Merry Happy To You!

Well, I think the Christmas dishes are finally done. Boy did we eat well. (I probably haven't mentioned that my new years diet starts New Years Day.) I'll save that topic for another time.

We were very lucky to have my Dad here for the holiday. He makes the best Santa Claus ever.

Things really could not have been more perfect.

We started off the celebration with our traditional fondue Christmas eve dinner. We woke the next day to a beautiful white Christmas morning. Just enough snow to decorate the yard. Gifts were opened and we all felt blessed to pieces.

I hope that all of you, my dear friends and family where ever you are also felt blessed to pieces. Know that even though we haven't mailed our holiday cards yet we do wish you all the best for the coming year.

Sally

the MEGA Cavern

The other night we decided to venture out and visit the MEGA Cavern's display of Lights under Louisville. I have to say that this is probably one of the most unusual Christmas light shows I have ever seen. Apparently there is a cave that runs 17 miles long under the city. I'm not at all sure why there is a cave under Louisville. I do know that it is man made and there was probably some good reason to build it way back in the 60's. There are actually businesses down there. You know the PODS storage company? Well, that's where they keep the PODS. There is also boat storage and if you want to spend $10,000 you can reserve yourself a spot just in case of a nuclear attack. Every December the cave gets turned into a pretty involved light show. You drive through it in your car listening to holiday music and marvel at the fact that you are driving under the city. It's an odd feeling for sure.

Sally

ALL of the Stockings were Hung

Thanks for all of the finger crossing and prayers. David finally made it home and he didn't even have to go through New York City. It's so nice to have all four of us home together. It seems like old times just in a new house.
We are officially done decorating. I would have liked to have been able to say that way back on December 1st, but due to travel and weather and work and a bunch of other stuff I just couldn't get it together. The front porch still needs some work. The bows are a bit ridiculous and we just couldn't get the lighted garland around the door to work. Maybe next year...

I am very happy with the way the inside turned out. Our tree is perfect and having a real wood burning fireplace helps make everything that much more cozy.

The gift getting is finished and today we will wrap. We plan to watch cheesy Christmas movies and play games and eat too much and just enjoy each others company for as long as we can stand it and then who knows what we will do next. Stay tuned.

Sally

Some Of The Stockings Were Hung

We picked Grace up from school yesterday. She has successfully completed her first semester of college. Way to go Grace! It's great to have her sparkly little self home. Now we are waiting for David. He is supposed to fly in tonight, but again Mother Nature is not cooperating. I just got off the phone with him and his flight has been cancelled. He's been re-routed through NY(which he's not at all thrilled about) and might make it home by 10:30PM if all goes well. He's bringing his stocking with him. Once it's hung I will relax and truly begin to enjoy Christmas. Please keep your fingers crossed that everything works out for him. If you know David, and most of you do. He's not a huge fan of adventures. He's a "stick to the plan kinda man" if you know what I mean. I tried to tell him that these little blips in the system just build character. My parents used to say stuff like that all the time. I didn't buy it and I don't think he does either.

What else do you say? It's just life....

Sally

The Great Gift Idea (that I stole)

So, last week I bought some really cute, chocolate covered marshmallows. They had a little dusting of peppermint candy and were meant to make your hot cocoa delish. Why oh Why don't I think up these great ideas? How easy can you get?
Over the weekend I whipped up my own version with some Ghirardelli bittersweet chips and Jet Puff marshmallows. I mixed up some of my mother-in-laws hot cocoa mix. Packaged up individual servings and that's what I'm giving to all of my new work friends. Give it a try. I tasted mine last night and WOW!



Sally

Mission Accomplished

The weekend trip to Iowa didn't turn out exactly as planned. Mother Nature did not cooperate. Words like "Blizzard Conditions" "Winter Weather Warning" and "Stay Away From Interstate 80" are all it takes to send Alan and I back to Kentucky in a hurry. I did make it to the Cookie Exchange and swapped my 12 dozen cookies for 12 dozen amazingly yummy cookies, baked by my Iowa Girls. We drank wine and ate cheese and chatted late into the night. Thanks Joni and Jacqueline for kicking off my holiday season with a BANG!

The pictures that I took of my Cookie Swap friends did not turn out so well. All dark and blurry. Sorry ladies. Take my word for it, you all looked fabulous.

Another BIG thanks to Barb and Jorge for sharing their home and hospitality. Sorry we didn't get to play bridge and eat M&M's. I'm even more sorry that I forgot to take any pictures of you all and your beautiful home. (for the blog)

The 8 hour drive to Iowa was great, blue skies and dry roads. The 8 hour drive home, not so great. It seriously rained the whole way. I mean it poured buckets. The windshield wipers never got turned off. We were grateful that it was just rain, but really, 8 hours?

Like I said, we got the cookies. The freezer is full and we have spent the extra day snuggled in our house watching the snow fly outside.

Hope you are having a snuggly day too.

Sally

Cookie Swap Time

I'm off to Iowa to celebrate the annual Jacqueline/Joni/used to be Sally Cookie Exchange. This is probably one of my most favorite events of the year. I'm a little sad that it can't be at my house this year, but on the bright side, it's Joni doing all of the house cleaning and decorating.

