Garden Party!

{ inspirational photos from My Home Ideas}

It's only January, yet I'm planning (early) my daughter's summer birthday.

I already purchased her invites and other nick-nacks.

I decided to go for a Garden Party inspired birthday in our backyard.

Flowers...

Kiddies pool...

And Bubbles!

I'm so excited! I'm planning early this year as

I graduate with my AAEE in July and dive into my BSEE immediatly!

That's a lot to swallow.

So I'm easing the stress through my daughter turning 3 years old in the garden.

Valentine's Love

{via Martha Stewart}

{via Etsy}

Hot Chocolate

Warm 'sweet' pillows

Valentine's Day Inspiration

I love Valentines Day.

Especially when you combine it with chilly weather.

Hot cocoa, a pillow, what more is needed?

I love winter, but sometimes you just need to love up to warmer colors.

Mr. BP Man and I already have decided 1 substancial gift and one smaller this year.

It'll be fun to see how creative we both get on our "missing and caring" for one another.

Have some weeks to go...but I'm so excited. Time to get cracking!

The New Year

Oh how wonderful yet awestruck I am to see 2009 pass.

::Blink::

Just like that.

How were your holidays?

Enjoy time with family? Friends too?

A magical year 2009 was, with a 2-year old rather than 1-year old, and a harsher winter in Delaware rather than a mild one.

We enjoyed, suffered from temper tantrums, cried from amazing mile stones, and are truly blessed to have what we hold dear.

I couldn't post without sharing a photo or two of Christmas with Miss P.

I'm also including my before New Year's celebration with BP Man.

Me and BP Man celebrating the "soon" to be New Year in a o-so-fabulous pose.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve means the joy of family and friends.

I want to wish the happiest of holidays to you all.

I'm thinking of everyone enjoying a peaceful evening with family through special and past down traditions.

{the thought is magical}

So before you all dream of sugar plums and your kiddies giggles and screams Christmas morning...

My treasures from this week...

Miss P's sugar snowflake cookies was a treat for me.

Watching my daughter find the joy and love in baking her own cookies.

Priceless.

I love the sheer joy on her face over crayons and

discussing S-A-N-T-A.

What a Mama's girl, she has my ♥.

Miss P, Papa, Nana, and Mama in their jamies reading,

 "Lamma lamma Red Pajamas"

Happy Holidays!

Creativity during the holidays

I love traditions, old or new, just as long as its fun and inspiring to anyone and everyone.

I've been reading everyone's blogs and I'm loving how each and everyone of you share your holiday traditions.

Music while cooking.

Making cookies with the kids.

Donating time and love to others.

Creating cute and whimsical crafts.

You are all inspiring.

My fondest memory was in California (Salinas) dressed in jammies on Christmas Eve. We wound up driving through the country area's and admiring lights while listening to Christmas music (from the 80's and 90's) and giggling in our Ford mini van.

Oh, how I loved the simplicity and childhood callings.

{Picture from Make and Takes}

I think Heather from Make and Takes is so creative. Creating holiday traditions such as a Santa and Reindeer pancakes for family or friends is special and yummy.

 

{Picture from Dollar Store Crafts}

Heather Mann's personal blog, the Dollar Store Crafts also yields amazing crafts from the dollar store--awesome I say!

I think her Dollie snowflake Decor is super sweet and easy for the creatively challenged. 

Take a gander before the holidays if your on the search for simple and fun projects, especially for those that are dealing with snow and no school.

These may just be the indoor fun you need while having to prepare for the feast and other holiday tasks.

{picture from Wilton}

I love cookies! Miss P's Papa was baking cookies today due to our 16" of snow.

Yummy ginger and molasses, peanut butter cookies, chocolate crinkles, and Spritz.

Sorry, my mouth is watering from thinking of all the choices.

Sounds good, right?

So, while thinking of cookies (hense, the picture) I decided to browse for ideas, as I'm off on winter break.

Searching for fun recipes and inspiration on Monday.

I will bake and eat, eat and bake...and pretty much be happy.

I fell upon these beauties.

Yum.

Must. Bake. These.

Immediatly!

Cream Cheese Spritz Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

• 1 egg yolk

Makes: Recipe makes 4 dozen cookies.



Instructions:

•Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add sugar and mix well until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, vanilla and lemon peel. Mix well.

•Gradually add flour and salt to cream mixture. Shape dough in small logs and place in Wilton Cookie Pro™ or other cookie press.

•Press cookies onto cool ungreased cookie sheet.

•Bake 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

•To make green trees add a small amount of Leaf Green paste color to dough before shaping into logs.

•To make red/white cookies, add Red food color to one half dough. Shape red and plain dough separately into narrow logs; place together into Wilton Cookie Pro™ or other cookie press.

•Follow above instructions for shaping.

•Store in airtight container at cool room temperature for several weeks or freeze for two months.

{All courtesy of Wilton.com}

You must agree with me, as I know this recipe not only sounds good, but the picture looks good too.

So, stay tunned as I am whipping up some yummy things come Monday.

But before I leave, what types of cookies, cakes, or goodies do you enjoy during the holidays?

Let it Snow!

{Sugar Cookies via Alton Brown}

 

{Snowflake cookies via Paula Deen}

 

{Snowflake via Taste.com}

I love winter white holiday baking!

We are going to recieve between 6" to 14" of snow this Saturday.

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