Get Some Holiday Joy

 

 

“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.” (Laura Ingalls Wilder)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!  

 

     There’s so many things big and small that you can do to bring some Christmas joy into your world. I know some might think this is what you do for kids, but oh no! Who said that once you become an adult the fun ends? If you have any suggestions put them in the comments below. 

1. Decorate a tree
2. Hang lights in your kitchen, family or wherever you spend the most time in your home. 
3. Listen to Christmas music
4. Watch a Christmas movie or cartoon
5. Read a holiday book
6. Bake some cookies
7. Make hot cocoa
8. Find a new recipe to make for Christmas
9. Burn a holiday candle
10. Have a snowball fight
11. Build a snowman
12. Drive around looking at Christmas lights
13. Send out some Christmas cards
14. Put Christmas stocking together, go to Dollar Tree and have some fun
15. Decorate a gingerbread house
16. Make a center piece for your Christmas dinner
17. Make some Christmas ornaments
18. Dress up for your holiday dinner, even if its just two of you.
19. Wear Christmas pj’s
20. Make a wreath for your front door

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

The First Christmas Coffee Bar?

 

"If you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." (Roald Dahl)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!

 

 It’s been a long week and we haven’t been able to decorate most of the house, but I’ve brought up all the boxes now. I was able to get the coffee bar done though. I already have my idea for next year (hopefully I’ll remember it, LOL). I’m going to put up the bows and ribbons on the rest of the cabinets in the kitchen tomorrow. I like the way they came out. Everything I got is from the Dollar Tree, including the jars that I have the coffee in. 

 

 

So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

Having Gratitude

 

Time is Flying By

 

Hello, my lovely friends! 

 

    Oh my goodness, it feels like it's been ages since we last properly caught up, doesn't it? I'm pretty sure the last time we were chatting was right after Mike headed back home, has it really been a couple of weeks already? Time flies!

 

    Honestly, my brain has been needing a nice, cozy catch-up session with you.

 

    So, put the kettle on! Whether you're feeling a smooth latte, a strong brew, or a comforting cup of herbal tea, let's grab our mugs and settle in for a proper chat.

    Remember that massive "clean-a-thon" we were on before he arrived? Well, the second he was gone, we completely crashed! We took a much-needed rest for a couple of days, which mostly meant catching up on all the shows we missed. You know how it is—now the DVR is bursting at the seams! 

 

    But honestly, it was such a lovely, cozy time. We had some really long, good talks about Mike and just what the future looks like for us. And the sweetest thing? My mom said it had been so long since she saw me this happy, and she absolutely loved it. That really warmed my heart, you know? 

 

 The best part is, we already have new plans! He’s going to come back out in March for his birthday. And get this: my sister is coming in January, and Mom wants to keep all the Christmas decorations up for her. But then she said we should just leave them up for Mike in March too! His family doesn't usually celebrate Christmas, and he absolutely adores it, so it would be such a nice, special thing for him. We’re even planning the whole shebang: a full-on Christmas morning with unwrapping and a big dinner! Shh! I haven't told him any of this yet—it’s going to be the most wonderful surprise!

 

Everything is just feeling so bright right now. 

 

    This week is going to be a total whirlwind of cozy Christmas magic for us! It's all about the festivals, and I'm honestly buzzing with excitement. 

 

    The big one is happening on Friday! I know, I know, I still seriously miss the good old Colorado Country Christmas festival, that was a classic! It’s such a bummer that location is totally gone now. But, this new one is kind of that same vibe, just a little smaller and more intimate. It should still be absolutely lovely! Plus, guess what? I already snagged our tickets online, so we can waltz right past the queue like VIPs! No waiting around in the cold for us! 

 

    Then, Saturday is the day I'm really counting down to: our garden center's festival! Oh my goodness, I'm crossing every finger and toe hoping that sweet lady who makes those out of this world scones will be there. You know the ones—they just taste like Christmas morning! And of course, I can't wait to wander around and breathe in the smell of all those beautiful Christmas plants and flowers. I'm already dreaming of poinsettias!

