stylin'

never would you think these colors would work together...but it is so cute! I need this look! love, k

pee yew!

how could something so cute smell so bad......
I had the same thing happen to me ...but in my stove! Every time I turned on the stove I smelled the worst smell I have ever smelled! It seemed to think the insulation was cozy...until the heat came on and fried it!!!
It does eventually go away....another few weeks you should be good! love, k

love this~

                                     

Isn't this perfect for a door!! Love it. I am gloing to see if i can find a basket that would work! love, k

Larry Deprimo...

H E R O

 



lighting the way...

 

Last night I attended Lighting the Way at our church.  It's a night for women to come together and reflect on the real meaning of Christmas.  My friend Dawn started this about 8 years ago at St. Maria Goretti and I've been invited 3 times and have been unable to attend until this year.  The way it works is that women "sponsor" tables of ten.  Nancy Carney invited me to her table.  She brings her china, decorations, candles and food to share with her invited guests.  It was so impressive to see what every table looked like (wish I had taken pictures!)...ladies went all out!  Very dimmed lights and candles.

 

 I volunteered to greet guests and it was so much fun.  Women from 16-90 were there...all smiling, all happy to be there.  We entered through the front doors of the church...everything was lit with white lights and everyone waited until the doors were open to our beautiful community room.  We talked, sang Christmas songs and listened to a few, selected speakers.  It was beautiful.  xoxo, H

day 7...

It is now Day 7 since I first smelled the dead mouse (I can only assume) inside the wall and it still smells horrible.  Only if you're sitting on a stool by the counter (where I am right now because it's where I like to be on the laptop downstairs).  Do you remember when I had to clean out Duke's pen and I would stuff kleenex in my nose...I have resorted to that again.  How much longer until the little thing is fully decomposed???  Ackkkkkkk!  H.

goodbye fall decor

Onto Christmas decorating! It's a lot of work hauling all the decorations out, but I like having everything in front of me so I can weed out things I don't like anymore and things that might be just perfect. I am going simple this year. Balls, lights...not a lot of extra junk.

I had a good find at Trader Joes. Inexpensive garland (pictured) and wreaths. Once again TJ's comes through.

 love, k

2nd step

So far Evan has been accepted into St. Thomas and St. Johns. I love that St. Thomas sent him this t-shirt. 

1st step, applying

2nd step, the wait

The wait is killing me...not so much Evan, he never worries. Now I know the stress you went through. He still has a few to apply to out of state. So Step 1 continues......love, k

that means...

YOU'RE THREE SIZES DOWN - CONGRATS KRISTA!!!

 

 



tis the season

                          

Getting excited now for Christmas! Tree is trimmed, living and family rooms are decorated. Lights and garland  are hung outside! I have a lot of "gatherings" coming in December. Getting together with old friends from Macys, having a book club dinner and movie, meeting for dinner with the challengers from Steele, and happy hour dinner with my sister in laws. Topped off by my sisters for Christmas Eve and Christmas...and a trip to see my parents on the 26th! A lot to look forward to~! LOVE this time of year!! love, k
           

good signs...

a good sign, my pants, 2 sizes down....are now loose...not right away when I get them on, but throughout the day, they can slide right off...love, k

good laughs

I love being with a group of people, or even just one person ....and you are laughing almost the whole time!! My book group is different than yours. We laugh, but the dynamic is off for me. I stay because of my friend Suzanne.

Everything is better with brie...or gouda! love, k

Yum oh...

That sandwich looks like my idea of the perfect meal...people think everything is better with bacon.

Nope.  EVERYTHING is better with brie.

Ok, so I had a great 1st interview lunch yesterday...this is a position I could really enjoy.

 "I am retired from political fundraising."  Of course nothing will happen until after Christmas...which is just fine with me!

 

Had book group last night at Sheila's.  We have SO MUCH FUN.   I won't write what we were talking about last night, but it was hilarious and it could be hilarious ;).  We've been together for TEN YEARS in Janauary and this group is solid.  It's the best "therapy" ever.  All moms dealing with whatever point we're at, but so supportive of eachother.  We laugh so hard.  Margaret's description of their family Disney cruise through Hurricane Sandy had us almost peeing our pants!  I love these women....Sheila, Laura, Margaret, Danielle, Ann, Kathe, Debbie, Kris, Sally and our newest addition, Kate!  Kate has no idea how important this group will become to her...but she will.

 

It's damn cold today...love it.  George and I are about to bundle up and take a walk.  So energizing!

 

Enjoy the day.  This great time of anticipation, planning and appreciating all we have.  xoxo, H.

 

 

turkey, brie and cranberry chutney grilled cheese....

YUM!!

life is good

Sounds like a great Thanksgiving.....that is awesome! That's what life is about. Can't wait to come for Christmas! Such fun we will have.

this and that...

Great family weekend.  Emma is back at Butler - she just called - she does that after early a.m. practices if she is walking from the pool back to her dorm.  She is happy.  Peter was off to practice at 5 a.m...time to get organized!  Looking back on the past week...

