lucky...

life moves quickly.  enjoy every minute.  i started this post ages ago and just logged on and decided to post it just as it is... no words just a couple of pictures of a really fun night.

love sent, xo

and the winner is.....

everyone. ...  this is like the female version of super bowl...  5th annual oscar night.

we had such an awesome time.  thanks to sharon for hosting this annual event and making all our january and february tuesday nights more exciting.
thanks for making this never ending winter far more bearable.

               our red carpet worthy crackers and cheese.  these look really cute and the red dresses were easy but the tuxedo cheese was quite challenging, not sure i would bother again.

                       of course you have to have star tortilla chips.  they were super easy to make and i was so happy with how they came out.  they would be perfect for lots of party themes

                                                brie with honey, sage and walnuts.

this was super easy and honestly tasted much better than i thought it would. presentation was far more glamorous before the other pear got tossed in and the crackers got moved around.  i topped it with gold edible sprinkles for extra glamour.

beautiful cake made by emily 

thanks again sharon !!   xoxo   love you guys!


while we are being glamorous, a reminder from the pros

weekend notes....

friday night we hung out at a local place for dinner. sitting at the bar is our favorite place to be. trading stories with strangers is awesome, you meet great people and it's the best dining experience of all.

saturday morning the girls headed in to boston to see our sweet friend c.  there was a small window of feeling better or normal, if only for a brief time. we reminded her with the snow piling up outside and lots more to come it might be better to remain put for another day or so.  not that she really gets to call the shots on that decision but there really was no option but to remain there, at least for now.
we shared some laughs and tried to focus on easier days. there is no going back, not for any of us, but we get to choose how we inhabit the now. in this moment we laughed and we were reminded of some crazy fun together.for a short time we could just enjoy the moment. my heart is swirling with a million thoughts, prayers,and emotions. there is so much more than we can possibly see or touch or understand at any given moment.  but c shows us she still finds gratitude and courage in the face of illness.

love sent, xo

whatever you love... do it.

everyone that knows me knows i am a sucker for food.  i associate food with feelings, relationships, all sorts of things.  for me it's an opportunity to get together to celebrate it's a medium for remembrance, it holds family traditions and so on.  i know not everyone feels the same way but it's that way for me.  gathering around a table with family and friends is so much more than sustenance, it carries much more power than that.   for me, there is nothing better than a simple meal shared with the people i love, talking long into the night about so many different things,  it fills my heart and soul to the brim.


on these long cold winter nights share a bowl of chowder with someone you love 
i promise you will feel warmer and all your winter comfort dreams will come true.

smokey shrimp and potato chowder.

serves 6.
ingredients
6 oz sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (sweet or hot)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup skim (nonfat) milk
8 oz medium (26-30 size) shrimp, peeled and deveined
kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
directions
in a dutch oven or large sauce pan, cook the bacon over low heat until it's crisp, but not burned. transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. pour off all but 2 teaspoons of the bacon drippings.
add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until soft but not yet brown.
add the garlic, paprika and cayenne, and cook for 2 minutes. stir in the potato, and mix well to coat the potatoes with the seasoning. stir in chicken broth, half-and-half and milk. raise heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
reduce heat to low, 

toss the shrimp in 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, pinch of salt, and 1/4 tsp of hot pepper. sear in hot saute pan for 2-4 minutes until the shrimp are pink and curled. place the shrimp on top of bowl sprinkle in the parsley and the reserved bacon. taste the soup, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

serve hot

sausage soup might be an alternative if chowder is not your thing.

find the recipe here

 some of my favorite moments in january.

my mom stopping in to say goodbye to her 97 year old sister before she heads back to florida.  these two are really amazing...

baby love

i love this photo and thanks joe for always being there for mom... xo

our hot chocolate picnic on the deck.  one of my favorite nights.

fantastic weekend in portland, can't wait to go back. 

three dollar beers at deweys

stay warm.
love sent, xoxo

deep breaths.. you got this...

