Sunday, December 17, 2017

Eight Days Away~ Oui...









Today was -7 F  when we got up..now it is 5 F.
Very unusual for December.
Lovely snow cover but cold.

However watching the news re California..

we have NOTHING to complain about weather wise.

I bought ear muffs yesterday that heat up..

one caveat..for kids..

so they cover half my ears..
still..better half than nothing..

I'll show them to you:)

I did not leave the house today apart from putting some things in the freezer..(screened in porch)..

I started preparing the cake I will serve Christmas eve..

and I was into my ears in dough..

and cleaning up..

I still want a clean up Elf..

Jacques is my tech husband of almost 44 yrs..

he bought Alexa..

She is great for weather and music..

"Alexa..play Christmas music by Manheim Steamroller"~ done..

Ditto..Michael Buble..

Ditto..Bing Crosby..

Ditto..Rosemary Clooney.."

Alexa..great job!

So.."Alexa.. clean up my kitchen.."

?????????????

Obviously..she is Jacques':)


Things that make me smile..

the music..

the baking..

the movie WONDER that we saw yesterday w/ Noah and Mylène..see it if you can..

Julia is Julia..Jacques said..:" Elle est telllement belle.." he rarely says that..ok Catherine..Audrey..

but day to day..rarely..she is beautiful and so natural in this movie.

I bawled more than 5 times..and I had read the book..
ok..and Jacques shed tears..that says it all.


Receiving Paris Maps/Letters..look at Carol's work in our tree:)♥

Some cards..I pop in our tree:) Too precious to not see..during the holiday season.

Tellement de bonnes choses ..allez..dégustez..rincez-vous l'oeil♥
Ses aquarelles sont absolument charmantes,des coups de coeur...

I had an appointment 2 nights ago..had not driven in the dark alone in years..popped by Urban Barn..
to have made it worth my while..  and that camper jumped nto my hands..and the salesgirl?I could have brought her home..
I told her manager.
25..polite ..adorable..charming..♥

Oh and Strawberry Shortcake?

I made that ornament ..in the 70's:)or early 80's for a craft sale to pay for my real estate course:)

So glad I kept ONE..salt dough lol..:)

I loved the whole line..and Trolls..and Mon Chichi and Cabbage Patch kids and Barbies for my girls~:)


And..  I know I'll come back before 8 days  ..

but I just want you to know..that I love my cyber friendships..

you have no idea how much.

Thank You.







50 comments:

  1. -7?? Oh my, you are very hearty folks up there! I feel like a wimp :)
    Looks like you are all ready Monique, everything looks beautiful, as always! Hope your Christmas is joyful and filled with lots of love!

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    1. As I hope and know yours will be Chris:)It's been thermal underwear and several layers clothes days..:)

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  2. LOL about Alexa and the kitchen clean up, lol. I wish! Ear muffs that heat up? What a great find! Your tree is magnificent. It is those small gifts from afar that we treasure much isn't it. Unexpected treasures they are. Love the flour cannister and your wee trailer. Your Strawberry Shortcake is so sweet. You have obviously always been tres talented! (No surprise there!) Your card from Paris maps is adorable. what a special thing for you to have. You are so loved! Like you this week I will be up to my earballs in dough and flour and whatever else. I wish you the very best Christmas filled with lots of love joy and happiness. God bless and Happy Holidays! xoxo

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    1. Toi aussi talentueuese Marie..This morning I asked Alexa how many calories were in granola? Whoa..she may be helpful..since I thought I would never use her..lol..
      Love her Paris letters/ Maps..ingenious and it's like getting several works of art.Have fun in your flour:) And cutters..hope you get cute things in the mail..I just found a blog and she received very cute decorated cookies..I want you to get them:) UK:)

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    2. Ohh, what is the name of the blog Monique! I wonder where she got them. xo

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    3. I wasn't Expecting that? Let me go look:)

      Yes!

      http://www.iwasntexpectingthat.co.uk/2017/12/the-snowman-and-snowdog-biscuit-tin.html

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  3. Brrrrrr! I'd stay in the house, too! ;) Oh, Monique, the Alexa story had me laughing out loud. We've held out on an Alexa... I still think she might be spying on us. LOL! Our friends have her and they love it. LOVE all the old ornaments with so much history and memories. They are always my favorites. Yes, our cyber-friendships are treasures; and I am very grateful. blessings ~ tanna

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    1. They are special..we can all visit in our pjs.. lunch beside us..coffee or tea..we lla basically look the same because we are not seeing each other all the time..we can learn and appreciate everyone's talents and wit and candor and kindness..I have read about those things listening to us..hope not..sometimes I want to take mack my words..I may even more now..
      Jacques.. he saved and bought a satellite dish when they first came out..you know Like a Jetson flying saucer..OMGEE I hated those things..but..he puts up w/ all my girlie stuff;)
      Have a wonderful day:)

