.
in my thoughts of spreading love this year, i already started getting ideas together. little things to be given to share the love:
i experimented with sugar cookies and raspberry jam…i think they turned out quite cute, no?! ( a little white chocolate drizzle for looks…aesthetics are important! )
my homemade peanut butter cups! very easy. way better than store bought…and i love that i can control the pb/choc ratio. (i’m not a BIG pb person)
so why not take your fav store bought candy and spruce ‘em up a bit?! i think it makes them extra special, and i can combine them with my other homemade treats in these little boxes (super cheap @ Hobby Lobby – just add some ribbon or something) ….
just some other simple little goodies for giving away that can be personalized….
i’m kind of obsessed with these little jars of my FAVVVY candy: dark chocolate covered almonds (dove)…mmmm….but look how cute! i would be so happy if i got this, so why wouldn’t anyone else?!?
yes, i am definitely in the spirit of the season…now it’s time for card making and more treats to prepare!
….maybe i’m just ridiculous. but it’s fun!
love, whit
NEW YEARS – a time to look to the future, not the past
i LOVEloveLOVE this video!
happy new year to all!
love, whit
out with the old IN with the new! best of 2011. goals 2012.
it’s that time…the LAST WEEK of 2011! icanhardlybelieveit.
let’s review 2011. last january started off with snow and ice:
but spring came…so did family…and the Atlanta, GA lds temple re-opened!
the temple made it possible for our friends to become a forever family!:
i turned 24:
the summer’s garden was a success:
(some of the first fruits!)…
cinnamon and kids came to visit…we enjoyed july 4th together
(and i succumbed and chopped off all my hair)
my two best friends had their FIRST babies in the same week! i took prego pics of both:
and my SISTER had her fourth…happy new little nephew to ME…this is miles august ayres:
me and miles…
i made it back to utah after like 4 years…for B’s wedding! and a reunion of friends:
mine and elissa’s reunion was WAY overdue.
same with ry guy.
and i even MET my blog bestie in PERSON!! miss chelsea vose.
and the year got even better, joe beau came to visit…
and as you just saw..Christmas came, and so did my favorite Virginia family.
i try to reflect on the last year and it’s happenings. funny how it always feels like so long ago and yet also that the year sped by. i had to reference back to my old 2011 NEW YEAR blog post to see my list, how far i’ve come and what progress was made.
so, referring back to that list of goals, i DID in R E V I E W:
- take more pictures: purchased a DSLR which was a major catalyst
- be more social? …eh, yes and no! haha.
- get back to school: i DID take some online classes in 2011. got a 4.0 in them! win!
- get in shape?: i joined a gym and fell in love with zumba. i would say a definite improvement/obsession for a healthier lifestyle was made. win!
- i HAVE done some painting in 2011. wish i’d done more.
- did i make it back to Puerto Rico? pick-up my old guitar skillz? or was there a boda? no, no, and…no. life goes on.
all in all, 2011 was a rough year for me. no lies. and although there weren’t many HUGE events for me…there was a lot of personal reflection and growth. i feel i have come a long way (but still with a long way to go). i feel i am so much more honest with myself and much more trusting in God and His timing. i also was employed full-time all of 2011…and blessed with a great job this year, too! i will count my blessings.
as for my Whitney Tutt 2011 BEST OF list…looking back, i have very little to offer as far as movies and music and all of that this year. so…please excuse my pathetic list.
MY top 2011 album releases:
haha…love how i had to throw in the Biebs there.
Feist, Wilco, Coldplay, and Adele all had noteworthy album releases in 2011 as well. I just haven’t spent too much time listening to them to be able to properly rate them. OH…and Pitbull…Planet Pit has some good ones! ha!
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M O V I E S. i was the worst at seeing movies in 2011. but i did make it to THE END:
also, of course i saw the new Twilight. i should be ashamed of the few times i made it to the theater this year. i didn’t see the new X-Men. or Green Lantern. or Thor. or Cowboys and Aliens. or Bridesmaids. or The Adjustment Bureau. or…well. what DID i see?
that i can remember…Limitless. Fast Five. Super 8. Something Borrowed. Pirates 3. HP7. Breaking Dawn. Jane Eyre.
oh…i did thoroughly love this movie, if you have even heard of it, came out in Feb:
and, i’m such a fan of the 80′s classic, i loved the new one:
so, that’s that.
B O O K S!
my 2011 favvy:
and that concludes my 2011 review.
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NOW
time for my 2012 goals. considering the last couple months of 2011 have been rather positive. it gives me hope for the NEW YEAR!
i mean, i WILL be spending my first two weeks of the new year in Italy. what better way to ring in 2012?! i feel like the year will be as eventful as it’s start.
2012 GOALS:
1. Thanksgiving Day half-marathon (with my sisters, that’s the plan)
2. maintain health and fitness (which will be needed to accomplish #1 – i also have new yoga dvds i need to try more regularly)
3. allow my hair to grow out at least long enough for a ponytail. ha! dye it less. 
4. be more assertive
5. work on my sewing skills
6. practice piano often
7. maintain an eternal perspective
8. develop my art more – paint/draw more (aka: spend less time on Pinterest and more time actually DOING the great ideas)
9. complete one book a month
10. notice/do more for others. serve.
11. try a new recipe each month (i have so many “pending” to be attempted)
12. figure out my “continuing education” plan
13. travel somewhere new
14. work on my “technical” photography knowledge
15. true love
…i think i can handle those. realistic. attainable. worth it. i’m ready.
2012…bring it!
love, whit
