Happy Friday

Hello!  Not much to report here.  I just wanted to pop in and say that I'm happy that it's Friday and I'm looking forward to the weekend.  We are planning to go for take-out tacos for lunch tomorrow and maybe a stop into Trader Joe's for a few items and a nice bunch of fresh flowers.  They always have the best selection of flowers and you can't beat their prices.  It should be a nice and relaxing weekend.  

What are your plans for the weekend?  Stay warm and cozy, whatever you do.  It's going to be a cold one here with highs not above freezing.

Rosie got a haircut yesterday, and I don't think she's a big fan of it.  She's like, where did my winter coat go?  She's currently cozy and warm on her bed, snuggled up in her pink sweater.

It's a New Year

Hello!!  And Happy New Year, friends.  I am excited for the new year, and I'm hopeful it will bring good health, peace and contentment, some fun, new adventures and opportunities, and lots of happiness for my family.  What about you?  What are you excited about in this new year?

Our weather felt like spring/summer for most of December, and now it has turned (thank goodness), and we are expecting at least eight inches of snow on Sunday.  Yay!!  I'm so excited for some true winter weather - it's about time.   

Also, I purchased new chairs for our kitchen table online.  I love the color, almost a dark sage green.  I was expecting them to be a bit taller, but we've adjusted to the size, and I really do like them a lot.  Our dog teething on our old ones (which were white) and basically destroyed them when she was a puppy, a little over a year ago, so it was time to replace them.  Now, we will see if she leaves the new ones alone.  

Anyway, happy weekend.   I hope it's a nice and cozy one for you!  

Merry, Merry!

Merry Christmas, friends!  I hope you have a wonderful, joyful and peaceful holiday.

We've baked lots of cookies the past several days to gift to friends and family.  The house smells amazing.   We are about to start making Christmas Eve dinner - fillet mignon, cauliflower in a wonderful cheese and garlic sauce along with oven-baked potatoes.  It should be yummy indeed.

  

 

 

Cozy December Days

 Hi!  Hello everyone.  Oh my goodness, it's been a while since I've been in this space.  It seems that life has been busy over the past few months, and I'm very much looking forward to some downtime over the next few weeks.  Charlotte's Christmas break from school began today, so I think I'll celebrate with a nice glass of Prosecco tonight and everyone's favorite dinner: mushroom spinach lasagna with a toasted baguette.  I'm feeling kinda fancy, so maybe I'll make a rich, chocolate cake with a side of whipped cream, too! 

I've finished all of my Christmas shopping - still waiting for a few gifts to arrive over the next several days.  I mostly did my shopping online again this year.  What about you?  Have you finished your shopping?  Did you shop online or go out to shops?  It's so hard to believe that Christmas Eve is one week from today.  Where did the time go?  

Anyway, I've been baking some, which has been nice, and I'll bake again next week - probably gingerbread cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and likely another batch of cranberry bars.  I feel like Christmas is coming so fast that I just need to slow down and enjoy it before it slips away.  I do always love the week between Christmas and the New Year, though.  It just might be my favorite.  

I hope you are enjoying this wonderful time of year.  Take time for yourself - light a pretty candle, make a cup of nice tea or coffee and sit and enjoy it, read a book (I'm currently reading The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox and it is delightful, funny, and very festive!) or a nice magazine, watch a Christmas movie, go for a walk, take a nice, long hot bath, call a friend and catch up (I so need to call my dear friend who lives in California), indulge in yummy foods and treats.  Just slow down and be sure to make time for yourself during this busy season.

If I don't get a chance to pop back in before Christmas - Merry Christmas, everyone!!

Happy October

 Hello!!  And happy fall!  I've been away from this space for too long.  And where did the time go?  Once our daughter started school in person in mid-August life became really busy.  It's been a crazy start to the school year with certain grades going remote for a while and kids having to quarantine due to being exposed or unwell.  My daughter has missed seven days due to exposure from other kids.  I'm really thinking we should've homeschooled again this year.   I'm looking into it just in case we have to at some point.  I was really hoping children would have a normal start to school this year, but so far, not so much.  So, needless to say, these past six weeks have been super busy and stressful at times.  It's October though and fall has arrived, even though it's still much warmer here than I preferer, the calendar is telling me it is here.

As I was looking back through my photos, I realized I didn't have that many here lately.  I need to remember to pull my camera out more often.  We visited the local pumpkin stand last week and enjoyed picking out pumpkins, gourds, and this pretty mum, which is brightening up my front porch.  I love this time of year so much.  Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, followed by Christmas.  I love Thanksgiving because it's filled with wonderful food and family, and it's fairly low-stress compared to all the rushing around and shopping that comes with getting ready for Christmas.  I'm definitely getting excited for the holidays!  What about you?

I picked up a Starbucks coffee with cream and a pumpkin scone this morning after the school drop-off, and it was perfect.  I usually make coffee or a latte at home, but this morning I decided to treat myself.  Anyway, what are your plans for this first weekend of October?  Are you planning to cook or bake something cozy and fall-like?  I'm going to make Ina's apple spice cake this weekend, and I'm quite excited about it.  We will likely go for Mexican takeout and to our favorite little spot for lunch tomorrow, and maybe make another trip to Trader Joe's for some seasonal items.  I recently read about their seasonal pumpkin brioche bread and how it makes wonderful French toast, so I really want to try it.

Hope you have a lovely, cozy weekend!  Be back soon.  Take care.

How is it almost July?

 Hello everyone!  I didn't intend to be away from this space for so long.  Where did the time go?  Life got so busy with homeschooling my fifth grader the last few months of school that I really didn't have time for much else.  But we did it!  It wasn't the easiest year, but I am so proud of what we both accomplished.  Yay!

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is the first day of July.  The summer seems to be going by too quickly.  My daughter gets her bottom braces put on in the morning (she got the top set put on in March right before her birthday) and our shaggy dog gets groomed in the afternoon.  I know she is so ready for a cool, summer cut.  

We really don't have any big plans for the upcoming holiday weekend.  The weather is supposed to be amazing, so that will be nice.  We will probably barbeque on Sunday and head up to the mountains for the day either Saturday or Monday.  We were hoping to get away for a few days or even a week this summer, but I waited way too late to book something and now everything is booked.  And there seems to be a real shortage of pet-friendly accommodations as we were hoping to bring Rosie along with us.  Maybe something will pop up, if not, it's no big deal as we are just enjoying relaxing and not having to have much of a schedule.  

My little lettuce/flower garden is coming along nicely.  It's so nice to walk out to the backyard and pick a bouquet of flowers.  We've also been hitting up the farmers' market on the weekends as often as we can.  I just love a Saturday morning spent at the market.  There is a lady there that makes the most wonderful muffins.  Last time she had strawberry-lemon-cream cheese and they were fantastic!  

Oh, and we recently got a new kitchen island and it is a wonderful addition to our kitchen.  It is so nice to have a bit more storage.  It's also wonderful for rolling out pizza dough.

I hope you are having a great summer!  

Spring things

 

Just wanted to pop in and say hello!  I hope you all are well.  It's beginning to feel and look like spring here.  The trees are starting to blossom and daffodils are popping up everywhere.  Charlotte's birthday is coming up soon and we are planning to make a chocolate cake with pink frosting.  That's exciting!  I made a homemade pizza on Friday for the first time in a while and it turned out great.  I ordered the sweetest mugs and little bowl from Hogbon Pottery in England.  Everything I ordered is just so cute and very well made.  Well, I'm off to have another cup of tea and maybe go for walk and will likely eat a few more mini eggs.  It's a really good thing they are only available once a year!