It is hard to believe 2013 has come to an end! It’s been a fun and busy year here on the blog and I feel blessed and privileged to be able to share with you all the things I love. I am grateful that you read the blog, share the blog with your friends and leave me comments! It makes my job the best job in the world.
It’s always fun to look at the blog stats from the year and see what the most popular posts were. Sometimes it’s a post that happens to be my favorite too. Other times I’m totally surprised by what becomes a big hit. Want to know the big post winners??
It looks like the Top Recipes of 2013 were slow cooker recipes, salads and gluten free recipes were big hits this past year. There will be more of that in the new year too! I’d love for you to leave a comment at the end of the post and let me know what you’d like to see more of on the blog in the new year!
Today I’ve joined together with some of my favorite blogger friends to share our Top Ten posts from the year as well as giving away a $50 gift card. When I asked on Facebook where you’d like a gift card too, tied for the top choice was Amazon and Target so the winner can choose between Amazon or Target! So after you check out and Pin (please) my Top Posts of the year be sure and hop on over and visit all my blogger friend’s top posts and enter their giveaways too!
I just had to share what happened at our house Christmas morning.
This whole fun scheme was put together by my son Clark and his wife Jessica. It was Jessica’s brilliant idea!
We told the girls that I needed to video tape them opening some gifts for a sponsored blog post I was doing. They were very cooperative and smiled really well.
They thought they were getting something fun and new from Nike. But this is what happened when they opened the boxes.
This is what was in the box – and they were alive!!
Here are the two schemers.
The video is pretty hilarious and we’ve only watched it a few hundred times!!
http://youtu.be/cqF67b84RgY Of course we couldn’t let the lobsters go to waste so they became part of our Christmas dinner.
We tried to get the girls to hold the lobsters for a photo. Cali was willing but Tessa, not so much!
She finally picked it up!
They were a delicious addition to our Christmas dinner!
What was the best gift you received this Christmas!!??
Tradition is an important of our Christmas Eve festivities. We’ve pretty much been doing the same thing for the 32 years we have been married. And what we eat for Christmas Eve is a tradition that has been in my family for many years before that.
We always start the evening off with a fondue dinner. I guess this happens when you grow up in the 70’s. Fondue was big in the 70’s. We have a meat fondue that is hot oil and we serve it with steak, little sausages and mushrooms. We also purchase cheese fondue from a local restaurant and have an assortment of breads for it. There is a lot of delicious heavy appetizers also, a selection of cheeses, roasted garlic artichoke dip, bacon wrapped dates, bacon wrapped green bean bundles, baked brie, potato skins with salsa and guacamole and also a green salad. I tried a few new things this year with goat cheese covered in sundried tomatoes and basil along with these Holiday Bacon Appetizers which are crackers topped with parmesan cheese and then wrapped in bacon from Pioneer Woman. They were a big hit.
We put our food on trays and sit in the living room and on the floor enjoying our dinner. Of course the food is always delicious but sharing the evening with people we love is always the best.
After dinner we play some carols on metal chimes. I am always the conductor.
Afterwards we played a fun game. I wrapped up a bunch of king size candy bars, one for each person there. I then read a story and every time I said left they had to pass to the left and when I said right they passed to the right. It was quite funny and there were lots of laughs. You got to open and keep whatever candy bar you ended up holding when the story was over. The story we used for the candy bar game can be downloaded here:
We then had our annual acting out of the Nativity Scene. We had quite a large cast this year!
As the youngest married couple Clark and Jessica got the honors of being Mary and Joseph this year.
Next we played some fun Christmas themed Minute to Win it Games. Last year’s fun Minute to Win It games can be found here. I’ll have a post tomorrow with more details on the games we played this year.
The funniest one was probably Jingle in the Trunk!
Good for lots of laughs! We adopted a fun tradition from my daughter in law’s family and had a large array of ice cream for dessert. We had about 15 different flavors of ice cream to choose from and everyone had fun trying different flavors.
After all our guests left Santa’s elves stopped by with new jammies for the kids and mom and dad. Even as young adults my kids love getting their new jammies.
The gifts were then carried downstairs (they aren’t allowed under the tree before Christmas Eve because every one shakes and pokes at them too much!) The kiddies were all settled in bed and it was time for a long winter’s nap!
At our house it is actually the parents who get up first and have to patiently wait for the children to wake up! (and yes I know, half the light son my tree don’t work!!!)
