My Favorite Time of Year

The stress is real.

There are cookies to be baked.

A bevy of presents to be wrapped.

christmas1A tree to be trimmed.

There are more cookies to be baked.

Carols to be sung.

Play performances to be had.

Many more work hours than normal.

3 kids on Christmas break.

Working the day before and after the holiday (every holiday this season).

And then…

christmas2There’s the joy.

The presents.

The family together.

The food.

The lights.

The ornaments from the past and new ones.

There is so much to love about this season…all those stresses don’t seem so…stressful.

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Sunday Snapshots – Cell Phone Week

NYC (2)The past two weeks have been absolutely insane between Eagling up for Denver, me working more hours than usual, and odder days than I usually do, and 4th of July.

Long story short–my camera sat on the shelf.

However, the week wasn’t a total wash. My cell phone got some action throughout the week…so it’s not a huge outpouring, but at least I didn’t ignore my pictures all together. 🙂

Week – 6/28/15 – 7/4/15

Me, hours before the Eagle Ceremony with my Mother’s Scout pins.
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Some beautiful roses in my favorite color, a gift from my new Eagle Scout.
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The first blooms finally erupted on my Rose of Sharon.
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This guy popped up on the neighbor’s door frame.
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Of course, it wouldn’t be the 4th of July without some of the requisite fireworks photos.
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And that’s it for this week!  More to come next week…considering I get my camera back out 😀

Cookies and Candies and Yums, oh my…

sugar01It’s that time of year.

Can you believe it?

102 days until Christmas.

I started some minor Christmas shopping recently.

But what I’m most focused on is what happens right after Thanksgiving for me.

Cookie time!!

Every year at this time I start making my list – the ultimate list of cookies & candies to be made.  This year, since I have a job, I’ll have to make more than usual for sharing.

Always on the list, of course, is my Ultimate Christmas Cookie Cutout Recipe. I’ve made those every year for 3+ years, and they are so good, they remain on the list without fail.

I also make poor man’s toffee every year (easy as pie), and some sort of bark (I’ve done Oreo and white chocolate cranberry before).

From there I never know. Depends on what I find on pinterest, or in magazines.

I’ve got all my recipes gathered…but do you have a favorite you can direct me toward?  I’m always open to suggestions!

Christmas Wishes & Hopes & Dreams

decorateThe presents are wrapped. The stockings are hung. The cookies are baked. The tree is lit.

Tonight is the night of hopes, dreams & wishes for young and old. The night where each of us believes in Santa. The kindness of man. The giving of spirit.

This year our lives have been touched with great joys, our lives have been touched with deep sorrows.

Tonight is the night we hope for everything for our children, for our family and friends.

May all your wishes come true.

May your lives be touched with human kindness as ours has.

May you be able to share that joy with others.

May you have peace. If only for a day.