Thursday, January 29, 2009

escape.....

i finished up the week early today because i am going away for a long weekend with some wonderful girlfriends. we are planning on having lots of girl time. on the agenda are spa treatments, shopping, eating, drinking and talking the night away. the location is about 3 hours north at the spectacular inn at essex in vermont. this just so happens to also house the highly acclaimed new england culinary institute - not that i have a food passion or anything. so this is where i will be ...





i may have to try one of these or both of them.

well off i go to pack ... i know i am always a last minute packer. then i stress out for not doing it sooner but i expect tomorrow after my spa treatment i will feel like a stick of butter that has been left in the microwave to long - at least that is what i am hoping for. .....

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

hugs...


today has not been a good news day. one of my go to girls is needing a BIG dose of t.l.c. i am sending out BIG hugs and we are here for you - we will do anything you need. even if it means coming over and kicking joe out of the recyliner - oh that's right he already broke it. sometimes life can throw such unfair curve balls. we will be a team - make dinners, (nancy) do laundry (janie) drink and laugh with you, (me)
i guess when it rains it pours so we get out the umbrellas.
i am doing my usual trying to make jokes so i won't cry.
i wanted the news to be different and i had myself totally
convinced that after this mornings surgery you would be home free and that is not the case. so it's going to take a little more work, please keep up your ever-so-no-matter-what-positive-attitude. sometimes the only way to make it is to be bulletproof..... damn

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

food photography at its best...

google and my linksys router made up and they decided to let me back on to blog. i had to intervene a bit and performed some very technical magic and restored the connection.
if you ever need i.t. skills you can count on me. i unplugged the linksys router and then plugged it back in, then voila back in business. now i bet you don’t have those kinds of technical skills.

when i was browsing the internet today i came across some of the most gorgeous food photographs i have ever seen… truly Click here to follow link
















oh and one more thing at the suggestion of someone i tried a berry infused chai tea at starbucks and it was excellent so the next time you are out and about try it.
and my coffee wrap around my cup read "next action item" do as little as possible.
sounds good to me !!!

Monday, January 26, 2009

google troubles...

apparently there is some trouble with google and the linksys router. made for a very
frustrating trying to blog weekend. and it's still not fixed. i am able to access google, blogger etc
at work but not at home where the wireless router is... in any case computers = frustration = i need my own i.t. person....
the weekend was fun, great to be off and there wasn't even any shoveling to be done. i know my honey is rolling his eyes thinking why is she worrying about shoveling it's not like she actually DOES any shoveling. it looks like that will be short lived tho because the rumor is there is a storm coming around wednesday.
i spent all day yesterday crafting, making baby tshirts, cards, bags, downloading pictures, designing some fun things for the etsy shop which is not exactly selling out. i need exposure like in advertising .... so the good part is i love to make all this stuff so i have enjoyment while i wait for the onslot of orders to come rolling in. i finished off the day making a simple but delicious
rice pudding.

arborio rice pudding

1/2 cup arborio rice
4 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split
3/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1 bay leaf
1/2 pint raspberries, other berries or dried fruit (optional)

in a large saucepan, place all the ingredients, except the almond extract and raspberries. bring it to a gentle boil and then turn it down to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom, for about 30 to 40 minutes. taste the rice to check for doneness. the rice should be very soft and plump.
take the pudding off the heat and stir in the extract. pour into dessert bowls and stir in some fresh raspberries, or other dried or fresh fruit. serve immediately.

Friday, January 23, 2009

friday...

hip hip for the weekend.
great home cooked meal.
took in a silly (stupid) but make you laugh movie - bride wars - i would save
it for the rental list.
then on to cocktails and a dessert sampler. i think this sampler was suppose to be for 4 but we made it for 2. yum
a snuggle at home.
goodnite....

Thursday, January 22, 2009

all the best....



so with business the way it is sometimes things have to be done that aren’t so nice.
just before Christmas something not so nice happened to my boss. he was let go. the timing was really poor. i was shocked and saddened, but he, not surprisingly so was calm and professional - he told me that at his level there is always that risk. i tried to understand but it’s not easy. i was sad and still am. he left - and because it was christmas lots of people never even got to say goodbye, good luck etc. so last night we got together and had a small celebration at a local hotel to give the folks that didn’t see him a chance to say thanks for making a difference. he really made a difference for so many of us. it was such a wonderful evening, so many people came, the only people that didn’t make it truly couldn’t. i felt great that he was validated for all that he had done for us. a tough boss for sure but well respected - he had such a big heart and always an open door. an executive vp who would think nothing of having lunch with his troops. last night at our insistence he brought his wife along, i was so glad she came - she got to see how the folks really felt about him, i think he was truly touched and maybe didn’t realize just how much he meant. there is no doubt that he will go on to bigger and better things and we are better for having had him for our mentor for a while. i know he will continue to be someone i will keep in touch with - some people are worth keeping .. .....he is a keeper.















thanks for everything…. and all the best on this next part of your journey.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

change has come...

on this historical day...



hope for a brighter tomorrow





dream BIG dreams don't sell yourselves short.