I can't wait to see and hug all of my Iowa Girls.

Here are my 12 dozen plus (I got tired of counting) cookies. I decided to go with a durable, easy to pack and travel in the car 8 hours cookie. They are called Cocoa Candy Cane Cookies. Is that enough C's for you? I got the recipe from the December Martha S. Magazine. I think they turned out pretty well. I'm especially happy with the packaging (also from Martha) I think I might be getting in a Martha rut, but she just does things with class, and you know me. I'm all about the class.

Have a great weekend!

Sally

The Holiday House

Just a sneek peek at some of the decorating going on around here. My camera batteries just died, so I'll post some more on another day. I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Its Time For...

Cranberry Ginger Ale and Chex Mix. I think it's the pretty color, but I'm a sucker for anything cranberry this time of year. Thank goodness the people that make Sierra Mist and Canada Dry also apprecitate the holidays. I wish I could say that I made this Chex Mix from scratch, because we all know that it's best right out of the oven, but I bought this batch because I needed it NOW!

Sally

It Must Be Christmas Time

Yesterdays post was all about my hair, today it's about Maggie's. I know the bows are silly, and I promise they come out right after I take the pictures, but you have to admit she's pretty cute. Mags spent another spa day at the Groom Room and she is smelling her holiday best! If she could I know she would bark out Jingle Bells for you. Have a great day!
Sally

Ongoing Hair Issues

As many of you know, I have tended to have a few "hair" issues since arriving in Kentucky. When you have been lucky enough to have the most amazing stylist working wonders with your hair for 9 years, it's kind of hard to find a replacement. When we first moved here back in June, I started asking anyone, anywhere whose hair I thought looked nice, where they had it done. You would not believe the number of woman who get their hair done in Indiana. OK, so Indiana is just over the bridge, but still, I'm not getting on an interstate just to get a hair cut. I tried one local place that was recommended and it didn't turn out so well. The next month I drove back to Iowa. Don't laugh. The next month my Iowa stylist came to visit me and was willing to do my hair in my kitchen. Did I mention that I love her? So, now it's time for a little "freshening" as Jacqueline would say. I sucked it up and made an appointment last week at another recommended salon. I admit that I was a little nervous, but really, it's just hair. Right? Right.

Here are some after pictures. What do you think? Maybe a little on the short side. At least the grey is gone. I'm going back to Iowa soon. We will see what Jacqueline thinks.

Sally

Light Up Brown Park

Last night Alan and I took the dog on a snowy walk to our park. Yesterday afternoon during the big "blizzard" they had a lighting festival for children with hot cocoa and cookies. We decided to wait until all of the hoopla was over before we checked it out. It was so pretty and kind of magical to see all of those lights twinkling in the snow. the lights have actually been set up since before Thanksgiving, so it was about time the town decided to turn them on. The dog really seemed to enjoy walk, but then snow is just about her favorite thing next to cookies.

Sally

First "REAL" Snow

Last Tuesday we had our first little snow flurry of the year. It had snowed a tiny bit on Thanksgiving but we missed it because we were in Greensboro. But today.... boy oh boy it really snowed. OK, not like an Iowa snow, but snow just the same. I guess it started sometime during the night and it's currently 4:30 in the afternoon and it's still snowing. It's just pretty. It doesn't seem to be sticking to the roads, probably because the temperature is actually above freezing. Alan and I were planning to venture out this afternoon in search of the perfect Christmas tree, but we might just have to wait until tomorrow.

Sally

Brothers and Sisters

David and Grace had not seen each other since August. Can you tell how much they've missed being together? Hopefully they will survive the longer Christmas break.

We took a lot of pictures of table settings and food on this trip to North Carolina. Not so many of people. We did get this shot of Grandpa with the kids right before we all packed up to leave.

Sally

Thanksgiving

It's the most wonderful time of the year for sure.

The holiday season is officially underway and I don't know about you, but I'm already feeling a bit behind. We spent Thanksgiving in Greensboro with my Dad. Grace drove with Alan and I and David met us there. We enjoyed an amazing feast but missed the company of my Mom and Brice. Some traditions just seem to go on regardless of the circumstances. We watched the Macy's Day Parade and lots and lots of football.

Grace and I did not get up at 3:00 Friday morning to shop. I just think that's silly. Not to mention that I need my beauty sleep. We did spend part of Friday at the best craft fair in the world.

I hope your celebration was as special as ours. Now I need to seriously do something about the pumpkins that are still decorating our yard. Christmas is coming and I can't wait!

Sally

Sad To See Them Go

I'm so glad that I took all of those pictures last weekend of our beautiful Japanese Maple, because this is what it looked like this morning. Sad isn't it? We had a good bit of rain last night and that seems to have caused most of the remaining leaves to fall off the trees.

In my opinion fall isn't officially over until after Thanksgiving, but I have to say that it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here. Grace and I visited the local mall today and the holiday spirit was sparkling just about every place we went. Hope that you and your loved ones have a blessed Thanksgiving. I'm planning to take the rest of the week off from blogging to spend time with mine.

Sally