Sunday Happy

Hello, hello, hey hey hey!

So how are we all doing? Enjoying all the enjoyment and taking the time to relax and be merry and all the good stuff? I sure hope so, at least for a little while at some point in your time. And now we are in the home stretch. Just a few more days and New Years. Can you even believe it? Another year gone by and into a new, shiny and fresh one. Goodbye 2019, and heeeeello 2020. Be good to us!

So the week. What a week. There was so much going on that I can’t even remember it all. Besides a little bit of this and a little bit of that, there was night time light drives, long walks, a few little craft projects, food shopping hell runs (I thought I was in the clear when I didn't have to do much of any shopping for Christmas presents but then after spending an afternoon grocery shopping a couple days before Christmas , I realized that food shopping might actually have been worse then any other store. People were ruthless and crazy and just about foaming at the mouth!). There was baking cookies, and cake, cooking food for normal consumption, cleaning and just get ready for all the holiday stuff.

Christmas Day/Camerons Birthday came. The mr and I spent a little time just the two of us in the morning, trying to take it easy (the mr was kind of sick) until the house filled up. And filled with family it did, and it was great. Food, music, a little gift exchange and then birthday cake for the birthday boy (16 like what!?) We hung out, played with new toys, Megan helped me do some dishes, and then everyone got sick of each other and were exhausted and left. (I love when they come, but I also love when they leave. ♥️) Then the mr and I power cleaned for a while (the house wasn’t too bad this time) before sitting dow to do our own Christmas stockings. I got him a new hatchet, some crocs (so he will stop wearing mine), made him a shrinky dink trout needle minder and stuffed some candy and kiwis in there for good measure. Me, well the mr embroidered me a napkin with so much love, carved me the most beautiful salad serving spoons, added in some crazy fruits, purple carrots, and a couple bulbs of black garlic. The napkin and spoons are amazing and my favorite, but the black garlic…holy crap, that shit is AMAZING! I have limited myself to eating only a couple cloves a day, when what I really want to do is just eat it all at once. So good!

And then Anthonys birthday was the next day. Spend half of it making his cake with homemade caramel and decorating it all fancy like. Then there was his party (he is 18, wtf?!). Jeff Dad had just got into town then too so I talked to him a while, and then home we went for a little crash. Friday I spend the day doing some work and baking for Saturday and second family Christmas. It was a blink of a day because all of a sudden it was Saturday and I still had to go grocery shopping for more food and get more food ready, again. Da ja vu for real.

And so they came, again. Shannnon and I had it down and made a million mini pizzas. People were then fed and then we played, exchanged a few presents with dad, had more cake and cookies, and then they all left.. This time we were not so lucky and I was stuck with cake and sticky stuff all over the floors and light switches. The bathrooms were a disaster and the recycling/compost/ even the garbage can were over flowing. Again, not as bad as past family get togethers, but the mr and I definitely spent the rest of the night cleaning. And I still am not quite done yet. {the floors need a second moping and the rug needs another good vacuum… and some other stuff, but you don’t care so why am I telling you?)

Anyway, so I am ready for a freaking break. Today I am going spend a few hours at the gym saying goodbye to the old building {last day at the current location because they built a new one) then I am going to go have coffee and bring cake to my mom, come home to make one more birthday cake for the week, and then crash. I don’t want to do anything by curl up on the couch with tea, my book, which I barely have had time to even open this week, and chill the f out. One more brtihday party this week and then I am done. Hopefully this crazy storm we are suppose to get tonight will be all snow and we will end up with feet upon feet and be stuck in out own separate homes for days… One can only hope. Haha!

Links from my time on the internet.

-People Can't Even Agree On When The Decade Ends. I never even thought about the logic. I guess it isn’t really the end of a decade, is it? What are your thought?

-Speaking of decades . The Top 10 Food Trends of the Entire Decade

-This would be the perfect cabin for me to hide in.

-Are You Cleaning Your Couches Enough? I AM!

-I made the mr a needle minder with shrinky dink paper.. Don’t tell me it’s not magic! The Science of Shrinky Dinks

-We have a Christmas baby in out family. Not sure how he really feels about it. I know I would hate it, but that is because I like to hide on my birthday. Can’t hide on Christmas. The Christmas Baby’s Dilemma

-The most environmentally-friendly ways to get rid of your Christmas tree I think we are going to feed ours to some goats.

-An Expert's Advice on Coping With Post-Holiday Depression and the Dreaded January Slump.

