Dear Santa...♥

 Dear Santa... ♥

because...♥

...if only ♥

That is all. 

Thank you. Love you.  Merry Christmas! ♥

Love,

Danielle xo 

Christmas time is here! ♥

Hello Friends! Happy Monday! ♥

I don't know about you, but I find nothing more peaceful than drinking my morning coffee in front of the Christmas tree. Especially on a Monday!  This was me this morning. I wish I could have stayed there all day : ) 

I hope you all had a nice weekend.  Mine was good.  I took Friday off and was able to get some Christmas shopping done. Yay!  

But before I tell you about that, let's take a peek outside...

We haven't had any substantial snow yet, but it sure is cold.  

The back river was frozen. 

It was like this all weekend. 

 

It will slowly thaw as the day goes on, but the mornings are very frigid! 

Ok....back inside! 

Mr. & Mrs. Santa have arrived to their spot on the kitchen table!

I got these little salt & pepper shakers years ago and they are seriously my favorite thing ever! 

They are so darling! ♥

And my little caroler family of three! ♥

A gift from my mother-in-law.  They remind me of me, Rob, and John!  

Except Rob doesn't have a mustache and would never wear that outfit, but I like to kid him anyway! LOL

So anyway....♥

Friday I did a marathon day of Christmas shopping.  I had a list and one by one, checked things off. Yahoo!

In between malls and chains, I was able to stop by the most adorable craft fair! It was in a garden center and practically everything was handmade.  I was in heaven! 

My mother would have LOVED this ♥

I picked up a few gifts (and a few things for myself too!) and it was the highlight of my day. 

After that it was hot coffee and soup by a fire at the cutest restaurant called The Yellow Deli in Plymouth, MA. 

It was so cozy!! ♥

 

And the soup came with warm bread and butter! 

YUMMMMM

One of the treats I picked up for myself at the craft fair were two vintage christmas postcards.  The woman said they are actual postcards that someone donated.  She embellishes them and sells them as ornaments.  

Look how pretty...♥

 

But the best part is the writing on the back.  

This one is postmarked 1909! ♥

Edna is wishing her Grandmom and Grandpop in Philadelphia a Merry Christmas! 

And this one I had to have...♥

1922! Are you kidding me?!

 

Ruth is wishing Mabel in Middleboro, MA a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  

I couldn't resist it.  I just love stuff like this.  Merry Christmas to me : ) 

On Saturday Rob, John, and I went out again to pick up a few things I missed on Friday.  One Amazon cart later and I'm pretty much done with the shopping.  Fa la la la.....! 

Today I'm working by the fire and the light of the Christmas tree.  That should keep the stress levels down a bit! I've got laundry going downstairs and coffee brewing in the kitchen behind me.  I think it will be a pajama all day, kind of day.  

Have a happy Monday, friends - and great start to your week! ♥

Merry Merry!! xx 

Happy December 1st! ♥

Hello Friends! Happy December 1st! ♥

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving weekend! My preparations started on Wednesday. I was a busy bee in the kitchen all day, doing everything I could ahead of time. I put on my mother's apron, put an old movie on, and did my thing. I enjoyed the process, nice and slow - with Carey Grant & Loretta Young in the background (The Bishop's Wife - one of my favorites!) keeping me company.  That lead to White Christmas and It's a Wonderful Life after that.  I was truly feeling the old timey spirit by that point! 

 

The table was set the night before - I used my mother's china and nothing too fancy elsewhere. For me, it was perfect. 

The morning of I concentrated on the getting the turkey in the oven, mashing the potatoes (which I did with a ricer for the first time - LOVE), and making the appetizers.  

♥

Once everything was ready, there was nothing else left to do but eat and enjoy the day.  

Which we did! ♥

Isn't it the best feeling when all the work is done?  

It's out of your hands now and all you can do is relax ♥

Rob poured the drinks, my brother-in-law carved the turkey, my Dad said grace, and John was in charge of music. 

It's so weird to me when I think about all the Thanksgivings of my childhood where my mom prepared everything...and now...I'm the mom! At 51 that still amazes me ♥

My sister-in-law brought the pies (which I forgot to photograph).  

They were delicious!  ♥

We played some games after that and John even treated us to some live music.

I was happy and grateful my Dad was feeling well everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.  All dishes were done before the end of the night (thanks to Rob :).  

I was able to take a walk around the neighborhood by myself to digest and decompress after everyone left.  I was happily in bed by 10.  

Another Thanksgiving in the books! ♥

(I promise you there's turkey in there somewhere! )

Side note: I was very glad I put up my parent's tree early so we could all enjoy it Thanksgiving eve. 

There is something very special about pie and coffee with the glow of the Christmas tree in the background.  What a nice way to kick off the (official) Christmas season!

We have arrived! ♥

I haven't done one stitch of shopping yet, and that's OK.  

I'm noticing as the years go on, my list of priorities is getting smaller.  Smaller and more meaningful, if that makes sense.  I no longer do things "just to do them." I only do things that are important to me.  I only buy meaningful gifts for people I love, and I do make sure I prioritize myself, so I don't get sick and run down (like in the past).  Once I accepted these things, I felt a huge weight lifted from the holiday stress.  It doesn't have to be stressful.  And it won't be. The house doesn't have to perfect, and neither do I. 

