A Word on Lucy ♥

I Love Lucy!

 

♥

 

My favorite TV of all time is I Love Lucy.  I'm sure I've mentioned it before.  I've loved Lucy since I was 9 years old and I still love her.  I watch I Love Lucy every day and laugh, smile, cry...just as if I had never seen it before. 

 

There is one particular episode where Lucy learns how to play golf that is so funny I literally belly laugh....even though I've seen it a million times!  Just thinking about it makes me start chuckling....: )

 

Lucky for me Lucy has been in reruns for my entire life! I've always been able to find her somewhere and make here a part of my day.  I currently watch I Love Lucy on The Hallmark Channel every morning from 5am-8am.  I watch the first 2 episodes while I have my coffee and the rest play in the background while we get ready for work and school ♥

 

 

 

 

 

The "classic" shows are the best, don't you agree?

 

 I wanted to jump into my TV and live back then.  I still do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The I Love Lucy show aired from 1950 - 1957 and was definitely my gateway into loving the 1950's.  I fell in love with the clothes, makeup, and hairstyles of the times.

 

 

 

 

 Lucy was a flawless beauty! 

 

Definitely my style icon ♥

 

 

.

 

 

In real life Lucy was a serious woman. 

 

She was a real woman.

 

She was a perfectionist.  She was a wife and a mother.  She had insecurities. She did not have a perfect marriage. She never graduated high school. She was a business woman and the first woman to ever own and run her own TV studio.  She was a pioneer for woman in comedy.

 

Lucy once said "I'm not funny, what I am is brave".

 

She was ♥

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Did you know that Lucy was 40 years old when I Love Lucy premiered? 

 

She was age 40 and 42 when her children were born. 

 

Yes, she was!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lucy and Desi were married for 20 years before divorcing in 1960. 

(I'm still not over it)

 

 

They maintained a loving relationship until Desi died in 1986.

 

 

 

 

 

Lucy will never know the countless hours of laughter and joy she has given me. 

 

She helped shape my childhood and view of the world. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one was on this morning! Lucy meets Bill Holden.

Remember the Hollywood episodes?  

 

 

 

"I've got an idea!"

 

 

 

 

I always cry during this scene ♥

 "We're having a baby, my baby and me!"

 

 

 

 

 Friends forever!

 

 

 

 

"Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular?"

 

 

 

 

 

Lucy passed away in April of 1989.  I was 15 years old. I still have the newspaper clippings tucked away in my scrapbook. 

 

 

What was your favorite TV show as a child? Is it still your favorite today? 

And can you say Vitameatavegamin without laughing? I can't ♥

 

 

Thank you Lucy! We love you~

 

xo

 

 

"I Love Lucy was never just a title"  - Desi Arnaz

 

 

Emotional eating....cherry coffee cake ♥

Hello Everyone! Happy Friday! 

This week I've been feeling a bit of the January blues.  You know what I mean, right?  I've reached that point in the winter where the prettiness of the snow has worn off and now all I'm doing is wishing for spring! I've been able to pacify myself with Netflix but sometimes even that doesn't help.  Which leads me to my next resort.  Emotional eating.  Sigh.  I am so guilty of this.  When in doubt I turn to my pantry.  The other night after a New Jersey Housewives binge I actually found myself eating Toll House chocolate chips straight from the bag.  Oh dear.... 

I've been trying to stay on the positive side of things.  I know winter will indeed end one day and it will be warm again.  That's good to know.  The snow is very pretty, but only if I don't have to drive in it....(FYI - the reason for some of my crankiness this week), and Valentines day is coming up in a few weeks and I really do LOVE Valentines day.  I've already taken out my Valentine decorations to cheer up the house and that has help a little bit.  Hearts always do ♥

So anyway, instead of eating chocolate chips straight from the bag I decided to do some baking.  One night I noticed a can of cherry pie filling sitting on the shelf.  Hmmm....looks good.  What can I do with it? My first thought was cherry pie, but for the first time in I think FOREVER  I didn't feel like making a pie crust.  

(I know, 50's housewives everywhere are shaking their fingers at me...)  I wanted something quick and easy.  I decided on this cherry coffee cake because it's easy to make and perfectly acceptable to eat for breakfast as well as dessert.  That's exactly what I need right now! Bring it on! 

Before...

