J-O-Y

Hey Sweet CAKEs!

It's Christmas! I hope you are all enjoying the most anticipated week of the entire year and not too stressed to complete some of Katherine's delightful December "to-dos"! I have to say, I marked one off your list, Katherine... salted caramel hot-chocolate from Starbucks. There are no words, really. I was left in some sort of stupor afterward. I may have blacked out, I'm not sure. Seriously, it's delish.

Thanks, Amanda for inspiring us to look at our cozy (however, chaotic) Christmas homes and think about what we love the most. I've been waiting for my inspiration in the mail and the happy new addition to our stockings arrived today. Mercury Glass Ornament. So Santa is now informed.





I love stockings. I even love that we have to hang them from our book case drawer handles for lack of a mantle. Books are beautiful and I think they make a lovely back drop to our red stockings. Anyway, once I started looking through the lens of my not-very-good-but-I'm-thankful-we-have-one camera, ALL of the holiday-ness in my apartment seemed so cheery and photo-worthy.





Basically, Christmas is full of J-O-Y from the smallest thing like initialed "e" & "p" ornaments; to the joy of lavishing gifts on people we love (hope your shopping is still joy-filled); to the life-giving, world-changing, soul-saving reality that "people walking in darkness have seen a great light". It's good news, friends! I pray you have time in the midst of decking the halls, drinking cocoa, shopping frantically, traveling, visiting with family and stuffing your face to REJOICE at the sweetest gift we can celebrate this week--our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting-Father, Prince of Peace.

Favorite Christmas Craft Project

CAKES,


I was just looking around my apartment at all of the Christmas decorations, and I was curious what your favorite Christmas decoration is this year (made or bought).  Looking forward to your posts, and I will be back with mine shortly!


Happy Snow Day from The Big Apple!
A

Book Page Wreath

CAKEs,

I want to make this: http://jonesdesigncompany.com/create/5-days-of-favorite-projects-day-4/.  Who is with me?

Also, I am so sorry that I forgot to take you ladies here on Sunday: www.moonriverchattel.com .  Guess you will just have to come back to visit. :)

Love,

A

**I am on Mitch's Mac and have no idea how to change the links above so they are pretty and not so ugly.  Sorry!

Photographic Evidence

Have you ever tried to take a pictures of your foot with an iphone? not too easy. And never mind the fact that my foot looks like an arm.

Is it Friday yet?

Today is Thursday. Which is SO CLOSE to Friday, it's hard to hold your breath.

This morning, I put on my work clothes.... purple sweater, black shirt, black ankle pants, and shoes. Went outside with my naked white ankles, realized it was 27 degrees and didn't know what to do! So, off I went to the land of the happy, Target, and bought some knee socks. Covered up my glowing frosty ankles and headed to work.

Got to work, asked coworker what she thought of new socks. Negative response.

Back to same sad story. No socks, bare ankles.

Happy Thursday! TGI(Almost)F!

For the Birthday Girl

A, K and E -

I am a day late on this, so consider it a belated birthday blog. The CAKEs had an important day yesterday as one of our own celebrated her special day. Seriously, what would we all do without E? Well, I started contemplating this question and came up with ten things I've learned and love about Miss Emmaline.

(1) Expertise in home decor comes from taking things down and rearranging MULTIPLE times;
(2) cooking can be an adventure, especially when you wind up making curdled milk as pasta sauce;
(3) if a friend asks you to join hot yoga, JUST SAY NO :)
(4) a glass of wine is always more fun when it's shared with Em;
(5) when work becomes a bit mind-numbing, just start a book club - it reminds you that you have brain cells!
(6) her heart to share Jesus and his amazing grace with others;
(7) when life seems to be crumbling all around you, she is the perfect prayer partner;
(8) keep calm and carry on - whether that's with a flea-infestation, mouse sightings, uncertainty about the future, or being on a walker :);
(9) all of life's problems can be solved during a coffee date at Shenandoah Joe's; and
(10) lastly, how we all love the contagious joy and passion she brings to our friendship.

So raise a glass, and join me in toasting our precious friend, Emmaline! Happy Birthday, dear.

Love,
C

Ding Dong the Mouse Is Dead

Just thought ya'll might want to know that the mouse has left the building.  I saw earlier today that the trap had been triggered, but I couldn't bring myself to check it.  When Mitch got home tonight he checked and sure enough the little man was in there.  Mitch proceeded to go on a rant about the inhumanness of mouse traps because it apparently breaks their backs....Just glad I didn't check it!


Hope you ladies had a wonderful day.  Thankfully, I can now walk around my house without being afraid the mouse is going to jump out at me. :)

I Don't Care, I Want an iPhone

CAKES,

I thought you ought to see where the joke was from! As you know, I've been rocking a Go Phone for the last decade really and when it finally felt like the time to upgrade to a smart phone-- well I'm embarrassed to say there was really no though-process, no decision-making. I admitted to Pa that I was the robot featured here. You could have told me it was going to break in 2 days, lock me out for hours on end and eventually crash the entire Smith Family Network :) and I would have bought it anyway. Ironically, that's what happened. Lovely. And sadly all I can say is...I don't care I want an iPhone. Sorry you girls had to suffer the consequences this weekend treking blocks around New York from AT&T to Apple trying to fix my little precious. Watch and enjoy and have a good laugh at me!

Much Love & Still Phoneless,

E

Making a list....

Lists.

Some of us (C and K!) live by them; some of us don't.

A life-long listmaker, I find safety in writing everything down. Whether it's a grocery list on the back of an envelope, or note on the old iPhone, lists keep my life in check.

So, why not make a list of goals to remember what is important to me each month? The point isn't really to stress myself out, or feel bad when I don't complete everything. Somtimes, I'll look at my to-do list and think "all that is on this thing is meaningless!". I want to remember the things that mean something to me and make sure I do those things, rather than the things that just get in the way.

So, here you have my December Goals:

1. Order and send out Christmas Cards.

2. Make at least one meal for someone else.

3. Sing at least one Christmas carol together.

4. Go to Starbucks and get a salted caramel hot chocolate!

5. Make an ornament for our tree to remember 2010.

6. Bake a batch of Christmas cookies.

7. Write down the things that God taught us in 2010.

So with December flying by, I better get started on my list!

Love, K

Amazing Weekend

C,K and E,


Thanks so much for making the trip up to New York to visit me.  It was a wonderful weekend and rejuvenated my soul!  You are absolutely amazing women, and I am so thankful for your friendship.  


Just a little reminder of all the wonderful things that we did: we ate here, here, and here.  We shopped in Manhattan and in Williamsburg.  We talked, we laughed, we chased a mouse, we drank coffee, we tried to fix an iPhone, we pampered ourselves, we learned new things about each other and we deepened our friendships.  But most importantly, we developed our blog/business at our new favorite store. :)


I love you ladies, and I am so thankful that the Lord placed you in my life.  Now I am off to update my resume; you are all so jealous!


Happy Monday,
A


P.S. No mouse sighting yet......