Christmas Cookie Swap Reveal

CheriGENERAL

Last month I joined a blog Christmas Cookie Swap – the rules were easy – sign up, get a partner, mail a recipe, get one back and make the cookies to share today.   My friend, Deb, at Cooking on the Front Burner co-hosted the swap with White Lights on Wednesday blog.  I received my recipe … Read More

Mantel remix

CheriGENERAL

After looking at pictures of our mantel decor I posted here yesterday, I decided I could do better. More nature. More white.  Next Christmas those knotty pine walls will be a beautiful white… and what fun will be had! The birch “logs” are actually drilled at the top to hold tea lights. I have several of … Read More

Mantel party

CheriGENERAL

My mantel is an ever changing art venue, especially at the change of seasons.  It isn’t unusual for it to evolve as the season progresses either.  Today it looks like this…. But, two days ago it only had one tree.  The tree on the left replaced a white ceramic pitcher filled with greens.  There may … Read More

Cincinnati Parks

CheriGENERAL

Four nights.  Three days. Six adults. One 1000 square foot apartment. One bathroom. Dewey’s Pizza.  Skyline Chili.  HomeGoods.  Kenwood Mall.  Christmas.  Presents.  Cooking.  Scattergories. Our Family. Together. One of my favorite things to do in Cincinnati, besides spend time with our kids who live there — is visit the beautiful city parks. This trip we … Read More

Christmas Eve

CheriGENERAL

Just three photos from Christmas Eve. I chose to “be in the moment” instead of taking pictures of moments. #1:  Quiet moments before our guests arrived. #2:  Five adorable children (2 sets of twins!)  #3:  Wine glasses with Silly Bandz to identify who’s glass is who’s. We haven’t opened a single present yet — that’s … Read More

Remembering…

CheriGENERAL

the reason we celebrate . . .    Photos from The Nativity Story

Christmas Tree 2011

CheriGENERAL

Our tree. It’s very different from the trees we decorated when the kiddos were little. Each year since their birth, our kids were given ornaments for Christmas. Ornaments came from grandparents, aunts & uncles, us and their friends.  Those ornaments are now sorted into 3 boxes, one for each kid.  This is our 2011 Christmas … Read More

in the kitchen

CheriGENERAL

I’m not going overboard with Christmas decorations – keeping it simple and clean this year A little sumpin’ sumpin’ to decorate the kitchen sink… and this little jar holding antique miniature bulbs that belonged to Mr. D’s grandparents the bulbs (with snow) started out in a crystal sherbet glass and ended up in this jar. This … Read More

Tree Tip

CheriGENERAL

Many of you are going to find this difficult to believe. Confession:  our (artificial) Christmas tree stood in our living room wearing 2 strands of lights for six days. Today was decision day.  The tree was either going back in the box until next year, or I was going to finish setting it up. I’m not … Read More

Code work

CheriGENERAL

We get such a kick from our Baby Girl’s antics and style.   Christmas morning she showed up with another creative use of her style. Each of her cutely wrapped gifts had a gift tag  but, some people were receiving more than one gift and it is a pretty big deal with our family that … Read More