River Stop

 If you have to work on your Christmas vacation, like I am doing now, than this is where you need to come. The River Stop Cafe. It is probably the best little coffee shop I have ever been too. It is quaint and cozy. It is peaceful. The coffee is outstanding and the food is really good. It is a must stop whenever I come home. I have been to coffee shops in and around the twin cities as well as New York City, and this one is still tops.

So, if you must be away from your little family, writing scripts for a show that will air in Hindi, as you write in English... than coming to this cute little spot is just about as perfect a work place as you can get.

...and now, back to work I go...

Snippets

~ We arrived in Michigan on the 18th of December. We flew and my boys were PERFECT. The first leg of our flight we did not have to tell Jack "No" once. That doesn't happen at home. They were so great traveling.

~ There is more snow in VA right now than there is in Michigan. Kinda funny. We have had clean, clear roads and snow on the ground. Perfect.

~ I got one of the last pair of heels in my size in the country with well over $100 off at Anthropologie. They arrived in 2 days. They are glorious. Early Merry Christmas to me.

~ Christmas day was spent on the go to 3 different Christmas gatherings. My boys napped a total of 25 minutes and were up from 8am to 11pm. They both were happy and cheerful the whole time.

~ They both have been sleeping all day.

~ It is good to be home.

~ I took pictures for our "Day in December" on Christmas day. Figured I would like to look back at all the craziness.

~ I hope that everyone enjoyed their Christmas and remembering the reason why we all get together.

~ Santa Babies~

Jack

5 months

 December 2008





Colin

4 months

 December 2010

Can ya tell they are brothers?

...these are a few of my favorite things...

While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are nice and all...these are some of my favorite things.

With a few more shopping days left, I can wholeheartedly recommend these products!

Hanna Andresson. I love Hanna. They are a Swedish children's store with SUPERB quality. These clothes live a life of their own. I am particularly in love with their stripey pj's. They are thick, bright colored and remain their shape and color after YEARS worth of washing. I bought a pair for Jack, one size up, over a year ago and he still wears them and they look brand new. Colin is also going to rock these puppies...and any other future children. I get mine at the outlet mall closes to me, but they are so so great. Get them.

Umm. I am pretty much obsessed with anything Anthropologie. I have figured out their sales cycles (with help from some lovely blogs) and know when to buy their stuff 75% off. I plan vacations around their store locations. My husband thinks I am crazy. Just go browse their website for fun. I will be. I will be stalking this and this and these and....

 Alright, fine. I don't own a KitchenAid mixer. But I will. Someday.  My $10 hand mixer from my freshman year in college is dying, slowly. Once it has taken it's last breathe, it will be time for a big girl mixer. And I will love it.

I really like Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure nail polish. You don't need a base or top coat with this polish and it stays on without chipping for awhile. When I actually have time to paint my nails, this is what I prefer to save me time...and it is reasonably priced.

I really love my Canon Rebel. It is easy to use, takes great pictures and the perfect introduction into the world of DSLRs. You can keep this guy on Auto and get great pictures, or you can practice your skills in the manual mode. I need to flip mine over to manual more often.



This little guy is a life-saver. It is THE best toy I have ever bought. Honest. Yes, it is slightly scary. Yes, it is ugly. But both my boys ADORED it. Jack loved it well into his first year and it held up after lots of use and abuse. Now, it is Colin's favorite. It is really the perfect toy. Lots of colors, textures, noises and loops and holes to figure out. I can not recommend it enough. It occupied Jack for hours and now Colin loves it and plays with it forever. Whoozie, as he is called in our household, accompanies us everywhere. In fact, Jack just looked over my shoulder while I am typing this and said, " Oh! It is Whoozie! I love Whoozie." No lie. Greatest baby toy ever.

What are your favorite things?

Here are a few other blogger's favs...

A Christmas Soiree...

... Or the reason why I can't lose those last 12 pounds of baby weight...

Either way...it was a delicious little party.

 A big bowl full of cake balls

Martha Stewart's Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Cupcakes

Chocolate and Salty Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

A frost-your-own cookie station... it was a big hit with the kids...

Tired Santa baby with his daddy



Surprise flowers from my husband as thanks for all the cooking...

It was fun little party for all.

Full of sweets and laughter.

Some Wii playing and some Polar Express

All with the company of hot chocolate with marshmallows.

We wouldn't have it any other way.

Sneak Peek

Pray for Baby Elisha

Elisha with his beautiful mommy

Little Elisha was born on November 18,2010. He, along with his twin brother Ephraim, was born at 35 weeks. Ephraim went to the nursery. Elisha went to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Elisha was only 3 and half pounds or so. He was the little twin. He was born with two holes in his heart and can not breathe properly on his own. He needs to have surgery to fix the holes in his heart so that he can grow and develop. He can't have surgery till he grows stronger and bigger. He needs prayer. He needs a miracle.

Baby Elisha is a little fighter and has made small little steps, but he needs to make big steps now. He needs your prayers.

So, as you go about your day, say a prayer for Elisha. When you kiss your kids good night, or wrap gifts to go under the tree, say a pray for Elisha. As we bustle around the busy holidays, take a second and breathe a prayer for baby Elisha.

Wanted: Sugar Cookie Recipe

That's right.

I am in need of a sweet, soft sugar cookie recipe. Think more Lofthouse cookie and less shortbread type. You know, the soft chewy delicious kind that you can sink your teeth into.

I need THAT recipe.

I am hosting a little Christmas party shin dig and am having a decorate-your-own-sugar-cookie bar for the kiddos. The problem is, I do not have a good recipe.

So I beseech you.

Send me, link me, email me, comment me...whatever venue you prefer...but can I get that recipe?

Pretty please?

With a sweet little sugar cookie on top?

Rejection

My trusty little white Ford Escort has been rejected.

It is a sad day.

This little 1998 was my very first car. I purchased it myself and paid for it with my tips from waitressing during college. I paid $6,000 for it with only 18,000 miles.

I drove it from Michigan to college in Minnesota. I drove it from Minnesota to my internship in Virginia Beach, Va and back again.

It has made numerous 10 hour treks from MN to MI.

It made one final trip from MN to VA.

It was here in VA that it was labled. It was inspected.

Every car in VA must be inspected and pass every single year.

The little date stickers on the front windshield tell the month and year of the last inspection.

It is stupid.

You have to get it inspected and you have to fix whatever they tell you to do.

No questions asked.

Annoying.

So my trusty little car that just kept on keeping on failed.

Something about rust in the under body due to driving in those northern state.

Repairs places highly recommended NOT fixing it.

They wouldn't.

So, my sad little car was rejected.

It ran just fine...but it failed the inspection.

Rejection.

The white sticker just out there for all the world to see.

Rejection.

So, today, we are saying good bye to my first little car and saying hello to a new (used) car.

Hubby is picking the new car up now.

Hubby has been faithfully driving our no car payment for the past 3 years car around town.

He is now going to drive a new to us 2007 Ford Fusion.

It is pretty sexy.

If Ford Fusions can be sexy, this black little car is.

So, good bye my little faithful friend. You served me well.

I am sorry you were rejected.