Come back tomorrow to read more about our fun Christmas Minute to Win it games!
For other Christmas tradition posts check out these:
Wishing you and your family a wonderful, beautiful, memory filled day with your family or whoever you are celebrating with. I am so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the birth of my Savior, who came to earth to give his life for me, so that someday I can live eternally with this family I love and adore so much!!
I am grateful for each and everyone of you who stop by to visit. Thank you for allowing me to share all the things I love with you each week.
I am one happy mama. I finally have all five of our kids home, safe under one roof. Nothing feels better!
Instead of a bunch of new recipes this week I am going to be sharing with you some of our favorite family traditions. Some of them have been shared on the blog before but you get to see them again – some of them are updated versions. So I hope you will enjoy following along with our holiday season this week.
This last Saturday was our annual Breakfast with Santa which is a party we host each year for our neighbors. We started this tradition back in 2006. For years when our children were little we took them downtown to what was then Meier & Frank to the Breakfast with Santa they held each year. Eventually our kids got too big for Breakfast with Santa and Meier & Frank became Macy’s but I wasn’t quite ready to let go of the tradition so we started our neighborhood Breakfast with Santa.
Everyone must attend in their pajamas. We serve pancakes with a selection of syrups and little sausages along with fruit, juice and an egg dish.
Of course the food is always good but the best part of this party is the people. Most of our neighbors have been our neighbors for about 20 years so they are just like family to us. We love inviting new neighbors too, especially when they have little ones!
After breakfast we decorate gingerbread houses but t his year we went for gingerbread men and they were a big hit!
And then there is always a special visitor!
Nathan asked Santa for a pinecone! So precious.
But like I said, the best people about this partyare the people! Here are the cul de sac moms (minus one who is in China for two years!) So grateful for these women.
What is one of your favorite family holiday traditions?
I am one happy mama. I finally have all five of our kids home, safe under one roof. Nothing feels better!
Instead of a bunch of new recipes this week I am going to be sharing with you some of our favorite family traditions. Some of them have been shared on the blog before but you get to see them again – some of them are updated versions. So I hope you will enjoy following along with our holiday season this week.
This last Saturday was our annual Breakfast with Santa which is a party we host each year for our neighbors. We started this tradition back in 2006. For years when our children were little we took them downtown to what was then Meier & Frank to the Breakfast with Santa they held each year. Eventually our kids got too big for Breakfast with Santa and Meier & Frank became Macy’s but I wasn’t quite ready to let go of the tradition so we started our neighborhood Breakfast with Santa.
Everyone must attend in their pajamas. We serve pancakes with a selection of syrups and little sausages along with fruit, juice and an egg dish.
Of course the food is always good but the best part of this party is the people. Most of our neighbors have been our neighbors for about 20 years so they are just like family to us. We love inviting new neighbors too, especially when they have little ones!
After breakfast we decorate gingerbread houses but t his year we went for gingerbread men and they were a big hit!
And then there is always a special visitor!
Nathan asked Santa for a pinecone! So precious.
But like I said, the best people about this partyare the people! Here are the cul de sac moms (minus one who is in China for two years!) So grateful for these women.
What is one of your favorite family holiday traditions?
I adore appetizers. Sometimes I even enjoy them more than the main course. I’ve even made a complete meal out of appetizers. We serve a large array of appetizers on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve so I’m always on the look out for a yummy new recipe.
One of my favorite all time appetizers is Roasted Garlic Artichoke Dip. I have a recipe that I love and I’ve given out to many, many friends. It is always the first appetizer to disappear at any party I take it to.
Today I’ve got a dressed up version of this favorite recipe for you.
n addition to the traditional artichokes, mayo, garlic, cheese etc., this recipe throws in some lovely red roasted red pepper and frozen broccoli & cheese sauce to give it some great color. One of the problems with artichoke dip is it isn’t very pretty. It tastes great but it lacks in the visual presentation. Adding in some great red and green color helps pretty it up though. This recipe also uses an herb flavored cream cheese spread which makes the prep even easier.
All you need is a sliced baguette or some crackers and you are ready to dig in!
For a few other yummy appetizer dishes check out these:
I adore appetizers. Sometimes I even enjoy them more than the main course. I’ve even made a complete meal out of appetizers. We serve a large array of appetizers on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve so I’m always on the look out for a yummy new recipe.
