Christmas Recap and Happy New Year

Wow!  I feel like I'm finally starting to bounce back from all the busyness of the holidays.  Charlotte came down with bronchitis the day after Christmas and strep throat for me the day after New Year's day.  It seems like for most of her Christmas break one of us was under the weather.   I think all the busyness of the holidays caught up with us.  Anyway, we had a nice Christmas.  We celebrated with my family at my brother and sister-in-law's house on Christmas Eve.  And there was snow, so that made it feel extra festive!

I think Charlotte got everything she asked Santa for - including a new bike.  This past weekend it was unseasonably warm for this time of year and she was able to get out and practice riding a bit. We have a chance for snow showers this coming Saturday, so go figure.

I've been taking it slow the past few days and resting a lot, as strep was much worse than I remembered.  I'm feeling much better today and seem to have a burst of energy, so I'm doing some much needed housework.  Also, I'm going to make out a big market list along with some meal planning.

I love to put the tree up along with all my Christmas decorations, but I'm always very ready to take it all down by New year's day and freshen up the house a bit.  Earlier last week, we made a trip to Ikea and bought a lovely new white china cabinet/bookcase.  I'll share photos with you soon!

Holiday Baking

The first week of December, I decided to bake cookies for some family and friends just as a little early Christmas gift.  I ended up with eighteen dozen cookies and four dozen bars.  I made Chocolate Crackle Cookies, Gingerbread Cookies, Coconut Meltaways, Frosted Sugar Cookies, White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies (my favorite), and Chocolate Layer Bars from the new Smitten Kitchen Every Day book.  It was so much fun and made the start of the holiday season feel extra special!

What are you baking this holiday season?

A Snow Day

We received fourteen inches of snow yesterday!  I think that's a record for us in December.  It definitely has made it feel more like Christmas.  Charlotte had a blast playing out in it and even built a snowman.  

She has the day off from school today, so we are staying inside where it's warm and cozy, eating cookies and drinking lots of hot tea.

  

Do you have snow where you are?

Feeling Festive

Hello friends!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  It's hard to believe that today is December 1st - really the start of the holiday season.  Charlotte was very excited to start on her Advent calendar this morning.  

We put our tree up last weekend, as we always do right after Thanksgiving.  The house is feeling very festive and cozy, and I love it.  Have you started decorating for Christmas?

We are planning to see the Nutcracker play in two weeks and we are so looking forward to it.  I really need to order our Christmas cards, so I can get them addressed and in the mail before Christmas.  Still lots of little things to do before the big day, and a few more gifts to buy.

I'm baking about fourteen, or maybe more, dozen cookies and bars for friends and family next week and a few will be shipped to friends on the west coast.  I'm looking forward to two full days of baking, and I'll be sure to share photos of all my baked goodies.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, whatever you are doing.  Charlotte is at a birthday party now and has another to attend this afternoon.  I'm looking forward to relaxing with some Thai takeout, a glass of prosecco, and a Christmas movie tonight after all the busyness today!

  

Oh, Charlotte's new pink heart flannel sheets are keeping her warm and cozy on these cold, winter nights.  I might need a set for our bed, too!

Happy New Year!!

Hello!  And Happy New Year!!  Just dusting off my blog a bit - it's been almost Two years since I last posted.  Wow, I suppose life just got really busy and then there is Instagram, so I seem to be posting mostly there these days.  But I miss blogging and hope to pop back in more often this year.

We had a wonderful Christmas with our families and a very Happy New Year!  Oh, and I made some yummy dutch oven bread this past week which has been perfect toasted and topped with butter.  Also, making lots of soups and chili and spaghetti with homemade meatballs, as the weather has been very cold and blustery for the past few weeks.  We've also written thank you notes for gifts and bought a new lovely calendar for the kitchen.  It's winter and I love it!  Hopefully, we will get another snow before it's over.  My eight year old has her fingers crossed!

Christmas Recap and Happy New Year

We celebrated Christmas Eve with my family at my brother and sister-in-law's home in Blowing Rock, and their home was decorated beautifuly for the holidays, as always.  Charlotte had a wonderful Christmas and was spoiled with many wonderful gifts from my family.  We enjoyed a delicious Christmas Eve dinner consisting of caesar salad, prime rib, twice baked potatoes, creamed spinach, and an absolutely divine raspberry cheesecake, prosecco and good wine!  I loved spending the evening with my family.  We were missing my grandparents this year, as my grandfather has been quite ill.  I had a nice visit with him today at Hospice which is where he is now living.  

We are enjoying a cozy and quiet New Year's Eve at home.  I am feeling very blessed, content, and thankful this evening.  And I am looking forward to an AWESOME New Year ahead!!

Happy New Year, friends!!

I wish you all peace, good health, and much happiness in 2015!!!!!

December

December has been a very busy month so far!  A visit to the gingerbread house, baking cookies with friends, lots of hot tea for mom, lots of hearty soups and stews simmering on the stove, Christmas shopping, and Christmas parties.  I got sick last week with a yucky upper respiratory/sinus infection which put me a bit behind, but I'm catching up this week.  I've finished my shopping, and just need to finish wrapping our gifts.  

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas filled with lots of family and friends, joy and laughter, peace and happiness, and good food!!