-It’s that time of year where people often to forget to drink…WATER Effects of Dehydration to Your Body

-Cabbage Is Your Next Great Vegetable Crush. Cabbage is half my diet (I for real eat a head of day). It really is the best. Cooked, raw, leaves peeled back and then dipped in mustard. The possibilities are endless and so delicious.

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Holly, jolly, fa la la. It’s all the holidays and are we all just so excited and happy? It’s ok if you are not, but don’t tell me not to be and listen to Christmas music and bake all the cookies. I am gonna do it and really try to just enjoy it all and be happy. Easier said then done for sure, but I am committed this year. I will not get grouchy. No, that will come after the holidays when the family leaves and I find food crushed into my couch cushions or pieces of candy in my plants. Then my friends, all bets are off.

The week has been fast and plentiful of plenty. Besides the stuff of normal life as usual, we did a quick dinner at Moms. Ryan came over too to bake cookies with my mom which was just to funny. (He was able to dirty up more measuring cups then I knew my mom even owned.) I have also been to the studio a few times over the week, trying to get last minute things done, sold a few rainbows, loaded a kiln. At home we have dutifully watched the amaryllis bloom, decorated the Christmas tree (about time, only took us 2 weeks), and baked things that needed baking (cookies and cakes. duh). And I picked up the last farm share of the year which has already got me dipping hard into the freezer stock of produce so I can stretch out the fresh stuff that I got. No farm pick up for 3 weeks… There is gonna be a lot of frozen zucchini happening around for sure.

And yay for us, we finally sent out all of our Christmas cards that needed to be sent and dropped off the ones that could be dropped off. There was a lot of chatting and catching up with old friends and neighbors and we got to see some pretty fantastical Christmas trees along the way. Best card drop off happened when we stopped over at Erins to hang with the littles and give them there card. Coco took it upon himself to use the card as a hat. That kid. Too freaking cute and practical to boot.

Then the rest of the week has been just same old with a little extra this and that. Yup, just living the life and trying to be present and just enjoy.

Sunday. Already and finally. The mr and I are going to get a few more things done that need doing before Christmas and the family descends.. I am going to do all the grocery shopping for actual Christmas Day, which could possible turn into a mental melt down (I have to go go Costco and I am scared of the potential for crowds of crazy people). The mr is still finishing up the build on the new stairs at the loft so my dad doesn’t fall and die when he is over there, and I think we both have a thing or two we need to do without each other. I actually am all set, just waiting to pick up the ONE freaking package that I ordered online 3 weeks ago that was suppose to be shipped to the store a week ago and it is no where to be found. I order one thing, ONE THING, from the internet and it went badly. So frustrating, but oh well, what can you do. Other then that, I am going to the gym, maybe hit the library, defiantly a long ass walk either around here or preferably in some woods. And after dinner tonight, I think the plan is for a little Christmas lights drive. Got to see the lights!

Happiest Happy Merry Holidays to you all!!! Have all the relaxing and fun you possibly can.

Internet for your enjoyment.

-The $100 billion reason not to return gifts this holiday season. Or reasons to not buy anything at all!

-Dying food with food just makes sense. How to Make Natural Food Dyes

-Yes I still call them snow tires and probably always will. But this is some good information for the next time I buy snow, I mean, winter tires. Everything you thought you knew about winter tires but didn’t.

-I want to live here. A Tiny Cabin in the Woods For Creative Homesteaders In Vermont

-How to Flake Gracefully. Or go a step further and just never make plans, but then you risk not having friends……🤷🏻‍♀️

-Handmade gifts wrapped in old newspaper. Best way to go. Here’s Why Messily Wrapped Presents Are Sometimes Better Than Neat Ones

-Barack Obama Says Women Could Solve Many Of World's Problems — Which Men Have Caused. He really is a smart guy. Oh how I miss him.

-I know my house is going to be getting trashed a lot this week so I am going to chill on the cleaning and do a crazy deep clean after all the holiday crazy. I already have a list going of things I want to do. 29 Things You Don’t Have to Clean Until January 6

-I don’t eat candy, but the mr does and he is all about sour candy, especially sour patch kids. I don’t really get it, but whatever floats his (or your) boat. A formal taxonomy of sour candies

-The healing powders of food are real.15 Kitchen Herbs and Spices with Powerful Health Benefits.

Pictures from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

Hey there friends. I hope you are all enjoying yourself a fantastic long weekend full of food, family, friends, or whatever you do that makes you happy. I know I am trying. 

We have had a busy week. It kicked off with my family Thanksgiving on Sunday. 24 people, a turkey gravy accident on my couch ( I almost flipped out but kept my cool), and a mess that took most of the next day to clean. But it was great, everyone was happy, Lillian brought me flowers,  the food (I made it all beside the turkey my mom brought over already cooked and cut up) was on point, and even though everyone forgot to bring drinks, we ended up with 4 pies and survived on a few beers and seltzer water.