Thank God!! ♥

 

And now here we are ♥

December 1st.  It was very cold and bare out there this morning.  Most of the leaves have fallen and I can smell winter in air.  We are expecting snow tomorrow! 

Yesterday I put up my tree upstairs. 

I love this tree ♥

It has all my favorite ornaments on it. 

I smile every time I look at it :) 

So now off we go friends! Christmas movies and cozy nights by the fire.  Crowed stores and Amazon deliveries.  Wrapping, baking, visiting, writing cards, and reminiscing about holidays gone by.  Celebrations and delicious food we only see once a year! : ) 

We have 25 days to celebrate! 

Let's enjoy it and never forget the real meanings of this glorious season ⛪

Have a wonderful day my friends!  Are you still eating leftovers? We are! :) 

I'll be checking in with you all soon! xx 

Stay cozy!! ♥

It's Thanksgiving week! ♥

Hello dear Friends! Happy Monday! ♥

A bit chilly out there this morning.   And the trees are already looking bare.  That was fast. 

Winter is coming! 

We have arrived at Thanksgiving week!  

All is calm and quiet around here today and I'm savoring it because I know once Wednesday morning hits, it's going to be chaos.  In a good way, but chaos nonetheless! This weekend I did most of the grocery shopping - only a few last minute things remain.  I plan on running out tomorrow for those.  My turkey is thawing comfortably in the fridge and I've got my linens and platters all laid out. Rob has today off to rake leaves and get the yard all looking pretty.  He's out there now.  It's nice and sunny today (cold but not windy : ) My sister-in-law is bringing all the pies so I'm off the hook for desserts this year.  I think overall I'm ready.  Wednesday morning I'll start my meal prep - chopping and mashing, preparing a few make ahead dishes - accompanied by lots of coffee and Christmas music. Still missing my mom of course - wishing so badly I has someone in the kitchen with me to share this with.  Thank you all so much for your comments on my last post.  I know I'm not alone. We are all missing our loved ones.  

 Especially on the holidays ♥

This weekend I made soup twice! The first one was chicken soup and the second was vegetable bean. I made croutons with the leftover bread I made last week.  I thought it would be nice get some healthy food in us to keep us strong for the week.  And to balance off all the other food we will be consuming this week! 

To be honest, the second soup was only so I could make the crotons again.  

They were the best part! : )

I toasted them with olive oil and garlic powder.  I must remember to do this more often.  I do love having soup for lunch too.  

Next week will be turkey soup.  I'm looking forward to that : ) 

I don't know if I've ever shown you this little corner of my home...♥

When I was growing up this area was a sun porch and eventually over the years my Dad finished it off and now it's part of the kitchen.  It's a pretty little space that I don't know quite what to do with.  Those chairs you see are antique Queen Anne chairs that were in my Dad's house when he was growing up in the 40's. I was told to never sit on them. I never wanted to anyway because they are very uncomfortable (of course little me had to try at least one time :).  The Victrola on the left was a gift to my parents from someone years ago.  It winds up and actually works.  I do love that piece.  For now I keep everything as is and try to decorate here and there around everything. I'd like to change it up, but I don't know how.  I'll be thinking about that in the new year.   

How do you like this little tree here? It normally goes in John's room, but he didn't mind giving it up this year.  I thought it would give a little Christmas sparkle to the area.  

Wishing you all a wonderful Monday! (what's left of it, that is!).  I've been busy today working and keeping the fire going.  Soon it will be dinner time and a cozy evening awaits.  

Let's all rest up and get ready for the what's ahead! 🦃🍗🍂

xxoo

Thoughts on a Wednesday: missing my mom ♥

Hello Friends and happy Wednesday! ♥

It's been a weird week for me. I've been thinking of my mom a lot. I think it's the holidays of course and we are almost at her two-year anniversary. That's so hard to believe.  The other day I saw someone (who from behind) looked exactly like her.  I think that triggered something in me as well. 

Last night I had a dream that I was very sad.  Everyone around me was ignoring me.  I felt I had no family. No friends.  And I was crying.   I went into my house and saw my mom in the kitchen.  She was wearing her apron and was at the stove cooking something. She saw that I had been crying and asked me if I was catching a cold.  She offered to make me tea and something to eat.  I instantly felt taken care of. The kitchen was warm and cozy and I could feel all the sadness inside me fade away.  I was so happy because I knew deep down that she loved me. And even if nobody else did, she did.  

And that was enough for me ♥

  

This is the time of year that we would go to craft fairs together and go Christmas shopping and out to lunch.  We'd plan the holiday menus and decide who's making the pies (it was always me!).  Now I do those things by myself. I AM the mom now.  It's such a strange feeling that I know I'll never get over.  But I must be strong and carry on.  I will.  I'm glad I have my memories.  

