Back in November, we were swapping homemade remedies.
Friends gathered around my dining room table discussing cough syrup. strep throat concoctions.

I lean more toward natural when it comes to medicine and doctors and vaccinating (or lack of).
After our evening, I was very inspired for our family to get sick! 

I couldn’t wait for someone to come down with something so I could try all my new tricks.
It has (well..had) been a couple of years since we’ve been really sick with fevers and coughs.
I was sort of missing making hot tea and putting cold rags on little fevered heads. 

Well….the germs were listening that night!
Oh they heard my wishes of wanting to try silly homemade cough syrup. What was I thinking?

Almost the entire month of December has been filled with sick.
and today…on the last day of the year…I’m Done! Finito! Fini! Afgewerkt!

I don’t care about a fever or cold or cough or (minor, minor) sore throat. anymore. 
I will drug myself (legally and ring in the New Year with a clean kitchen floor!

Sounds exciting, right? It’s the simple things.

I went for a short walk in the snow alone…the cold air felt good to breath.
I plan on making some fun little foods for those of us who have somewhat of an appetite,
and I’m staying up late tonight! eating Martha Stewart’s apple cake with homemade caramel topping.
{I’ll share the recipe soon, I just don’t feel like getting up to get it right now. laziness.}

My dad works in the food industry…
he said fruit and vegetable sales skyrocket the first three weeks of January.then they drop off. 
Obviously eating healthier is a big resolution for people….in January at least

We had a busy yesterday, we have a busy today. 
Just stopping in quick to wish you a Very Merry and Blessed Christmas.

Browsing pinterest one evening I found…..”How I Improved My Skin”.
I followed the pin to the website it originated from.
After reading the girl’s testimony, I decided to give her idea a try.

I’ll admit…I was quite nervous trying out this new little remedy.
I’ve always had less {much less!} than perfect skin.
and the ingredients in this concoction put the breakout fear into this oily Italian girl.
 
Instead of writing out all she wrote and then give her credit….I’ll just send you over to her page. 
She was very informative. and made a lot of sense.

Here’s the link ~ Skin Care.

I have been experimenting for two weeks now. and I am happy so far with the results. 
My skin is really soft and feels a lot different. How this works long term…I’ll let you know. 

My Great Grandma passed away a couple of years ago. She was 96. 
Her skin was flawless.soft.and clear. She gave credit to the Olive Oil she used.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We finally have pretty white snow covering our ground…..4.5 glorious inches.
The sunrise against freshly covered branches was gorgeous early morning.
Everything so glittery and sparkly. God’s awesome creation.

My kids were outside by 9am. They love the snow and chilly weather. It’s so fresh and crisp.
Most of their day was spent outdoors this Friday before Christmas.

Tyler is mixing up cookie dough in the kitchen with the girls.
Peanut Butter Cookies with a Hershey Kiss. {because you just have to at Christmas time} 
M&M Cookies. {red and green only of course}
Sugar Cookies. {my great grandma’s recipe, passed down to me from my mom}

And since it doesn’t look like the world is coming to an end today…;)
I’m hoping to squeeze in my Grandma’s Biscotti Cookies this weekend too.

Enjoy your weekend.
The last one before we celebrate our Saviour’s birthday.

The week of baking. finishing touches on packages. paper candy canes. baking. baking.
Christmas pictures. taking the kids to the city. more baking.

However, my body had other plans. Feeling crumby. On the couch I’ve been for three days now.
On the couch, but getting my fill of Christmas movies.

Samantha (the American Girl movie)…made me want to be rich and live in the city,
because Christmas is so much better in the city.
Then we watched It’s a Wonderful Life…made me want to be poor and content in my small town,
because Christmas is so much better in small towns.

Funny how movies do that, isn’t it?

My friend Amber just posted about how she’s not sending out Christmas cards.
it made me feel so much better. I just don’t see it happening this year for us either.
It’s sad..I always do cards!  I feel like I’m leaving out an important tradition by not mailing them.
But, life goes on and next year..next year I’ll be more prepared.

I did finish Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving this year though.
I was organized with that. I started back in summer and was so glad I did.

My kids have been taking care of things around the house.
I woke this afternoon to a very to a clean house and a candle burning in my kitchen. It looked so cozy.
They made dinner too…the pizza delivery girl just dropped it off a couple minutes ago.

I am thankful this sick will be over by Christmas.
and I am super excited for the snow storm we are going to have tomorrow. 
My kids have their snow pants and boots all ready to go.

Happy Martha Stewart week to you.
Hope you’re getting all your last minute Christmas ends tied up.

To write about something like fashion with the horrific tragedy that happened Friday. I just couldn’t.

Our weekend was bursting at the seams.
A piano recital, dessert baking and a missions benefit concert we put on for my sister Caitlin.
She leaves the day after Christmas. She’ll be in Australia for a while working with A Passion for Jesus.

I didn’t feel so good this morning. still don’t. 
I made Jeff’s lunch, waved goodbye as he left for work and dozed off on the couch.
When I woke up it was 11:00 am!
The girls were watching a movie on the couch next to me and the boys were finishing up their school.

How did I sleep through the whole morning routine?
Was our house really that quiet? or was I just really that tired?
Glad to know my kids can run the house fine without me. They even got dinner together tonight.

{this ornament used to hang on my great, great grandmother’s Christmas tree}

Going to make a cup of hot tea and watch a Christmas movie now.
I’m sure I’ll be asleep five minutes into it.
Enjoy your evening.

1. Silly Girl. snowmen and bread dough.

2. I usually don’t like robes, but I’d never get dressed if this were mine.

3. Season tickets please.

4. What would Mary Poppins have to say about this?

5. Truffle Mocha…it was absolutely heavenly.

6. Wish I could have seen how filled this was at the end of the day.
Wish I would have written more than I did.

7. Lunch.

8. The hotel lobby was so very trendy and beautiful.

9. The city always looks amazing at Christmas time. Daley Plaza. Macy’s window.

 

10.Wishing this was last weekend.
Jeff’s working through this one and I’d much rather have him around.

train rides 
and city shopping 
and hand holding

….that make me not like Monday mornings so much.

Such a beautiful city. I  Chicago.