it's a celebration.

kind of day. it really is. because today is the last. the last. day of january.

let's all shout yippee! clap. cheer. and enjoy. because january is ending. and february is here. and spring is right. around. the corner!

shut down.

two weeks to go. until my big show. and guess what? my machine. stops. just decides to stop working. lights up. makes noise. but won't. sew. will. not. sew.

this is a problem. a problem. indeed. it's off to the repair shop. where (hopefully.) it will be cured of it's ails. and soon.

maybe sewing by hand made. more. sense.

birthday month.

birthday month. has started (apparently.) already! yippee!

look. what arrived in the mail today.

an adorable little card from anthropologie. with a punched cupcake. and birthday candle necklace. and a discount. happy. early. birthday month. to me.

they don't just do clothes right. do they? they get everything right.

mom's day.

today at school. was mom's day for little two. of course. he wanted grammie to go. "not you mommy. grammie" "i want grammie to take me." but luck wasn't in his favor. grammie wasn't feeling well. so he got stuck with mommy.

in preparation. for mom's day. the littles filled out a survey about their moms. their age (i'm 4 1/2. gees - don't i wish?). their favorite color (green. he knows this one. he asks me all the time). but the best was. their favorite food. oh. i knew the teacher was reading his. when she said and this mom's favorite food. is coffee. coffee? do you think i take him to starbucks too much? is it wrong that he knows how to order my favorite drink? or is it just good training?

shoes.

somebody. decided he. wanted. new shoes today. i'm not sure they're exactly his style.

good-bye.

our minister retired today. i have known about this for months. that it was going to happen. but i really didn't know how i would feel. on that day. when he preached his last sermon. at our church. because well. you know. good bye's are never easy and neither it change.

you see. he's been our minister for 25 years. he performed my grandmother's funeral. he married us. he baptized our littles. he's been a part of our lives for 25 years. he's been a part of every major event we've had happen in the last 12 years. and well. 25 years? that's a long time in my book.

the service was beautiful. so touching and poignant. it was just right. sadness but happiness, too. and of course i cried. there wasn't a dry eye in the sanctuary. but it was a beautiful ending and a beautiful beginning. and i'm sharing some photos that are courtesy of my friend creative peep. so sweet of little one.

but little one. adores him. loves going to church. used to think (and might still) that he was god. seriously. i asked her once. what god looked like. and she look at me increduously and said jay of course. like i should know better. she will be sad that he will not be there next week.

but she wanted to give him something. so she spent a good bit of time on saturday and she colored him a picture and wrote him a note. she held that note carefully and patiently waiting throughout the entire service (and mind you. it was long). waiting. to hand him the note. no fidgeting. no asking for donuts. no noise. just patiently waiting. for two and half hours. it was a miracle. i tell you. a miracle.

there were baskets out where you could leave cards for him. but no. she was determined to hand it to him herself. it was so very sweet. to see this love through a six year old's eyes. (i'm getting a bit teary-eyed just thinking about it.). and she was proud when she presented it to him with a great big little one hug.

mmm.

just adding in. a little sweetness today. doing some baking. for an event tomorrow.

and to those who are wondering. the secret really. is in the vanilla. it's all about the vanilla.

and in case you were wondering? these are hot and gooey.

10 days.

do you know what i just realized? january is almost over. almost over. 10 days. the longest. coldest. snowiest (this year) month of the year. is almost over. and that my friends is good news.

you see. i don't care for january. if i had to pick a month i dislike it would be this one. why you ask? well let's see. it's long. no holidays. not much sunshine. cold. snow. ice. it's like the day after a good night out.

but the light is visible from the tunnel! i love february. it's a short month. two holidays. one is a favorite. birthdays. a bit warmer days. and spring is right around the corner when it ends!

10 days. my friends. 10 days!

hope.

i have to tell you. i've been caught up in the news. as horrible as the images are. i can't seem to turn off cnn. to turn off the story of haiti. the devestation is beyond belief as must the suffering be. i think it's important to stay informed. to know what is happening in the world. i'm a bit of a news junkie. but this. i just can't imagine.

i just can't.

things in my world seem so trivial right now. people are caught under buildings. suffering. they've lost everything. there is no food. no water. no medicine. i hope that help can get there in time.

there's a great group that's been started on etsy. crafthope for haiti. crafters donating their wares to raise money for doctors without borders.

