Ginger cookies.

Watched white christmas with dad and ate homemade ginger cookies. I know this will be a precious memory.

SATC cookies

Check out these gorgeous cookies made for a SATC party by the uber-fabulous Shara Lunn.

bits of my weekend, volume 55.

friday night i hit the local taco with tex and her young'ns, and man, was it tasty.

this is pretty much the best fish taco i've had in long time.

eat local, people, eat local.

and here's something fun: i went to sweetwise's extreme cookies and cupcakes class with my work friend jenny (pictured), who is part of my lunch crew and pretty much my go-to gal whenever i need to know anything about technology, music or pop culture.

and she can pull off a decent scottish accent, which not a lot of people can do.

the class was fun. we made tiny fondant roses ...

... imprinted fondant and applied it to cookies ...

... and made some little fondant leaves. aren't these fun?

we also learned to pipe and fill with royal icing and how to fill a cupcake with chocolate bavarian cream.

here's my display of goodies.

oh, and the boy and i dashed to the library to return books but didn't get any new ones because we're going on vacation friday and i didn't want any overdue books waiting for us when we get home after the fourth.

and, in completely unrelated but not totally unexpected news, i saw this really cool blue scooter.

it's just a 50 cc so it only goes about 40 mph, handy for riding around town but you don't need a motorcycle license to drive it. cool.

PS: katy perry's "firework" (though questionable grammar-wise) is my theme song these days.

PPS: what did you do this weekend? seriously, tell me.

Christmas memories

Of course my childhood memories of Christmas are the best. Baking cookies, opening presents and watching it snow. But I have some good grown-up Christmas memories too. Here are a few:

When I was working as a film critic, I traveled to NYC for the "Elf" movie junket. I stayed in the lovely Essex House hotel, which was all decked out for Christmas in grand style. After screening the film with the rest of the journalist shlubs, we got back on the shuttle and found ourselves deposited at the Empire State building for a "cocktail reception." This was news to us, but we boarded the elevators, sure that it would just be attended by other hacks like ourselves. We arrived at the top floor, and soon we were joined by members of the cast and crew, including Will Ferrell, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, James Caan, and the talented director John Favreau. Servers offered festive red drinks garnished with candied rims and candy canes, along with hand-decorated cutout cookies in the shapes of various New York iconic landmarks. And the view, the view. I got to meet some pretty interesting people that night. Fabulous!

In December three years ago, Hubz was performing a Christmas concert in a classic old movie theater in St. Charles, Illinois (near my old stomping grounds of Chicago). We pulled up in the tour bus about 9 in the morning, and piled out of the bus, having slept all night in the cramped bunks. We were happy to find a Starbucks right in the venue, and immediately settled in by a window for coffee drinks and scones. St. Charles is a small town that has an abundance of cottages made over as gift shops. At Christmas time it's magical, with each more festively decorated than the last. So there we were, in the midst of this adorable town, and suddenly we hear music and marching bands - the annual Christmas parade had begun ... right outside the Starbucks window. And then, as if on cue, it began to snow. What a glorious sight. Later, I got to hear my talented husband perform Christmas music on a gorgeous grand piano to a joyous, sold-out crowd. Magical.

Last December, I was offered a media pass to the TPAC performance of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." I was dying to go, but had to admit to the publicist I couldn't promise any media coverage of the event. She said that was OK and let me come anyway. What a treat. My favorite musical, featuring such classic songs as "Sisters," "Counting my Blessings," and "The Best Things Happen When You're Dancing." A fantastic production. I was in heaven. And at the end of the show, they sprinkled the audience with fake snow. Loved every minute!

Oh, I just have to tell one more:
Last Christmas, on Christmas Eve, to be exact, Jack Henry miraculously conked out at about 7 p.m. and Hubz and I settled in by the fire and the Christmas tree. We had invited a neighbor over but were glad when she didn't show up. We so rarely have quiet time to ourselves. It was great to hold hands and talk about everyday things. There's something wonderful about the sparkling Christmas lights and the crackling fire that make you glad to be alive. So simple - yet so perfect.

Tonight we're going to watch "White Christmas" on TV - if Jack Henry will let us, that is. If not, it may be the Grinch or Rudolph, and that's OK too.

if you give a mouse too many christmas cookies ...

... he'll get really wound up.

and then he'll want to wrestle.

and then he'll want to fight.

and then he'll want to hug.

i love my little mouse.

but seriously. he is eating way too many treats these days.

and the winner is ...

image courtesy of daily shot of coffee

congratulations blogger suzyfein! you are the winner of our buddy brew giveaway! you will receive a bag of buddy brew coffee from the fantastic roastery in tampa. contact me with your address and i'll get you fixed up.

here's what suzyfein said about her love affair with coffee.

