Dec 29
as i mentioned a few weeks back – i’m going to try and actually change my jewelry on a regular basis. i’m horrible at it – i wear the same pieces over and over. one reason is because i’m too busy to do otherwise and the second is that i get comfortable with something and stick with it. it’s easy and i like easy. well i’ve graduated onto something new and i’m wearing the “riveted” hand stamped necklace around. i love this necklace – mine is hand stamped with niels’ monogram and the year of his birth. so that’s what i’m wearing right now…. next week? could be something different. or maybe not.
Dec 28
i have a bit of adventure in my bones and every once in a while i get a strong desire to take off…. to grab the family and go on an adventure. must be all of the reading i am doing (just finished “the girl who plays with fire”). but i am in full-on, daydream mode and ready for adventure, new surroundings and different sights. i love my life, where i live, my friends and family – but wouldn’t it be fun to move someplace for a year and explore? it sounds really great to me. especially right about now.
Dec 27
new music to welcome the new year! love this song!
Dec 26
the past three months have been busy. busy beyond belief. and today feels like the first day where i am justified to do “nothing.” the kids are occupied with their new toys, the businesses are closed and niels is home from work. we even have left overs in the fridge. it’s a day of nothingness and i love that. i love to read but don’t always have the time. “the time traveler’s wife” has been on my list for literally years and finally i have the time. i can’t put it down. it feels so good to absorb into a good book and let everything else around me just “be.” i’m almost done – any recommendations for my next read??
Dec 25
our christmas celebration is two days long – starting with our “danish” celebration on christmas eve. a formal sit-down dinner with a delicious traditional meal served on royal copenhagen china. i love it! i was raised in a very casual environment so dressing-up for dinner, sitting down to a formal dinner and celebrating tradition is amazing to me. i love it! after dinner we light real candles on the christmas tree (when niels was young they would sing songs and dance around the tree) and then finish with exchanging gifts with family. it’s a wonderful day and i have embraced the tradition of niels’ family and the girls love looking forward to their danish celebration. then santa comes that night and the girls get to open more presents in the morning. it’s two days of fun, celebration and joy. merry christmas to you and your loved ones! i hope your day is wonderous.
Dec 23
every year the girls make their own christmas presents for our family. it’s up to them to decide what they want to make and i do my best to help them – but i really want them to make it all theirs. this year elle decided she wanted to bake cookies. she was inspired by her teacher’s “chocolate crackles.” elle’s teacher sent home the yummiest cookies this year and we went crazy for them. “chocolate crackles.” they are delish and fun to make. so elle started out and made yummy chocolate crackles.
Heat oven to 375
1 package of Devil’s Food cake mix
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 cup of shortening
powdered sugar
Combine cake mix, eggs, water and shortening. Mix until well blended. Shape dough into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Place on greased pan and cook for 10 minutes (longer for crispier cookies). You can sprinkle more sugar on while cooling if desired.
Dec 21
it’s exciting when it rains in southern california. rain is about the closest thing we have to a season in the winter and so we get a bit excited when it happens. for me, it’s an excuse to do things i don’t normally get to do. an excuse to slow down, stay inside, wear my PJs all day and just hang out. my top three picks? i get to wear my new rainboots, i drink an extra cup of hot coffee topped with snowman marshmallows and the girls get to bake home-made cookies. it’s nice and cozy with a fire blazing and a nice excuse to just hang around.
Dec 20
today and tomorrow only – take 15% off a three sisters hand stamped jewelry gift certificate! the perfect stocking stuffer, “oops” i almost forgot gift or “just because” you’re that kind of person… share the love this holiday season with a personalized, hand-crafted piece of hand stamped jewelry that will be a part of the family for years to come. sale is valid monday, december 20 and tuesday, december 21st only. we are sorry, no rainchecks or retroactive discounts. please select “e-mail a copy of gift certificate” to me upon ordering your gift to ensure christmas delivery. hard copies will me mailed BUT ARE NOT GUARANTEED FOR CHRISTMAS DELIVERY. thank you!
Dec 19
it rained this weekend so we decided to go camping. ugh. we have been planning this camping trip for 6 months! seven families – 21 kids, 14 adults. we were going to have a big birthday bash for ellika and her buddy averi. such a bummer! we went anyways – but it was cold (made even colder because our rear picture window shattered and broke!), wet and even wetter. the kids still had fun but i have to admit i was so disappointed and did an awful job of hiding it. it’s tough when you have something all worked out in your mind and it doesn’t pan out. drat.
Dec 17
i think out of all of our little holiday traditions, the advent calendar is one of the girls’ favs. my aunt gave the calendar to my mom when jette was born. my mom would fill it with simple things, a quarter, a few jelly beans, a painted stone – jette loved it. she wanted to go to grandma’s every day to check her calendar. when my mom died i inherited the calendar and assumed the role of filling the calendar. i have a tough time cramming three treats into each drawer so on some days when the items are a bit bigger i make a treasure map for the girls to follow. it’s december 17th and i’ve woken at 4am about 10 times remembering that i forgot to move the elf and fill the drawers. maybe i will get some sleep after december is over!
