Dear Santa,
Thank you for coming a bit early this year. I know you don't normally come in the form of a 25% off sale on Coach purses at the BX, nevertheless, I really appreciate the effort on your part. I also appreciate the fact that the purse I already had picked out for a later purchase, was still available and I was able to get the VERY last one. Oh the luck! Santa, you are too much!
Love,
Heather
Whole berry cranberry sauce cooking.
My gorgeous flower centerpiece my sweet husband brought home to me.
Decor.
My brie en croute.
...And some homemade pumpkin pie.
Today is Thanksgiving. Jason and I had some of our friends over for a Thanksgiving dinner that we prepared and cooked. Everything was homemade.
It was a wonderful day of friendship and fellowship.
We had an appetizer table that consisted of a cheese and meat tray, brie en croute, cocktail shrimp, a cheese ball that Jason and I made, onion dip and chips and my Mother-in-law's (who passed away last September) party mix.
For dinner, Jason made a Cajun fried turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, cherry coke salad (my Grandma's recipe and my favorite thing at Thanksgiving and Christmas), & Jason's Grandfather's stuffing recipe. We also had homemade macaroni and cheese, made and brought by JP, always delicious. Natalie brought squash casserole and a carrot souffle, both were amazing!
For dessert, we had pumpkin pie, with a Bourbon whipping cream I made, my Grandma's apple pie, and chocolate pecan pie, made by Anna and Natalie.
Today, I am thankful for:
* life
*family
*good friends
*my home
*laughter
*everything I have been blessed with
*second chances, when I don't deserve for God to give me another
*trips
*the ability to learn and improve my photography
*my church
And, so much more, I could honestly have a list with no end. I am so blessed.
I hope you all remember to thank God for all your blessings.
Recently, I decided it was time to change up the decor in a couple of our rooms. My starting point? Our bedroom, of course.
When we first moved here, we went with a beachy feel in our master bedroom. This is what we started with..
Old bedset.
I got tired of having so much beachy stuff in our house, AND, our bed set was discolored from being washed so many times...so, I was on the hunt for new bedding. I found a really nice 2 toned purple damask bed set on Overstock, but I was hesitant, because I wanted to see it first. So, I kept my eyes open for anything I might see while shopping around. I am a BIG fan of Marshall's and Ross. I buy most everything at either those two stores, or Target. I love a deal.
I have been shopping for Christmas presents every Monday. It's my date. With myself. :) So, a few Mondays ago, I found this gorgeous bedding set that is a kind of light khaki grey, a great neutral color, at Marshall's. So, I bought it. It came with the three cute throw pillows and the shams. I bought the plum sheets/pillowcases separately.
I LOVE THE NEW BEDDING. I feel like I am in my own personal boudoir. AND, the bonus is, Jason likes it, too. Maybe because he knows I love it, but either way, what a sweet husband I have.
The color scheme is shades of browns, bronzes and golds and random purple accents. A little white here and there, also.
New bedding and new wall decor. I love the Fleur de lis!
Throw pillows and pillowcases to match sheets.
Pillows!
Gorgeous crushed gold curtains.
I am thankful.
I am thankful when the pain feels unbearable. I am thankful that I got to have my Dad for as long as I did. I am thankful when I feel the pain. It reminds me of everything I had. The time I had. Lessons learned. Memories made. And, the love my Dad shared with all of us. It reminds me that I had my Dad, if only for a short while. Even when I wish I had so much more time.
The pain reminds me that I did have my Dad. I would feel every bit of the pain again, even if it meant I would only have had him in my life for a minute, an hour. Children are born and never know their parents. I knew mine. I was blessed to have both my parents for 20 years.
I know that the pain is also a blessing. The blessing serves as a reminder of the wonderful moments we had with him. How much love exists in one lifetime. What a life can mean.
I frequently reflect on the fact that the time was not long enough. It could never have been long enough.
A-
Age – 23.
Animal – Dogs. :)
B-
Birthday - March 16, the day before St Patrick's Day! :)
Best feeling (s) in the world – Being loved. Happiness. Knowledge of blessings, EVERY day.
Blind or Deaf – Deaf
Best weather – I like Fall, when it's actually Fall weather.
Been on stage? – Yes. Did I like it? Not so much.
Believe in yourself? – Yes.
Believe in life on other planets – Well, I don't know if God only created life on Earth. Maybe.
Believe in miracles – Yes.
Believe in God – Yes.
Believe in Santa - I believe in the idea and I know Saint Nicholas existed.
Believe in Evolution – No.
C-
Candy – Chocolate. Yeah.
Color - Pink. Plum. Grey. I love COLOR!
Cried in school – Of course.
Chocolate/Vanilla – Vanilla ice cream. Chocolate everything else.
Chinese/Mexican – Mexican.
Cake or pie – Cookies.
Clothing Style – Jeans and whatever I mix it up with, usually. Heels.
D-
Day or Night – Both!
Dream - I don't always remember them..
Danced – Only in the privacy of my home. LOL.
Do splits? – Riiiight.
E-
Eggs – Love eggs!
Eyes – allow us to physically see the wonderful creation around us.
Everyone has a Heart -- Yes, but, sometimes people have been so hurt, they don't know how to show they have one, anymore.
Ever failed? - All the time. I'm not quitting, though!
F-
First crush – Yeaaah. No.
Full name – Heather Danielle ___________
First thoughts waking up – Nope, not getting out of bed, yet.
Food – I love food. All of it. I really love Brie cheese! Yum-o!
Favorite place - NYC. Texas. Not here. :)
G-
Greatest Fear – Death. Too bad we will all die, eventually.
Giver or taker – I like to give. I am sure I take, too.
Goals – To live life to the fullest and never forget all I am blessed with, each day.
Gum – Not often.
Get along with your parents? – I only have mi madre, left. I sure do miss 'old man.'
Good luck charm – Don't believe in luck.
H-
Hair Color – Dark brown.
Height -- Short. :)
Happy – Yes.
Holiday – I love all of them.
Hate – I hate hate.
I-
Ice Cream – Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla, no contest.
Instrument – I can play piano and clarinet. I haven't played either in years.
J-
Jewelry – Yes.
Job – Unemployed, by choice.
K-
Kids – Love 'em. None of my own.
Kickboxing or karate – I have never done either, I would love to learn to kickbox.
Keep a journal? – I write letters to God in a journal. And, this bloggy blog.
L-
Longest Car Ride – DC to Texas.
Laughed so hard you cried – Yes.
Love at first sight – How can you love the sight of someone? That's not what love is.
M-
Milk flavor – Nonfat, organic.
Movie – Jason and I are movie buffs.
Marriage – Married.
N-
Number of Siblings – 2.
Number of Piercings – Just ears. I love the Monroe piercing, though.
Number – 7.
O-
Overused Phrases – Lots of them.
One phobia – Death. Seriously.
Overseas - Only Mexico. Can't wait for more!
P-
Place you’d like to live - Spain, Italy, Germany.
Perfect Pizza – Santarpio's in Boston. OR, Jason's homemade buffalo chicken pizza. YUM!
Pepsi/Coke – Neither. Dublin Dr Pepper.
R-
Reasons to cry – Mostly, I cry thinking of my Dad. It's hard knowing I can't see him again on this Earth.
Radio Station -- I don't know the names and dials of the ones here.
Roll your tongue in a circle? – Not so much.
S-
Salad Dressing – Newman's Caesar Dressing.
Sushi – Not sure.
Skipped school – Not so much.
Slept outside - I love camping!
Skinny dipped? - I doubt it.
Shower daily? - I bathe.
Sing well? – Meh.
Sing in the shower? – The acoustics are AMAZING.
Stuffed Animals? – A couple.
Strawberries/Blueberries – Blueberries.
Strengths - Perfectionist. Understanding. Patient. Artistic.
T-
Time for bed – LATE.
Thunderstorms – Love them. Makes me wanna curl up with a book.
TV Shows – CSI. One Tree Hill. Grey's.
Touch your tongue to your nose -- I just tried..
U-
Unpredictable – ?
Underestimated -?
V-
Vegetable you hate – Can't think of any.
Vegetable you love – ALL.
W-
Weakness – Food. Ross & Marshalls. Sparkley things. Pink things.
When you grow up – I want to be content. And, I am.
Where do we go when we die - Heaven or Hell.
Weather - I like all weather, as long as it's not too dangerous.
X-
X-Rays – Only on my teeth.
X's - I have no grudges.
Y-
Year it is now – 2009.
Yellow – is love.
Z-
Zoo animal – Monkeys!
Zodiac sign – Pisces, doesn't mean anything to me, though.
This evening, the spouses of the squadron Jason is a part of, had a little potluck at Nat and Joe's house. I made a pumpkin roll, Doubletree chocolate chip cookies and some wassail (a delicious hot holiday spiced drink). It was such a good time with wonderful ladies!! I really enjoyed my evening and I hope everyone else did too! I can't wait to see everyone again at the squadron Christmas party, at MURPHY'S.
The yummy leftovers we took home for our spouses.
There are meatballs, apple muffins, green bean casserole, corn bread stuffing and Cajun spiced turkey.
Jason and I were able to witness a very significant event today. We saw the 100th Anniversary of Scouting stamp unveiled at the United States Postal Museum.
Jason and I met as staffers at Boy Scout camp. So, Scouting is something that has played a big part in our relationship.
We were among some very distinguished guests, including Ernest Green, one of the Little Rock Nine and National Honorary Chairman of the BSA Hall of Leadership. As well as Senator Richard Lugar from Indiana.
It was a wonderful morning, and we even left with some goodies, memoirs of us attending this momentous occasion.
After leaving the Postal Museum, we walked across the street to Union Station for some lunch at Au Bon Pain. Yum. We shared a Grilled Chicken Caesar Asiago Wrap and Butternut Squash soup, and a water. :) It was a wonderful little outing. We also got to see the Sesame Street exhibit in Union Station.
Jason prepped and cooked gumbo today, for us to freeze and eat throughout the season. I made a pumpkin roll, baked cookies and made wassail for tomorrow's spouses' potluck for the ladies.
This evening, Jason and I are watching movies and just hanging out on the couch.
I baked us a pizza from California Pizza Kitchen, and when Jason went to cut the pizza, realized, I took it out of the plastic, but forgot to remove the cardboard from the underside of the pizza. Oops!
We had our pizza, then we made this. We halved the recipe.
We used Edy's Slow Churned Vanilla Bean ice cream, it's 1/2 the fat, Horizon Organic fat free milk and Daisy light sour cream.
The first batch of marshmallows that you are supposed to char.
The second batch you are supposed to lightly char.
The finished product. :)
Oh, and it tasted so delicious. And, I enjoyed every bit of it. I didn't eat until this evening, mostly because I was super busy today..so, I don't feel so bad about splurging on pizza and my shake!
