Monday, November 26, 2012

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND


We are so looking forward to going back again, perhaps in the summer (hear that, Cindy?).  Friday was windy and freezing, about 25 degrees, but Saturday was sunny and you just had to walk on the right side of the street.  The shops has complimentary hot chocolate and cider to keep us warm.  It really was a magical weekend.

So, it's back to Monday and cleaning up, putting the fall things away and getting ready for that Christmas tree to come and take up all the available space in my living room!  I think I'll just enjoy it for how it is right now and get started on my Christmas list.  Abby has sent me emails with wish lists from all her favorite stores.  I think she adds more every day.  We picked up a few gifts over the weekend, too.  So at least I've started!  I hope I didn't overload you with pictures!  How did you recover over the weekend?  I wanted to watch some Christmas movies last night but I couldn't hold my eyes open!  I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I want to hear all about it! :)

I'm joining Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday!   




Tuesday, November 20, 2012

HOLIDAY HAPPINESS


I had another slow weekend which has been pretty typical around here lately.  Papa came to visit on Sunday and I baked some cupcakes.  Remember the box of Hot Chocolate cupcakes I posted about last week?  Well, I made those.






Well, tomorrow I am going to make ahead whatever I can make ahead.  Emily is making the stuffing from scratch, as in with stale bread.  I've always used Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix (an ode to my late sister, Leslie, who worked for Pepperidge Farm for 25 years).  But Emily wants to do it the old fashioned way and actually, I'm curious.  Her recipe is very different from mine.  She also wanted to brine the turkey and I put my foot down...that's rather involved and she has never made so much as a chicken before.  But she's a big help and if Abby doesn't help, we'll make her clean the bathroom.  And, one last thing...thanks for all of the recipes and tips for roasted sweet potatoes!  They were all really good, but the Oscar goes to...The Summer Kitchen Girls who gave me a recipe for a sweet potato souffle!  Whoa!  They said it's like eating dessert!  I'll let you know how it turns out and post the recipe in case you'd like to try it for Christmas.

Friday morning we leave for Cedarburg, Wisconsin for our 3 day anniversary trip.  The B&B is booked, I ordered a bottle of champagne and box of chocolates as a surprise for The Husband and in return I want him to take me for a carriage ride!  Can't wait!

Happy Thanksgiving to all and I'm sending much love.  I am so thankful for your friendship and so much more.  See all of you next week! :)

Thursday, November 15, 2012

A LITTLE OF THIS AND THAT


His tests went well but he has to have surgery some time after Thanksgiving.  I can't really go into any more detail out of respect for him...it's him, not me.  Heaven knows if it were me I'd be posting away in a morphine induced fog!  But I will certainly let you know how he does.

When I was  at the grocery store I picked up everything I needed for Thanksgiving except for the turkey (I like to wait and get the best price from all the stores I shop at), and my veggies which I like fresh.  I was thinking of making roasted sweet potatoes as a side dish.  Does anyone know how to make these or have a recipe (no marshmallows please)?  I usually just peel and boil them and then pour hot butter and brown sugar over, but I'd like to try something different.  If you have a good recipe and don't mind, can you email me it?

I also found this cupcake mix at the store.  Doesn't it sound delicious?  I don't usually use mixes unless I'm in a hurry but I couldn't pass this up and I'm sure everyone will love them.  I'll be sure to share with you (pictures and my opinion, not a real cupcake).

Well, I have four little projects to take care of today.  If you follow Marty and Kathy, you will see that they did a super duper job organizing their bathroom vanity cabinets.  So I'm going to tackle that, my vanity, the top of The Husbands armoire and my kitchen junk drawer.  Everyone has a kitchen junk drawer, don't they?  Maybe I'll take before and afters, it might just make you fall off your chair!

Have a good rest of the week everyone.  I'm partying with Claudia over at Mockingbird Hill Cottage for her Favorite Things Party.  Join in, it's fun! :)

Friday, November 9, 2012

A HOLIDAY PERSPECTIVE


In my head I have been setting my table, choosing napkins, glasses and pondering centerpieces.  I've seen a few tables where the center is decorated with a weathered wood plank topped with greenery, candles, flowers, whatever you can dream of.  I like that idea.  We've come a long way since just having a vase of flowers!

