Merry Christmas!

Since my family was out of town this holiday and I stayed back home, Mr. L and I just relaxed. It was a really nice Christmas, even without the usual Christmas traditions. But, there was one Christmas tradition we kept and that tradition folks, is Sunday Brunch Casserole! My mom has made it for every Christmas breakfast for as long as I can remember and it is absotutenlutely delicious! Mr. L can't hardly wait for it every year and with his enthusiastic encouragement for this casserole I decided to make it. It never fails, every time it is delicious!

Of course, we had to have holiday mimosas too! 

But, first things first. Before breakfast we exchanged gifts. I was terribly impressed by this little gift. Mr. L wrapped it himself. People that know him could probably deduce that he is not the most crafty person. Incredibly smart, yes...crafty, no. But, I guess being with me all these years, a little something rubbed off on him. 

 Cedella enjoyed laying inside the empty boxes. 

Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Sweet Treats

I really do enjoy baking, however, Mr. Lucas does not eat a bunch of sweet stuff. The problem is, since he does not eat sweets, if I baked them regularly I would eat it all myself and be morbidly obese. I have really been wanting to bake so this weekend, I just did it. I figured I could give most of it away and not feel guilty for eating a few treats. So, I got to baking!

But first things first, egg nog! 

I made chocolate chip walnut cookies from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, best recipe ever!

Some of the cookies I dipped in chocolate. 

I also made chocolate dipped pretzel sticks and coated some with chopped walnuts.

Then, to bring things to a close, I made molasses cookies. It was so much fun, I have not baked that much...ever! All while jamming out to some Christmas tunes on Pandora. 

My parents and Grandmother leave for Ruidoso, NM, tomorrow morning so packaged up some of the treats for them to have while they are on the road. 

I ended the evening with watching Christmas Vacation, the funniest Christmas move ever!

Cheers! 

A Little Holiday Sussie For Me!

With all the holiday shopping I have been doing I figured what would be the harm in me purchasing a little something for myself? So, while I was Amazoning I found a great book I just had to have. The main reason I had to have it was because Heather Bailey was on the cover and I adore her. She is such an inspiration. I figured if she was on the cover this book had to be perfect for me. So, I ordered it along with my other holiday Amazon purchases. I absolutely love Amazon. Everything arrives so quickly and is priced so nicely!! I can't wait to read my new book; Signature Styles: 20 Stitchers Craft Their Look. The book gives you a peek at their craft spaces, lives, and favorite crafting projects! 

Cheers! 

Happy Little Holiday Party

Mr. Lucas and I went to the most amazing holiday party ever this weekend!. He is interning at a local hospital to be a Medical Laboratory Scientist and the lab Pathologist has a party every year. He was gracious enough to include us. First of all, his home is spectacular. If we lived there I think we would need walkie talkies in order to communicate with one another, if that gives you any idea of the size of this house. I would be just fine with taking up camp outside. The 2 level Lanai has a fire place, outdoor kitchen/grill, and pool. That would be all that I need to survive. 

The party itself was lovely. Chef Jon Bonell was preparing all his wonderful appetizers and desserts in the kitchen. It was quite a treat to actually see him at work! The bottomless margaritas were also a treat too! There was live music and the house was decorated for Christmas from head to toe. It was a great way to start of the holiday season. So, in keeping with the festivities, today...I had my own happy little holiday party. My very best friends, cheese, summer sausage, and Sangiovese helped me celebrate. We watched The Holiday too.  

Cheers!