Christmas morning

Good morning and Merry Christmas!!!! Just a few quick shots of the opening frenzy that was my living room this morning!

There was some great giftage shared here today.

We are grateful and blessed to have each other- the rest of the "stuff" is delicious frosting on the cake!

Christmas Eve feast...

Merry Christmas!!!

Our neighbors from across the street came over tonight to visit- none of us were traveling tonight.. So we decided to do a little pot-luck dinner action. J is a fantastic chef from South America-He has a dayjob that involves food- specifically seafood- but not cooking- tho it's his passion and he'd phenominal at it!!!! He and wife M (who is three days over due with their first baby...) brought over some lobster tail and amazing looking shrimp and oh my oh my!!!!! talk about incredible!
Here J is deveining the monster shrimp and lobster tails....chopping cilantro and veggies for the dishes... and his salsa- OMGosh! He made a cooked, hot salsa- dried chile de arbol, fresh jalepenos, onion, tomato, garlic... sauteed... and blended in the big blender.... so texture is like a creme fresh- only it's all veggie..... so good! I'd eat it on anything- but it was particularly good on the seafood- especially drizzled on the scallops! Tho I'm thinking that it would rock drizzled on scrambled ham & eggs..... mmmmmm.
Ron threw together his bacon wrapped scallops, grilled and topped as they come out with a bit of Kosher salt and brown sugar...... oh- so good!

What a fun impromtu dinner party! And such is the way it tends to happen around here.. if the weather is good- everyone is here to bbq... if the weather is bad..... the whole neighborhood still ends up here.... and we love that. That's the one thing that sold this house to us two years ago- was the space- our kitchen/dining/living rooms- are all one- and it fits everyone comfortably..... designed with entertaining in mind.

We are blessed to have such good friends, nieghbors and family to enjoy our lives with!

Merry Christmas!

Cookie day

I finally broke out the cookie cutters today since I was home.....

Here the girls are hard at work making their masterpieces....

We even got daddy in on the act!

Yet another snow day...

As crazy as it is.... we got more snow last night and it covered everything that had been plowed and shoveled- it was starting from scratch. I tried to get out today for an appointment- and made it as far as the end of the block. I stopped at the stop sign- lost all momentum and spun out- three tries and I decided it wasn't ment to be. I got myself righted and headed back down the street to my garage- where it took three tries to get into my garage..... I made the call to stay home- just not worth wrecking my car going out.

We stayed in where it was warm for most of the day- a break in the weather and the kids went around the corner to play for about two hours. I baked two batches of sugar cookies and a batch of my killer chocolate chippers.

After the kids froze out- they came home and we decorated the cookies- hope all the nighbors like a lot of frosting......

My pretty little snow bunnies......

They were in the throws of a massive snowball fight when I came down to see what they were into.....

On the walk back home the sun was getting ready to set- it was so cool looking as it hung so low in the sky and making the snow glow all golden.....

You can see how slick the road is now that some traffic has braved it today.... kids were slipping and sliding just trying to stand up.... me I stick to the snow up to my knees- at least I'm confident I can stay upright that way.....

Hope you are dry and warm....... xoox D

Icecicles

More icecicles... Ron was checking the chemicals on the hot tub and told me to come check it out- there were some wicked icecicles hanging off the edge of the tub cover.... but I thought the small groupings were far cooler looking......

The tub is a perfect 102..... don't you wish you were here right now????

Zero

Yes folks- I did just say zero- as in degrees.... it's 9:15 in the morning- and it's zero- here on the west coast- ZERO!!!! I haven't seen this weather this cold in 16 years I've lived over here!!! It's clear blue skies and painfully cold....

Later........

I braved the cold- the thermometer read 5 degrees..... it is so cold in fact... that the snow that fell two days ago... has re-frosted.... meaning- it's so stinking cold right now- that moisture that was in the snow- has been pulled to the top and re-crystalized!!!!! OMGosh it's cold! Pretty sure my camera didn't like the cold... my auto-focus was very slowwwwwwwww... and I was a human popcicle by the time I got myself back home.....

We woke to a whopping 10 ~F this morning...... The heavy wet snow clouds have given way to clear blue skies.... tho I now see some clouds moving back in.... This cold snap is crazy for us here on the coast. You can see the trees are heavy with snow and ice- hope my bamboo survies (in the forground of photo 2).

