Loving Lately

I am in Christmas lovin’ overdrive (I’m sure you are too). I just can’t get enough… and wait until you see what I have in store for you! (Get it… the barn? So clever.)

I don’t know what to talk about first! Gifts? Baking? What to wear? …Holidays literally give you the perfect excuse to go all out and have some fun. Go ahead, wear some flair, add some sparkle, or don that ugly sweater- I won’t judge. It’s time to shine! And in the off-chance that you haven’t had as much time to do Christmas research as I have this season, I’ve put together a few of my favorites.

Let’s start with the party. It’s a season of celebration! I love this play on a “cheese” board. Camille Styles has transformed that inspiration into the assembly of a festive “cookie and candy” board!

Image courtesy of CamilleStyles.com

How much cuter is that than the traditional tray? And yet, so simple! You can mix store bought and homemade. (Or all store bought… I know you’re busy.) It’s perfect for an office gathering, cocktail parties with friends, or watching Christmas movies with your fam!

Next, let’s talk gifts. First of all, I support shopping local. There are so many unique options, often including works from local artists and artisans that you just can’t get anywhere else. Secondly, you know my love of Amazon. They just make it so darn convenient! Lastly, for creative ideas that you haven’t even thought of, my go-to is UncommonGoods.com.

Hot Toddy Mugs? They got ’em.

Image courtesy of UncommonGoods.com

Uncommongoods.com has an extensive selection of beautiful handmade pottery, even as specific as, for the knitter in your life, this “Birdie Yarn Bowl”:

Image courtesy of UncommonGoods.com

How adorable is this bedding for the kiddos?

Image courtesy of UncommonGoods.com

Seriously, for hot sauce lovers, gem stone collectors, fanatics of retro games, or people looking for guitar socks… UncommonGoods.com has a plethora of ideas and gift options. (And no, they are not a sponsor… but I wouldn’t turn them down. You know what I’m sayin’.)

I know that some of you are crafty (in the best sense of the word). I’m really not. But if there was a cute project that would be fun to do with the kids this year, to keep or pass out as gifts… it would be this homemade “Vintage Truck in Mason Jar Snow Globe’ from itallstartedwithpaint.com. (For directions click on the link to the left.)

Adorable.

Ok, so now you know what you are serving or bringing to share. You have some great gifting selections… what are you going to wear? Well, if you are a man looking for a suit, you will have to find a different blog. As a mother of 3 boys, I empathize with the difficulty of the search. For the rest of you, my new favorite… (drumroll please)… is chicwish.com!

Okay, so maybe your occasions don’t call (necessarily) for something dressy. (Maybe they call for something ritzy to the nines, what do I know?) All I’m suggesting is give Chicwish.com a try. (Also, not a sponsor.) They boast “Indie Design in Onepiece dresses, Top clothing, Outers and Bottoms – Retro, Indie and Unique Fashion.” And even better, their prices- especially with their on-going sales, are affordable! #SeasonalWinning!

Alas, perhaps the whole scene isn’t for you and you’re just looking to get the heck out of dodge? MyDomaine.com has put together “7 Winter Vacation Ideas That Are Better Than The Beach”! Now although I can’t verify this to be true, I have to admit that I wouldn’t mind putting it to the test.

Image courtesy of mydomaine.com

Hope you are all enjoying the season!

See Colleen, I don’t get all of my inspiration from Pinterest… Just the featured image, courtesy of BestofChristmasToys.com

Loving Lately

I’m in love with a Christmas Tree Farm. Broadview Christmas Tree Farm to be exact. It’s quaint and special and lovely and perfect and… At the risk of being redundant, I’ve had another holiday experience with the family that made me feel like I was living in a made for TV movie from a specific channel (that I have referred to in several previous posts) that specializes in heartfelt movies with a focus for a particular holiday. T’is the season!

Let’s ignore the fact that less than 48 hours before my baby had a full blown bout with the flu and we debated even going. Let’s pretend that my husband and I weren’t arguing on the drive there about walking “the back 40” knowing that the farm was closing in an hour. Because when we arrived and walked through the gate, all of the negatives disappeared. We were mentally transported to the essence of the season, and we were able to enjoy the moment with our family.

Growing up, we had a mix of years with real and fake trees in our home. I really loved them all. It was about the lighting, the decorating, and (in full disclosure) the anticipation of what would be under them. But some of my favorite childhood memories of the season definitely include going out on a dark snowy night to pick out the perfect tree to bring back home.

