Once again, despite all my early preparations, Christmas seems to have just crept up behind us as I take care of last minute details, and it’s now less than a day away. The excitement in our household is high, yet Bebe E is sad that her Elf will return to the North Pole on Christmas Eve, and she will not return until next year’s holiday season. It was magical having our little Elf stay with us during this special season. I admit, it...

It’s been quite some time since I enjoyed the simplicity of a red and white candy cane. Minty, yet sweet and oh so refreshing. I used to enjoy candy canes quite a bit in my childhood but I think the red and white peppermint flavored candy canes were always favored over the fruity, colorful candy canes that also adorn store shelves during this time of the year. Not too long ago, Bebe E tasted her first candy cane at her school’s...

I’m so glad that the sun has finally come out this afternoon. All this rain since Friday has really left me feeling down and blue especially after Friday’s tragedy in Connecticut. It was as if the Gods were crying with us all. It was raining again this morning and it was cold. I had to keep Bebe E from school today since she’s still fighting a cold, but I wanted to savor this lazy morning where we weren’t rushing to get...

As the Christmas holiday approaches, one of the many things I planned was to share a few holiday favorites over the coming days. I hope I can stay focused enough to post all that I’d like to share amidst my being sick, and now my little one sick too. The first dish is a simple, yet flavorful dressing (or stuffing) that I typically make for Thanksgiving, but there was a time in my childhood where my parents often served turkey with stuffing...

Like many, last week I was happily enjoying my time getting ready for the holidays until late Friday evening, December 14, 2012, when my husband asked if I had heard of the horrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. I spent the majority of that day feeling under the weather and disconnected from the world. I heard vaguely of a shooting that had taken place but I wasn’t aware of any of the details. Later that night, when I learned of the...

Admittedly, I’ve always been a shopper. From a child being dragged to the mall by my Mom, to a youthful teen shopping (or gossiping) with girlfriends, from window-shopping and meeting best friends for lunch at a favorite cafe – again in the mall, I am not ashamed to admit that I enjoy spending time at the mall. These days, however, one of our favorite malls to visit is the South Coast Plaza. Not only is it stocked full of lovely...

Our tree has been up for almost two weeks now, our wreath is hanging on the door, the stockings are hanging in front of the fireplace, and thanks to a wonderful suggestion from a friend from nursery school, the Elf is on it’s way to check on Bebe E daily, and report back to Santa – naughty or nice. At first Bebe E was very scared about our Little Elf Girl visiting us, when I told her that she would be watching over her each day. She...

The holiday season is fully upon us! Last weekend we celebrated with our very first holiday party of the season. It was quite the celebration! We enjoyed a lovely rendition of The Nutcracker performed by 30 children aged 3 to 5. It was Bebe E’s debut on stage and she performed beautifully. Bebe E was a snowflake, and she did quite well smiling, dancing slowly and silently with arms in the air, gliding and twirling like, well, a...