After spending nearly all the next day cleaning (ok, maybe it was only a few hours) the mr and I decided we needed to get out of town so we took a drive to see the snow. All was great until the road froze and we almost skidded of the interstate. We ended up driving 5 mph for like a half hour just to get off. But that was ok, what wasn't ok was  after we got home, the mr had to run to fix a toliet. He jumped into the truck and I got a call 15 minutes later. While he was driving, the  truck died in the middle of the road. Long story short, we now have AAA and owe my brother in law a big ass thank you cake. 

We had the littles sleep over on Wednesday so that they could make birthday presents for their mother. Her (as in Erin) Birthday landed on Thanksgiving this year so instead of doing dinner and cake, we had a moring cinnamon star birthday breakfast. The littles spent the night making paintings of a squirrel and and glittery octopus (I have glitter everywhere!!) and helping me bake. After the mess was contained, we curled up to popcorn and The Mighty Ducks 3. (then there was popcorn all over with the glitter) On Thanksgiving morning/Erin's birthday, we listen to all the Christmas music, sang happy birthday, Paul ate half the star, Barb drank all the coffee, and we tried to make the baby walk for cookies. We know how to have us some good times. 

As usual went the the mr's family for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving at their house is the big family holiday so everyone (usually) comes home for it. This year everyone did and it was great for all of us to be together. I didn't bring anything for the actual meal, but  I brought over a cinnamon star for breakfast the next day, which I am glad because there was so much food already.(Qui and Joanie went all out) so I was more helpful just washing all the dishes. We ate, we laughed, they drank. I left. I love that family so much, but alas I am an old lady and get very tired early. We left before things got to crazy as I am sure that they did. All in all, another successful Thanksgiving.

Friday was spent with a social hangover and cleaning the house again (the glitter never stops). We managed a good walk on the beach to get some air and nature then it was onto the Christmas decorations!! The mr spent a good chunk of the day being  amazing and wiring an outlet outside so we can hang up the Christmas lights. which brings me to the Christmas lights... It's been rough and we (or I) still don't know what to do. It's because of the LED's. I hate them, or very much dislike them. I much prefer the incandescent lights because they are prettier to me. But we need new lights and we really should buy LED, but they are ugly, or most of them are anyway. So The mr and I have bought 5 different colors and brands of LED's and are currently trying out  sets on the house. We have some colored ones up now and  they are ok but I am not sure and might just go white but aaaahhh. I am driving the mr crazy, driving myself crazy, but I want to actually like the lights on my house. I guess I'll figure it out. 

Besides getting the dang Christmas lights up, I am not sure whats gong down today. Probably going to listen to Sufjan, Hanson, and Charlie Brown Christmas albums all on repeat. Maybe make a few loaves of bread, start my knitting projects, finish reading my book, and just enjoy not having to deal with a house full of people who spill turkey gravy on everything. 

Internet links from the past week.

-Adult Siblings Can Make Our Lives Healthier And Happier This had better be true because I spend a lot of my time with my adult siblings. (love you guys)

-What your Christmas lights will do to your electricity bill. This is part of my problem with the lights. Because I really do like the incandescent so much more.. So annoying, Why can't the led look better? 

-Sufjan Christmas has been on all week, but so has this album. So good.   First Listen: Sufjan Stevens, 'The Greatest Gift'

-Don’t Force Young Girls to Hug Their Relatives, the Girl Scouts Say Finally! It drives me crazy when parents make their kids hug people. If a kid doesn't want to hug  you, respect that. 

-Ah, Prince, so beautiful you were. Dig, If You Will, Some Never-Before-Seen Pictures Of Prince In 'A Private View'

-Idaho Dims The Lights For One Of The Best Night Skies Anywhere I think camping in Idaho just made my list of things to do. 

-Terrifying is right, I am allergic to yellow jackets . This 'Granddaddy of Hornet's Nests Is Terrifying, But Not All Bad

-Good Vegan, Bad Vegan. This was a good article. I know a few vegetarians and vegans that eat shit and  they think they are healthy because they don't eat meat and those people that think a meal isn't a meal without meat. 