One of my favorite all time appetizers is Roasted Garlic Artichoke Dip. I have a recipe that I love and I’ve given out to many, many friends. It is always the first appetizer to disappear at any party I take it to.
Today I’ve got a dressed up version of this favorite recipe for you.
n addition to the traditional artichokes, mayo, garlic, cheese etc., this recipe throws in some lovely red roasted red pepper and frozen broccoli & cheese sauce to give it some great color. One of the problems with artichoke dip is it isn’t very pretty. It tastes great but it lacks in the visual presentation. Adding in some great red and green color helps pretty it up though. This recipe also uses an herb flavored cream cheese spread which makes the prep even easier.
All you need is a sliced baguette or some crackers and you are ready to dig in!
Broccoli & Artichoke Party Dip Recipe
AuthorLeigh Anne Wilkes
Ingredients
1 bag 12 oz Green Giant® broccoli & cheese sauce
1 container 8 oz chive and onion cream cheese spread
1 C freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 C mayonnaise
1/4 C milk
1 can 14 oz artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
1/4 C roasted red bell peppers from a jar, drained, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper cayenne
1 loaf 16 inch baguette French bread, cut into 1/4-inch slices
or crackers
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Cook broccoli as directed on box for minimum time. Chop broccoli to about 1/2-inch size.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix cream cheese spread, mayonnaise, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and the ground red pepper until well blended.
Stir in broccoli mixture and roasted red pepper. Spoon into 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered about 25 to 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly.
I love decorating for Christmas and today I am sharing my Christmas Decor for 2013.
I thought it was a little late to post photos of my decor, but when I asked on Facebook you assured me it wasn’t. And you are already pinning ideas for next year, so here we go.
I changed things up a bit this year with my decor and decided to go with a white and gold theme in my entry way.
Christmas Decor
I made my Joy sign this year out of a board I had and also added white bottle brush trees from Target. My addiction to bottle brush trees is strong.
The mirror was actually a frame I found at Goodwill. I gave it a coat of gold spray paint and then took it to a local mirror place to have the mirror put in. My deer head is a new addition too and I cut out some gold vinyl circles on my Silhouette to dress up the dresser a bit.
For my banister I used gold snowflakes from Tai Pan and some cute little gold glitter reindeer I found at the Dollar Store.
Loving the way the entry way turned out.
Also in the entry way is this vignette I put together.
The globe came from Goodwill I added gold spray paint and some chalkboard paint along with vinyl lettering. I added this new boxwood wreath on my old door that always hangs on the wall.
Taking decor that is already in place and just adding a bit to it to make it Christmasy is one of my favorite things to do.
My bottle brush addiction came on full force with the living room mantel. The gold ones I picked up this year at Home Depot and the other tress were from Target a few years ago.
And in the family room I have my Joy tree which I love.
My good friend Marsha found this amazing red trunk and gave it to me as a Christmas gift. I topped it with a Christmas quilt I made several years ago and added a pair of vintage ice skates. (they came complete with vintage socks tucked inside too!) and then I added my Dr. Seuss quote, one of my favorite holiday quotes.
Vintage Decor Ideas
I’m loving the vintage light reflectors I added to my tree this year.
More paper whites and pinecones on my coffee table with a cloche full of ornaments.
In my family room is my collection of vintage inspired Santas and more bottle brush trees.
Love these little vintage houses. They are from a local Portland artist Magpie Ethel.
Keeping with the Joy theme in my family room, I have my Joy chalkboard on the mantel.
We have a new daughter in law this year, so I was able to add a new stocking to our mantel.
I had to jump into the antler fad and picked up these gold antlers at Target. I also love paper whites and I am patiently waiting for mine to bloom. My milk glass collection was perfect for holding them.
Since we have artificial trees, I love adding some fresh greens in with my Christmas decor.
In my kitchen I hung our family Joy canvas. This image was on our Christmas card that was featured in the Wall Street Journal.
And blow it, I’ve got my snow scene blue mason jars on the kitchen table.
And that wraps up our tour. I hope you enjoyed getting to look around!
During 2013 I shared with you what I had been reading on a monthly or quarterly basis. But I decided it would be nice to have all the books I read in 2013 in one post so today I have put all those monthly lists into one long post. janu Each year I like to keep track of how many books I read and pick a favorite book for the year. In 2012 I read 45 books. I didn’t do quite as much reading this year – only read 36. But there were some good ones! And one of the books was over 900 pages so I think that should count as 3 books!