• Emma is in the best shape of her life.  So lean, strong and hungry!  I swear she was eating every two hours.  She is also the happiest I have ever seen her.
• Peter is hilarious.  Emma was constantly tweeting his comments.  He rarely tries to be funny but he is.
• I've reconfirmed Thanksgiving as the best holiday ever.  I love the food, the decor and the actual day.  We lucked out with our day being 60+ degrees which meant windows open for cooking and many walks for George.  Jeremy and Elizabeth were so happy to ENJOY the day with us...it was perfect (except of course no Knutsons or Schaafs here :( ).
• The smell of a dead mouse is HORRIBLE.  We don't have mice IN the house but we've been battling a few in microwave vent and an inner wall.  Chris is winning the battle (many caught and if not dead meet their demise in the "killing bucket" of water in the garage...the SAME bucket my husband brought to me in bed with I had the stomach flu...it just made me barf harder), but one has died in the wall and it is very PUNGENT.  Ugh.
• Emma and I LOVE sushi and on Saturday we sat at Sushi Muramoto at Hilldale and savored every bite of our "usual" order.  Then we hit Anthro, Target, Starbucks and the mall.  Had a blast doing some Christmas shopping.
• THIS is the best time of year...the anticipation of Christmas, gatherings, reunions and the promise that our faith is the greatest gift we have.  It just makes me feel so content.
• It's still important that we all get the tree together.  Emma made sure of that.
• The Coppertop breakfasts are some of our best memories
• George is loved more and more every day (if that is possible?!)...I think we are all getting in as much love as possible because he's showing his age.
• Life can change on a dime so we are trying to take it all in!

Oh yes and.....THE IRISH ARE NUMBER 1!!!
XOXO, H.

Loved Skyfall! My favorite of the new Bond movies. He is perfect. Agreed!

christmas cocktail

Pomegranate and Champagne for our Christmas cockail.....I will bring!

oh so thankful...

We had a lovely Thanksgiving with Jeremy and Nana here yesterday...the food was great (yes patting myself on the back) and the day was relaxing.  It was 60+ degrees and George got 3 walks.  We had the windows open and after our Thanksgiving feast (best turkey ever...rubbed it with orange marmalade and butter and it was so good) we all napped (!) then got up and went to Skyfall. 

I thought it was the best Bond movie ever, although Casino Royale is a very close 2nd.  He is my personal favorite Bond.  I LOVED it! 

So much to be thankful for, but here are a few of my "things"...coffee, when my gravy is "perfect" (thanks to my immersion blender!), the excitement of the holiday season, having us all under one roof, George and Charlie, my very nice in laws, my husband who works so hard, leftovers, good wine, red toenails, snowflakes that don't accumulate, Peter's hugs, Emma's college stories, living in freedom, our recent gorgeous sunsets and feeling truly blessed.

Now onto the Notre Dame v. USC game tomorrow...biggest game!  The Irish are the only undefeated team and bent on getting to the National Championship...it's been a wild but FUN season! 

Emma goes back to Butler on Sunday, but she'll be home for Christmas in 3 weeks!  YAY!!!!

All is well....can't wait to have you all here for Christmas!!!!!  xoxo, H

p.s. wish me luck with my interview on Monday!

fitness blog

I started a "krista gets fit" blog- kristagetsfit.blogspot.com-check it out! I will keep it separate from our blog!

a nudge...

Hey Sissy - you need to blog a bit about your recent experience/triumph with your weight loss!  I've had some friends ask that you blog about it (Carol, Kris...).  I know it's been a very emotional experience for you! 

I am very proud of you.  xoxo, H.

it doesn't get any better....

It sounds like a perfect start to winter sister. Family and fun...that's what it is all about. As we approach Thanksgiving, it seems like a perfect time to give thanks. It is also the perfect time to remember how important every day is, and to cherish who we love.

feeling good!

I am having a great week...it started slow because I was still recovering from my stomach bug, but then it took off!  Not sure why, but some of the reasons might include:

• YOU, Steve, Evan and Lily are for sure coming for Christmas Eve/morning and we can't wait!  I'm already planning the menu, etc...we are so happy and excited!
• Peter is having a great first week back at hs swimming...smashing his old times and swimming better than ever.  Club swimming over the summer and fall definitely has made the difference.  He is quite proud of himself in his very humble way.
• It's been sunny and gorgeous this week...cool but beautiful.  Yesterday I spent almost the entire day raking up the last of the leaves, tidying the gardens and mowing the front and back in perfectly straight lines.  As you know, mowing and vacuuming to me are very theraputic.
• I've got an interview after Thanksgiving for the development job at the Veteran's Museum.  YAY for me.  I've taken on the mantra..."I've retired from political fundraising."  If I say it enough, it will come true.
• The wallpaper in the powder room is gone and new paint job is going up this weekend thanks to my perfectionist painter husband...I love the color.
• Emma is coming home on Monday!!!!  We get her under our roof for 6 nights!!!!  Next week is all about food, movies, snuggling and Thanksgiving.  I could not be more excited!
• Life is good.  All is well in our little world for the moment and I am grateful.

xoxo, H

another 4 years...really, I mean really?

Thanks to the independents and the liberals we have to endure Obama for four more years, and all that goes with that. How much do you think we will be in debt in 2016? Bad night over all. MN is full of uneducated, free spirit liberals and it is hard to take sometimes. Obviously almost 1/2 the country agrees O should have got the boot, so we are not alone today. k :(

flowers!

Pulled this from one of my favorite blogs, Blackberry Rambles...I love the colors!  Pefect fall arrangement!  xoxo, H.

 http://blackberryrambles.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog