Friday Potpourri

It's all about the love this weekend

and although there will be no presents or flowers

or candy ~ Lord knows we still have chocolate left over from Christmas

it will be about love

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we are actually headed out for supper tonight

beat the rush ~ is that bad

does that mean we are getting old?

truth be told I need a weekend at home

as last week was a hectic one

the kind that when Sunday night arrives you proclaim

that you need a day off

yeah ~ it was like that

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so dinner out tonight 

means I get to cook a special meal tomorrow 

I am thinking scallops and pasta

tossed with a light sauce ~ I will come up with something

we will exchange cards then curl up on the couch

watch a movie and just be

I love my boy

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something sweet will be in the works

may be an old standby or something new

time will tell

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Valentines is not huge for us

as we show the love all 365 days of the year

I do love hearts

and candy and flowers though

show the love this today and tomorrow and the next

and have a wonderful weekend

Friday Potpourri

Well ~ it is Friday and I am back

you better mark this one on your calendars!

I am attempting to be better this year

taking care of those things that mean the most

including myself

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this week we had a blizzard

a snow day for me ~ so I stayed in my pjs

snuggled on the couch ~ read ~ watched a movie

ate soup and drank tea

36 cm of snow and wind making sky high drifts

life was better inside

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of course that means playing catch up at work

and overtime but not too much

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after sitting on my butt nursing said cold the past 2 weekends

I am hoping to get a few things done this week

I did make this soup last Sunday and it was amazing

like I wanted it every night this week

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some cookie making and fabric gathering

maybe some planning and cutting

I have talked about it every single winter ~ maybe this is the time

we will see if my quilt will actually make it past the dream stages

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some reading and resting is required

I do know that or my cold and I will be back at square one

have a great weekend!

Friday Potpourri

Well hello there

where on earth has January gone?

I for one am sitting here scratching my head

trying to figure it all out

like ~ didn't I just pack up Christmas

well yes I did and that goes to show you 

that time marches on whether we are ready for it or not

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after having some much needed time off over Christmas and New Years

we went back to work and although it usually slows down this time of year

we have been crazy busy ~ working overtime 

and then I got sick

yeah ~ not so great

I did make a pom pom garland while I was camped out on the couch

it is not hung yet ~ but I will get there..... soon

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it has been a month of nesting and soup making

long baths ~ reading

our weather has gone from bitter cold to rainy and mild

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this one is on my agenda for the weekend

sounds yummy

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and bread too ~ just maybe

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snowstorm in the forecast for the weekend

so nest and cook and maybe some baking

but rest for sure ~ gotta kick this cold to the curb.

Have a great weekend.

A New Day

What does the new year mean to you?

do you look at it as a time to reflect on the past year

your accomplishments ~ things that made you smile

and things that broke your heart?

or do you see a fresh new page

this is your story ~ your life

do you want to make some changes

be the change ~ make things happen?

I do a little of both....

when I look back at the last year I see that I only posted 35 times

wow ~ not like me at all

I did take a step back from blogging ~ I always said that if it felt like work

I was not going to do it 

but I missed it

I blogged the important things

documented celebrations like Katrina's prom and graduation

time spent with Gina and the boys

my God daughter ~ Jillian's wedding 

my trip to Toronto to celebrate my fav Aunt & Uncle's anniversary

I absolutely love this picture of Gina and I!

and then some sad times too

my FIL ~ Lee's passing and losing a friend to violence

so when I look back on 2014

it was a year of uncertainty but we came out the other side

and the sun is shining ~ we adjust to the new normal

we pack up the tinsel and the baubles and the bows

clean the slate ~ pull out the new box of crayons

and make it happen

I have not picked a word

I have not made any resolutions

I have not yet set any goals

we are going to take each day ~ one day at a time

and live it ~ love it ~ be thankful for it

Thank you for being there for me throughout the year

I so love this community and the people I have met through blogging

Cheers to 2015!

Christmas Greetings

I needed a touch of red 

and since my camera is collecting dust

it was Pinterest to the rescue

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the tree is trimmed ~ finally!  

better late than never this year I say

the halls are decked ~ cookies made

menus planned and I wrapped the final gift last night

the house is clean and ready for company

thanks to hubby for the help with that one

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tomorrow night we will gather around the table

both mom's and one brother

then we head to church

everyone is spending the night

not sure if that was a good idea but we will make the best of it

then we will have 7 on Christmas Day

as the girls will join us

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that night we will go to my mil's

for munchies and gifts

I am sure I will reflect on past years

and miss Lee just a little more than usual

I purchased little pewter frame ornaments this year

and put a pic of him in each

ours in on the tree and I gave my mil hers on Sunday night

she cried ~ she loved it

I am so glad that she did

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tonight I did some food prep

and checked my list

I am cozied on the couch with my family

and watching the tail end of Polar Express again

love that movie

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Wishing you a very Merry Christmas

and the happiest of holidays

the magic of Santa

and blessings as we celebrate the real reason for the season

Happy Birthday Jesus

xoxo

Comparison

I have been on the blog trail this week

looking through all the beautiful homes on a

holiday house walk

it can inspire you or deflate you

a little green with envy at some

then I went on instagram and read these words

Comparison is the thief of joy...during this time of year when you see so many gorgeous homes decorated beautifully from top to bottom, it's easy to fall into the comparison trap and feel 'less' or not 'as good' etc. It just happened to me...But it's so important for us to keep the focus on why it is we adorn our homes in the first place. It's something that during the chaos of boxes and lights and pine needles and gift wrap and good store deals gets too easily lost. We have been given Christmas to spread the good news and to sprinkle love, kindness and compassion to those around us...it is my hope for you and me to keep this front and center as we enter the holiday season. xoxo

Wow ~ she nailed it ~ she really did

the person that said it was Lucy from Craftberry Bush

she touched on it again in her blog post as she was part of the holiday house walk

I have not been following her feed for a long time

but that night I was so glad I did

you see I decorated the house last weekend

all but the mantle and centerpieces are done

and we will only go out on Sunday for the tree

my house will never be one to participate in a house walk

but it is home ~ the little trinkets I placed out on Saturday

spark a memory and bring me joy

and you know ~ that is what Christmas is all about

so year after year

I will put basically the same things in the same spots

I will put my tree up 2 weeks before Christmas

I will bake cookies ~ the ones we love

and only seem to make this time of year

I will buy my Mom cherry chocolates

because my Dad used to buy her one every year

and I love carrying on that tradition for her

I will wrap the gifts and curl the ribbon

listening to Elvis Christmas music

because I love it so

when I take these ornaments out of the box

and place them in this big vase I will remember that they hung

on the big tree at the farm

and be grateful that my Aunt gave them to me

this year we will make new memories

there will be an empty chair

we will miss my father in law like crazy

but we will be blessed because we will be together

Happy weekend.