-The Sweet Rewards of Bitter Food

-Quirky Cartoon Toys and Vases Carved from Wood by Yen Jui-Lin. I love these and want them for myself

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

AAAaahhh!!! It Worked !!. My wax paper snowflakes to the gods sent us some real, bona-fied snow.. like 2 whole freaking inches. I was so excited when saw it at 430 am this morning that I even woke up the mr to make hii come look..("Oh, cool.. now let me sleep!") I finally feel like the black whole inside of me has been filled, and it's filled with fluffy white snow. Aah. I feel normal again.  ( I will not think about the fact that it still suppose to be in the upper 50's on Christmas)

On that note, oh shit yes. It is indeed Christmas in 5 freaking days. How did that happen, I can not tell you, but what it more crazy is that this year is almost over.  I can't wrap my head around. I guess we have been so busy with the house and other life stuff that the these last few months have just kind of flown on by, but I guess that is how it is for everyone.  But one day at a time folks. So today let's all take some time to meditate and relax and enjoy the simple little things, like a fresh cup of coffee or being the first one to walk on freshly fallen snow, or napping. Coffee naps. Walking through the snow with coffee and coming home to take a nap. Simple.

And on another fantastical l note. the mr and I... We bought plan tickets to Ireland! And along the way we are going to be spending a few days in Copenhagan and in Iceland. Holy Fuck right?(Merry Christmas/Happy Birthday/we have been trying to take a trip Ireland for a few years/to us. So yeah) I am so excited I can barely stand it. We are leaving at the end of January so I have a month to obsess over the absolute cheapest things to do, places to go, things to eat (I am scared of the food in Iceland) and modes of transportation. (If you got any good tips, please, throw them my way!)  Oh boy world, get ready!

And seriously people, chill. No need for a bunch of shopping, just make everyone cookies. IT will make everyone happy.

The weekly web stuff.

- 52 Favorite Tips for Smarter Holiday Baking

-So true. Why It's Better To Give Experiences, Not Things

-I used to make this all the time. DIY Lavender Linen Spray

- Love this  Parisian Flat

- I totally have a thing for cool old mirrors.

-Call me jealous. A VINTAGE AIRSTREAM ADVENTURE ON THE ROAD

-And check out this bus!!

-A little chemistry lesson on yeast and why it makes bread rise.

-Would you eat at atHello Kitty Themed restaurant?

-Inspiration for my windows at the new house. 10 Cozy Little Window Benches

-Thank you NPR for making this awesome list of books for me to read

Pretty things in picture form from the week

Have the best week!

-C

Sunday Happy

YEAH! We got our tree this past weekend and now there is even less room to move around. (It takes up approximately1/4 of our living space, but I don't care. I love it!. We ventured south toth e rangers station, picked up our tree permit, and drove into the great mountains to find the smallest amount of (but still some) snow and the most perfect (so not even remotely close) tree growing snug, deep in the woods. We have been dong this for at least the past 5 years and every year, the trees we pick out get fatter and a little funnier. But they are always awesome and beautiful and make me the happiest! And now that we got our tree, I finally got to watch Elf. I say finally because me and the mr have a tradition where we string popcorn for the tree while watching it, so I usually wait until that night to watch it.(then I can watch it as much as I want after that)  Along with the popcorn, the mr suggested we do a paper chain (he is so smart) which came out so good and really classys up the tree.. I haven't taken any pictures of the decorated tree, but I will be sure to take some and show you later.

Other then the tree, this week was a world wind. Birthday parties, family crazy, new house stuff.  I powered through a couple of long nights and finished a quilt for one of the littles birthday. We have been going over to the new house almost everyday and doing a little this and a bit of that, on top of whatever else we do. Yup, another busy, fun and good, but very busy week. And now it's finally Sunday and all I am hopping for is a few hours of couch sitting with my book, and coffee, and some snow. (I have given up a little on winter here. What the F... Its just not right!)  And that's what I hope for you today, well I hope you take some time to do you and relax a bit. Maybe not go shapping ALL DAY or even feed the kids left over popcorn,  peanut butter sandwiches , and cookies for dinner tonight and just take some time to kick back. We all need it.

Oh, and to all of those celebrating.. Happy Hanukkah!

Internet things from the week to check.

-Just in case you need to know, here is a step by step to paper snowflakes 

- Research says, having a dog as a kid is amazing for your mental health

-Super into this interior look

-Speaking of interiors...

 -survival food…. not something I want to ever have to get down with

-$5 CHRISTMAS TREES AVAILABLE IN THE GREEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL FOREST... This is what we do.

-Now I understand why some rugs cost like a million bucks.. Gorgeous Geometric Carpets Modernize An Ancient Weaving Technique

-The dutch, they know what they are doing. The many treats of a Dutch pre-Christmas celebration.

-See a salt shaker in a menu? Think twice. Sodium Warnings Hit New York City Menus

Have a great day!

-C