Monday, January 19, 2009

refresh your wardrobe... i stole this line from targets ad


what a great way to start an ad. i am always open to refreshing my wardrobe. i look for excuses to do it. heck, i don’t even need an excuse. i love to shop, it’s therapeutic.. i have nothing to wear is a line men can never relate to. my dh looks at my shoe closet – closet being shoes scattered under the bed for miles and boxes piled high not only in my closet but in my daughters - he is in awe – ( i don’t have nearly as many as some people ) why would you ever need more than a pair or two, or three, at the most he asks? to complicate things further he never even had sisters so the whole wardrobe, makeup, bad hair day thing, is hard for him to comprehend. he is really good about pretending he understands however, i know he secretly is thinking this is insane… he loves the car ad where all the shoes are falling from the sky. that would be heaven for you he states. so this is what I am thinking of refreshing my wardrobe with.. and there are no shoes involved ..... yet.

this great top from j crew that will take me all the way to summer.



love this banana republic scarf for a punch of color












more j crew goodness
j crew gotta have new jeans






love his cuff perfect for jeans or can also be dressy so it's double your money spent

















i have been so into scarfs and this would carry right into spring.. which i hope is coming sooner rather than later
refresh............... i feel better already

Sunday, January 18, 2009

another snowy day...

a snapshot of a snowy sunday morning....
happy for
waffles and sausages
snuggly fireplace
mugs of coffee
piles of magazines















with valentines day coming all of the magazines are focusing on love - a season for caring, sweet valentines, secrets of happy couples, treasured moments, nourishing hugs. this months issue of hallmark magazine advertises a book called "remember the sweet things" by ellen greene. it began as an article in last years may/june issue of hallmark magazine. i remember this article as vivid as if i read it yesterday. it was one of those reads you devour and then secure in your memory for always. a poignant recap of some everyday events in a relationship that this woman has so joyfully captured.
i can not wait to get out to buy this memoir and you should too. i promise you it will be worth it. it will leave you longing for more and appreciating your every day moments. happy sunday xox

Friday, January 16, 2009

have to have...

i have a new obsession, this obsession thing changes quite often. take a look at these.
are these not the cutest things you have ever seen? your biggest challenge will be making sure people don’t actually try to eat them. You can purchase these soaps for yourself here












and then I found these
are these the sweetest? you can purchase them here




my sister loves sheep, anything sheep she secretly wants to move to ireland…. shhh don’t tell her I am going to surprise her with these. and that could be any time. i love shopping so etsy is actually a dangerous tool for me.

I can’t wait to order a new stamp for my shop here





i don’t have to leave my computer or my home and i can stock my shelves with all sorts of goodies. just what hubby wants to hear…

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

4 friends



These are my go to girls
…. friends you can count on - we are called "the loser club". now i have to say we got this name from one of our adorable husbands - the name evolved from the fact that we set up times to get together and inevitably some one of us has some divine intervention that takes us away from our
“club” night so we reschedule, and we reschedule, and we.... you get the picture. we are a diverse group in mind and body. one is a model/personal trainer, one is a manager of a catering company, one is a manager at a utility company and then there is me - manager of nothing but my life of which i am not sure i am managing that well… we have marriages of more than a ¼ century, a couple of years, a newlywed… so we have lots to share - we are all over the map. there is always something going on. we chat about births, deaths, marriages, divorces, illnesses, pinky swear stuff (secrets) , we share laughter, tears, frustration, fear, etc. thank goodness for the loser club we are there for each other, even if we cancel more than we get out. being with them is always worth waiting for. i don’t write the dates down in pen but I always write them down.
on a recent get together it was quick glass of wine at miss n’s, then we were on to a jewelry party. first we check out miss n’s house updates, which, by the way are as beautiful as her. she is not only serving wine but she is serving an amazing vegetable lasagna – *this* she tells us is so we don’t eat junk food later at the junk food eating /jewelry party. ms. n as you have probably guessed is the model/personal trainer. then it's on to more chatting, we swoon over her new beautiful can’t say how much pocketbook. we chat about a new so deserving job for someone’s child - you go girl. then talk turns to elderly parents and lots of their recent challenges, next, we learn how to wear a scarf correctly. we cover a lot of subjects. we then head over to the jewelry party. on our way in the manager of the catering company whispers do we have to buy anything? i respond OF COURSE we do. then ….. everyone buys something but me. it might have been the $500 earlier in the day vet bill or the $250 earlier in the day contact lenses purchase for another one of our so deserving children. heading home there is lots more chatting mostly about their new jewelry purchases and the discovery of a recent relative/friend connection among us which has truly amazed us. this is such a small world we say. through the noise of the car radio, endless chatter, heat blasting, i say it sure is a 6 degree world - to which miss utility company manager says it’s NOT 6 degrees out it’s 29 … I think that adorable husband is right…
we ARE the loser club...... but one i wouldn't miss being a part of.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Monday..