I made the batter Wednesday night and baked it as soon as I woke up on Thursday morning.  I don't know if it was the sweet aroma of the cherries but my mood was definitely improving.   I was able to bake this and let it cool all before I left for work at 8:30.  I cut a small piece and brought it with me.  It was delicious.......

Instant happiness! ♥

After...

So does this mean my whole mood and personality is defined  by my food choices?  If that's the case I better have cake everyday!  What about you? Are you an emotional eater like me?  And why do those chips taste so much better straight from the bag?  Oh man.  Spring better hurry up and get here soon! ♥

Ooey gooey goodness....:) 

It's so yummy and not overly sweet! If you are tired of the cold and wishing for spring I strongly suggest this cake.  It will remind you of sunshine, jelly beans, and daises.  All things spring, which is right around the corner...sort of ♥  

recipe from Bunny's Warm Oven... 

Happy a happy weekend, friends!  xoxox  

5 Questions ♥

Hello Everyone!  Let's have some coffee talk  ♥ 

I came across this list of 5 questions on Pinterest and just for fun I thought I would answer them on my blog today.  Here goes…

If money didn’t matter what is one thing you would splurge on right now?

A five star  two week Disney World vacation. Seriously, it’s my favorite place on Earth!  I would love to eat in all the nice restaurants without even looking at the prices!

 If there is one thing you could learn how to do what would it be? 

Play piano.  I’m in awe of people who can play instruments.  I wish I took lessons when I was little.  

Also, sewing.  I’m no good at it. 

Do you have summer plans? 

YES! We have plans for a weekend in June on Cape Cod and also a long weekend in August in New Hampshire.  Both are family trips and I couldn’t be more excited.  Thoughts of making s’mores around a fire pit on a summer evening is getting me through the cold days of January. 

What is your favorite movie ever?  

Hmmm…this is a hard one because I love so many movies!!!  Sleepless in Seattle holds a special place in my heart though.  I just love that one. The soundtrack is pretty awesome too! 

(Nat King Cole's Stardust is one of my favorite songs and I first hear it in this movie....♥) 

Name a random fact about you: 

Well, I’ve never read a Harry Potter book.  That’s pretty random (and shocking to some people : ).   

Other than that…sometimes I like to have cereal for dinner.  Not because I’m lazy, I just really like cereal.  For dinner ♥

I would love to hear your answers to these questions in the comments or post them on your blog! 

Happy Wednesday! xo 

Happiness is....a three day weekend!

Hello Everyone!  How was your weekend?  Mine was very good! It was a three day weekend and we had no particular plans.  On Saturday John and I ventured out into the cold to the movies, but otherwise it was pretty quiet around here.


And I couldn't have been happier.  Here's a little peek at this past weekend.....

Happiness is a cute apron.

Happiness is chocolate cake with sprinkles, and a cherry on top. 

Happiness is a movie date with your best friend.

Happiness is a charming, heartwarming movie (that I highly recommend : ) 

Happiness is finding a little bit of spring at the grocery store....on a snowy, 19 degree day. 

My weekend.  Nothing special. Nothing fancy.

But finding happiness in the ordinary :) 

Happy new week, my friends!  It's back to work tomorrow and we are expecting more snow on Wednesday! eeek! 

Also, in case you didn't know, you can follow me on Instagram and twitter for daily musings....but it's mostly coffee & pie pictures, let's be real! LOL 

xo 

What are you eating for breakfast? ♥

Hello Everyone!  If you could only hear my voice, you might mistake me for some alien creature (or maybe Kathleen Turner from Romancing the Stone…:) because…. I’m still sick. Blah.

The good news is that I am feeling a little better, I just have that annoying cough/congestion that won’t go away.  I’m sure you’ve been there!   Around here everyone is sick.   I’m pretty certain we are just passing it back and forth at this point.

 I am daydreaming about the warm days of spring where we can open up the windows and let the fresh air drift in and out of the house.  Won’t that be nice?  My mother has lilies of the valley that grow wild on the side of the house.  I know they are safe and warm under all the snow out there and by May I will be able to smell them through the kitchen window.  

Our day will come….♥

So how is your January so far?  Aside from my sickness, we are very well!  It’s warming up this week so much of the snow is melting.  It’s funny how 30 degrees can feel like a heat wave, but compared to 3 degrees I feel like I’m in Florida! Lol.   We’ve been watching a lot of movies and TV  these days because it’s just too cold to do anything else.  John and I have a date to see Paddington 2 on Saturday and I’m so excited!  We loved the first one.  I hear the sequel is just as adorable! 