So it wasn’t dark or snowing on our trip this year, but that didn’t matter. There was enough chill in the air to keep the excitement, and enough to see and do for a memorable adventure. Broadview Christmas Tree Farm has a lot to offer:

  • Wagon Rides
  • U-Cut & Pre-Cut Trees (saws provided)
  • Wreaths
  • Roping
  • Free Boughs
  • Santa Claus
  • Warming Barn
  • Refreshments
  • Gifts
  • Petting farm area

Large parking lot – tailgating area.  “Feel free to bring your own entertainment to make this a holiday to remember.”

Behold the pure enthrallment… You can’t buy that!

All we need now is some hot cocoa from the on-site cafe. (You have to buy that.)

Inside, it was warm and inviting. It felt like a real gathering place, with spacious tables for your whole group, where they wouldn’t scoff at your muddy boots. They offered hot drinks and food, as well as, homey decor and seasonal ambiance.

Now back to our business! We decided for time and convenience sake to go with a pre-cut tree. (Next year we can plan ahead to have our full Christmas Vacation/Clark Griswold family experience.)

It didn’t take long to find the perfect one for our family.

I can’t say no to those faces. Let’s pay the lady.

Next, it’s just a matter of prepping it for the ride home…

Which clearly requires supervision (or not).

But we do have to wait our turn. And it’s not a bad view.

BTW, did I mention Broadview Christmas Tree Farm maintains environmentally sound practices? Worth noting, I think.

Okay, now let’s wrap this up. (I can’t help myself. I’m so punny.)

It seemed so big in person?

Drum roll please…

The final presentation! (Well almost, because which one of my tree waterers pulled down the tree skirt? But the truth is, embracing the imperfections makes for such a nicer season… because in reality if we waited for the perfect moment, we probably still wouldn’t have a tree!)

Hope you are all loving this time of year! I really am.

Downtown Milford’s Holiday Window Reveal

Milford is the cutest little town. It’s like straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Last week, members of the community (and maybe others who weren’t) gathered on the sidewalks of Main Street to watch the local businesses reveal their holiday displays. It really was ideal. There was a chill in the air, enhancing the excitement, and a light snowfall set the perfect scene. Everyone was bundled up, huddled in small groups, making chitchat while waiting in anticipation.

It’s the kind of thing that small towns thrive on, a real sense of community. It’s the charm of not being lost in the crowds of a big city. It’s the invitation to make small talk with an unknown friendly neighbor about how the local weather, which the two of you share, has caught you off guard and left you both with snow covered deck furniture in need of putting away (or maybe that was just my occurrence). It’s experiencing the pride and joy of local business owners who care to enhance their community and make it special for every season.

Okay, maybe (in small part) the perfect snowfall was due to a machine projected from a hometown restaurant. (My kids loved filling me in on that.) But if that isn’t a testament of how far the local businesses were willing to go to make the evening magical, then I don’t know what is! It only added to the ambiance of an already idyllic scene. (And aren’t all Hallmark movies made on a set?) I mean, I couldn’t have been more charmed- even if you would have told me that all of the townspeople were paid actors.

We started by meeting up with some friends and their kids at the local coffee roaster’s shop, The Proving Grounds (a play on the GM’s Proving Grounds, the largest business in town.) While we were there, warming up and ordering something to keep us warm outdoors, we caught a glimpse of their display… Santa himself! He was checking his list (twice). Can you believe it? Right here in Milford.

Of course the kids were excited, but we left Santa to do his work and joined back in the hubbub of anticipation on Main Street. When the clock struck 6:30 pm, the wrapping papers were ripped off like it was Christmas morning, to expose the extraordinary secrets that awaited…

And SO many of the displays were special and thought out! Many were obviously themed for their specific shop, such as, the Milford Baking Co.:

and Music & Arts:

Restaurants, like the Blue Grill, had festively painted their windows to last for the whole season:

The live displays were captivating. Clothing stores displayed their merchandise and gift shops showed their wares… Like Nana’s Niche & Corner:

The kids in this display were emulating a snowball fight. Ah-dorable.

Shop owners could tell a whole story by sharing a glimpse of heartwarming relatable scenes. For example this present wrapping scene from The Clothing Cove:

I can’t really pick a favorite, but another window display from the same store was at the top of my list. The whole scene, full of penguins and ice fishing at what I imagine to be the North Pole, was transcendental story book. I couldn’t even snap a clear picture because of all of the kids faces pressed to the glass, and then I thought, “what better way to capture its essence and magnativity?”

