on candycane lane

a fantastic recreation of disney's small world just a couple of blocks away from us on the infamous candycane lane.

word has it they are working on a sleeping beauty's castle too.

merry christmas!

Merry Christmas!

xoxo from us all

a walk in the woods

all together now.

last night was our 5th annual neighborhood progressive dinner.

so love seeing everyone together. young and old.







architect, teacher, gardener (extraordinaire), stay-at-home-super-dad, lawyer, actor, student, artist, psychologist, CFO, musician, retiree, historian, environmentalist, litigator, real estate agent, engineer, designer...

we are all different. backgrounds, politics, religions, parenting styles. but all accept each other unconditionally.

and this night of the year we share a four-course meal together, invite each other into our homes, and celebrate the beauty that is this neighborhood.

so blessed. (few more pics here.)

i'm going to shut-down for a while and savour the moments. (you can still find me over at habit through december.)

happy holidays!

by the numbers

Corbin Palms/Eastwood Estates Progressive Dinner 2011











counted at least 60 participants this year

- and a resounding "best ever".

bit more here.

::

it has been crisp. and today the rain poured. although not for long.

we are listening to holiday music, baking, moving things around, building, planning, more baking.

and i am counting down the days alongside the girls.

everybody's doing it.

the "fauxdenza"





a much needed boost to our dining room.

we are on a roll!

and tomorrow...

paint the baseboards!

in the throes

the house is nearly complete. the transformation more than i expected. hello bright white walls and ceiling! i love it.





advent is a season of preparation, of waiting, of hope. with all the bustle - i am working to remind myself of this.

to slow down just a little and savour the stillness. to look forward toward the joy that lies just around the corner.

practice makes perfect

most of the time anyway.

as far as house-painting. i rely on the a little help from my friends...

Shepherd's Pie

adapted from an old issue of Everyday Food (November 2007)

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup peas
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup kale cut into ribbons
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 cups mashed potatoes

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large (5-quart) heavy pot or Dutch oven over high. Cook onion, garlic, and carrots in olive oil until onion starts to clear. Set aside. Cook beef, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and carrots; cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
Add thyme, ketchup, and flour; stir until combined. Add 1/2 cup water and peas and kale. Cook until vegetables are warmed through and liquid has thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon beef mixture into a 2-quart baking dish. Spread potatoes evenly over beef; using a fork, decorate potatoes with lines and peaks. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until potatoes are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve.

::

so happy to be spending december with so many friends.



hello old habit.



tonight fancy dresses, shoes, and coats and a night-out at the music center for the nutcracker. an amazing production. worth every minute of traffic.

it has become a tradition. and i really feel the holidays are now in full swing.

let the festivities begin!

holiday shopping

sam has some darling charm necklaces for sale over at our two green chickens shop.



perfect for those good girls on your list!

happy december!

golden

everything seems just right today. basking in the light.

night and day

p.m.


a.m.



we had a wonderful weekend. the weather has been amazing. instead of heading to the beach - which is what my heart wanted - we checked some major items off "the list" - which is what my head needed. it feels good. and there is a new momentum in the house!

follow it here.

::

for us.

for my wonderful family - d and the girls.

family near and family far.

and for friends who have become family.

family defined in a large and beautiful and all encompassing way.

for this amazing community that surrounds us.

happy thanksgiving.



{just home from the most amazing feast created with talent and love.}

i am going to take a break now, and enjoy it all!

xoxo

::

for our house of dreams.

our little cottage in the woods.

"our island".

for always knowing we will be heading there soon.



winter 2008


summer 2010

::

for slow strolls home from school.



we are so blessed to have our girls at our neighbourhood school. the walks to school in the morning are always a little rushed. but the walks home are my favourite time of day.



we talk. and we listen.

::

for meals together.





and a husband who makes the best pancakes ever.

::

growing up pea shoots were a sign of spring. here in socal they are a sign of the wonders of a winter garden.

thankful for the bounty the winter brings us.

i'm going to try and post each day this week.

so much to be thankful for.

a perfect ending.

happy friday.