As last year, I have given the books I read a rating system (1-5 stars) I think there is only one 2.5 book on this list. Those are the ones I don’t recommend or didn’t finish. Sometimes I don’t finish a book because the language is bad or it is what I would consider R rated but sometimes I don’t finish a book because I just don’t like the subject matter or the story. That was the case with the 2.5 book this year. That doesn’t necessary mean someone else won’t love the book. I did not rate the non-fiction books I read, only the fiction. I don’t give out too many 5.0. The majority of what I read falls in the 3.5-4.0 range. A book has to really wow me and make me want to read it again to get a 5.0.
There was one book to get a 5.0 rating this year and thus earns the spot as my Favorite Read of 2013. It is actually a book I have read before. Keep reading to find out what it was!
My Favorite Author of 2013 was a new one to me – Susanna Kearsley. I think I have almost read just about everything she has written and that makes me sad. I wish there were more! Her historical fiction with a touch of romance and mysticism is my favorite!
Now onto my 2013 Book List.
Disclaimer: We need to take personal responsibility for what we read and watch and we all have different standards so please be sure and check things out. Although the majority of what I read I would consider rated PG there may a few books that I have read that don’t meet with your personal standards so please be a responsible reader. I don’t want to offend anyone.
Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I almost stopped reading it but kept going and am glad I did – it got better. It is a meeting of modern technology and medieval mystery. It does get you thinking about technology and if good old fashioned books are going to one day disappear – I hope not! Love my Kindle but nothing beats an old fashion, paper book! If you enjoyed The Night Circus I think you will like this book.
2. The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty
(3.0 stars)
This is another one I was on the fence about. Set in the 1920?s this historical novel is the story of silent film star Louise Brooks who leaves Kansas as a young teenager with her chaperone. They both have their reasons for making the trip as they struggle to over come the confines of the time period they live in. The life choices they make are heavily effected by the morals of the time.
3. The Baker’s Daughter: A Novel by Sarah McCoy
(3.5 stars)
Another piece of historical fiction, this one is set in Germany in 1945 during Hitler’s reign of terror. The story of Elsie Schmidt who is the Baker’s Daughter during this time period and hides a Jew in her closet which puts her entire family in danger. At the same time the story flashes forward to El Paso Texas, present day where Elsie now lives and a reporter Reba wants to interview Elsie and her story is unveiled. As both women’s lives become intertwined, both are forced to confront the uncomfortable truths of the past and seek out the courage to forgive.
4. The Light Between Oceans: A Novel by ML Stedman
(4.5 stars)
My favorite book of the month!
The story of Lighthouse keeper Tom and his wife Isabelle are unable to have children and when a boat washes ashore their island home with a dead body and a living newborn baby there are choices to be made. They choose to keep the baby, a choice which shatters and changes lives, including their own. But it is a story of good people, tragic decisions and the beauty found in each of them.
5. Blog, Inc.: Blogging for Passion, Profit, and to Create Community Joy Deangdeelert Cho
(I don’t rate non-fiction)
I actually skimmed through this book. After having blogged for five years I was pretty familiar with most of the information in this book but still picked up a few ideas and things I can do. It is a great book for a beginning blogger or someone who might be thinking about starting a blog. I enjoyed the Q & A sessions with some of the biggest bloggers around.
6. Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child is a biography of Julia Child by Bob Spitz
4 stars
I am a big Julia Child fan. I have previously read My Life In France about Julia Child’s time in France when she began writing her cookbook and the book Julie and Julia which also has a motion picture by the same name. Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child is a biography of Julia Child and I really enjoyed it. Learning about her whole life and the amazing woman she was. I remember watching her cook on PBS when I was a young girl! This book marks the anniversary of her 100th birthday. I listened to this book on CD and started it on a drive my husband and I made up to Gig Harbor last weekend. He listened along and really enjoyed it! (some language)
I have decided I need to learn more about Google+ so I read the book What the Plus by Guy Kawasaki (an amazing blogger!) If you want to know more about the ins and outs of Google Plus check it out.
The other non fiction book I read was Love Does:Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff. Bob has accomplished some pretty incredible things in his life – As a college student he spent 16 days in the Pacific Ocean with five guys and a crate of canned meat. As a father he took his kids on a world tour to eat ice cream with heads of state. He made friends in Uganda, and they liked him so much he became the Ugandan consul. He pursued his wife for three years before she agreed to date him. His grades weren’t good enough to get into law school, so he sat on a bench outside the Dean’s office for seven days until they finally let him enroll. For Bob,love is an action word – Love Does!
