Merry Christmas!

 Hi dear friends. I wanted to hop on and wish everyone a Merry Christmas while I'm having a little downtime this evening. Charlotte and I along with my mom got manicures yesterday and it was so nice to treat ourselves. I haven't had a manicure in forever. I love having painted nails, especially at Christmastime.

 I started my cookie baking today and I'll bake a different cookie each day for the next three days to gift to friends and family for Christmas and some to enjoy ourselves, of course. I'll be making gingerbread cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies (as pictured above), and white chocolate cranberry bars. Also, I still need to wrap all the gifts. I've yet to wrap anything!

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas! May your days be peaceful, happy, and bright!

Our Christmas Wreath

 We usually buy a fresh, green wreath for Christmas, but since they've dried out so quickly the past few years we decided to buy an artificial one this year. I think it's cute! I added the gingham ribbon to make it a bit more festive. Do you buy a fresh wreath or do you go with an artificial one?

December Sunset

The sky was so gorgeous a few evenings ago that I just had to run outside and snap a picture of this beautiful sunset. Hope you enjoy it! 

It's rained here all weekend and I'm desperately missing the sun. We are staying in today and making chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies. I'll try to share those with you soon. They are a favorite here and I make them every Christmas. Happy Sunday!

It's December

 

Happy December, friends! December really snuck up on me this year, but here it is. Our tree is up and it's beginning to feel festive indeed. I feel that this season is so short and goes by too quickly so I'm trying to be in the moment and enjoy every second of it. It's so dreary and foggy today so I decided to brighten things up and switch the outside Christmas lights on by mid-day. Not my favorite kind of weather, but it will pass and the lovely sunshine and blue skies will be back soon. How's the weather where you are? Have you had snow yet?

It's cranberry season and I made my first batch of white chocolate cranberry bars this week and needless to say, they only lasted two days. They are so good and everyone loves them. I always gift these to friends and family every December as everyone always looks forward to receiving them.

So what have I been up to lately: Watching lots and lots of Christmas movies and also Hidden Coastal Villages on Prime - I love that show! Christmas shopping - mostly online. Although we did go out for lunch yesterday followed by a little shopping which was so nice. We went to a few cute shops as you can see in the first photo above along with Williams Sonoma which is one of my very favorite shops - I could spend hours in there! Homeschooling and the usual weekly karate classes for Charlotte. Spending lots of time in the kitchen cooking and baking. Walks outside almost every day when it's not raining that is. Making and drinking several cups of hot tea every day mostly elderberry and Earl Grey and taking the time to sit quietly and enjoy them. And that's about it. What have you been up to? Please do tell me.

 Hope you are having a wonderful first weekend of December! Be sure to make time for yourself during this busy season - watch a movie, sit quietly and read a book, play a favorite game, take the time to make comforting, healthy meals for yourself and your family, take a walk, enjoy a nice coffee or cup of tea, or hot chocolate, it's Christmas after all. It's so important that we take care of ourselves and treat ourselves during this busy time of year. Here's to a season filled with contentment, joy, and peace.

 

Our Favorite Pumpkin Pie

 

Hi. I hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday! The weather is perfect here today - mostly sunny and 67 degrees. Since Thanksgiving is coming up in just over a week I wanted to share our favorite pumpkin pie recipe. I've been making this recipe for years and it turns out perfect every single time and the praline sauce really does make this pie. I actually made it today just because we love it so much. I hope you make it soon!

And sweet little Rosie patiently waiting next to her harness and leash for someone to take her for a walk. So off I go. Have a great day!

Apple and Cheddar Crisp Salad

 

Happy Monday! I have to say I'm not a fan of the new time change. I miss the daylight in the evenings and since I'm not a morning person I actually get less daylight now - no fun. But in a few weeks we'll put up the Christmas tree and all the lights will make the dark evenings bright and cozy. 

I really wanted to share this delicious salad I made for dinner last night. It's perfect for this time of year. It incorporates kale, apple, cheddar cheese, and almonds. It would also be nice to serve for Thanksgiving dinner as it has all the cozy, fall vibes. I hope you make it soon!

Cozy Days

 Hi everyone! We've been having the most gorgeous weather lately. It's been sunny for days and while the days have been a bit warm, it cools off nicely at night - perfect sleeping weather. Really the perfect weather if you ask me. How's the weather where you are? 

