wish list wednesday

What am I wishing for this Wednesday?

* That the SATC movie producers could have come up with a better title than Sex and the City 2 for the sequel.

* Some advice on how to decorate the console table in my foyer. Ideas, anyone?

* To stock up on Anthro Christmas ornaments. So adorable and earthy...

* A storage bench for my living room. Do you like this one? I have to put my blankets somewhere!

* That each of you would have a safe and happy New Year. Goodbye ’09!

What’s your wish?

happy birthday, Jesus!

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Luke 2:8-14

God bless us, everyone! Merry Christmas!

wish list wednesday - christmas edition

What am I wishing for this Wednesday before Christmas?

* That our tree would hang in there just a few more days...

* That I could personally wish our troops overseas "Merry Christmas."

* That everyone understood the value and aesthetic beauty of a Christmas gift wrap theme.

* Safe travels for my friends and family.

* That everyone would remember the real meaning of Christmas.

What's your Christmas wish?

an apple a day

I'm off this week for Christmas, but thanks to the wonder of the internet, I do not have to neglect my blog. Great, right? And when I'm at home, I want to eat, and this week, I want to eat these...

Apples + brown sugar + butter + cinnamon? How could you go wrong?

Best Baked Apples Ever (recipe from The Fresh Market)

4 Honeycrisp Apples (or whatever sweet apples you can find)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
4 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 400°F. Slice off top of apples and scoop out cores, leaving a well in the center. In a bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon, cranberries and walnut until blended. Stuff each apple with 1/4 of the brown sugar mixture. Place apples in a deep baking dish, topping each with 1 tablespoon of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Fill bottom of pan with water and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until apples are tender.

a delicious christmas-y dish

I made scads of this delectable Cinnamon-Honey Butter last week for happies around the office and elsewhere. It is SO easy and SO delicious - just be sure you have lots of carbs around to aid in your consumption (or you could just stick your finger in the jar like Kell did). And many thanks to MK for turning me on to this adorable blog.

Have a loverly weekend, my friends.

wish list wednesday

What am I wishing for this Wednesday?

* That I could wiggle my nose and have 150 bacon tomato cups already made for Christmas parties this week.

* To be just a little bit closer to a Forever 21.

* That double names weren’t so hard for some people to comprehend.

* To be in 2 places at once.

* That Christmas weren’t coming so fast. Slow down, Santa!

What’s your wish?

feeling crafty?

This wreath is so wintry and lovely, it could totally stay out way past Christmas, don't you think?

tis the season to be busy as a bee

(photo courtesy of Birds of a Feather)

I’m off work today! Hooray! Though I wish I were lying around under a down comforter with a mug of marshmallows and a dash of hot chocolate, I have some elf-ing to do. Not to mention put away the clean laundry Kell has been bugging me about for days (ok, maybe weeks.)

Should you be looking for a little blog browsing break (after you read mine, of course) from whatever it is you’re doing, check out Birds of a Feather – they’re a sweet couple that take a photo every day and post it. Makes me really want to be a shutterbug…

Have a great weekend!

wish list wednesday

What am I wishing for this Wednesday?

* That I didn’t love mac and cheese as much as I do.

* A great outfit idea for a tacky Christmas party next weekend. Help me out, people!

* That it would snow again here, preferably during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a week day so I can leave work early.

* Some more Crock Pot recipes – send them my way!

* That I could remember to put my red lipstick in my purse so I could wear it. It’s that time again, don’t ya think? If only it would turn me into Kimmy…

What’s your wish?

read my lips

Is it week 2 of December already? How can it be?

Well, I finished Nineteen Minutes, and let me tell you: it took something out of me. Like all of Jodi Picoult’s novels, it is strung together by a thread of an ethical issue. Maybe it’s the same part of my brain that loves Law and Order, but I love that she presents all facets of the story in such a realistic, empathetic way. And this book was no different.

Peter is a high school student who has been bullied all his life. He was tortured by other kids each day since getting on the bus the very first day of kindergarten. Feeling completely isolated and invisible to his parents, Peter arrives at his high school one morning and kills a number of his fellow students and wounds many more, both physically and emotionally. The book takes you through the years of his life, giving accounts from his family, attorney and one former friend, Josie, who is keeping a secret that changes everything. Nineteen Minutes is not for the faint of heart – I had a hard time reading all the instances of bullying and loneliness Peter encountered. That said, it was a great book, and another A from me for Ms. Picoult.

I just started Pillars of the Earth, which came highly recommended to me by my friends, Kate and Liz. They are so enthusiastic about the book, I just had to get it. It’s a big, fat book, so the next review might be a while. Hold on to your hats, kids.

I’ve also got a Delicious Dish for you Crock Pot-lovers (I got my very first one a few weeks ago!). Who knew how great this invention is? And how is it that I got married in Mississippi and didn’t get one as a wedding gift?

Crock Pot Chicken

Package of 3 chicken breasts, cut in half with fat trimmed (or you could actually use chicken tenderloins – whatever you have on hand)
8 oz block of cream cheese, sliced into small chunks (I used fat free)
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (again, I used fat free)
1 can of water or ½ cup of white wine
1 package button mushrooms, halved (optional)

Dump everything into the Crock Pot and give it a good stir to mix the water/wine with soup and dressing mix. Cook on low for 8 hours or so. Serve over rice. So good and even better the next day!

Have a great Tuesday, my friends. Stay warm and dry out there!

rustic and lovely

Check out these cool holiday uses for pinecones on you are my fave! They remind me of the jillions of sticky little guys that cover my parents' neighborhood this time of year.

Today I'm heading north to Oxford to see my friend MK and meet up with my family tomorrow for some good eating and good shopping (don't tell Kell).

Wonderful weekend wishes to you all!

wish list wednesday

What am I wishing for this Wednesday?

* That I could speak Japanese. Konichiwa!

* A decorator fairy to come to my house and get my house ready for Christmas.

* An herb garden so I’d have a use for these darling markers.

* That I had not bought 13 boxes of lights with WHITE wire.

* A good excuse to wear a toboggan. Keep the cold weather coming!

What’s your wish?