Some stores shared playful displays:

Some went vintage (and enticed the kids with sugar cookies, literally just inside their doors):

One, Acorn Farms, had the most beautiful gingerbread house I’ve even seen! It was rotating in a fairy tale scene of marshmallow trees and life-sized gingerbread men and women:

The night was instantly one of my favorite holiday paving events. I’m thankful for such community members and businesses for making things special and memorable for kids (and us grown-ups). And I’m appreciative for this important guy taking time out of his busy schedule to pose for Santa selfies.

Happy holiday season everyone!

Ode to Tissue

white

square

cotton 

care

 

boogie mitt

pad in shoe

ghost on sucker

friend of flu

 

dries the tears

dabs boo-boos

holds old gum

bless ah-choos

 

tiny spills

dirty finger swipes

bloody noses

make-shift diaper wipes

 

lose a tooth

drop a cup

save that for later 

wrap it up

 

watch sad movies

loss and pain

clutch in fist

blot this stain

 

stuffed in pocket

packed in purse

timely share

paper nurse

 

mascara runs

snot on face

void in absence

can’t be replaced

 

on the table

next to chairs

neatly boxed

mounds everywhere

 

by Sadie Carter

Inspired by the current events in my home and derived from lack of sleep

 

Happy Voting Day!

 

Loving Lately

I love when the chilly outdoor air permits the perfect reason for a roasting fire inside. It’s something I wait for all summer long. I can get by with bonfires, on the beach or a backyard on a chilly night, but there is nothing like getting cozy with the kids, when all is calm and well, in front a the crackling warmth of a fire at home. I like to make tea, the kids beg for cocoa, and for the moment time slows down like in the days of old.

By the Fireside – Poem by Robert Browning

How well I know what I mean to do
When the long dark autumn-evenings come:
And where, my soul, is thy pleasant hue?
With the music of all thy voices, dumb
In life’s November too!

I shall be found by the fire, suppose,
O’er a great wise book as beseemeth age,
While the shutters flap as the cross-wind blows
And I turn the page, and I turn the page,
Not verse now, only prose…

Image courtesy of James P. Jordan

As a child it’s awe-inspiring; the heat, the danger, the excitement. As an adult… it’s just as awesome.

My baby, contemplating the phenomenon of fire

In the latest issue of the Magnolia Journal, Joanna Gaines shares her excitement about the season in an article titled Anticipating Nostalgia, “…I see Chip and me fireside with all of the kids snuggled in around us, gazing at the lights till our eyes are too heavy to keep open…”

Ideal.

It’s just a classic tale that never gets old. You don’t “outgrow” having a fire.

Image courtesy of classygirlswearpearls.com

Traditional Irish House Blessing:

God bless the corners of this house
And be the lintel blessed.
Bless the hearth, the table too
And bless each place of rest.
Bless each door that opens wide
To stranger, kith and kin;
Bless each shining window-pane
That lets the sunshine in.
Bless the roof-tree up above
Bless every solid wall.
The peace of Man, the peace of love,
The peace of God on all.

-courtesy of appleseeds.org

I love that, “bless the hearth, the table too…” I don’t take being warm for granted.

Image courtesy of nature.desktopnexus.com

Here’s to enjoying life’s simple pleasures, and hoping you are staying warm on these chilly nights.

Love,

Sadie

 

Featured Image courtesy of townandcountrymag.com (which also has quite a few more cozy pics if you are interested!)

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Monster Pops

Those who know me, know that I’m not really a Halloween fan. Do I love adorable kid costumes? Yes. Do I like to be scared? No. If it were up to me we would just skip to Thanksgiving and have intermittent costume parties throughout the year. However, I do like to send in treats to my kids’ seasonal classroom parties. Usually, I like to follow the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid). My check list goes something like this, (in order of importance):

  1. Will it taste good?
  2. Is it cute?
  3. Is it realistically easy enough for me to do?

If it checks the criteria, it’s usually a no brainer- no need to keep digging.

Tada! I found these on Lilluna.com! (And you can get all of the details by clicking on the link.) So cute! So simple. I love that it’s not gory or scary… And who doesn’t love Rice Krispy Treats?  You can buy the melting candy already colored, and pre-packaged Krispy Treats. (Also, FYI it’s great for those peanut free classrooms!) This year I was in charge of the snack for both of my elementary schooler’s parties. So I get to use this twice! Bonus!

