Can we just put the pause button on life right now...

I can't believe that winter with all its glory  is just about over here in Arizona.

Right after Thanksgiving,

we decided to put tongue and groove on a few walls in our house and

add a much needed vent above our stove.

It was the best Christmas present my hubby could have given me.

I can't quit staring at it.

The painter laughed at me, when I sighed with a big smile and said "what a transformation", I love it".

My daughter and her family arrived Tuesday night,

and we did manage to get the raviolies done on Wednesday for our

traditional Christmas Eve dinner after Mass on Thursday.

Of course, I had big plans on baking up a storm,

and the only thing that got baked was about a thousand sugar cookies to share with my family at our annual family Christmas party.

The whole reason for me writing this post is to share this recipe that has been pinned to my pinterest board forever.

Raspberrywhite chocolate scones

OMG.

They were consumed within minutes.

If you get a chance, make them.

They are at the top of my to do list this week.

Priorities, people...

see you in 2016

Petie

I started off decorating last week with this,

unloading and moving the hutch

After the holiday's I will be moving it back to where it was,

after I've changed the wall color

I haven't told my hubby yet,

he will be thrilled (insert sarcasm)

I am not looking forward to picking out paint colors

but it must be done

I can't live with the brown walls another day

if it wasn't for the holiday's,

I would have already been pulling my hair out with 

trying to pick a color and changing things up

but for now, I must wait

In agony,

Petie

Thanksgiving 2013

Another Holiday, came and gone

I posted this pic on instagram the other day

and I had several comments about the pewter

My Mother gave this pewter set to my husband

along time ago

She bought the set when I was a young girl

and would use it for our Thanksgiving meals and Christmas meals

One year, my husband casually said to my Mother,

that he wanted to be gifted the pewter set

so she gave it to him

lucky me...

One of the best memories that I have about the Holidays

is washing dishes after the meal with my husband's Grandmother

She was so full of wisdom and humor

I miss her

so this year,

I made my girls wash the dishes, glasses and silverware by hand

I called it bonding time

The next day when I was putting the tub of pewter away,

this is what I found

I'm guessing Holly isn't taking any chances

on anyone else claiming the pewter

Petie

A Lemon Cheesecake for Easter

photo by donna hay

I can't believe Easter is next weekend

time fly's when you're having fun

I am having the family over for Easter Sunday

the weather should be beautiful

and of course

we are serving lamb

grilled lamb chops and leg of lamb

no ham at this party

I saw this recipe from Donna Hay

and it looks delicious

I think I might try it

if I don't run out of time

sugar cookies

coconut cake

and a

lemon tart

are also on the menu

along with my sil's pies

coconut and banana

yes, my family has a sweet tooth

Donna Hay is one of my favorite cooking magazines

they are a little pricey

but she usually has some really good recipes

and the photography is beautiful

I am really looking forward to this Holy Week

we are turning off the TV and will be reading from the

Magnificant

they sent a special little book just for Holy Week

Petie

Happy Valentine's Day

Love is Always the Answer

it would do me good, and save me some trouble

if I could remember this

Happy Valentine's Day

Petie

A Box of Chocolates, Please

via interiormagazine  photos by mona gundersen

I told my hubby

I wanted a box of chocolates

 for Valentine's day

but what I would really like

is to visit this cabin

in Norway

Petie

Going back to the Holidays

Here are a few pics I took during the holidays

of my Christmas decorations

and

those **** sugar cookies

My sister in law does cinnamon rolls

for the family

I think we need to switch jobs

she has it too easy...

I made the pillows a few years ago

out of old table clothes and a western shirt of my hubbies

I still have my decorations to put away

but I am catching up

on all my tv shows that were recorded for the past month

Did you watch Downton Abbey's two hour special?

Loved it...

