A SURPRISE PARTY

for a Soul Sister and I couldn't be there - sniff, sniff.
BUT, I did make her birthday cake.I love those fun, tall candles!

OUR COMMUNITY LIVE NATIVITY

and Music Festival is amazing! This is the 10th year and it gets bigger and better every year!
Outside is the live nativity, with yes, a real camel to my man clan's delight. And, inside beautiful paintings of Christ, musical presentations from school choirs and a gorgeous creche exhibit with hundreds of different creche's from around the world. All the paintings and creche's on display are on loan for this festival by people in our local community.
It is seriously amazing, and if you didn't get a chance to go last night - go tonight! You'll be so glad you did!

DEAR SANTA

I've been thinking about what I want for Christmas and at the top of my list is SLEEP.
I want to sleep until noon. Uninterrupted sleep. Quiet sleep. I can't remember the last time I've awakened at noon and it sounds glorious!

REVEILLON DINNER

Yayas is always extra special in December because we celebrate Brenda's birthday and we do our Christmas celebration.
This year Cindy introduced us to a reveillon dinner. We had a 4 course meal with all the fixings. Atmosphere and food were perfect.
We did an ornament exchange this year and Jamie got me this coton de tulear ornament - seriously, how cute is it?!

And, the man clan went gaga. Now we need to get our Christmas tree!

VEGAN COCONUT CAKE

for Brenda's birthday is what I'm taking to Yayas tonight.
If it's 'okay', I'm never making it again.
If it's amazing, I'll think about it.
It smells heavenly.

SOUL SISTERS

Thank heavens for birthdays so we can have delicious birthday lunches with our gorgeous, awesome, inspiring, funny friends.
Wild Pear, you make my taste buds dance.
Wendy, I'm so glad you're in the 40 club.
Soul Sisters, thank you for making my cheeks hurt from smiling.

HAPPY DECEMBER

image via Rocky Top Studios

Crisp air, twinkling lights, remembering the true meaning of Christmas, hot cocoa, jingling bells, roaring fires, ho ho ho's, mistletoe and carols.

December makes me happy.

DEAR FATHER CHRISTMAS

I have siblings in Scotland, Alaska and Idaho and I miss them.

I'd love this web cam so we can chatitee chat chat.

ROASTED SPICED POTATOES

Three words - scrumptious, delicious, yummy!


6 potatoes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced

Peel and slice the potatoes into wedges. Put them in a bowl and mix with the olive oil, paprika, cumin, salt and black pepper. Coat well.

Place on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until done, turning once.

Meanwhile, mix the cilantro, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl. When the potatoes are baked, toss them with the cilantro mixture and serve.

NOVEMBER AND GRATITUDE

seem to go hand in hand but I want to have an attitude of gratitude year round and I am starting that resolution now and not in January.

One of my favorite quotes is: "To express gratitude is gracious and honorable; to enact gratitude is generous and noble; but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is a touch of heaven." -President Thomas S. Monson

And I loved this one I just read yesterday: "Be thankful for the setbacks because they come from the same place as the blessings." -Gabby Reece's high school Bible teacher Mr. Strickland

I have a lot to be grateful for, I know that. I try hard not to take them for granted, but I know with some of them I do - I'll be working on that.

Things I'm Grateful For
(in no particular order)

*Our humble lair
*My man clan
*My awesome family near & far
*My heritage
*Puppy love
*My eye sight
*Friends that accept me and "the season" I'm in
*A Heavenly Father that loves me
*Pure maple syrup
*My whirlwind days
*Laughter
*Belly roll laughing
*Modern medicine & medical professionals
*Double armed tight hugs
*Roaring fires
*Snow angels
*The seasons
*Positive & inspiring people
*Smiles

FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS

my father and I have had the tradition of getting together and decorating the "off limits to children due to breakables" tree.
It's a fun thing the two of us do. We listen to Trans-Siberian Orchestra and decorate the tree with my parents gorgeous ornaments.
Can you believe December is just a few days away?!
I'm really not ready. Are you?

TIME LAPSE PHOTOS

were one the agenda for Adam squared, so we went to Silver Creek Falls and got the surprise of seeing snow.It was a gorgeous and fun afternoon, despite the cold rain. Needless to say, we got drenched.

AN IMPROMTU

Biore strip party and we had a winner that beat us by a landslide. The winner starts with Adam and ends with Colton.This one was much less painful than the last impromptu party.

FULL BELLIES, LAUGHTER, LOVE

and shenanigans is what our Thanksgiving consisted of. Hope yours was awesome too!

WE SPENT

Thanksgiving morning at the park enjoying the crisp air and energetic family fun, while others were playing TurkeyBowl.Aren't these mittens the coolest? I love them!
PS - A couple family members got pooped out.