that is what i keep telling myself.
it's always that way -  when one thing happens,  more things happen and so on.

thanks to my super kind friends for monday night.  we always have such a good time.
you are the true meaning of friendship.  i know i can depend on you guys and you always
cheer me up, have my back,  and make me laugh.
so as my mom heads into surgery next week i am assured that she is tough and this is
a small procedure that she can totally handle. (thanks for reminding me how strong she is)
as i say goodbye to my sweet friend here at work i am reminded that she is only a
phone call away and i know that is true.  

i got this...

 i really do...

i think...


love sent,  xo

we lean in we lean out...

the air has changed all around me. on the outside with the new season, which i have fully embraced and on the inside with the news that my partner in crime here at work is leaving. i am not sure i have really embraced this news. certainly,  a few things need  to settle into the cracks. the news hit hard.
i took mental notes, i took real ones. i might be a little quieter as the week ahead creeps in, i know it will be a tough one. i am not - and never have been good at goodbyes.
we were so close to a different ending.

life happens in phases. they can be marked by jobs, relationships, the birth of a child, diets, changing hair colors, everything and anything. i notice that no matter how calm or chaotic or hard or easy my life is at the moment - it is always in constant motion and every change happens for a reason.
we have worked together for nearly ten years side by side. i have spent more time with her than my own family. we have navigated some pretty crazy days. we have shared our feelings through changing CEO's. entire leadership teams,  divestitures, acquisition's, all kinds of personal changes - graduations, weddings, the births of her 4 grandchildren, divorce, death of parents, surgeries, heartbreak, job loses, retirement and so on. she is honest and dedicated and loyal. i will miss our every day chats and so much more.
soo much more.

for her, it's a huge step. i am sure there is fear and uncertainty but more importantly it is filled with so much possibility. an opportunity to redesign the fourth quarter of her working years and i couldn't be happier for her.

when you see boundaries as opportunities, the world becomes a limitless place. positive change must come from the inside out. as i have gained experience and wisdom i know that change highlights the importance of each moment, nothing lasts forever. at any moment we can reset the stage, it is never to late to reinvent ourselves. we alone have this power.

i wish you all the best my sweet friend. i have been so lucky to have been on this journey with you for so long. thanks for making many of my days just a little bit brighter.

so long for now.


love sent, xo

seasons of life.

on friday we sat outside and ate lunch.  we were in providence to celebrate a wedding and it was so warm it felt just like summer again.  the sun felt like it will never warm our skin like this again for quite some time.  then today, autumn had surely arrived.  it takes me a little time to get used to the idea of a new season.  new people, new seasons, new places,  i need to get to know them a bit, we have to bond before i can fully embrace them.  but lately i have been spending more time in the kitchen craving the warmth of the stove, it feels so comforting and i do love fall.  thick soups, piping hot, seem so welcoming on a cool day and there is nothing better than sitting by a fire on a chilly night. so today i closed the windows and walked down a path filled with crunching leaves. tonight i made that piping hot soup and it was a great way to end the weekend. i think i am ready to commit to fall.

we had such a wonderful time at the wedding.  it was such a beautiful venue.  it totally felt like we 

were at a tropical island.  the roger william's botanical gardens are truly beautiful.

spending time with my favorite people happened at this gathering. such a special time, telling stories, sharing love, so many memories, and so many more to come. all the best Meg and Brian it was such a beautiful wedding. xoxo

and all along i believed i would find you.

love sent, xo

it's a beautiful day....

                                                          i think i want to marry you...

what an incredible wedding.  it was so much fun.  thanks sue and steve for hosting such a beautiful affair. congratulations to the amazing couple and wishing you a life time of happiness.  

days like these make us all stop and realize how truly lucky we are.  

my whole heart will be yours forever.  congratulations mr. & mrs. normandin.

                                                     stunning - love you guys...

                                                                 

                                          i love this picture, it really was a magical night. 

                            may the rest of your journey through life be as fun as your wedding!!!

love sent, xoxo