 

    It's going to be a busy, but super festive week! I'll have to tell you all about it next time.

 

     You know, we're actually ahead of schedule with the decorating, can you believe it?! The inside of the house is getting all decked out already. 

 

    We're skipping the outside this year, though. Honestly, trying to tackle all of that by myself is just a bit too much right now, you know? It's something I really need to sit down and plan out properly.

 

    Now, if I happen to find myself with some extra time and the energy strikes, I might put a few things out there, but I'm absolutely not holding myself to it. No pressure! 

 

    But the windows? Oh yes, the windows are definitely getting decorated! That's a must do! How are your decorations coming along?

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

Don’t Stress the Holidays

 "Life is a road. You'll get over the potholes, even if you have to pull yourself out. 
Yes, those hills go up and down, but you'll always level out." 
(Author Unknown)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!  

 

 Well, it's official: The calendar says we can stop pretending and dive headfirst into full-throttle holiday mayhem! (Though let's be real, I’ve been humming carols since Labor Day.) But as the tinsel goes up, the stress levels often shoot up, too! Why the annual grumpiness? Because we're all trying to out-Pinterest each other. News flash: A "perfect" Christmas exists only in made-for-TV movies! Let's lower the bar and raise a mug of cocoa instead.

 

 1. Decorate a few places in your home ~ not everyone has the time to decorate every room in their home, but pick a couple of places and make those special. 

2. Not everyone needs a gift ~ on my dad’s side of the family we draw names or do the pink elephant. One we drew names and then we had to make the gift and there were some creative things. There is no obligation to give people a gift, you do it because you want to. 

3. Check out free places to enjoy the holidays ~ Around Denver there are many places that do holiday things that are free. We have a Christmas parade, our city and county building has lights, the Governor's mansion is decked out with decorations. 

4. Start traditions that will stay around forever ~ since my Mom had a love for Christmas she also found things for us to do as kids. My parents didn't have much money when we were little and they would get creative with things to do that didn't cost much, but those are the memories that both me and my sister still talk about. We made homemade ornaments that my Mom still has. I love driving around looking at the decorations on the houses. Also, watching Christmas cartoons with hot chocolate. I honestly still do some of these things. These are also great things to do with your grandchildren. 

5. It's okay to say no ~ some people love going to all the Christmas parties and some dread them, but it's okay to say no. This year we've decided to not do Christmas with either side of the family. This year we're just going to stay home. For Christmas Eve we're going to see my Dad and then watch "The Nutcracker" because that's my Christmas Eve tradition. On Christmas morning we're going to open presents, make a nice dinner and stay on some comfy pj's all day.

The holidays are meant to bring joy and not to be stressed. Once people start stressing you lose what the holidays are all about. Sometimes you have to step back and change things to make the holidays joyful for you and your family.

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

Thanksgiving Movies

“It was November — the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines.” (L. M. Montgomery)

Hello, my lovely friends!


    MOVIE TIME! There are some movies that center around turkey day with the whole family theme and I also threw in some TV movies. This was a little difficult so let me know if I forgot any.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

A Day for Thanks on Walton's Mountain (1982 TV Movie) 

Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

The Peanuts The Mayflower Voyagers (1988)

Home for the Holidays (1995)

What's Cooking? (2000)

Love at the Thanksgiving Parade (2012) - Hallmark Movie

The Thanksgiving House (2013) – Hallmark Movie

Free Birds (2013)

 

Friendsgiving (2020)

  

And if you're looking for something Horror-related I got two for you. 

 

Black Friday (2021)

Thanksgiving (2023)

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

Apple Butter (Recipe)

 "Give yourself permission to take time to breathe, to live life, to give, to love, to reflect, to be present and just be." (Author Unknown)

Hello, my lovely friends! 

    Every year I make this to enjoy all winter long. Last week I bought a bunch of apples to make this over the weekend. 