For our Book Club in February we read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie which was a delightful, fun, easy read. The first in the series of the Flavia de Luce Mysteries. I have already started in on the next one in the series. Flavia is a young aspiring chemist with a passion for poison and is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. Flavia will delight you!
My last book for February was Mrs. Queen Takes the Train ( I think it was recommended by one of you!) Honestly I almost didn’t keep reading the book. I found the beginning of the book a little boring but I’m glad I stuck with it. It was a fun read. This book is a fiction piece about when a bored Queen Elizabeth strolls out of the palace in search of a little fun, leaving behind a desperate team of courtiers who must find the missing Windsor before a national scandal erupts. Just imagine Queen Elizabeth trying to figure out the internet and Facebook as well as doing yoga. (some language) I’d love to know if Queen Elizabeth has read it and what she thinks about it!!
The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag is the second book in the Flavia de Luce mystery series by Alan Bradley which I am thoroughly enjoying. The first book in the series was on my February 2013 Recommended Reads list. Flavia is an 11 year old with a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders. This murder involves a puppeteer and an electrocution! I look forward to reading more of them.
A book that had been recommended by many of you. This book is for all of you Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer fans out there! Set in the Regency Era, the language is a bit easier to follow than Austen but maintains the feel of the period. A story of love and intrigue that I loved!
This book follows the fortunes and losses of five families from the Stone Age through the present time.The story takes place in and around Stonehenge and Salisbury and covers 10,000 years. It’s a long book. But it reads like a novel rather than a text book and definitely held my interest and attention. I especially found it fascinating as I visited the areas where the story took place on our trip. If you would like to learn more about the history of England I highly recommend the book.
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel was the second book I read in April. It is another long one, over 600 pages. It too deals with English History and is the story of King Henry VII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon in the 1500?s. Remember this time period was a violent and brutal time and that is reflected in the story. Although I enjoyed the book from a historical standpoint I found the story somewhat difficult to follow and really had to force myself to finish it. There were way too many people named Thomas during this time period!
I love it when I am introduced to a new author. When I find an author I like I have a tendency to read everything they wrote. Our book club read the book The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley in May and I loved it. It was a really enjoyable, easy read. Especially after Sarum and Wolf Hall! It is a historical fiction piece and set in the present day but goes back in time to Scotland in the early 1700?s during the Jacobite rebellion. I have now read 3 of Kearsley’s books and they all are modern gothic novels that blend historical adventure and modern-day suspense with romance and a touch of something spooky. They are a nice clean read too!
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is another English history novel that takes place in the twelfth-century and the story deals with the building of a mighty Gothic cathedral. Although it takes place in a fictional town, the story is based on Salisbury and the cathedral there. Please remember this was a violent and barbaric time and the story reflects that. There is some sex in the book and a rape scene. But from a historical perspective it was very interesting.
I promise I will get off my English history kick soon! Bringing up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel is the sequel to Wolf Hall and deals with King Henry VII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn. We all know what happens to poor Anne when she can’t produce a male heir so the story ends with Anne’s trip to The Tower of London from which she never returns. There are a few more wives to go so maybe there will be a few more sequels. I almost hope there aren’t any sequels because I think I’m pretty much done with old Henry! I enjoyedBringing up the Bodies a bit more than Wolf Hall and the story was easier to follow. A few less Thomas’ I think!
I am a big fan of this author. His book Molokai was one of my favorites and I really enjoyed Honolulu too. I was excited for a new read from this author. Palisades Park doesn’t take place in Hawaii like the other two (at least not the whole book) and is based on the real life Palisades Park in New Jersey during the 1930?s. The the author grew up near Palisades Park. The story takes us through the Great Depression and Pearl Harbor and a family of dreamers who don’t always have the same dream. I loved the combination of history and fiction.
19. The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley
4.5 stars
This book is a sequel to The Winter Seawhich our book club read and I loved. This book also takes place in Scotland. This story is about a group of archaeologists searching for proof that Roman legions once roamed the land. I love how this author combines, history, fiction, romance and a little paranormal into one story.