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  4. Oh my - that is cold! The inside is warm, cozy and festive.🎄💕. I am having fun this year because we are back with our little. We have him spend the night once or twice a week. He loves the Christmas decorations and is so excited for Santa to come! Our hearts are heavy for friends and family in California. A friend posted a video on FB which showed the fire right behind one of my favorite shops - Pierre LaFond. We used to walk down there in the morning for coffee. Our old house is in the path of the fire. As much as I miss California, I am glad that we do not have a house there now. Everyone is evacuated and just waiting to see what will happen next. Ash and smoke covers everything. Feeling grateful to be in Austin!

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    1. I am happy you are so close with your sweet boy:) 3 of ours will sleep over Friday..one on one as you have now..those memories never ever go away.He makes your heart burst with love right? Right.I know it.
      I follow Evi_family on IG..I knew her at Gardenbuddies..a sweet girl..she shared her parents home in Ventura..to the ground:( To the ground.They will rebuild..how tragic.we get all the US news here and have been keeping abreast..:(
      Have a nice day ...

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  5. Aww..is the Paris letter really hanging on your tree Monique?😀😀❤️
    Mille merci!!!

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    1. Absolutely..ask Jacques..I just said: ":Look on our tree..is Carol's letter there?" He said Yes I saw it this morning when I lit the tree:)
      I cross my heart..it's there.

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  6. I knew you would love Wonder. All time favorite movie at the moment. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas Monique with your dear family. Stay warm and cozy.

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    1. Oh I thought of you when we were sitting there:):)♥
      To you too..♥

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  7. Brrr that is cold! I am waiting for Wonder to come to Netflix. Hard to get my husband to go to the movies, lol

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    1. I cannot tell you the last time I went to a movie..and Jacques even longer..he is not a fan at all and favors Netfix and The Movie Network..but our daughter asked and was going w/ Noah..I had been talking about this book..so he came:)

      Trust me.. cinémas are not for him..

      It's lovely and when it arrives you will enjoy it..

      I aked the boy who took our tickets if he had seen it ..and he said no..I said :"YOU have to"! He said he would..I mortify my children.

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  8. Oh, BRRRRR! Today upper 30's tomorrow low 40's F. We are losing our snow rapidly :( The nearby ski hill just opened and now probably won't be able to stay open for the Christmas holiday. Sad for the kids! Then, after Christmas we plunge into the deep freeze. I hope the ground gets another 'blanket' before then. John has heated socks and heated mittens :) I love our cyber friendship too XXX.

    I LOVE the camper! Hadn't heard of Urban Barn before. I rarely go out along at night either - try to get all my errands done before dark :)

    Alexa, Clean Up - LOL! If only~ I'll bet she gives you lots of information on how to do it though :) Google 'Alexa for Seniors' - hysterical video!

    I love Strawberry Shortcake and that you made her. Your tree is lovely and the card from I think I know who on your tree is charming. I still have the girls' Trolls, Hallmark ornaments with carriages or cribs and their birth year. Snoopy, Kermit, etc. ♥ Such memories.

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    1. I should have bought ornaments for their years:) LOL I stayed home for 10 years when they were born..about 10 yrs..maybe ..until they were both in school then my real estate started..but prior to thata Jacques would give me an allowance for food etc..per week..sometimes I skipped food things and bought house things:) Could have done that for the ornaments;)
      Sounds so archaic now..

      I love the camper too..in fact everything in that store:)I will Google Alexa for Seniors!!:)
      You my dear have been such a gift to me.♥

      WEather is spotty here too..Jacques just said taht..lightly snowing right now..all over the place!

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    2. That video is not available in my country:( I tried several sites..maybe w/ my Ipad later:)

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  9. Love the caravan ornament. Happy holidays.

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    1. Such a cute find at that Urban Barn..I really should get out more often:)

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  10. Happy last week for Christmas....love Ria x ❤️

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  11. I'm loving your holiday preparations. Wish I could taste that cake! Carol's letter is fabulous this month -- I love that it's on your tree. I keep cards out too -- like you said, too pretty to stow away, some of them. Your flour container is so cute. Is that an ornament or a real cannister? I was thinking cannister until I saw your new ornament beside it and now I'm not sure. Either way, I love it!

    And yes, I don't know what I'd do without my cyberbuddies either. They are the best! Sending holiday hugs and thanks for your visits and for sharing your joy with all of us (especially me!)