Let's see... what have we been up to - homeschooling, lots of walks outside every opportunity we get, buying gorgeous dahlias from the farmers market, making lots of cappuccinos and cups of hot tea, decorating the porch for fall, taking a trip to the mountains over the weekend, and spending lots of time in the kitchen for me. It's honestly my happy place and with so much going on in the world right now I'm finding I want to spend even more time there. It's so relaxing and comforting to me. I made our favorite lasagna for dinner tonight and a batch of pumpkin muffins with a cinnamon glaze to have for snacks and breakfast. They are perfect alongside a cup of coffee. I'm looking forward to having one in the morning! 

I have to admit I've already jumped on the Hallmark Christmas movie train. Hallmark began airing Christmas movies last Friday and I couldn't wait to start watching. Although I'm not at all ready to decorate for Christmas anytime soon, I'm beginning to get excited about it. What about you? Are you beginning to think of Christmas or are you in full fall mode?

Hope you are having a cozy day!

Happy Autumn and What I've Been Cooking

 

Happy Autumn! I hope you are enjoying this new season and I hope the weather feels cooler than it does here. I think it's in the mid 80's today. We've had a few somewhat cooler days here and there and I have taken advantage of each one by being in the kitchen. There are so many cozy meals I love to cook, but not in hot weather. I have entered my season for cooking. It's my favorite time of year to be in the kitchen, really from now through the holidays.

So, in order from above I'll list what I've made, but won't include the recipes. Please leave a comment if there's a particular recipe you would like and I'll be sure to get it over to you.

First up: Homemade Meatballs in Marinara Sauce - a favorite around here, next is a Honey Cake which was delicious, Another favorite is Baked Ziti with Ricotta, Apple Crisp which might just be the best apple crisp I've ever made, Skillet Ravioli with Spinach - very easy and delicious, and last, Zucchini Pesto Lasagna which was time-consuming to make, but very worth it in the end.

So, what have you been cooking/baking lately? I'd love to hear about it. 

Late Summer

 

Hi friends. I hope you have all had a nice summer. I'm seeing signs of late summer all around me. Although it's still very warm here, everything is beginning to slowely fade and the sun is setting earlier in the evenings. Autumn is just around the corner. In some ways I'm ready for it and in others I'm just not quite there. I will miss the longer days, but I also love the coziness that comes along with autumn. I also love cooking in autumn. It's probably my favorite time of year to cook all the warm and hearty meals that I love to make. I couldn't wait any longer and whipped up a batch of pumpkin cupcakes this week and they were spot on. So, as you can see, I'm slowly warming up to that fact autumn will be here before I know it. Are you ready for the change in season or are you holding on to summer for as long as possible?

Above photos: Scenes from our family card game night which is always so much fun! A well-deserved beer at the end of a very long week two weeks ago. Sweet Rosie cuddling her favorite toy. And Rosie freshly groomed with cute bows that only lasted about an hour! Late summer garden. A cute new mug which I treated myself to. Also, not pictured, but I'm happy to say I received good results at a follow-up appointment earlier this week. Thank you, God, for an answered prayer.

We will begin homeschooling again on September 5th, just about two weeks away. We are excited and looking forward to getting back into a daily routine. We are also trying to get in a few day trips here and there over the next few weeks before the busyness of school takes over. Happy late summer!

I hope to get back to more regular blogging. I'd like to start posting more meals I make and baked goods along with recipes. I'm planning to make a meatloaf for dinner tonight along with roasted potatoes with pancetta. Sounds perfect for a cozy, Sunday evening dinner, doesn't it?

 

Happy 4th of July!

 

Happy 4th! I hope you are having a nice day celebrating and staying cool at the same time. We will be grilling hot dogs later this evening followed by strawberry ice cream topped with blueberry sauce and whipped cream - I can't wait! And then we'll go watch the local fireworks display. Happy Birthday, America!

Sunshine and Palm Trees

 

Hi! We are back from vacation in sunny, south Florida. This post is full of blue skies, palm trees, and sunshine - my favorite things! We had the best time and it was so nice to get away. We swam, took lots of walks, ate most all of our meals outdoors, enjoyed warm weather and sun every day, and just had a lovely time.