So, just in case you were looking for a last minute idea… This here, highly recommended! (I just wish I had thought of it…) 😉

Loving Lately

Serendipitously, I’ve been reading books containing other people’s quotes. While reading a Pete the Cat book to my son, we came across this nugget:

“To begin, begin.” -William Wordsworth

There is so much wisdom in the simplicity of that! Regardless of the situation, just start; you’ll work your way through it… I love that. And I saver the moments I just want to dwell on someone’s words (hoping the wisdom is also sinking into my children). Of course, the book of Proverbs is a great place to start.

“A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 KJV

Infinite wisdom. Choose your words wisely!

…So much choice to be had.

 

And some people just seems to really get why;

“The pen is mightier than the sword.” -Edward Bulwar-Lytton, 1839

The whole notion that hope is worth living for… It’s powerful. Inspiration is priceless. Faith. The belief you are meant for more. Purpose…

 

Inspiring, right?

Undoubtedly, words do more than inspire. There really is nothing like someone saying the perfect thing, the moment you needed to hear it. There is so much comfort and healing in compassion, understanding, and kindness. There is so much to be said for timeless wisdom, the words and truisms that get passed down from generation to generation. And often it doesn’t have to be lengthy and drawn out; just to the point.

“If you cannot explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” -Albert Einstein

Genius.

Thankfully, there are also humorous writings, often my personal favorites. Things can be serious, my family often (not always) tends to deal with such things with comedic relief; like Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias. I’ll never forget years ago while my father was having a heart attack, his chronically painful knees gave out at the bottom of a set of stairs entering the garage. I was a mess at the time, hating to watch my dad suffer and in shock by the fall. Then he looked at me and quoted Tommy Boy, “Could’ve done without that.”

I envy people who have the strength to take things in stride.

Image courtesy of lifehack.org

This week I was reading, Tea at the Mary Jackson House by the Milford Historical Society. In it are a variety of citations and facts that I think I enjoyed reading even more than the recipes… well, they probably enhanced one another. Anyway, one of the informative quotes that stuck out the most was this:

“Things not to be forgotten at a Picnic… A stick of horseradish, bottles of mint-sauce, salad dressing, vinegar, and made mustard, pepper, salt, good oil, and pounded sugar. If it can be managed, take a little ice. It is scarcely necessary to say that plates, tumblers, wine glasses, knives, forks and spoons, must not be forgotten; as well as tea cups and saucers, three of four teapots, some lump sugar, and milk, if this last-named article cannot be obtained in the neighborhood. Take three corkscrews. Beverages – three dozen quart bottles of ale, packed in hampers, ginger-beer, soda-water, and lemonade, of each two bottles; six bottles of sherry, six bottle of claret, champagne a discretion, and any other light wine that may be preferred, and two bottles of brandy.

Isabella Beeton, Book of Household Management, 1861

I chuckled out loud at the ‘beverages’ part. How many people were going to that picnic? Because it sounds like a plan to survive the prohibition. It’s good to laugh.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” -Proverbs 17:22

Image courtesy of Instagram @oak73

 

There really are so many great sayings. I wish I was full of them. And I’d really like to be able to say it to you the moment you need it…

In the meantime, I can share other people’s goodies.

Image courtesy of boomsumo.com

 

Featured Image Courtesy of resilientapp.com

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Apple & Brie Pie

For more than one holiday, my sister and I have wrapped a small round of brie (to bake) in puffed pastry. Before it’s wrapped, we top the brie with walnuts, dried cranberries, and honey. It’s served with (buttery) crackers, and it’s amazing. One could lighten it up by serving it with some apple slices or celery… You do you. Naturally, due to my butter inclination, it lead to that would make a good pie.

2 – Pie Crusts, homemade or store bought

5 medium Apples (up to 7 small), peeled and sliced about ½ inch thick

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 Tbsp Flour

2 Tbsp granulated Sugar, plus more for sprinkling

3 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated

1 Tbsp Honey

1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped (or small leaves striped from stem)

1/2 cup dried Cranberries

5 oz. Brie cheese, diced into ½ inch cubes

2 oz. White Cheddar, shredded

1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped

1 Egg white + 1 splash water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375º.

Blind bake 1 pie crust in a baking dish 10-12 minutes. (Blind bake means to pre-cook the crust, without filling using pie weights, rice or dry beans in parchment paper set on top of the crust.) Set aside.

Meanwhile, place apple slices, lemon juice, flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, and cranberries in a bowl.

Gently toss until all is mixed well. In the pre-baked crust, evenly distribute apple mixture and brie pieces. Cover the apple and brie filling with an even layer of shredded cheddar cheese. Next place an even layer of chopped walnuts over the cheese.

