one more year...
New Year's Eve celebration preparations are heavily under way. One more year about to be the past, and the future bright and open to so many possibilities.
Are you ready for one more year?
days of winter:: 7
Great boots, a cute sweater and skinny jeans. Some of the best things about winter. Bundling up never looked so good.
10 things...
that I'm loving right now...
1) Going through an old camera and finding memories stored away, forgotten, from summers past.
2) The deep and emotional photo journey through this artists time spent with his father. It's both inspirational and heartbreaking.
3) The fact that I'm a featured blogger today at Halftime Lessons for Mission: Monday. A fun site with a quippy writer (although PG-13) and a great prize giveaway today... all good things. Click over there and enter to win!
4) A current project by the authors of A Year of Mornings. Two friends, 3191 miles apart, posting a photo each evening. It's amazing to watch the wonderful sameness appear in so many of their 'Year of Evenings' photos.
5) Planning our upcoming (well just over 4 months away) five-year anniversary trip... and the Christmas present to wear, with a promise of a secluded tropical beach location.
6) Though Christmas is already a few days past, I still love the August Burns Red rendition of Carol of the Bells. It moves me.
1) Going through an old camera and finding memories stored away, forgotten, from summers past.
2) The deep and emotional photo journey through this artists time spent with his father. It's both inspirational and heartbreaking.
3) The fact that I'm a featured blogger today at Halftime Lessons for Mission: Monday. A fun site with a quippy writer (although PG-13) and a great prize giveaway today... all good things. Click over there and enter to win!
4) A current project by the authors of A Year of Mornings. Two friends, 3191 miles apart, posting a photo each evening. It's amazing to watch the wonderful sameness appear in so many of their 'Year of Evenings' photos.
5) Planning our upcoming (well just over 4 months away) five-year anniversary trip... and the Christmas present to wear, with a promise of a secluded tropical beach location.
6) Though Christmas is already a few days past, I still love the August Burns Red rendition of Carol of the Bells. It moves me.
7) The love of all things camera - inherited, no doubt, from her camera loving mommy and daddy.
8) The celebration that awaits us all this week with the coming new year, and the knowledge that I'll be joined by my best friend, my Christopher.
9) All of the outdoor play, snow days and photos we captured before the unseasonably warm weather melted it away into the brown wetness that is our current winter.
10) The way my sweet Baby Blue loves to sing songs to me over the phone... it seems to comfort her own self as a smile, filled with longing, covers my face.
What things are you loving right now?
Sunday Citar
Citar = Quote (in Spanish)
"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man." ~Benjamin Franklin
I've never been a huge resolution maker, especially of the kind about weight or time in the gym. But I do like to give myself a fair share of goals, something that will always help the new year find me a better woman.
May you find yourself inspired in 2009.
"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man." ~Benjamin Franklin
I've never been a huge resolution maker, especially of the kind about weight or time in the gym. But I do like to give myself a fair share of goals, something that will always help the new year find me a better woman.
May you find yourself inspired in 2009.
today:: december 27
today, I am...
missing:: my family.
talking:: to my baby girl daily. How did she get to be so big? When did she become old enough to hold phone conversations and tell me all about her day? This is a highlight of my day.
enjoying:: friendships that keep growing stronger as time goes on - even when I’m gone, I still feel close.
reveling:: in the warmth, the scents, the colors, the time spent with family and the meaning that my Christmas was made of this year.
remembering:: the feel of my best friend, my husband, next to me. It feels as though a part of me is left at home.
listening:: to one of my favorite book series... I always hear new things that I may have missed in the book.
admiring:: our kitty, Dolce, for learning not to climb in the tree or eat the decorations this year. (We have big aspirations in our household.)
thinking:: what made me say “yes” to photographing a wedding? I don’t really know what I’m doing.
reading:: a whole chapter on "Shooting Weddings Like a Pro" over and over, in a new book of mine. Maybe it won't turn out so bad after all.
anticipating:: a wonderful new year ahead - full of new beginnings, new endeavors, new milestones, new life!
wishing:: you all a very fulfilling and happy weekend!
missing:: my family.
talking:: to my baby girl daily. How did she get to be so big? When did she become old enough to hold phone conversations and tell me all about her day? This is a highlight of my day.
enjoying:: friendships that keep growing stronger as time goes on - even when I’m gone, I still feel close.