I love coffee because I love the experience. Sometimes it is taking a few minutes for myself at home in the morning, sitting at my bistro table in the kitchen, drinking a cup of freshly brewed coffee with cream and watching the birds feeding outside my window. The experience might be enjoying a cup at a local coffee shop. I even enjoy coffee when stopping at a convenience store on a road trip.

i really enjoyed all of your comments. here are a few more.

blogger jean said...

My favorite coffee moment was when I was doing service work in Guatemala. It was 1984 and I was 19 years old. After a week of very hard work assisting the Guatemalans with constructing a building for a camp (and we knew nothing about construction), we had the chance to go to Union Church where the expats gathered on Sundays. After church, in the courtyard, we were surprised by delicious Guatemalan coffee in real cups and saucers and tiny cookies. I felt like I was in heaven, savoring every sip of that coffee and the chance to be clean and wearing something other than jeans and work boots. Guatemala is a magical place and this moment will stay with me forever. It makes me appreciate coffee every time I have it, and whenever possible, I request a proper cup and saucer.

anonymous paul said...

A good cup of coffee is both relaxing and stimulating at the same time. It provides contentment and enjoyment and is time well spent. In short, a good cup of coffee is like a visit from a good friend.

blogger elisabeth said...

I love the way a good cup of coffee makes me feel cozy and relaxed! I always associate coffee with good things, like curling up with a good book on a rainy day, the holidays, or just starting my day out right and being productive! :)

blogger christopher said...

A good cup of coffee comforts and enhances our days: it's the warm glow of sunshine in the morning, it's a gentle nudge to finish that afternoon project, and it's the satisfying conclusion to a fine family meal.

thanks to all who entered. more giveaways to come! in the meantime, check out buddy brew and order some coffee today. my cousins dave and sooz run this awesome business and every batch of coffee is roasted with love!

thanks dave and sooz for participating in this promotion!! xoxo

There's no place like home.

Naps. Home cooked food. Kids screaming with glee. Coffee and cookies for breakfast. More to share when I return on saturday. Xoxo

I may never bake again

Why bother when there are such supremely talented people in the world? The lovely and talented Kat from Muddy's Bake Shop in Memphis was visiting Nashville today and so graciously gifted me with these fantastic goodies. I started hyperventilating when I read the note she put with the box describing each of the items. Not just cupcakes but toffee bars, honey rosemary cookies and oh, my, where to begin? I only got as far as a ginger molasses cookie, a toffee bar and half of a lemon cupcake before I had to stop. So wonderful. Every bite. But I simply must pace myself. Tomorrow I'll try more cupcakes: red velvet, peanut butter, grasshopper, banana, and more. I can't wait! (Another update soon!)

If you get out her way, please do stop in. I know I will be there with bells on Thanksgiving weekend when we go to see Hubz' family. This second shot is of the lovely Kat and her super-fabulous boyfriend.

unexpected beauty.

tropical storm debbie has usurped my best laid plans. since we arrived we've had wind and clouds and tornado watches and surf warnings. and right now it's raining. i mean, pouring like crazy.

but last night, the rain stopped and we decided to go to vanderbilt beach and check out the awesome waves. i don't think the boy has ever had so much fun. diving head first into the crashing, foamy waves - no fear, just pure joy. a little scaredy cat no more.

we texted our lovely friend kelle who showed up with her camera, and her friend heidi, and baby ivy, and we had some girl chat time and homemade m&m cookies while the boys played.

and then.

the sun came out.

and it was beautiful.

more soon, my lovelies.

revelations.

i never put much stock in the importance of santa claus.

so a couple of years ago, when the boy (then 4 years old) asked me, is santa real? or is it really just the parents buying all the presents?, i didn’t hesitate to tell him the truth.

i never liked the idea of lying to him in the first place, worrying about the indelicacy of one day undoing all the untruths i’d told. i dreaded the gruesome task of dismantling the gleaming façade that is a child’s most precious holiday.

i had imagined the scenario a hundred times – the ugly truth revealed by a schoolyard friend and my boy racing to me for an explanation, the hurt and distrust welling up in his eyes.

how could you lie to me for all these years?, he would ask, how could you do it?

and so he asked me one day and i told him. and that was that.

i was, in a way, relieved.

but then he told his pre-school friends and they told their mothers, and boy, was i in trouble.

all the groundwork they’d laid to ensure good behavior all year around was for naught.

i’d rendered worthless their meticulous efforts to maintain the myth: the hours spent positioning that crafty all-seeing elf on a shelf; the scrawling on gift tags “from santa” with their opposite writing hand; the wee hours spent fabricating hoof prints in driveway snow and positioning plates of half-eaten cookies on the hearth; the elaborate late-night bedside explanations of the physics of flying reindeer who are able to deliver their keeper to every home in the world in just one night.

despite the other parents’ reactions to my faux pas, i was not too deeply bothered, once again crediting my child for his exceptional level-headedness, and me for my practical thinking.

but in time it occurred to me that I was a rat.

and a complete failure at the one of the most important tasks entrusted to me as a parent:

to nurture in my child his wild, natural ability to believe in what cannot be seen.