Petie

Making Ravioli

Making ravioli for Christmas Eve

Ravioli to Italians

is like

Chicken soup to Americans

If your cold, eat some ravioli

If you're sick, eat some ravioli

if you're happy, eat some ravioli

if you're hung over, eat some ravioli

The recipe that I use comes from my husband's Grandmother

Grandma Rosie

She was 100 percent Italian

She was a story teller

and she knew how to cook

I miss her so much

I always shed a little tear when I am making her ravioli

She was so much fun to be around

Petie

Haute Hippie Feathered Skirt

shopbop

Dear Santa,

I have been a really good girl

ok

except for that one time....

and that other one time....

and...

other than that

I have been a really good girl

please bring me a black skirt with feathers

Petie

A Craft from Pinterest

yesterday's project

my oldest daughter pinned this on her

pinterest board

so I took it upon myself to recreate it

it involved a trip to

walmart

office max

my closet

at walmart you had to buy the canvas board

in a pack of five

I only needed one

so now I have four extra canvas boards

at office max

the lady working the oversized printer

couldn't get the printer to print the size that I needed

after about 30 minutes

and taking other customers in between my project

she managed to get the size I needed

patience is a virtue that I don't posesse

but I am working on that

in my closet is a jar of silver glitter

that I have had for years

so at least I had that

no drama with the glitter

I followed this tutorial

for some reason the link to the original pin

my daughter pinned wouldn't work

now I just need to figure out where to hang it

Petie

My Brain is on Christmas Overload

you wouldn't want to be in my head

during the holidays

it's on overload

I have a million things I want to get done

and not enough time to do it all

I put up all my decorations and then spend the next three weeks rearranging everything

and don't even get me started on Christmas lights

I loathe putting up Christmas lights

but I love the way they look at night

so the more the merrier

I have to go to confession for all the cussing I did

while putting up the lights

it's 80 degrees in Arizona

and I really want to be wearing sweaters and leggings

not a t shirt and flip flops

I bought the little deer at an estate sale this past spring for 3 dollars

when I went to pay for it all I had was a

hundred dollar bill

the lady taking my money was totally irritated at this

and told me she couldn't sell it to me

(and if my sister is reading this, yes, I remained calm, even though

I was throwing darts at her with my eyes)

so I kindly asked her if she would hold it for me

while I went outside to my vehicle and

search for some loose change

I said a quick prayer to St. Anthony

not only did I find the three dollars I needed to buy the little deer that

the irritated woman was holding for me

I found three more dollars

it pays to pray

so today I was all set to spray the little deer with glue and glitter

to put in a jar with a tree

and when I looked at him

I just couldn't do it

so now he sits on my jewelry box

where he was meant to be for the holidays

unless of course,

I move him

Petie

Thanksgiving 2012

It's all about the food

Once again

my brother and sister in law

put on a thanksgiving feast to remember

her table decorations were perfect

little glass jars with single flowers

in fall colors

beautiful

four turkeys

what?

and every side dish you could imagine

the dessert table was fit for a king

two families coming together

to give Thanks

for all that we have

thank you God for this amazing family time

Petie

Sweet Potato Souffle

Sweet Potato Souffle

three cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes

one cup sugar

half teaspoon salt

two eggs, slightly beaen

third of a stick of butter

half cup of milk

one teaspoon vanilla

one teaspoon cinnamon

mix all ingredients together and pour

in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish

topping

one third stick butter

one cup brown sugar

third cup flour

one cup chopped nuts

mix all topping ingredients together and sprinkle

over potato mixture.

Bake for thirty five minutes at 350 degrees

because I have a big family that gathers

for the holiday

I usually make two of these and top the

other souffle with marshmallows and butter

so everybody is happy

Petie

Ooh LaLa...

via

Anthropology calls this apron a

Farm to Table Apron...

I call it

an Ooh La La apron...

so Sexy for the Holidays...

Love it...

Petie

The Perfect Apron

for HOLIDAY baking...

via

I'm an APRON kind of girl.

Are YOU?

Petie