New Year's Advise

Here's my advice for the New Year~ Don't punish yourself for your mistakes and don't blame anyone else either!

Vunerability

My daughter shared this video on Facebook and I was so inspired by this talk I decided maybe there are a few bloggers out there that would enjoy seeing it. You can turn my music off on my sidebar so that you can listen.

Merry Christmas!

A very Merry Christmas to all my bloggy friends!

Children and Christmas Go Together Like Angels and Wishes

It's the simple things that make me happy at Christmas...like my grandsons performing in the church pageant. My grandsons both had solos this year. I only wish I knew how to download the video we took of their singing. Ah well, when their Auntie comes home we'll have a techie to help with all that.

Above are a couple of wise guys...I mean wise men. Aren't they totally adorable? I think they are!

The fourth one over from the left is my youngest grandson.

Annual Lantz Ladies Tea

Every year, for as long as I can remember, my dear friend Dee ann hosts a Christmas tea to remember. Last year Dee ann's father passed away around the holidays, so the annual tea took a backseat to more pressing matters, but this year Dee Ann is moving forward. There is a new first grand baby in her life helping to transition the family into happier times.

The invitation is darling as always.


Dee ann's daughter Kelly, new baby Presley and the new Nana Dee ann take time to pose for a photo in front of the Christmas tree, which was decked out, might I add.


You could say that Dee ann has a passion for Christmas ornaments and everything Christmas and that would be an understatement.

How Presley managed to sleep with all the noise is beyond me, but sleep she did!

The entrance to Dee ann's home let you know this household was ready for the holidays!

Even the lighting fixtures were dressed for a party.

Dee ann and I have the same nativity scene, except she has a few more pieces than I do.

I loved the lamp shades with the festive bows and berries attached.

There were goodies everywhere.

There was even a craft table set up on the patio so the children could make the adorable ornament you see above.



I love the glass container sitting next to Santa filled with fresh cranberries and a votive candle burning.
Who doesn't love cupcakes...that's another thing my friend and I have in common. L.O.L.

There was lots of happy chatter filling the air...

and lot's of places to display Christmas cards.


Count down to Christmas for another joy filled holiday. Thanks Dee ann for your generous hospitality and a really fun party!

Moody waves of nostalgia

Around the holidays, I always seem to be hit with moody waves of nostalgia, remembering a past filled with tea parties and little girl giggles and gossip over tea. Those days are long gone, and I miss them.

Even today I love sipping tea with my girls and pouring over decorating magazines and sharing our latest interests and talking of sewing projects and scrapbooks that need finishing, but those days are few and far between, with my daughters all grown up and two of them living a zillion miles away (or at least it feels that way).

I know this isn't a Christmas type post, but I am feeling a bit melancholy, remembering the innocence and sweetness of childhood and missing the joy of having my girls all under my roof.

My advise to new mothers is to slow down, enjoy every moment of your child's youth, give lots of hugs and kisses, be slow to anger, laugh a lot, give of your time and energy with reckless abandon, and pour the tea liberally!

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Don't you love the idea of celebrating Christmas for at least twelve days? This year I splurged and bought myself the 12 days of Christmas tablecloth from William Sonoma. Even with a hefty employee discount this was still a splurge.

A couple of years ago after being inspired at my sister in-laws church, singing the Twelve days of Christmas, I wrote my own rendition. Since I grew up in Beverly Hills, I decided to call my song The Twelve Days of Christmas in Beverly Hills. You'll have to forgive me for my seeming shallowness, but I was having some fun here. I shared this a couple of years ago, but hope you enjoy this.
Here goes:

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Paparazzi in a pear tree...

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Two plastic surgeons...

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Three Ipods ringing...


On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Four pairs on Manolo's,


On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Five Tiffany rings,

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Six swimming pools,


On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Seven French maids,

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Eight trips to Paris,


On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Nine celebrity attorneys,

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Ten Mercedes humming,

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Eleven Cartier watches,
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me,
Twelve boutique hotels


And on and on and on....

Friday Flowers

Laura from A Place for Tea is hosting Friday Flowers today and Laura is always an inspiration. She is also introducing her friend Robynne , so mosey on over and say hi!

This flower that bloomed in my garden was forever captured in this photograph taken by a dear friend, so this is the flower I chose to share with you on Friday Flowers. I hope you enjoy!

A Christmas Cactus

Over thirty years ago my sister gave my girlfriend a Christmas cactus. It was just a tiny little plant at the time. It has been transplanted several times, I'm sure. When my friend Sybil decided to move to New York from California after college she gave the tiny Christmas cactus to her mother for safe keeping. Sybil's mother loved plants and flowers of all sorts and had a very green thumb! When Sybil's mother went to join my sister in heaven last May, Sybil gave the plant to me. It has come full circle. With the onset of cooler weather, my Christmas plant is now in full bloom. I can't help but think that Sybil's mother and my sister are looking down from heaven feeling very pleased. I have heard the Christmas cactus is a very hearty plant and difficult to kill. Thank goodness, because I know I don't have the green thumb of the previous two owners. It really fills my heart with joy that it is now blooming in time for Christmas!

Best Gingerbread Cookie Recipe Ever!

Every year since my daughters were little it was our Christmas tradition to bake a gingerbread house and decorate it and then wait until Christmas to eat it. Now that I have grandsons, this activity has been lovingly passed on to them.

Yesterday was my daughter's thirteenth wedding anniversary, so while I was watching the boys, when their parents went out to celebrate, we decorated a homemade gingerbread house. You won't see it in a magazine because it's far from perfect, but to my grandsons it's a little piece of heaven. I'm sorry I didn't get more pictures of them decorating it. It was so joyous to see their faces light up with excitement at their masterpiece!

This recipe is absolutely the yummiest recipe for gingerbread cookies too.
1 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg (cage free)
4 tsp. grated orange peel
2 tbsp. dark corn syrup
3 cup sifted flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. salt
Cream butter & sugar, add egg, beat until light & fluffy. Add orange peel & syrup. Stir in dry ingredients. Form into ball, and chill at least one hour. Roll out and shape. Bake 6-10 minutes, at 350 degrees, cool & decorate.
The recipe for the frosting is just powdered sugar, milk and a little light corn syrup. You want it to be a nice heavy consistency, so just play around with how much milk and corn syrup you add.

Can a girl have too many purses?

I have acquired quite a few handbags over the years, but I really don't carry a purse anymore, unless, I'm going out of town. When I go out of town I like to be prepared for anything, but, when I'm just around town I prefer to carry my cell phone and lipstick in one pocket and my itsy bitsy credit card wallet that holds my license and a couple of credit cards in the other pocket. How about you? Do you carry a handbag, and if so, is it small, medium, or large?

I love this mini wallet from Anthropology. It's just my size and it's so sassy in this orange color!


This little coin purse, also from Anthropology, might do just the trick on an evening out. It's so feminine and I love yellow...it makes me happy.

For those days in the big city this bag from Nordstrom's would do just fine. I can't afford it at $350, so it's a good thing most of my clothes have at least two pockets. L.O.L.