sometimes i don' t have much to say. i know that is hard for some of you to believe. an okay day, nothing major going on. boys came for dinner. got tortured a little. i swear sometimes they like to make me crazy. t made a great dinner (thank you hon) and i made these for dessert.

just a little sweet to sweeten up the day.
























and this could make any day better



Sunday, January 11, 2009

only 91


check out this 91 year old woman.... i can only hope i have these genes. happy happy birthday auntie.

Happy Birthday Tess !!



you are F.I.V.E.

shop news...



check out my shop. i added some new goodies. very sweet.





Thursday, January 8, 2009

wintry mix

sounds like a drink only not nearly as intoxicating. again all day yesterday wintry mix - snow (which I love) sleet and rain which i do not love. it’s a big ice mess out there - honestly it’s scary the ice is so heavy and starts snapping power lines etc. last night the roads were like skating rinks ask the dear hubby who never got home until 4 am. poor guy. why are these people out sliding around when its so awful out? not me, i like the cozy home front where i can drink cocoa and read blogs… i think i am a blogaholic. i am not kidding i start checking one thing and it leads me to something else then something else, and before i know it hours have past and i am hyperventilating thinking about all the ideas i have to log into my brain for future retrieval. i will be putting some wonderful new cards up in my shop later this week. they are spectacular, simple, simple, but irresistible. m drew the designs and they are just superb. she is the best craft partner i have ever had. now if i can only talk her into spending more time with me - oh that’s right she is not as interested in hanging out at the home front drinking cocoa. she has people to see and places to go…. and driving lessons to take....

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

howdy


well as promised i am here to tell you about the goodbye party for my nephew who is heading out to texas. the pizza’s were (as always) fantastic. it seems like pizza is an easy thing but with the brick oven getting it fired up then chopping and preparing all the ingredients then cooking them and running in and out every few minutes it is a LOT of work.


so thanks Elaine and Michael for another fun filled day. it’s amazing how this pizza oven has become and integral part of so many of our family gatherings. everyone had a great time and i think stephen was happy too. his friends had a party for him the evening before so he was a little more quiet than usual. it’s a big move - one that i hope he will be happy with. i think it’s always hard making a BIG decision like this but i guess if you never try you will never know how things will turn out. i like how i have this great advice seeing as i have never lived outside the state that i live in now. so off he will go in another couple of weeks with all the good wishes of his family and friends, off to a new adventure, one that is sure to be filled with much excitement. steve, we plan on heading out to visit - i am looking for a new pair of cowboy boots to ready myself for the trip. steve was gifted with a few things he will need while he is there - certainly this

and this




<













also i want to wish
sweet Braelyn a very happy 7th birthday.
braelyn is totally ready to move on out to texas steve better check your suitcase before you leave she might be hiding in there.
..



!!!


we love you

Monday, January 5, 2009

sweet family...

over the holiday we had a visit from the sweetest couple ever. this is a kid that grew up hanging around our house with our son. our son and he have been best friends since middle school. there are lots of fun stories, lots of stories we laugh about and i am sure lots of stories that i will someday hear about and gasp at the thought of. (we have already heard a few) now he is meandering down his own path with his ever growing little family and we had the pleasure of their company for a couple of hours over the holiday. i love when they visit - seeing as we don’t have any grandchildren of our own yet we get to enjoy their little boy, there is nothing sweeter than having a little person running around intrigued by even the smallest of things. he is such a sweet kid and they are such awesome parents. they are expecting another little boy in the spring.



our youngest is 16 and is thrilled when someone else takes away her ever smothering parents for a couple of hours. we are flattered that they enjoy coming over to hang out with us. we love having them. they think we offer great tips and advice on parenting, house decorating etc. they think they learn things from us - secretly they don’t know that we learn so much more from them, we are so lucky to have them in our life. they keep us up to date on the goings on in the younger set, what’s hip for babies, the latest fad for new moms, a healthier way to eat etc etc. in return we fix a dinner and get to share the love for a whole night it’s a great trade off. i also love to see how our son interacts with their little boy they think the world of each other. it’s always sad when your kids are growing up and they need you less and less and then you come into this next phase when you see them carving out their own little life and it’s amazing to watch. the secret to happiness is to continually fall in love - babies/kids will do that for you.
Cam in his new dinosaur pj's