a heart can be broken...

but it keeps beating just the same.  this morning after i wrote my blog
i sat down and looked around the house in the silence after all the
activity of last night. i thought about how things have changed this
year.  i picked up a picture of my dad off of the table,  then i wiped my eyes
with my sleeve and a big fat tear fell into my coffee. the holidays really amplify
everything. good and bad. but i know it's ok that the holidays are a mix of sweet
and sad.  i thought about my mom and how hard this time must be - but
she keeps smiling and reminding herself how lucky she was to have dad for so
many years.  i thought about my dad and how his own mom died on christmas
day so many years ago.  when gram died on christmas i knew then we would
always be a little sad on that day but dad always made us know that she would
want us to be happy. the absence of people is the hardest. i still want to go
buy crossword puzzles, and tall shirts and slippers and write love notes and
send them off to florida but we can't. i knew this time would be hard and i
also know that grief won't always be right in front of me, it may be at arms
length but instead of whining for what will never be again i will remember
that dad has other ways of showing us his love. it may not be the same
package but it will be there.. we have already seen it.

love sent, xo

hey there...

good morning!   it's 6:43 i feel like i just went to bed.  i think i sort of did just go to bed. but that is what
happens at this time of year... you can't get much sleep and enjoy all the festivities, it's one or the other...

last nights party was a big success. mini gingerbread martini's were the favorite.   i have the best friends in the whole wide world.  i am not kidding.
l. u. c.k.y. that is what i am.  i think everyone really enjoyed the favorite things swap, it was a great  change of pace.  i scored a couple of great things.... and some special gifts because all of you are so sweet...  thanks.  there is a chalk board in my kitchen that m is counting down the days until christmas i gotta tell you it's scares me ... 3 days left !  I am hosting christmas and i gotta get some things together.  but i wanted to say thanks to everyone for coming and happy holidays to all.  i gotta run
my cookie dough is chilling and i have to pop some cookies in the oven.  xo

happy tuesday before christmas my friends....

last night there was a dusting of snow.  i know many of you have gotten slammed but we have not,  as of yet,  had any siginificant snow.  the dusting was perfect for helping me find my christmas spirit.  walking along with
little flakes fluttering down is just beautiful.  a big fat blizzard if you can sit home in front of the fire is also awesome....  but seeing as there is still christmas shopping to do it's best if the big fat snow holds off for a few more days...  every year christmas sneaks up on me - well it just seems to anyway.  i still have a few more things to do.  but tonight i am going to hang out with the girls for my annual cookie swap. tonight is for fun and celebrating and enjoying each other. the only thing that will be different is there are no "cookies" this year.   this year we changed it up a bit to a " favorite things" swap.  inspired by oprah's favorite things i decided to give it a try on a different scale ... there probably won't be any car give a ways.  but... i bet there will be some fun and interesting things.  i will be back tomorrow with pictures.
until then,  have a happy day.  xo

favorite images...

                                                 (via green wellies)

let it snow...

martha's vineyard at 2:00 today....

digital christmas....

christmas gift suggestions

to your enemy, forgiveness.
to an opponent, tolerance.
to a friend, your heart.
to a customer, service.
to all, charity.
to every child, a good example.
to yourself, respect.”

~ Oren Arnold

weekend snapshot...

more favorites...

 Mango 2...

gingerbread martini...

twinkling lights....

 roasted beet salad...

chocolate dipped marshmallows...

 my favorite book...

awesome restaurant...

my favorite people...  xo

happy monday...

thought for today...

JOY...

"...it will shine in your eyes and in your look, in your conversation and in your countenance. you will not be able to hide it because joy overflows. joy must be one of the pivots of our life. it is the token of a generous personality. sometimes it is also a mantle that clothes a life of sacrifice and self-giving. a person who has this gift often reaches high summits. he or she is like a sun in a community."  ~Mother Teresa

i know people like this..... don't you?   i aspire to this. i would especially like to believe i am joyful.

but i have to admit that sometimes...today, for instance--i'm not a sun, i'm a snowcloud. a bowl of cold oatmeal. a brittle fall leaf. rather than overflowing, my joy congeals in wobbly puddles at the bottom of my heart. telling me to be joyful just mires my feet in guilt. you know how it is sometimes you have to lean on hope.

tomorrow will be better, as i used to whisper in the ears of my young ones at the end of hard days. tomorrow will be better.
i miss you dad.

love sent,

newly released...

michael lives on....

my favorite mantel...

i was going to change it up this year but my family voted to keep it going. my tradition of displaying the santa collection.... <3

december plan...

i read about a little project and thought it was a great idea  for this blog during the month of december. 

something plain, simple and fun. a month full of favorites.  i will share whatever dances in my head.

not necessarily everything on the image below.  i will share blogs, recipes, utube videos, etc.  anything

i think is a favorite.  there will probably  still be posts woven in and out.

there is a ton more but i couldn't fit it on this page.

oprah did post her favorite things list and i hope you - you know who you are- are coming
up with your favorite things too. 

love sent,

oreo truffles...

simple great idea...

ingredients

1 pkg. (8 oz.) philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided
2 pkg. (8 squares each) bakers semi-sweet chocolate, melted

make it

mix cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.
shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. dip in melted chocolate;
place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet.
sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

how to easily dip truffles

to easily coat truffles with the melted chocolate, add truffles, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate.

use 2 forks to roll truffles in chocolate until evenly coated.

remove truffles with forks, letting excess chocolate drip back into bowl.

place truffles on prepared baking sheet; let stand until firm.

 
love sent,

hot chocolate...

hot chocolate,  one of my all time favorites for snuggling up on a frosty winter's night...
 i do love william sonoma's hot chocolate and it's an annual tradition to stock up on some with the large square marshmallows. another one to try is starbucks hot chocolate with salted caramel, yum.  but to change it up a bit or to give your hot chocolate a wow factor try  some of these options. these little touches are easily

put together with a few ingredients from around the kitchen.  well worth the smiles you will receive.

chocolate Lover’s dream

beat 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup chocolate syrup and 1 tbs. confectioners’ sugar until stiff.

yummy almond
beat 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tbs. confectioners’ sugar and 1 tbs. almond liquer or ¼ tsp. almond extract until stiff.

brown sugar
beat 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tbs. packed dark brown sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla extract until stiff. delicious on hot chocolate also good for brownies.

cool citrus
beat 1 cup heavy cream, 3 tbs. confectioners’ sugar and 1 tsp. grated lemon or orange zest until stiff.  can also use this on top of pound cake and puddings.


cinnamon spice
beat 1 cup heavy cream, 3 tbs. granulated sugar, ½ tsp. vanilla extract and ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon until stiff. makes gingerbread or a fancy coffee drink special.

sweet jam
beat 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tbs. confectioners’ sugar and 2 tbs. seedless jam until stiff.
great on biscuits, waffles or french toast.

each makes 2 cups.

happy decemberrrrr 1st ...

let the season begin.  i can't believe it's december 1st.  i think i say that every year tho.

there is always so much to do.  i started the day off with a starbucks eggnog latte. just to ring in the season.

which by the way was worth every calorie.  i may disagree with that later but for now.. it was bliss.

                             (photo via ali edwards) .. try to be merry each and every day of december....

remember... savor this time of year and take this opportunity to capture a piece of your life right now.  there will be good and bad and happy and sad  -  always... it's life.