Carefully lay the second pie dough (in a pattern or not) over the top of the layered pie filling.

Side note: My inspiration for the diamond pattern came from the latest issue of Martha Stewart’s Living Magazine:

(If you do not have a pattern, cut a few slices in the top of the dough to release steam.) With a pastry brush (or spoon), lightly cover the pie dough with the egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is oozy, crust is browned, apples are softened but still a little firm, walnuts are toasted, and flavors are melded.

Let stand 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

…Or at room temp.

…Or for breakfast the next day.

…(Because I can easily eat cheese, crackers and fruit for breakfast. Same thing?)

Loving Lately

I was a teenager when the first 24 hour superstore, Meijer, came to our hometown. It was a marvel, unprecedented and life-changing. You could buy anything, groceries and a poster; a bean bag and a gold fish; a movie and an air popper popcorn maker. And the best part was that it was open all of the time! Maybe a Friday night football game victory lead to a celebratory cheeseburger at the local McDonald’s… And then you remember that you were supposed to grab donuts and juice for your little sister’s slumber party! Gone were the days that your hometown grocery store that closed by 9 (on a late day) was your only lost opportunity. Just drive over to Meijer! You couldn’t miss it, the store was gargantuan and the parking lot was lit.

Kids these days will never know what a world of opportunity that opened up. It didn’t matter if you worked the night shift, you could still stop at the store on your way home from work. And, the rural nocturnal people finally had a destination complete with cafeteria. Be that as it may, it is 2018 now and there is only one name you need to know, Amazon.

From the comfort of my easy chair in my non-judgmental (and quite acceptable) pajama wearing living room, I can order just about anything I want; products even my neighborhood Meijer may not carry, and it will be delivered to my doorstep in about 2 days. (I am certain that within a few years that too will seem archaic, because those little drones (or devices I have yet to imagine) will have it delivered in “30 minutes or less, or it’s free!”) But for now, with a little planning, I’ve got it made.

This week alone, I ordered my middle schooler’s mask and accessories for his Drift costume (whatever that is),

Za’atar and other organic spices not found at my local grocer,

the Cash and Carter Family Cookbook, because obvi,

as well as, ahead-of-my-usual-game Christmas gifts and other miscellaneous items… Because, yeeaaahh! I don’t know why it took me so long to get on board? But currently my Prime floodgates are wide open… and at the moment, I am loving my Amazon.

Featured Image courtesy of Silver and Rust

Fall Forward

I love fall. To me, it’s the most exciting time of year. I love the chill in the morning air after the long hot summer days. I love the hustle and bustle of back to school. I loved it as a young girl, the anticipation of knowing I was going to see my friends again after summer break. You could feel it in the air. I loved the football games, oversized sweaters, and hot drinks. I loved mom’s pot roast and apple pie. Some things never change. There’s a comfort in that. When Owen and I got married in early fall, I think it had more to do with planning a honeymoon around Labor Day, a three day weekend. I remember my uncle remarking at my wedding, what a beautiful time of year it was to be married with all of the changes in the season. It was a notion I really hadn’t put much thought into at the time, but I think about every year now. For a homebody, it’s a perfect time of year for the excitement of what lies ahead in the warmth of our home: stoking fires, baking pies, early nights under big blankets. After the fast pace of trying to take advantage of every outdoor moment in summer, it’s a reprieve for the body and mind.

Tahquamenon River, courtesy of Ryan French

I really can’t say that we’ve slowed down this fall as much as I’d like to. We’ve been doing some autumn projects. My baby boy (who is actually my oldest) is growing up. This year he traded his old bunk beds and little desk for (what looks like to me to be) an adult apartment. If I think about it too long, I could get sappy and emotional… But, somehow the seasonal change helped me through it. It seemed more exciting, like a good time for preparation. I tell you what, Fall is medicinal.

Old bed

New bed

Old Desk

New Desk

It also helps that he kept a Lego pen box on his desk. I mean, I can only handle so much change at a time. I realize he is in middle school. I remember putting away the Barbies… I think it’s a good time to bake a therapeutic pumpkin bread. (I couldn’t have enjoyed that as much in the summer… See?)

This weekend we moved the dock at my parents cabin, to make way for winter changes.

The Cabin, Courtesy of Ryan French

And I spent some time with my favorite people.

My dad and sister, courtesy of Ryan French

It warms the heart, right? The stability during the inevitable change. The togetherness. And look at all of the autumn color! I love it. Enjoy your Fall!

Featured image courtesy of my brother-in-law, Ryan French