1 Day til Christmas!

I opened the final present at midnight; I couldn't wait!

On the twenty-fourth day, my mother gave to me...

A Book called "Creative Visualization" & a great piece of advice!  I already started reading the book; it's pretty good.

Mom wrote to "Make something home made."  I think that's a hint; I've been pinning tons of gluten free recipes to my Pinterest page for us to try.  Don't worry, Mom.  I'll bring some good home made food for Christmas dinner!

I've been having some technical difficulties uploading pictures.  Also, I'm taking a holiday break from everything electronic & going "off the grid" for a few days.  I'll post pictures from Christmas when I plug back in.  Until then,

Thanks for following!

2 Days til Christmas

On the twenty-third day, my mother gave to me...

Some more decorations for my apartment (red stuff at the base of my tree, cute pine cone thing hanging from my pumpkin, some balls I haven't put up yet and...

another bag of delicious tea!

She said to "Do something special with family." We've been doing quite a lot together recently.

Christmas Tree

It's never too late to get a Christmas tree!

I bought one just a couple of days ago.

I have a small apartment and I just wanted a "Charlie Brown tree," but being the tree hugger that I am, I didn't want to cut one down.  So, I've decided that when Christmas is over, I'm going to plant my Christmas tree.  For now, it is living in my apartment with a couple of turtle doves atop it, adorned with paper snowflakes & ribbon!  It's very "me," and I LOVE it!

I'll post a better picture once it gets decorated, but here is what I have so far:

3 Days til Christmas

On the twenty-second day, my mother gave to me...

a bag of Earl Grey.  I can honestly say this is the first present I won't use. But I shall keep it in my cabinet so that I have a tea bag for someone who is a proper English tea drinker.

...& there was a helpful reminder to "wrap presents!"

3 (really 2) Days left to wrap & I still have a couple things to buy!

4 Days til Christmas

On the twenty-first day, (quite late last night) my mother gave to me...

another bag of my favorite tea.

...& told me to sing.  She knows me so well!  I love Christmas carols :)

5 Days til Christmas

On the twentieth day, my mother gave to me...

a package of sticky notes!  One can never have too many sticky notes :)

...and a reminder to "Go Shopping!!!"  (if I haven't already ;)
It's a little late to get started on the shopping, but there is always more to do, isn't there?!?

6 Days til Christmas

On the nineteenth day, my mother gave to me...

Some more wonderfully calming tea!  I can never get enough Chamomile!

On another note, I went to see the Christmas light display in the Christmas Village tonight!  Here are some photos:

1 Week til Christmas!

I can't believe it's only 7 days until Christmas!  I couldn't wait until morning, so I opened this one at midnight (I've been doing a lot of that recently).  Today, my mother gave me...

Coconut milk!  With all the gluten free baking we've been doing, one can never have enough coconut milk (not to mention that it's absolutely delicious & full of nutritious value all by itself).

Mom also reminded me to do good deeds for others no matter who is watching.  (Although, getting in some brownie points with the elf on the shelf is always a plus ;)

8 Days til Christmas

On the seventeenth day, my mother gave to me...

Yum! ...& I will take the hot cocoa advice.  I always enjoy making my hot cocoa on the stovetop with warm milk.  It is so much more delicious that way!

9 Days til Christmas

On the sixteenth day, my mother gave to me...

Wonderfully calming tea

...and a suggestion to enjoy a glass of wine!  Would anyone like to share a bottle (and a meal) with me?  I'm making dumplings!

10 Days til Christmas

On the fifteenth day, my mother gave to me...

Some Strawberry Jam!  My mom can't have strawberries, but she always made sure my brother, dad & I had fresh strawberries in the summer & strawberry jam was a staple growing up.

Today, I treated myself to a visit to the doctor's office, an omelette, a visit to Mom's (photo of her tree below), & a night of pool at the local bar.  I'd call that "something nice."

11 Days til Christmas

On the fourteenth day, my mother gave to me...

