My "Must Have" Accessory for the Season

Scarves!!

Fun ones...

Fancy ones...


Doesn't matter. I am totally obsessed with them! I have three in my closet that I rotate all the time - dark pink; apple green; and a black Chanel one. I think they are stylish. I think they are fun. I think they can be just the right finishing touch to an outfit. And I think they are a great bang for your buck. If you want to spruce up an old shirt or sweater or jacket, go and pick up a scarf! And you MUST wrap it properly. Don't look like you are strangling yourself! Let it loosely drape around your neck at least two times and hang down, or do the European bun knot thing that pulls it closer to your neck, but move it off to the side a bit. You will look marvelous!! Trust me.

Go out and get a scarf. Have fun!!

Ciao all.

Happy Sunday All

We are back from my firm's Children's party, and my kids are exhausted. It was a hoot!! We had kiddies ranging in ages from 1 week old to 12/13 years old. A lot of fun. The kids had a magic show, made crafts, ate lunch, and then had the all important visit from Santa. You can see what Bella got. She was over the moon! It requires a 100W light bulb and all our bulbs are the new LED ones... So I am going to have to stop at the dollar store tomorrow and pick up a bulb for the oven. She is ready to get into it! Too funny. Like mother, like daughter. Ethan got a Lego Mars Mission ship and he is building as we speak. It is a monster of a thing, but he was so thrilled to get it. It really does not take much to make my kids happy.

I am off to rest for a while. We are heading out to my in-laws for dinner. I am always appreciate of the time my kids can spend with them. They are busy people and not around as much as my parents are. So it is good when we can get together. And my mother in law always cooks for us. She goes all out. It is so sweet.

Ciao all.

I am in the mood!

To start decorating for Christmas! These pillows are from Pottery Barn. They would really go well in my living room. It may just warrant a trip downtown Vancouver to check out the store. I wonder what my momma is doing tomorrow? Hmmm... And the Paper Whites are just breathtaking! Just think of three of those lined up on mantle with boxwood clippings tucked in between and tealights and big mercury glass ball ornaments... Ya. I am in the mood!!

Sunday is my firm's Christmas party for the kids. Everyone was so excited today at work for Sunday. It was really nice. It's great to be in such a family friendly environment. We all basically have little kids and we all understand the stress that comes with working and raising children. And we are all supportive of each other. And the big dogs are great with it all! It is going to be a fun day! I will definitely post pics of the day. We have a magician coming and crafts and food and the all important visit from Santa to give out gifts! Yes. The Big Guy is coming out! hee hee Ethan made me laugh. He still sooo wants to believe, but it is getting hard for him. So he says to me, "Mom, I KNOW it isn't the real Santa coming on Sunday". "Why do you say that Ethan?" "Because, he is way tooo busy to deal with your dinky party!". Okay... Got me there! Ahhh, I feel the big "Santa is not real" talk coming on... Sigh. So I will enjoy it for one more year.

And a big happy 3rd birthday to my sweet niece! Tomorrow is the family party and I am really looking forward to getting together with my clan! I miss them all. It has been a month since we have all gathered. Too long. And I can't wait to make fun of my sister and my cousin Marie who are at the New Kids on the Block concert as I type!! ha ha haaa Okay, Marie is only 23. That is okay. But Laura is not! (I won't reveal her true age for fear of my life!! ha ha haaaaa) It will be interesting to hear what she has to say about her former teen girl dream group! I mean, these guys are all in their late thirties/early forties!! New Kids?? Umm, more like Old Men!! ha ha haaaaa I am going to have fun teasing them tomorrow!

Night all. I am bushed.

I am so DANG excited!!

So I get to work yesterday and there is an email waiting for me... But I don't recognize the address. Wait, it is from overseas! Wait, it is an Italian IP address! Wait, my cousin Stefi is coming to Vancouver for Christmas!! Oh ya!! I cried. I was at work and I cried. I was not embarrassed about that either. hee hee She will be arriving the week before Christmas and will only be with us for a short week, but we plan on making the very most of it. Then she is off to San Francisco for a week and maybe New York, and then back to Bologna. Now my head is spininng with all the things we need to do with her!! And I totally have to start baking now so that is done. And I have to get the house decorated for Christmas, both inside and out! The Italians don't do it up like we do here! This will be such a great experience for everyone. And Ethan was over the moon when I told him the news. He really misses Stef - gee, it has only been a month since they have seen each other! It has been 10 years since I have seen her!! I can't wait!