This is one of my favorite books I have read this year. Not only is it beautifully written but the story is beautiful and inspirational. It is a love story that takes place in Burma and begins in the 1950?s and continues into present day. Julia’s father disappears and she sets out on a quest to find him and discover his hidden story. Your belief in the power of love will be renewed after reading this story.
When I discover an author I like I tend to read everything they have written. This is my third book by Kearsley and I enjoyed it as much as the other two. Not only did I like this one because it is historical fiction but it also involves a rose garden! How could I not love it. This story is set on the Cornish Coast and involves awoman who is trying to confront her own ghosts and meets a few more on the way hidden in the rose garden. A story of love, importance of family and home.
Another historical saga that takes place during the 1850?s and deals with slavery and the underground railroad. The story is about a Quaker family and a woman named Honor who must learn to deal with her personal/religious views in regards to slavery and acting on what she believes vs. protecting her husband’s family and their property.
This is the story of the wives of the first Mercury astronauts. What is was like to live in the shadow of their famous husbands, to have the press living in your front yard and deal with the stress of having your husband charting unknown territory in space. An interesting look at the story behind the story. As divorce and tragedy strike their bonds of friendship are fortified and strengthened.
This book was recommended to me as one to read if you like The Great Gatsby. I love the Great Gatsby but I didn’t love this book. The book is set in New York City in 1938 and the main character Katy is a working girl in the city. She and her friend Eve embark on a journey from a Wall Street secretarial pool through the upper echelons of New York society in search of a brighter future. As I said I didn’t love this book. I didn’t dislike it but I didn’t really like it either – just left me flat. I found the characters a bit boring despite the glamorous life they were sometimes living. Maybe I was just expecting too much.
I really enjoyed this book. The story is about a boy with autism. Tessa had seen this as play during her study abroad in London this spring and loved it. It may have been the favorite play she saw while there and she saw a lot. I have several friends with autistic children and I found this a fascinating look into the mind of someone with autism. The story is told by a 15 year old autistic boy who doesn’t like to be touched. The story involves a “murder mystery” when Christopher finds the neighbors dog has been killed and he sets out to find the killer.
Every time I ask you for a book suggestion The Goose Girl shows up on the list, more than once! This Young Adult book is based on the Grimm fairytale but with a bit of a modern and magical twist. Ani, the princess in the story has a special gift. She can talk to animals but one day she is shipped off to another kingdom to marry the prince, but along the way is overthrown by her lady-in-waiting. Ani becomes a servant, tending geese, while she searches for a way to return to the marriage and throne that is rightfully her own. This story is part of the Books of Bayern series. I haven’t read any of the others.
This book continued my Great Gatsby theme. This is a piece of fictional autobiography of the life of Zelda Fitzgerald. The wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald. The character Daisy in The Great Gatsby was based on Fitzgerald’s wife Zelda. I loved the look into the life of Scott and Zelda, the golden couple of the 1920?s and what was going on in their life behind the scenes of The Great Gatsby and the self destructive behavior that was happening. If you enjoyed The Paris Wife you will enjoy this book too. While the world considers The Great Gatsby the best novel ever written I loved the insights into the woman behind the book.
This book is also YA fiction and was one that my book club decided to read. It is fantasy and not my typical genre. My book club is made up of mainly retired ladies and when they noticed their grandchildren reading this book and raving about it they decided they wanted to read it too. I read it and enjoyed it and even went on to read the second in the series but that was enough for me. I actually had a hard time finishing the second one. The story is of two children whose grandfather is the caretaker of Fablehaven, a land of greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. The story is of their adventures and what happens when rules get broken. There are some good life lessons to be learned in the stories. So if you enjoy this genre of book, as many in my book club do, you will love the series.
This book was recommended to me by a friend who is a ferocious reader. It is a British murder mystery and I loved it. I use to read a lot of murder mystery and was a big Agatha Christie fan in my youth! The Private Patient involves an investigative reporter who is killed after having plastic surgery. Commander Dalgliesh and his team are called in to investigate a case complicated by old crimes and the dark secrets of the past. Fun read and I look forward to reading more P.D. James books.
Walls has also written The Glass Castle which I enjoyed. Unlike the memoir, The Glass Castle, this book is a work of fiction. It is the story of Bean and her sister Liz whose mother abandons them and they are left to live with their eccentric uncle. Bean and her sister learn to coexist with their uncle and deal with the challenges and injustices of the real world. A well told story and a fairly quick read.