We even have icecicles! I've seen icecicles only one other time in the last 16 years that I've lived over here- this was a baby one.... but there are some giant 7-9 inch ones on the gutters!

I just watched my neighbor try to pull out of his driveway-with chains... and he did a 360- in his driveway it's so slick..... I'm headed for the shower now- will see if I can make it in to work for a few hours and play catch up for what I missed yesterday-

Stay safe and dry and warm! xoox D

Winter lights

My lights as dusk began to fall tonight.....it doesn't show the snow to it's best advantage- as the entire neighborhood has been in my yard for the last two days.

Last night as I did finally arrive home in one piece.... I found the whole neighborhood in my front yard and driveway..... Ron had his propane stadium heater at the edge of the garage- and all of the adults had beverages in hand- kids flying around everywhere, sleds, on foot, building snowmen, adults taking turns pulling our two neighbor babies around together in a plastic toboggan..... laughter and giggles could be heard for blocks.......

This was shot earlier today- and now there is double that amount of snow precariously balencing on the fence edge, just outside my office window.

snow bunnies and the snow scene

Today saw continual falling of snow. Our little corner of the world saw very little movement of vehichles.....it was all foot traffic and kids with sleds. We've had the most unbeleivable weather here this last couple of days.

Road crews have done a decent job from what I hear on news and phone reports. I stayed home- I was so torn- I don't want to leave work in need- but my drive home last night- with a whole lot less snow & ice on the ground was awful- I was sure on three seperate occasions- that "this is going to be my first accident...." as my car slid out of control... or that cars or city buses were trying to slide into me.... Getting to work would not have been my issue- getting home as the darkness falls and the temperature drops...... It's better to take my lumps and stay home and be safe.

More of my neighboring little snow bunnies- so cute!

Tu-tu

Ok- so I don't have a photo YET... but I can't wait!!!!!!

My neighbor delivered a bit a go...as a thank you (for some shots I caught of their super adorable twins) The COOLEST, and I do mean that.... the coolest ballet pink Tu-Tu EVER!!!! I can't wait to photograph some baby girl in that thing- it's to die for! She makes them! OMG- had no idea- I love it- wish we grow ups could pull it off- cuase I'd wear one if I could (please reserve all laughter and jokes until later please.....)

Just sos you knows... I'm gearing up- now I just have to figure it out on the lighting! :)

Warm fuzzies..

Well since I've had a really tough day of scrap booking today......LOL! What fun- I have missed doing this- and it gives me the opportunity to do a review of the year and all that we have done and seen. I decided to crack a bottle of the Nepeequa Arete a bit ago. This is their first bottled Port- and it's fabulous!!!!! I (along with Heidi & Erica) tried it in the tasting room during the Cabernet Crush and fell in love..... And what a perfect day for it!

If ever you needed a Christmas gift for someone- this is it! It's a Port- and yes- it's a sweet red- but it's not the Port you remember your grandparents and little old Aunti's sipping- this does NOT taste like cough syrup....

It's amazing and Delicious- and will sneak up and kick you in the boo-boo if you're not careful.... (go with the small glass- trust me...)

Hope you weathered the weather well today. xoox D

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.....

Good Morning!!!! Well we finally got the snow and cold they were predicting. It's sunny and clear- and a balmy 28 degrees here at Che' Miles. The wind is crazy cold- blowing the snow around- this is weird snow for us- when it does actually snow here- it's heavy and wet snow- which is perfect for making snowballs and snowmen......
This stuff is drier- and blows around like it does back home in the mountains when it drifts....

More like skiing snow- not that I would know- (I tried to ski twice in my youth and decided I make a much better snow bunny.... ) Invision me- Amazon girl who has fallen down or rolled down most of the hill, covered in frozen snow- and totally ticked off because I can't figure out how to make the skis work for me.... and someone else has the schnapps!!!! I decided then and there that I want to be the pretty girl wrapped up in warm cozy clothes and blankets, drinking warm fuzzy drinks by the fire.... none of that freezing my buns off and losing feeling in my appendages- no thanks!

Anyhoo- from our house to yours- enjoy this rare bit of low elevation snow- and have a Happy Holiday season!

xoxoxo D