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    1. I even forget how our paths crossed! Lucky break:)It is a canister..big:) Not an ornament..and I put cake and pastry flour in it..it's in my cupboard../pantry..Jacques hasn't even noticed lol.

      Have a great afternoon..I have a batch of spaguetti sauce simmering ..it's a grey tiny snow day......so now I'll just do not much I think..maybe paint..maybe..I need inspiration..I follow Miss Mustard Seed stories on IG and she's been oil painting..I have not taken mine out since the summer..lots of tips and tricks and book recommendations..Amazon resale makes them more affordable.so I bought one of her oil landscape recommendations and call me living under a rock for the past 63 yrs but I don't think I had ever heard of Charles Reid..and now I am smitten

      https://www.instagram.com/charlesreidart/

      I ordered his flower bok..reseller..

      Just telling you all this in case smething lights a fire like these did for me..
      you have been inspired and inspirational w/ your art class and Christmas..
      Love Carol's work..but you knew that and you do too:)

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  12. Hi Monique...
    I kept my daughters Cabbage Patch Dolls, and a few Strawberry Shortcake dolls!!! Such fun!!
    I did the salt dough thing too...gosh...so long ago...
    Rainy here today...beef stew on for tomorrow, as we have a Christmas Concert at Miss V's school...she is singing in the choir 👼
    Nothing wrapped...nothing baked...😳...gonna make a run to Marshalls later in the week...
    Love your ornaments...
    Enjoy your evening...
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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  13. I have Cabbage Patch too and clothes..the rest I gave to my girls too soon..who knew they woul have boys😊❤️.?
    Snowy and dismal today but I made a huge batch of spaguetti sauce..and some sucre à la cème that turned out more like fudge😂
    Miss your blog posts!
    Get cracking😂Xx

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    1. NO TIME! hahaha! I will try....😚...making Nora's stocking!

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    2. OK...I DID IT!!! Only took me over an hour....phew...come on over!!

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  14. Lindos enfeites natalícios. Feliz Natal.

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  15. How clever to use Carol's art within the tree. The little trailer is a cute addition. If you have time, please share more of the details of your tree. One of my favorite holiday things is to visit friends and spend some quality time looking at their tree, letting them tell me the story of the ornaments. This afternoon I did just that! A casual friend invited me to stop in. It has been many years since I was last in her home at Christmas time. She has two large trees, and each one is filled with gorgeous hand stitched ornaments that she has made through the years along with stunning glass ornaments collected through the years. She has two nativities, and a set of Russian angels on her mantel that are incredible. I so wanted to take photos, but didn't feel I could ask. Perhaps another time.
    Enjoy these days!

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    1. Oh our tree is quite ordinary now(we had to part w/ the other) it's tallish and too straight..we bought the first one we saw before we left for Fl..the ornaments are not vintage unless 1974 on is vintage..I was young when my parents died..we parted with everything..almost..so..things are relatively newer..just things I made..or frinds gave me..or my daughters gave me.
      Sarah..I have been seeing trees on IG and on blogs that are Macy's front window worty in themes of whites or flocked or pink or..well just about every magnificence there is:)

      So it's pretty normal here:)

      Thank you for asking:)
      I know yours has treasures..you have such a knack at collecting classically pretty things:)
      Happy week to you:)

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  16. Bonjour chère nana,

    Chez moi aussi la neige a fait son apparition avec le froid... Un temps de circonstance en cette période de fin d'année.
    Je vous souhaite une belle fête de noël et une année 2018 remplie de joie et de merveilleuses surprises.

    Vos photos sont merveilleuses... Un petit billet avec un très joli esprit de noël.

    Gros bisous et joyeuses fêtes ❄️❄️ ☃️☃️ ❄️❄️

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  17. Beautiful, Monique, looks like you are all set for the big day. Happy Holidays to you and yours.
    Amalia
    xo

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  18. Love all your beautiful ornaments, Monique! Everything looks very festive!! ♥Hugs, Jody

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  19. Dearest Monique,
    Oh yes, we all would love to have some Elfs that help us out with many chores in and around the home!
    The sun is out and it is 23ºC here. Not bad for December!
    Love your salt dough ornament from the 70s. You have been very industrious always.
    Sending you hugs,
    Mariette

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  20. Elfs would be welcome here as well. Maybe someday Alexa can clean up. My husband has these fabulous gadgets all through our home. No need to actually get up and turn off lights or turn on Christmas lights. Alexa to the rescue with the help of the Wemo mini-plus too. Love the little trailer. Hope your Christmas is Merry and bright. P.S. Thank you for your kindness regarding my dad's passing.

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  22. Beautiful tree Monique...it really is the most wonderful time of the year... 🙂

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  23. Adorable in English and Adorable in French!

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