Veils and Bouquets / Volleys and Blocks

Oldest Daughter and I have a standing date.

Every weekend, some time during the weekend, we will watch "Say Yes to the Dress" together.

(All bridal gown pictures from Kleinfelds.)

We will critique and analyze and speculate.

We will shamelessly scold bossy mothers, roll our eyes at know-it-all maids of honor, and help overwhelmed brides pick the perfect dress.

No other kids allowed. It's our time.

So Friday night I scurried through the dishes, grabbed Oldest Daughter by the waist, and said, "Okay, ready to watch 'Say Yes . . . '!"

Oldest Daughter looked at me . . . shocked and unbelieving.

"Mom, Dad and I are watching volleyball!"

"Honey, are you kidding? Wedding dresses . . . volleyball?"

"Mom! It's Nebraska Women's!"

Excuse me?! Can someone please explain to me how this happened? I did girly crafts with this girl, perched large bows on top of her head for the first 6 years of her life, bought American Girl dolls . . . and in the clinch she chooses televised women's volleyball with her dad over wedding dresses with her mom? Has someone messed up the planet alignment tonight?

So, I watched "Say Yes to the Dress" by myself (which, ironically was about dads and daughters!). I shamelessly scolded bossy mothers, rolled my eyes at know-it-all maids of honor, and helped overwhelmed brides pick the perfect dress.

And I secretly thrilled inside that my own daughter was having a bonding time with her dad . . . even if it left me temporarily dumped on a Friday night!

A Change of Christmas Color

When we moved in to our house 5 years ago, I was all about red and gold at Christmas time. It got its start with these velvet poinsettias that I loved. They, in turn, set the tone for all the rooms, since the house is very open.



Red and gold . . . everywhere.

Red and gold organza ribbons cascading down the tree. Red and gold balls on the tree. Red poinsettias on the wreaths. Red and gold, red and gold, red and gold.



It was beautiful. But this year I was so ready for a change.

In November I walked by a tree all decorated in . . . warm cocoa browns, golds, taupes, coppers, and little shots of an aged lime green. Oh, my. It was all over.




Yes, please, I'll take a big armful of these new colors.

I'm not sure what I was thinking because now the now the tree and wreaths must all be redone to work with the new ornaments!

No, I'm never one to leave well enough alone! But it does get me all giddy to think of new colors and new looks and new possibilities!

More pics to come of how things come together. I just love seeing how others decorate their homes for Christmas; don't you?!

Decadent

It's been fundraising time around here. Kids sports teams.

And this year, that's meant chocolate . . . lots of chocolate. Milk, dark, almond, caramel, crisp. Good fundraiser. Yummy fundraiser. Our family sold 3 boxes of the chocolate, and I have to believe we bought a whole box just ourselves. Allowances seemed to evaporate a little quickly last month . . . and I saw lots of wrappers.



We've got some left . . . not a lot . . . but some.

So, this morning the troops wanted pancakes . . . chocolate chip pancakes.

And when upon inspection we found the chocolate chip jar empty,

There was only one thing to do.

Cut up a couple of those delicious, solid milk chocolate bars into lovely, creamy chunks and make those pancakes.

And so, of course, we did. Have you ever tasted a pancake with chunks of pure milk chocolate melting away inside? You must!

They . . .

Were . . .

Decadent!!

Could Anything Be Better?

Could anything be better

Than to be only 6 years old

Sitting with your best friend

On the sun-warmed trampoline

With your babies on your laps . . .

Ariel and Lorelei.

You're all bounced out

Too tired

To bounce anymore

So you're just sitting . . . quietly

With your babies napping

The sun pouring through your hair

Next to your best friend

And it's grand being only 6 years old

And nothing could be better

Coming Along

Well, this project has been a long time in the making, but I wanted to show you that I really am making progress.

This is where we're headed:

Photo Courtesy of www.purlbee.com. You can click here to find the pattern.

And this is where we are!

In the first picture, this bag looks like it should take approximately 30 minutes to create. But actually there is a mind-numbing amount of "chain 8 and attach" that I can only take for so long.

I love the quickness of crochet . . . the more immediate way you see a project come together. But after hours of this frantic hook, hook, hook, I'm longing for some of the long, fluid movements of knitting. Slower . . . but more soothing. Then, of course, when I'm driven crazy by the need to see my work come together a little more quickly, I pick up the crochet again. Nice tradeoff.

I needed a break from the hook, hook, hook of the grocery tote this weekend, so I picked up my old standby . . . the best dishcloth on the planet. Just enough of a quick, knitted project to keep me from losing my mind from "chain 8's."

And, of course, you can never have enough dishcloths!

Spiced Apples

It's cold out . . . wet, rainy, soaking, dripping. So, it's a perfect day to fill the house with warm, spicy scents; the sounds of simmering, golden juices; and the tangy, sweet taste of spiced apples.

I did fill the house with this last night, and it brought children, running, drooling, begging for more, filling their tummies with the warm spiciness! Oh, that does make me feel like a lovely, nurturing mother.

And now if I could just get to cleaning the bathrooms.

Here's the recipe! Enjoy!

Spiced Apples

1/4 cup butter
6 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 3 pounds)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add apples and remaining ingredients. Saute' 15 to 20 minutes or until apples are tender. (6 servings)

Special Moments By the Sea

Let's see, can I get one more post about Hilton Head out here? Will you indulge me one more?

Or maybe I could just continue to post indefinitely about the wonders of salt air, sea and sand? Mmmmmm!

Here's just a little sampling of some special times over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Bare Feet In Ice Water: I don't know how those kids

stood it, but they ran in it, danced in it, jumped in it,

and never stopped giggling!

The Wonderful Haze of Spanish Moss: It's everywhere,

and it makes for a wonderland . . . riding bikes along the paths,

the sun dappling in among the branches of the oaks and

glowing through the hanging moss.

Baby in a Basket: My bike basket as it looked

headed for the beach with Youngest Daughter's necessities.

Sunset, Sand and Shells at Twilight: Oldest Daughter

took this, laying down in the sand and gazing across sand,

shells and grasses into the setting sun. Mmmm!

My Girl: I love this girl. I loved watching her ride along
the edge of the surf, water spraying from the tires, wind
blowing the curling ends of her hair. I loved the way she
got us back to the condo . . . when I got us lost. I love her
beautiful common sense and her brilliant sense of direction.
This girl is my rock . . . my fun-loving, strength-giving,
stabilizing rock.

Red Rocker Overlooking Harbortown: This was such
a wonderful place to sit and take in all the sights and
sounds of the bustle of people and the gentle lapping of the
boats in the water.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." James 1:17