Although the days seem to be flying by, I think I've had a good perspective about not getting caught up in the rush of the holidays.  First of all, I know I'm easily influenced by others getting ready and the bombardment of TV commercials, magazines articles and just listening to people talk about their plans, and then having those fleeting feelings of anxiety that I'm behind the eight ball.  Well, I'm not letting that happen to me this year...well, I'm going to try really hard!  Thanksgiving is easy for me, Christmas just gets chaotic and I don't need to spell out why.  Even when I have a head start, those last minute details crop up.  By the time the celebrations start, I feel very exhausted.  So, I'm going to try, really, really hard to relax, not fuss a great deal and try to let the season just unfold at an easy pace.  Famous last words!

So...I really didn't do much all week.  The Husband and I did get out for a nice dinner last Saturday which I was really hoping for.  We tried a new Italian restaurant a few blocks away and had a great time.  I forgot to mention that the weekend before, my sister in law had the whole family over for a casual dinner; chicken casserole, pulled pork sandwiches, baked mashed potatoes (my contribution), salad and pumpkin pie for dessert.  It was a nice get-together, the wine flowed and we talked about our holiday plans.  Good times.
I finally hit on a place for The Husband and I to get away to.  So much time has passed since we started talking about it, it has now become our anniversary get away that we always take in December (26 years on the 14th!).  This is a picture of downtown Cedarburg, Wisconsin.  I came across an article about it in Midwest Living and then Cindy from Applestone Cottage recommended it to me.  It's a quaint little town just north of Milwaukee.  Every Friday night between Thanksgiving and Christmas there is a festival.  With over 75 specialty shops, 25 restaurants, sleigh and carriage rides and historical sites, I think we are going to have a great 3 day weekend.  We leave the day after Thanksgiving.  I promise to take lots of pictures!

Well, I am going to relax a little and see if I feel a little less queasy to go to the gym with The Husband tonight.  He is SO good, he goes every night.  I hope everyone has a great weekend! :)

I'm joining Claudia's Favorite Things party at Mockingbird Hill Cottage.

Friday, November 2, 2012

IS THE THRILL OF FALL OVER?


Here in the Midwest it's business as usual.  I do want to thank everyone who commiserated with me after my last post and gave me advice about the high cholesterol problem I am having.  I learned a lot from you ladies.  I really hope that getting in shape and working on my eating habits will help.  As for the Big 'Ol Spider, I think he succumbed to the cold, and the mice...well, after I found some droppings (a nice word for poop) in the cabinet where I keep my pots and pans, let's just say I pulled out the big guns.  You know how I hate to wash pots and pans.  So far, so good.  As for Mr. Squirrel, he seems to like the garage and comes and goes as he pleases.  I'll think about that another day.



-The foliage on the trees was so pretty and I loved the lush carpet they made on my lawn, but I am so sick of cleaning up wet leaves off my floor, and worse, the dry ones that crumble and go everywhere.

-Last night we sat by a roaring fire that took the nip out of the air while we snuggled under our quilts, and today I am shoveling out all the sooty ashes to haul out to my barren garden as a fertilizer of sorts.

-And this morning I was thinking of how great that hot cocoa with marshmallows tasted last night in front of said roaring fire, until I realized there wasn't a clean cup in the house for my coffee.

-As I straightened up the house today, I admired the spooky little pumpkins we had carved for Halloween, and as I moved one, it collapsed in a rotting mess.

-And finally, a very honest blogger related that she told her daughter to go make herself a sandwich for dinner because she was writing a post about her cozy little home!

Enough said.



 

 
This post has gone on too long, I wanted to tell you a bit about the book I am reading, but I'll save that for next time.  I was inspired to start reading a series of books by this author, Donna Ball, when I dropped by Liz's blog, Rose Vignettes.  I read all five in the series in about 3 weeks and have now started another one that had me up til midnight last night.  Check out her books on Amazon .com

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.  I hope that I can get The Husband to take me out for dinner sometime between the Notre Dame and Bears games.  Wish me luck! :)