early holiday break

It's been a rough couple of days inside the Little Cottage, and so I am taking an early holiday break and closing up blogshop until January. My uncle died suddenly of a heart attack Monday afternoon. My oldest son is struggling a bit in school. I am feeling anxious and overwhelmed.

It's time to slow down, breathe a bit, and just be with my family.

I hope that you and yours have a delightful, healthy, happy, and wonderful holiday. I look forward to reading about your adventures, Santa's generosity, and the stories that unfold over the next couple of weeks.

Blessings to you all.

Merry Christmas!

what a week

This has been a fun week, but I must admit I'm exhausted!

The book club meeting went off without a hitch on Wednesday night. Everyone brought their 3 dozen cookies and I've been working on my stash steadily since then. Fortunately, I did not have 22 guests, I had 16. So everyone got a seat. A real seat. Oh, and we did our book exchange, too. I got "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Piccoult. Anxious to read this one, have never read anything by this author before but have always heard good things.

Tuesday and Thursday evenings this week I was working. Did I tell you that I got a job at a nearby clothing store in town? Well, I did. I've been there about a month. I mostly work evenings, from about 5:30-8:30. It's working out very well, and the job is easy-breezy. There's something about clocking in and clocking out that is so refreshing. When you leave the building, you don't give the work a second thought. Oh, and there's the discount, too. Nice!

Tonight is my husband's office party. Tomorrow night a neighbor is hosting a party down the street. They have a small house, like us, and when I ran into the hostess this past week she told me they were expecting 52 people. yowsers! We don't know yet if we'll make it to that one, still figuring out babysitting details. But it's fun to have the option...isn't it? Next weekend we have nothing, no parties at all! Maybe by then the break will be nice.

I hope you have a great weekend, see you next week, or sooner!

about 5 inches

The snow started yesterday evening around 5 p.m. and continued through the night. No school closings today, by the time morning came the streets had been pretty much cleared. The newspaper says we may get more snow tomorrow night. It feels so festive and pretty - the first snowfall, that is. I think everyone's outdoor Christmas decorations look better with snow. Don't you?

Knowing this was coming, yesterday my youngest and I headed to Target to get new snow boots for my oldest. And some new snow pants. When he gets home from school later today we'll be out there. He LOVES the snow! As long as I have enough time to get ready for my book club guests tonight, I'll be happy to be out there with them both.

scenes from a shower

Sunday's shower was a raging success. Yes, the skies had opened up and we got our fair share of sleet/slush/snow - your basic ugly winter mix. But that was mostly Saturday. On Sunday it poured rain - but at least no one had to wear snow boots! I remembered to take a few pictures, it seems like I always forget when people come over, but this time I didn't.

Here's one right before the guests came over.
The bride-to-be Brigid in a beautiful cream/gold dress and sweater. Looking calm and relaxed and ready to assume the spotlight, which she did graciously.

Co-host Kelly is wearing the cute little black number. She brought a tasty chicken/pasta/tomato dish. It was her own concoction, and I must say, very delicious.

The beverage/dessert table. I got the cupcake cake last year for my son's 5th birthday and have been getting them for each party since. There's no "make mine a small piece" when everyone has a cupcake to eat. And let's face it, who turns down a cupcake!? This one was half vanilla & half chocolate. Yum Yum.

I was sorry that I didn't take a picture of the buffet before we got started. But here we are in an eating action scene. Fresh fruit, Kelly's concoction, and then a platter of muffins/breads to choose from.

I must say that Brig has the nicest friends. She is a nice person herself, so it's no surprise. But these are fun, interesting women, who know how to relax and have a good time. It will be one big party on February 23rd!

Presents galore!! (this photo is a little fuzzy...I'm sorry about that. Looks like I need a new camera pretty soon!)

Me and Brig. I loved hosting the party in her honor. She deserves every happiness in the world!

two showers and a cookie exchange

I borrowed this punch bowl from my mom and brought it back with me after our Thanksgiving trip. It was my dad's mom's...isn't it something? There are 16 glass punch cups that go with it.

Well, guess what, I have need for those 16 punch cups!

Tomorrow I'm hosting a bridal shower for my dear friend. There are going to be 16 guests (totally random how this worked out...but it's perfect, wouldn't you say?) So I'm making up a champagne punch that packs a punch! Three bottles of champagne, a fifth of gin, gingerale, tonic water, lemonade - you get the idea.

I'm awfully excited about the shower. But there's another shower - this one from the sky. We're expecting sleet & snow tonight. I guess it must be a lot, because my husband was just telling me that United has already cancelled flights for today, in anticipation of this bad weather (which hasn't even arrived yet??)

So,

Two showers...let's hope one doesn't wreak havoc on the other. Please keep your fingers crossed for me and my guests!

Ok, then next week - use #2 for the punch bowl - I'm hosting our December book club meeting. I'm very excited about this. Our last meeting of the year involves a cookie exchange as well as a book exchange. I mean, we wrap up a gently used book from our own shelves and bring it to exchange. We draw numbers and pick books that way. It's very bookish and nerdy, wouldn't you say? But oh so perfect for a book club!

We're also discussing my book selection, which is my favorite book of all time, Marjorie Morningstar. I know some people laugh at this book and its old-fashioned ways. Some others see it as a book that got more recognition than it deserved for its time (it made the cover of Time when it was first published). Me, I simply love the story. I first read it when I was 18 and I've read it half a dozen times since. And I love it every time.

So...book club is Wednesday night. Oh, did I mention there are about 22 people in our book club? There was 14 of us when I hosted last time. I hope I can come up with 22 chairs. A few people have told me they don't need a chair, they will gladly sit on the floor. I didn't have the heart to tell them that the Little Cottage doesn't even have space for 22 bottoms. I'm sure that we'll figure it all out when the time comes.