Apple Butter
What you need: 
Slow cooker
Up to 6lbs of any variety of apple you want. You can use more if you want to, just adjust the recipe. 
¾ cup Splenda
¾ cup Splenda brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. salt

Directions
Now to the hardest time consuming part of the whole recipe, cutting, coring and peeling the apples. This is going to take awhile. I just toss them into the sleeve of the crockpot. Put the sleeve into your crockpot and turn it on to low and let it cook between 4 to 5 hours. I told you it would take awhile to cook. Just enjoy the wonderful smell of apples throughout your house. I check on it every couple of hours and just stir it, but I think I only do that to smell it. 

After 2 hours check it. The apples give off a lot of liquid, but that's what you want. If they are super soft you can go ahead with the blending it. You can use a blender, food processor or my favorite an immersion blender. I like using the immersion blending because its fast, but also with the apples so soft the blend right away. It's a little too thin for me, but if you let it cook on low for about an hour more to let it thicken up.

I turn the crockpot off after an hour and let it cool down. I then take Ziploc freezer bags and scoop in 2 cups of the apple butter into each bag. I will also put a couple of cups into a container and keep it in the fridge and I can use it to put in my oatmeal, on an English muffin or on top of some waffles. I also use it in making baked good to. It's so so good. 

So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!

You Are Enough

 

Just the Facts #32

 "Rather than try to eliminate stress, find your flow within it." (Terri Trespicio)

Hello, my lovely friends! 

 

     The season of sparkle and cozy cheer is officially here! This time of year always makes me a little nostalgic.

 

So tell me: What was the absolute best, most fun, or perhaps even the weirdest holiday tradition you had as a kid? I want to hear all about those wonderful, core memories!

 

1.  As a kid, the J.C. Penney, Sears, and Montgomery Ward catalogs weren't just mail—they were the holy scrolls of Christmas wish fulfillment! I'd snag a legal pad and a pen and embark on a mission of epic proportions: drafting the ultimate Christmas list. Naturally, it was super organized; I'd meticulously note the page number, item description, and specific color for everything I desired. The level of commitment was real: I'm pretty sure I rewrote that masterpiece at least five times before it was finally deemed perfect and ready for Santa's review!

 

2.  Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without Mom's legendary stuffing—it's the star everyone raves about! Everyone, that is, except me. My arch-nemesis in the kitchen has always been the onion, which, of course, was a major ingredient.

For years, I admired it from afar, but about five years ago, my amazing Mom made a festive compromise: she started whipping up a separate, special batch, onion-free, just for me! It's the ultimate act of Thanksgiving love, ensuring even the pickiest palate gets a taste of her holiday magic!

 

3.  Remember those days when the Christmas tree seemed to hold the world's greatest secrets? I was a little detective, too! Every morning was a thrilling dash to see if Santa's elves had dropped off any fresh, sparkly cargo beneath the boughs.

I'd spend what felt like hours on my belly, meticulously rotating each gift, shaking it ever-so-gently, and trying to decipher the mysteries within the wrapping. The crinkle of the paper, the weight of the box... it was all part of the glorious, festive puzzle! (And just like you, my guesses were usually hilariously off the mark, but the anticipation was the best gift of all!)

 

4.  For six straight years, I was the walking embodiment of a holiday curse! While everyone else was decking the halls, I was just trying to keep the fever down. I swear, my body thought the perfect festive accessory was a box of tissues. The closest I ever got to a normal celebration was that one year I rallied just long enough for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a glorious 20 minutes of food before I had to wave the white flag and tuck myself back into my comfy, sickly bed.

 

5.  Thanksgiving dinner for the adults meant wine. For us kids, it was usually just grape juice envy. One magical year, the grown-ups decided we deserved a small, festive taste! We felt so sophisticated—like honorary adults!

Then came the big moment. The dinner started, we took our proud little sips... and realized that wine was the most awful, bitter stuff we had ever tasted. Every single kid made a face, spat it out, and promptly demanded some good old pop instead. Yuck! The thrill was gone, and our quest for adult sophistication ended right there.

 

 So glad you stopped by! Wishing you the coziest morning/afternoon/evening ahead. Can't wait for our paths to cross again!