A warm weather getaway in pictures
Since the temperature has dipped in Chicago, I've been thinking about warm weather getaways. Although we don't have a family vacation planned until March, just flipping through pictures from our last trip to Los Angeles this past summer, gives me the fix I need. After our time in Disneyland and some quality time with my aunt and uncle, some of the hightlights were visits with several friends from home...two that I have known since 5th and 6th grade, and reuniting with dear friends and their three children, who recently moved from Chicago to LA. We all picked up where we left off, and had a hard time saying goodbye. In our down time, we wandered around the Santa Monica farmers market, the Santa Monica Pier, and took in views of the sunset over the water.
Natural beauty at the Santa Monica farmers market
The view from the ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier
A sweet reunion with friends we miss terribly!
CATEGORIES: Places
Homemade Holidays
While my parents are in town and my daughter is on her holiday break, we have enjoyed our time hibernating together in front of the fire, venturing out in the cold after the first snow of the season, cooking, and trying to keep the kids busy. We made apple cider caramels that some how managed to taste exactly like the perfect bite of apple pie a la mode, apple cinnamon biscuits that made the house smell incredible, and thumb print cookies, one of my holiday favorites. I have a serious sweet tooth, and I've passed it on to my children! The kids made wrapping paper and cards with stamps and wintery blue and silver ink (my parents still can't bring themselves to throw them away), decorated gingerbread houses and made pomanders. I hope that the kids will look forward to these traditions every year.
Happy New Year!
Even my 3 year old loved pushing cloves into these clementines
Apple cider caramels
Apple cinnamon biscuits
Homemade cards
Hand stamped wrapping paper
Decorating a gingerbread house - my 6 year old's side
my 3 year old's side
CATEGORIES: Beautiful things
Happy Holidays
I have wonderful childhood memories of the holiday decorations in my home. My dad hung a huge, natural wreath on a Juliet balcony at the front of the house. A spotlight highlighted its beauty and simple white lights adorned two large bushes that flanked the front of our house. Inside, my mom decorated the fireplace mantle and the railing of the front staircase with a natural garland. She displayed several holiday objects that my sisters and I created in school...bottles decoupaged with holiday paper, candlesticks made out of clay, homemade ornaments too fragile to add to the Christmas tree, and bowls of pomanders we made together. Poinsettias, beautiful flower arrangements, and rosemary trees were placed around the house. It was simple and beautiful, and I still think about how magical it felt to me as a child. When I decorate my home for the holidays, I try to channel those memories to create my version for my family.
Sending warm wishes for a wonderful holiday!!
A simple boxwood wreath and mercury glass ornaments in the dining room
My grandmother's crocheted ornaments
Nautical ornaments in honor of the first time my husband met my parents was on a weekend sail on the Chesapeake Bay
Rosemary topiaries
My favorite white hydrangeas and more mercury glass
Mistletoe
The first fire of the season
Pomanders created with my kids
A sack lunch for Santa, and snacks for the reindeer
CATEGORIES: Beautiful things