so brief is the time children believe anything is possible; that love is unbreakable and that dreams come true. who was i to take that away?

i suppose in the moment, i said what was best for me. i didn’t want to take the chance he’d be angry with me when he got older. i couldn’t face breaking the news later, so i did it now.

but in my self-righteous truth-telling, the truth I forgot is that magic is not only important, it is real: by believing in it we make it so.

i now regret hurrying us both past that dreamy state in which mothers and sons share bedtime stories about jolly arrivals and magical deliveries, and goodness is rewarded for goodness sake.

for all my parental blundering, the boy seems no worse for wear.

he is pleased to know exactly who has possession of his wish list, and to have access to her around the clock for last minute reminders and additions.

but as he transforms in size and maturity before my eyes, I often wonder ...

what was my rush?

* * * * *
here's a charming book, kristin and the santa secret, that tells you the right way to share with your child about santa - go buy it today and share it with your clueless (like me) mommy friends.

and to see a mommy thoroughly enjoying the heck out of the holidays (and every day!) go see what kelle hampton is up to. she inspires me daily to let go of my fear and just enjoy this crazy thing called mothering.

although, even kelle has a bad holiday moment every once and a while.

that's it for today, my lovelies. counting the days until i travel home, where magic will be in abundant supply!

the boy has a future in the dramatic arts.

what a milestone for the boy, and for me, as a kindergarten mom:

his first musical program! which included singing (in english, chinese and sign language) and ... wait for it ... choreography!

the highlight was the kids' rendition of rockin' around the christmas tree (the brenda lee version), which included fancy footwork and down-low twisting.

i have video. if i can figure out how to post it, i will.

he told me in advance: mommy, i'm going to be singing and dancing on stage and you are definitely going to love it so much you're going to cry.

he's right. i did.

afterward we visited the classroom for punch and cookies.

wow. it's for real. i'm a kindergarten mom.

and the boy is a full-fledged public-school-going kid.

this school year has introduced many new things. for the first time we're learning about school uniforms, carpool lane drop-off protocol, being on time, going on field trips (which often include riding the school bus!), doing homework (yes, in kindergarten!) and making new friends.

wow! what a difference a few months makes.

kindergarten is pretty awesome.

and the boy's got a lot of his daddy's musical gifts. he'll be landing the solo parts before you know it.

i'm so proud of the boy. (even if this angel looks a bit psychotic.)

and so happy to share our world with you each day!

december phone dump.

a few highlights of our busy month.

- eating butter stollen at my parents' house in illinois.
- feeding squirrels apple peels and marshmallows.
- wearing my colors in the airport.
- feeding horses.
- rollerblading indoors.
- baking ginger molasses cookies.
- wearing spongebob pj's for christmas.
- spending time with family.

xoxo

i feel the need to explain.

image stolen from the sweet stash facebook page. i'm pretty sure they won't mind.

oh, how busy i've been. busy to a state of distraction.

i've just moved offices and been given more responsibility at work, so suddenly my days are flying by and i realize at some point in the middle of the night (waking up in a cold sweat) that i didn't post to my blog.

it's a tragic fail on my part.

but it's a temporary phase, i can assure you. i will get my schedule figured out and peace and harmony will be restored to the blogosphere.

in the meantime, enjoy this photo of the best darn cookie sandwich ever created. it's two moist peanut butter cookies fused together with milk chocolate buttercream.

heaven, i tell you. i am seriously obsessed.

i discovered it at the nashville farmer's market last weekend at the sweet stash.

oh, sweet stash, how i love you. i will see you soon!

happy friday, y'all!*

*i have been living in nashville since 1989, so i feel i've earned the right to throw in a "y'all" every once in a while. hope we can still be friends.

bits of my weekend, volume 41.

the boy went with me on friday to get a pedicure. i opted for the extra fancy rubbing salts and lotions, but no polish.

not yet. it's not quite time for that.

saturday we made muffins.

and then headed off to the downtown public library (where else?) for a production of alice in wonderland and a mad hatter's tea party.

but first, a stop off at the produce place. our favorite shop. why?

because they have kombucha and healthy treats.

by the time we got to the library, we had missed the production of alice. but we were first in line for the tea party.

we made and decorated our own hats.

and the boy decorated cookies with icing and sprinkles.

isn't this pretty?

then we watched the entire disney movie of Alice in Wonderland.

it was no less weird than the johnny depp version, i might add.

the weather cleared up so we went to the park for a little baseball.

see? i let him do boy things too.

and we played a little monopoly.

we couldn't find the dice, so the boy fashioned one out of play doh.

we took the boy for a sneak peek of the new apartment (we're moving in a month). he was excited to see that there's a creek with ducks.

oh, and the YMCA is next door and it's super nice. indoor and outdoor pools, air hockey, basketball, and yoga for mommy.

change is on the horizon ...

how was your weekend?