I continued on my Susanna Kearsley phase in October. I have enjoyed everyone of her books so much. She writes in my favorite genre, historical fiction with a bit of romance and mysticism thrown in. So fun! I pretty much loved everything about this book. I think I have just about read all of her books and I wish there were more! I love it when I find an author I adore and then read everything they wrote.
Firebird is a followup to Winter Sea that I read earlier this year and loved. If you want to read Firebird be sure to read Winter Sea first, following by The Shadowy Horses and then read Firebird.
This book is a historical novel based on the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I have always been a big fan of Anne Morrow Lindbergh. She is the author of my favorite book, Gifts from the Sea. She was also married to famous pilot Charles Lindbergh. The author says, “ It’s time for Anne to step out from behind her husband’s shadow once and for all and be the heroine in her own epic story.” I am a big history and biography fan also so I really enjoyed this book. Some interesting insights into the life of both Anne and Charles Lindbergh and what it was like to be married to one of the greatest heroes of all time. Not an easy job!
I LOVE this book. This is actually the second time I have read it. I reread it in anticipation of going to see the movie. I enjoyed the movie but I loved the book.It is beautifully written and I love the character of death and the beautiful pictures he paints with his words. I am a big WWII era fan which is when this book takes place. If you have not read this book, please do! The book is listed as a young adult book but every adult should read it too. I will probably read this book a third time.
I am a fan of Fannie Flagg and have read most of her other books. They are nice light, entertaining reads that will make you smile and laugh! I also enjoyed the historical aspect that is part of the storyline too.
I wasn’t planning on it but we may have to call this Peppermint Week. This is the second peppermint recipe of the week and there may just be one more before I’m done.
No surprises here but it uses my favorite flavor combination of the season – white chocolate and peppermint. I posted something white chocolate and peppermint yesterday too but I just can’t seem to get enough of the flavor combination!
I have made a few other versions of cookie bark before. I’ve had some fun creating different types of cookie barks. I started out with Chocolate Chip Cookie Bark and then there was Toffee Brownie Barkand most recently Peanut Butter Cookie Bark! I just couldn’t resist doing a peppermint and white chocolate version for the holidays. I made this cookie as part o fThe Great Cookie Swap. The Great Cookie Swap is a group of food bloggers from around the world who came together to share recipes and cookies and raise almost $14,000.00 for Cookies for Kid’s Cancer.
I made my White Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Bark and sent a dozen pieces to 3 different bloggers. I in return received a dozen cookies from 3 different bloggers. It is so fun to get cookies in the mail! To make sure my cookies arrived nice and fresh I used my food saver to seal them up before shipping them off.
Cookie Bark is so easy to make and let me warn you it is VERY addictive. It is one of those things that once you start eating, it is very hard to stop. It is a shortbread type cookie dough and I added in some chopped up white chocolate as well as some peppermint extract and chopped up candy cane in the dough. Spread it evenly and thin into a 10 x 15 cookie sheet.
Bake until it is nice and golden brown. You want it to be crisp. If after you pull it out it doesn’t seem crisp enough to break into pieces put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
After it has cooled drizzle with melted white chocolate and chopped up candy cane.
Let the chocolate set up before you break into pieces.
I love a nice crispy cookie and that is just what cookie bark is – crispy and delicious!
It is almost a cross between a cookie and candy. One of the great things about cookie bark is that it stores and ships well. You can make it ahead and just keep it airtight and it will still be delicious days later unlike a lot of cookies.
So if you are looking for another yummy cookie recipe to add to your cookie plate lineup definitely give this one a try.
Peppermint Cookie Bark
AuthorLeigh Anne Wilkes
Ingredients
1 C butter softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
2 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz. chopped white chocolate I used Ghiradelli Baking Bar
3/4 C candy cane chopped
2 oz. white chocolate melted to drizzle
1/2 C candy cane chopped to sprinkle on top
Instructions
Mix together butter, vanilla, peppermint salt and sugars and beat until blended.
Add in flour and 6 oz. white chocolate and candy cane and mix.
Press into an ungreased 15 x 10 jelly roll style cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
Cool.
If it is not crisp enough return the oven for another 5 minutes.
Drizzle with 2 oz. of white chocolate and sprinkle with 1/2 C chopped candy cane
After cool and chocolate is set, break into pieces.
We then had our annual acting out of the Nativity Scene. We had quite a large cast this year!
non-fiction)
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