reveling:: in the warmth, the scents, the colors, the time spent with family and the meaning that my Christmas was made of this year.
remembering:: the feel of my best friend, my husband, next to me. It feels as though a part of me is left at home.
listening:: to one of my favorite book series... I always hear new things that I may have missed in the book.
admiring:: our kitty, Dolce, for learning not to climb in the tree or eat the decorations this year. (We have big aspirations in our household.)
thinking:: what made me say “yes” to photographing a wedding? I don’t really know what I’m doing.
reading:: a whole chapter on "Shooting Weddings Like a Pro" over and over, in a new book of mine. Maybe it won't turn out so bad after all.
anticipating:: a wonderful new year ahead - full of new beginnings, new endeavors, new milestones, new life!
wishing:: you all a very fulfilling and happy weekend!
merriment
Merriment is in full swing in our home. Recitals, snow days, baking, chasing the kitty under the tree... all leading up to this week's festivities and parties with family and friends. I'm sure your house is getting warmed up and ready for all the merriment as well! I'm signing off for the week (unless I happen to share a great photo or two!).
Have a blessed and Merry Christmas, full of all the wonderful people you enjoy.
xo,
The Blue family
Sunday Citar
Citar = Quote (in Spanish)
"Winter is the time for comfort... It is the time for home."
~Dame Edith Sitwell (Quote found by my friend, Traci.)
Here's to hoping you have a comfortable winter, snuggled warmly at home... as much as possible!
tis' the season to bake rum cake...
This is the delicious rum cake recipe my sister-in-law prepares every year, that was handed down to her from her mother... and I make this every Christmas since I so delightfully took it from her. Although, I do make it without the nuts...
This recipe is so good, and I will admit to hiding out in the kitchen to keep eating. I've had it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and it's always good. The best part, it's wonderfully easy!
Our recipe:
Cake~
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 C water
1/2 C rum (any kind, dark or white)
1/2 C oil
4 eggs
1/4 C chopped nuts (this is the part of the recipe I don't use)
1 box vanilla pudding mix (unless the cake mix has it included already, many do)
Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients (except nuts) for 2 minutes. Grease and flour bundt cake pan (or a spray for baking, much easier!), add nuts to bottom of pan, pour in cake batter and smooth. Bake for 50-55 minutes.
Sauce~
In a saucepan add...
11/2 sticks butter
1 C sugar
1/4 C rum
1/4 C water
When there are about 5 minutes remaining on the time for the cake, bring ingredients in saucepan to a simmer until sugar is dissolved. Remove cake from oven. Pour sauce immediately over cake in the pan. Take your time, you want to let it seep down the sides and pool at the bottom of the pan (the top of the cake). Let stand 20 minutes, flip onto plate.
Enjoy!!
Fab Friday Finds:: the holiday edition
Only a few days away from Christmas morning... but if you still need some help or inspiration, well, here you go!
Have a lean, mean, simple yet wonderful Christmas!
days of winter:: 5
When the day comes to a close, the soft blankets and pillows are calling your name... sometimes, you just need the perfect night cap. Fresh baked, rich chocolate that delights your senses and is washed down with a tall glass of cold milk. Ahhhhh. Don't you just love the winter season?
a SAUCY day for me
Can I even say it? I don't think I can... I just have to wipe this smile off my face for a minute. Long enough to pull a cute little sweater over my head, slip into a favorite pair of shoes... and I can't forget the lip gloss.
Ok, now I can say it. Today, my blog is featured over at The Secret is in the Sauce! I must say I'm pretty excited, and won't even mention the piles of laundry I have scheduled to complete today.
So, thank you for visiting this blog here, and have fun looking around. I'll humbly offer a few fun recent posts for you to check out if you'd like.
A couple great stories:
Fun things kids say:
My week of s t i l l:
A round-up of some favorite quotes... and photos to go along:
Have a wonderfully saucy day!
days of winter:: 4
With the days whittling away before Christmas is here, I figured it was time to start wrapping... and oh what fun it was. I wanted to have a bit of vintage feel to the gifts this year. With my brown paper, music playing and a warm fire to accompany me, I got right to it.
days of winter:: 3
When the weather outside becomes just a little too frightful, the indoors are filled with playtimes together. Like FreshPapa and Baby Blue enjoying some fun playtime of their own.
Hope you all are enjoying your nice, cozy winter!
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