Ciao all.

Super Easy. Enjoy.

Easy Pesto
3 cups fresh basil leaves
1 ½ cups chopped walnuts
4 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor blend together basil leaves, nuts, garlic, and cheese. Pour in olive oil slowly while still mixing to combine. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Keep in a jar with a few tablespoons of oil on top so the pesto does not spoil.

A Busy Weekend Ahead...

I don't know what happened to this week. With Remembrance Day in the middle like that, it was odd. And now it is Friday again, and another hectic weekend looms before me. But I am not complaining. For this weekend I am doing things I love to do. First I am baking. On Monday we have our bake sale at the firm, and since I am the newbie, I have to impress. And I mean to knock their socks off. So I am getting ready to bake 8 dozen Sugar N' Spice Snowflakes. I stopped by the confectionary store on my way home from work today and bougth rough course sanding sugar to make the snowflakes look like they have bits of snow on them... Love that. So I am excited to do this.

I am also shopping this weekend. Las week I was able to finish Marc, my parents, Marc's parents, my one niece on my side, and my two nieces on Marc's side. My sister just sent me my nephew's wish list and so tomorrow I will deal with that. We don't exchange gifts between my sister and me, and Marc and his brothers. It is all too much. And I am thinking about stopping the gifts for the 25, 23 and 21 year old cousins. I think it is time for that to end. Maybe some Starbucks cards... We will see. And I have all those ornaments made = gifts for the teachers and the babysitter. Yeah!! That really just leaves me with my kids, and they are being oh so very good and not bombarding me with too many "wants". They are amazing. Christmas is NOT about presents. It is about celebrating the life of Christ and my kids GET that. It is awesome. So their little lists are very manageable. But they aren't saints. Their little things are quite costly. What can I say, they are MY kids and they have very expensive tastes!! Makes me proud!! ha ha Kidding. But on top of finishing the Christmas shopping, I have to shop for my outfit to wear to my firm's Christmas party. Apparently it is a tres chic affair, so my business suits won't cut it... But I am not a ball gown kind of gal, and I would NEVER wear that again. So I was thinking something along these lines - a bit fun but still a bit dressy. I am conservative every day of my life. I want somethign that is less so. This outfit is from Plum. I am going to head over there tomorrow and see what it is like. The dress may be too short for me overall... Hmmm. But I am totally digging the opera jacket - the sheen adds the pizazz. We will see. At least I have an outfit in mind, so I can mix/match/add/subtract as I see fit.

Hope y'all have a fun and productive weekend.

Ciao.

Lest we forget....

Thank you. From the very deepest corners of my heart.

Tis that time again...

I have begun making the ornaments. So far I am up to one dozen. It is a disease. I know. This year I have a special plan for these lovely ornaments. We are having a bake sale at the firm next week to raise money for a charity we support. So I am making Sugar N' Spice Snowflakes and wrapping them up in clear boxes, tied with organza ribbon and adorned with an orament on top. I think I may blow everyone away! It is my goal. Hey, y'all know my motto -go big or go home!

Ciao all.

Almost done...

Yup - I am on the last book in the Twighlight series - Breaking Dawn. Yup. I read three books in less than 2 weeks... Yup. I sooo will be at the movie at the end of the month. Crazy.

Happy Halloween and November 1st!

So I am a day late with the Halloween wishes. Oh well. Hope everyone had a fun night. My kiddies did. These cute little pumpkin foam bags were a treat/gift for the kids from my super sitter L. She is THE greatest!! My kids come home everyday with a new craft project of some sort. It is wonderful. So thank you L!!

Here is Miss B, the "good" witch. She had to make that very clear. She was not a mean witch. She was good. hee hee

And Master E - the "mad" doctor! Mad as in crazy, not angry! hee hee I said to E that when I do see him in scrubs one day, he better not look like this!! I don't think he will get too many patients this way!

So now that Halloween is over, it is Christmas shopping time! Oh ya. Not kidding. I am off today with my momma in tow to begin the Christmas shopping. And I do have a list with me. I am really hopeful to get many things checked off of it today. Plus my firm's children's party is November 23rd and they reimburse us gifts for the children from "Santa", so I have to get those picked out and wrapped and brought to the firm for next week. Good excuse to get everything done now.

Have a good day all. Happy November 1st.

Ciao