We can’t wait!

Today, I wanted to share with you this recipe I’ve been making for granola.  I love to have hot cereal in the winter.  Usually our mornings are pretty rushed, between getting ready for work and school, its a miracle we make it out of the house in one piece.  I would love to have time to make oatmeal or a proper breakfast during the week but it just can’t happen.  So instead I opt for this cereal.  

It’s hearty, healthy, and ready in one minute! Now that’s something I can handle. 

I made a batch of granola for the week on Sunday.  I can never understand why granola is so expensive in the grocery stores.  If you make it yourself it’s half the price and you can add in whatever you like.   

Here’s the recipe I use if you would like to try it: 

2 cups (old fashion) oats

2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey, or a combination of both (I used 2 tbls honey & 1 tbls maple syrup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used canola oil)

½ teaspoon vanilla

a pinch of salt

a large pinch of cinnamon : )

½ cup raisons

½ cup dried cranberries (I used Craisons)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until the oats are completely coated.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper with non-stick spray.

Spread the granola in a thin layer on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

Give it a stir and bake for 10 more minutes.  The granola will become nice and golden brown.

Let completely cool and store in an airtight container. 

♥

To make hot cereal,  just add a little milk and microwave for 1 minute.

I like mine as is, but you can get creative and top with bananas, honey, blueberries…whatever you like! 

It's so yummy! ♥ 

Simply having that warm bowl of goodness in my tummy before I go out into the cold makes a world of difference for me.  That and coffee.  A lot of coffee ♥ 

What are you eating for breakfast these days?  I’m looking for quick healthy options so I won’t reach for John’s Pop Tarts…even though it’s so tempting! 

Happy Wednesday my friends! Stay warm!  

And if you are someplace warm….please send me some of it! ♥

xoxo  

Hello 2018!

Hello Everyone! 

Let me first wish you a very happy new year!

Welcome to 2018!

I hope you all had fun celebrating are off to a great start of the new year.  Since it's been a week since my last post I thought I would catch you up a bit with some random photos....

We celebrated a quiet new year here at home just like I like it.  It was much to cold to even consider leaving the house (at least in my opinion) so we opted for homemade chicken broccoli & ziti with garlic bread, funfetti cake, a few games, and watching the ball drop in Times Square.

I was happy we made it to midnight! For me, that's an accomplishment! ♥

(last picture of 2017) 

We spent New Years Day taking down the Christmas tree and cleaning the house.  I like starting the year feeling organized.  We'll see how long it lasts! #fingerscrossed  ♥

The year also started with this gorgeous super moon! I forgot to look for it before I went to bed but luckily she was still shining when I woke up the next morning.  I took it as sign of good luck and went outside and made wish.  And then I ran back in the house because it was only 3 degrees out! Brrrr!

January has been absolutely freezing so far.  It only bothers me when I have to leave the house.  Otherwise, I'm happy under my blanket watching TV or reading.  I just started this book the other night and it's very good!  One of my resolutions is to make more time for the things I enjoy, like reading!. 

I'm wasting no time : )

Yesterday were all home because we had a blizzard! Our first snow of 2018!

 It was so windy and freezing! It snowed all day and left us with over a foot of snow!  

The cozy spot! 

 I made us grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and we had hot chocolate  ♥

 (both a must on snow days!) 

Two snow days in a row and livin' in a robe! Life is good! 

Also, he got a haircut....yay! 

I'm grateful for husbands who go out in the freezing cold to snowblow and shovel! 

Temperatures have now dropped to single digits with wind chills below zero.  

I'm not surprised that this happened....

My annual post Christmas cold. Ugh....

But as long as I have hot tea, tissues tucked in my sleeve, and a warm blanket I'll survive. 

I sound a little bit like Darth Vader when I talk..  Honey in my tea is really helping that situation, although I'm kind of getting used to it  #welcometothedarkside  

And that's how I started 2018!  Aside from the cold, it's been pretty good so far! 

Hopefully after a weekend of  rest I'll be good as new!

Have a great weekend, my friends! I hope you all had a great first week of January!

Stay warm! xo