Quiet beginning

Our New Year was very quiet and laid back.

I wanted the color theme to be in whites and the focus on just relaxing and enjoy our friends.







White flowers in the winter, right after the holiday of green and red, was a bit of a challenge. The selection isn't all the glorious.





The men did all the cooking for the evening. We were treated to some yummy appetizers ~ I was too busy talking and forgot to take pictures.

My husband made a beef tenderloin with shrimp and scallop skewers on the side. We also had garlic mashed and green beans with fresh basil and lemon zest. Kevin is a great cook. If only he had more time to share those skills.

Why is it that everything takes so amazing when you don't have to do the cooking?



Life is back to normal in our home. Well, at least our normal :)

Hope your New Year is off to a great start!

I'm finishing up my goals for 2011 and will share those later.

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Holidays 2011

We are going to pretend that I am ultra organized and have already begun planning for next Christmas {please insert major humor and lateness of this post.}
Yep, that's what we're doing here.

I am self taught on the sewing machine despite the many attempts my mother made to teach me. Trust me, it wasn't pretty! Over the years I've learned to make curtains, shades, and various other projects for our home. However, anything that involves a pattern doesn't end well!

When Tessa posted that she had made stockings for her family my ears and eyes perked right up. I've been looking for white stockings for the past few years. I'm a little picky and I didn't want something that everyone else had in their homes.




Upon entering the dining room my husband presented two thoughts ...

First thought ~

K: Whatcha doing?

J: I'm making new Christmas stockings.

K: I wasn't aware that we needed new stockings.

J: Oh you silly man!




Second thought ~

K: Why aren't you doing this in your art room?

J: Ummm, have you seen that room lately? I think someone broke in and vandalized it; seriously!

Focus on the task ... almost done ... Santa arrives in a few hours; no pressure ... what was I thinking? ... no worries, we have back ups ... or do we? ... did I donate our stocking with the last bags to Goodwill? ... I can do this ... what time do the stores close on Christmas Eve?





Tessa assured me this was an easy project and that I would have no problems creating my own.


Was she aware that I would attempt this on Christmas Eve? In the afternoon no less? Did she know I would be mauled with questions by my husband? ;)





Finished and hung by the fireplace just in time!

I love how they turned out!
The monogram is just the perfect touch ~ such a clever idea of hers.




Santa was impressed with my skills {ha!} and filled it up to the tippy top.




I am loving our new family stockings. They are one of a kind and made with love. My brother wants me to make them for his family.

Not a problem since I'm ahead of the game this year! ;)

Thanks Tessa :)

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Dear friends

Wishing you all health and happiness in the New Year!


{A goofy picture of us taken while out with friends this week}

We are spending the evening with a few good friends here in our home. In keeping with our low key holiday season, we opted to have a nice dinner safe at home. Kevin is making {most of } dinner and the other husbands are bring appetizers and sides. The new year is already off to a good start in opinion :)

Happy 2011 to all!

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What goes up ...

must come down.

I spent the better part of the day putting away our Christmas decorations.

My heart really wasn't in all the hoopla of the holidays this year. There really isn't a reason that I can put my finger on. I just couldn't keep the spirit going for very long.

I was ready to take it all down the day after {actually before if I'm being honest with ya} Christmas but I talked myself into trying to enjoy it a for a few more days now that  all the hype is over.

Nope, didn't work. It was becoming a source of major stress.
















So, bright and early, I began the laborious process of dismantling the displays, pulling out the bins, wrapping the ornaments and tucking away the ever growing amount of holiday decorations. Whew!

After the roads were travel ready, from the blizzard, my hubby and I went tree shipping. We found a beautiful artificial {fake} Christmas tree. For various reasons ~ allergies being the biggest ~ we decided this would be the year to purchase an alternative decoration {my friend's description of fake trees} for next Christmas.



I offered to save this in a zip lock as a special reminder for my husband :)

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A few of my favorites

This is one of the many traditions my family has for Christmas. It's been passed down many generations. I have some on my tree that my great grandmother gave to me. Each year in our stockings,  Santa leaves a special ornament. I look forward to unwrapping this special gift every Christmas morning. This is only a small sampling of our collection.

One day when my son has a home of his own, with bittersweet emotions, I will pack up his hand selected ornament collection to decorate his Christmas tree.

Each ornament has a story, a memory or some significance.

Humpty Dumpty ~ When Nicholas was just a little guy I made him a humpty dumpty costume for Halloween. He was adorable if I do say so :)

Ice Skates ~When I was younger I took skaking lessons for many years. I even got to skate with the MSU hockey team ~ what a thrill!

Santa at the grill ~ Our yearly Oktoberfest with my husband manning the sausage on the grill.

Suitcase ~ My husbands never ending {or it seems} travel.

Bull dogs ~ Our bullies Max, Bozley and little Bentley.

Reindeer ~ My mother made him when I was a little girl and loved Rudolph.

Mitten ~ I have many as reminders that I'm from Michigan. They are very thoughtful gifts from friends and family.

Naval officer ~ My husband's college and career memories

Cupcake person~ Sweet gifts for those I'm always making and sharing cupcakes with throughout the year.

Santa mug ~ My parents gave my brother and I Santa mugs when we were very young. We drank hot cocoa from them and when they weren't in use, they displayed our candy canes.

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Let it snow ...

          let it snow,  let it snow

We've had blizzard warnings here in Connecticut since last night for our area. There was a light dusting on the ground Christmas night but nothing to really get excited about.







We are singing a different tune now. The wind is picking up, the snow is falling a little faster and the roads are really slick. Kevin and I went out this morning and on our way home we saw 3 accidents along with numerous sliding and one very impressive spin out by a small truck. He handled it well and no one got hit or hurt. That's all it took for us to head straight home.

There is a cozy fire being tended by my husband, I'm making a pot chili for supper and most importantly ...

We are stocked for the blizzard of 2010 with plenty of red wine and chocolate! :)
{milk and bread are so overrated ~ ha!}


Stay warm and cozy.

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Joyeux Noel

                                        Joyeux Noel



              Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Christmas filled with love, peace and joy!

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