A couple bags of tea (that smell like chamomile), and some good advice.

I think it's a little late for all the holiday tree lightings around here, but plan on getting myself a Charlie Brown "tree" for my apartment!

Also, I put those cannelini beans I got on Day 12 to good use.  They were delicious!

12 Days til Christmas

On the thirteenth day of Christmas, my mother gave to me...

Emergen-C!  Great timing, once again.  I'm feeling under the weather today so I took a sick day from work and used the energy booster the second I opened it!

One of my mother's favorite things to do is drive around & look at Christmas lights.  This will be the last year for one of our favorite spots, so I'm definitely going to do that this year!

In other news, I finally got around to making some festive snowflakes like Mom suggested on Day 9.

13 Days til Christmas

On the twelvth day of Christmas, my mother gave to me...


Another two-for!

This time, the notes said "Bake more cookies and treats" and "Do something special for someone else."  Haha!  I don't think that was a hint, but I think I'll make something for Mom.

Haha!  Now that I've opened them, I think they might be a hint.  Agave nectar is great for baking (and for a healthier tea sweetener).

The cannelloni beans might look strange to you, but to me they make perfect sense.  My Nonna used to make the most delicious dish using cannellini beans, sausage & fennel.  It's one of those nostalgic foods from my childhood.  Actually, my mouth water just thinking about it.  I might make a pot tonight (to share with Mom, of course)!

14 Days til Christmas

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my mother gave to me...

A beautiful Christmas scarf!

I didn't get a great picture of the wrapping, but the note said "Read something spiritual."  That's always a good idea.  I think I'll read the book Mom gave me on Day #5!  Until tomorrow!

15 Days til Christmas

On the tenth day of Christmas, my mother gave to me...

A coupon-organizer (it has many other uses, I'm sure) & some Airborne!  I can't say with confidence that I'll ever use the coupon organizer, but the Airborne was a Godsend today!  I came face to face with one too many sick people in the past 24 hours.  The extra boost helped fight off any winter colds they might have been spreading.
Thanks, Mom!

The note says: "Make some holiday cookies (and take a plate to a neighbor)."  I would always do this in college with baked goods (& pancakes).  I was staying at a friend's while my heat got fixed this week.  I think I'll bring him a plate of cookies...

16 Days til Christmas

On the ninth day of Christmas, my mother gave to me...

A note that truly caught my eye.  Paper snowflakes have been taking over the office.  I was just telling my friend Jess that it's one of my favorite past-times!  I already painted snowflakes on my nails, maybe it's time to plaster them around the apartment (while playing Christmas tunes, of course)!

It doesn't look like much, but this hand lotion works miracles against dry skin in the winter!  Also, I'm a huge fan of practical gifts & my mom knows it.  Thanks, Mom!

17 Days til Christmas

On the eighth day of Christmas, my mother wrote a note that says:

Relieve stress. Have a popping frenzy. Use as needed.

I love you, Mom.  Stress relieved!



Mom also included some moisturizer (quite useful this time of year), and wrote another note.  It reads "Sing (and maybe dance) to a Christmas song." What I find absolutely hilarious is that my mother will listen to Christmas music from November through January.  Any other music, she rarely listens to outside the car.  I blast music 365 days a year, but I have a short window for Christmas music; it begins around the 2nd week of December every year.  So... right on time, Mom!

18 Days til Christmas

On the seventh day of Christmas, my mother gave to me...

The notes say: "Make yourself a cup of hot tea" and "Unwrap a new book to read."

This came with absolutely perfect timing.  I took a sick day from work today to kick this cold to the curb before it builds up steam, so that is exactly what I will be doing today!  In fact, I think I'm going to do that right now!

19 Days til Christmas

On the sixth day of Christmas...

the power went out & I didn't get the chance to make a photo.

So today I got the chance to make photos of this beautiful runner my mom got me to decorate my table for the holidays:

The note says: have a Christmas movie night with treats!  I did that by myself last night, but maybe I can have a few friends over for one soon.