And my dreams ♥

Monday catch up: my tree is up ♥

Good Morning Friends! Happy Monday! ♥

As usual the weekend flew by and all of a sudden here we are again! I've got the Monday blues, and it usually takes me to Wednesday before they shake off, just in time to get ready for the weekend. Thats how it goes with me.  I'm always headed for the weekend : ) 

 The weather here in New England has gotten very cold!  I lit my first fire on Saturday and now there's no stopping me.  The first thing I did this morning was light another one.  While the kitchen warmed, I put on a pot of coffee and got dressed.  By the time I was done and having my first sip it was nice and toasty in here.  We have a lot of wood left over from last year that I'm going to burn and I love it because I don't have to run the heat during the day.  Some people say they don't light fires because they don't like the smell, but I rather enjoy it.  It smells like winter and the holidays and that's what I love.  

Very very cozy ♥

Last night after dinner I made this easy bread recipe I saw on TikTok.  I thought I'd give it a shot.  If there was a chance of having fresh bread in the morning, I was willing to risk it.  

#fingerscrossed! 

It came out amazing! My cinnamon toast tasted soooo good!! 

  

Here's a screenshot of the recipe.  I'm telling you, it was a sinch! And so worth it.  Something about homemade bread makes me feel like I'm doing something right in this world. 

 Is that too dramatic? I don't care.  It's good, so try it : ) 

Something else I want to share before I forget is I finished this book last night...OH MY! 

 Full disclosure I listened to the audiobook and I could not stop listening! I highly recommend if you like thriller mysteries!  I listened while cleaning, doing laundry, and making dinner.  I was a machine because I didn't want to stop listening.  It had 3 narrators, so it was like listening to a movie play out in my head. I really loved it.  

Anyway....on to what's really important....♥

 

My tree is up! Yay! ♥

I'm so enjoying it in the early mornings and evenings.  It's very peaceful and calm.  

My goal was to have it up by Thanksgiving and I'm happy that it's done so we can enjoy it for the full festive season. I have little bits and bobs of other decorations scattered around but I'm not fully decorated yet.  I'm enjoying the little things and decided not to go overboard. 

I had an epifamily the other day while doomscrolling making a mental list of all the home decor things I want run out and buy to make my home look like all the pretty Christmas homes on Instagram.  What am I doing?...I thought.  I already have so much and don't need anything else.  I'll use what I have and in fact, every year I tell myself I have too much (I'm talking Christmas and holiday decorations in general).  Bins and bins full!  Do I need anymore? No I don't. I put my phone down.  

I'll use what I have and it will be just fine.  I'm so easily swayed sometimes but I'm fighting the urge.  

Have you ever felt that way? Sometimes you have to stop yourself.  At least I do. 

I decided to focus more on food, family, and friends, rather than making my house look like a magazine and buying things I really don't need. 

I went on to more important things, like food! I started a little notebook that I've been writing my holiday menus and recipes in - mostly so I don't forget next year! I have purchased our Thanksgiving turkey and he's all cozy in the freezer.  Check that off the list.  In addition to the usual stuffing, mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots - I'm adding a few new things this year.  Corn casserole and sweet potatoe casserole! I've never done either but am feeling ambitious. My mom would be so proud. And remember the cranberry brie bites I was talking about a few weeks ago?  They look so easy and will make a lovely appetizer.  

Best Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe

I saw a tip that says you can mix the cranberry sauce with a little orange marmalade or apricot jam and that sounded good too.  I'm going for it! ♥

Meanwhile, outside Fall is in full bloom.  

Yesterday I was treated to visit from my duck friends who were having a very lively conversation! 

They will enjoy the river before the winter comes and they fly south.  Like all smart ducks do.  For now, I love watching and listening to them. 

 I always have ♥

And a weekend wouldn't be complete without a little baking.  I revisited an old recipe for Oatmeal bars which were very yummy. Rob has requested I make another batch for this lunch this week so that's on the agenda today! 

They were originally oatmeal raisin bars but I substituted the raisons for white chocolate chips.  

If I had dried cranberries I would have added them but unfortunately, I'm out.  

However, they are just as yummy, chewy, white-chocolatey, and delicious and you'd think they'd be.

Here's a link to the recipe.  I left out the nuts too! ♥

Oatmeal Raisin Bars - Shutterbean

They remind me of old school lunch box treats so it's funny Rob asked me for another batch for his lunch! Actually, when I first blogged about them they were for John's lunch (in 2015!!).  

I love revisiting old blog posts to see where I was at that time.  It was winter and I was in full nesting mode - ironing things, making chicken pot pies, and planning a spring garden.  John was taking swimming lessons and I was deep into 1980's sitcoms and Downton Abbey!  Aside from the swimming lessons, not much has changed! LOL 

I also love seeing our old house.  I used to put white twinkle lights around our kitchen window in the wintertime.  I miss that window! (go back in time HERE : )   

Well, that's all the catch up I have for you today, friends!  I have lots of computer work to do today and I must get at it or I never will.  Thankfully, it's lunch time so this Monday is half over! 

 I hope you find your peace this week ♥ 

 Thank you for visiting me today.  I'll be catching up with you all too! 

Stay cozy! ♥

Byeeeee! xoxo