“A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

color.

i love carnations. i love color. both of these are needed today. as we are socked in with thick fog. again. today.

be mine.

the holiday decorations are packed away. the tree has been recycled (you were a good tree, mr. tree). and the house is back to normal. and empty it seems. so empty.

but valentine's day. is right around the corner. yippee! i love valentine's day. love making valentine's and a special dinner. love the simplicity of this still charming holiday. i stay away from the commercial. i go for the homemade. i don't want this holiday to become another "buy gifts. (well flowers are always welcome.) but you know. commercialized kind of hallmark-y day.

i've been scouring sales lately for old valentines. the sweet ones. with poems and flowery words. or cute kids. and today. i tinkered a bit with my mantel. it's just been looking so barren. since all the christmas stuff was packed away. it needed a little cheering up. and some old valentines and cupid plates and sheets of love music. certainly fit the bill.

out and about.

a friend and i went to an antique show today. i was a bit trepidatious. i've been having such fun at thrift stores lately. that i didn't want to pay the prices of someone who had been doing the same thing i had been doing, but then selling them to me! but i went along. it did sound like fun. and the weather was dreary and foggy. that i just had to get out of the house.

now. we were a bit anxious after the first couple of booths. thinking it wasn't quite our kind of sale. these were some serious prices. $1200 for an old advertising piece shaped like a clock. dishes for $400. not your random $1 plates and $3 linens. here. but then we turned the corner. and it was as if we were in a different country. the prices were great. people were negotiating. the goods. well. were. good. really good.

we had a great time. wheeling and dealing. meeting new people. making new friends. and discovering more stuff.

i walked away with plenty. but my favorite was this old shabby cabinet. in a shade of green that i love. with chippy paint and worn wood. just what i was looking for.


and after we left. we happened to notice a thrift store sign. a quick turn around and there we were. what could be my new favorite place to thrift. it was just. well. just perfect. and look what i walked away. a beautiful. old white quilt.


i've been looking for one for ages. these never come along. and if they do. well. they are way. way. more than i am willing to pay. you see. i've wanted a quilt that we can actually use. take outside. lay under the tree and read on. sip lemonade on. have a picnic. enjoy. and now. now. i've finally found it. i knew it would come along eventually. i just had to have some patience.

looky list.

i haven't updated my looky list in quite awhile. well. you know. it was christmas and all. but now. all the new spring fashions are starting to arrive in the stores and online. and well. i couldn't help myself. and actually. most all of it is in this one picture.

i could be very happy in this outfit from anthropologie. i'd be in trouble if i bought it, but i'd be happy nonetheless.

photo courtesy of anthropologie

and since my obsession with letters continues, i love this vintage embroidered letter from etsy seller, yebisu. perfect (i think) for little ones soon-to-come easter dress.

new.

so. since it's a new year. i thought the blog needed some new ideas. and since it seems. that i'm really. really into the whole thrifting. vintage thing already this year. i decided to catalog all my finds. i want to look back at the end of the year and see all the great treasures i've happened upon. you can find the slideshow in the side bar. and if you ever want to join in the adventure. just let me know!

dinner.

seems like i've been cooking a lot lately. and i have. i've been on a bit of a new recipe terror. trying new things. trying to clean out the pantry in the process. my friend at melissa musings. is participating in clean out your pantry challenge. she's doing amazing! me? not so good. but i've only been to the grocery twice this month. and that alone is pretty darn good.

so here's another new recipe. and this i tell you is good. really good. the littles devoured it. i served it with a bit of pasta on the side and a yummy salad. topped with my go-to salad dressing. a warm-you-up on a cold winter eve.

hicken parmesan
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) light cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1/4 c. shredded carrots
1/4 c. shredded zuchinni
1-1/4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 egg
panko
1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated

heat oven to 375ºF.

mix cream cheese, spinach, carrots and zuchinni with 1 cup mozzarella and 3 Tbsp. Parmesan until well blended; spread onto chicken breasts. starting at one short end of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. secure with toothpicks.

beat egg in dish. mix remaining parmesan and panko in separate shallow dish. dip chicken in egg, then roll in panko. place, seam-sides down, in baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

bake 30 min. or until chicken is done. top with spaghetti sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella.

happiness.

i don't think i ever told you. what my word of the year is. we got our words at church last sunday. and mine?

happiness.

wow. that's a good one. and this year is already happier than last year. and old going to get better. i can just feel it. so. happiness.

“Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.”

― John Barrymore

our favorites.

one of our (or maybe mine) most favorite books around here. is stella. star of the sea. the story is wonderful and the illustrations are just to die. for yummy.

have you and your littles ever read it? if you love the sea. you should. it is just like my littles when we are at the beach. asking questions. getting into mischief (lots). and having fun.

this christmas. we got lots of new stella and sam stories.

little two is just like sam. and i am constantly asking him what he is doing. we love to read this story at naptime. every. day.

and little one. thinks this book.

is how she was as a littler little. and she's about right. because little one. sees her world just like stella does. in her own unique way. and with lots of wonder and curiosity.

and today. i found this link. to print bookplates for your books illustrated by marie-louise gay. how sweet are they?

sharing.

do you have the pioneer woman's cookbook? the other yulie and i went to see her late last fall. she was hysterical. so were her punks and marlboro man, of course.

anyway. i've been reading her cookbook on and off for the last month. never made anything. just reading. i guess i was kind of busy in december to do anything more than read it.

but today. i made chicken spaghetti on the recommendation from the other yulie. i know this isn't an original recipe. it's actually in my church's cookbook from 1998.

but none. the. less. it's good. really. creamy. warm-up-your-toes. on a -zero-degree-cold day. good. and....although. i was missing some ingredients and had to substitute. (because it was just too. cold to drag the littles to the store.) it's just one of those easily substitutable dishes...and since it's all over the internet anyways. and in my church cookbook. i thought i'd share. my version of it with you.

you should try it. you really should. but be prepared. invite an army over. because. it makes a lot. a lot. i tell you.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Cooked Chicken (i used 4 chicken breasts)
• 1 lb Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces (believe me this feeds a lot).
• 2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup
• 2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• ¼ cups diced Green Pepper (i used a whole pepper).
• 1 small diced Onion
• 1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained. (sorry no pimentos here. so i subbed a jar of roasted red peppers, diced. they added a great flavor that you wouldn't get from the pimentos).
• 2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt ( no seasoned salt either. i used an adobe seasoning mix from penzy's spices. (have you been there? it's wonderful). it was perfect.)
• ⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

How to's:

Cook 1 cut up fryer and pick out the meat to make two cups. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. (since i didn't have a fryer, i just cooked chicken breasts, shredded them and then made chicken broth chicken granules to cook the spaghetti in). Don't overcook the spaghetti! When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. my church recipe also called to add bread crumbs to the top. this gave it a great crunch on top. i mixed the bread crumbs with the cheese. bake: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly.

snowbow.

New Message
Originally uploaded by juliepass

so we're on day two of no school. after one day back. and probably another tomorrow. we were out and about today. and look what we saw in the sky.
it's a bit hard to see. but those lines in the middle of the picture are actually a rainbow. it was snowing a bit and through the sun was a rainbow -



"snowbow". it was lovely. on this cold snowy day. surely this is a sign that spring will come. someday.

sigh.

well. it is snowing. again. school was closed today. even though the snow didn't start falling until after 1:00 this afternoon. go figure. and it's closed tomorrow, too. one day back. two days off.

and tonight. the best is supposed to come. minus 20 - 30 degree wind chills. yes. -20 to -30. and the high for friday? 0. oh. wait. it gets better. saturday. the high. yes. the high. is going to be -3 degrees. yes. the high will be 3 below zero. (the low is supposed to be -16 below zero)...

little one. asked me today. why god decides to make weather like this? i wish i had an answer. then she asked if mother nature went to the beach and forgot about us. i think she must have. because this. weather. is just wrong. all kinds of wrong.

but little two had a bit of a giggle fest out in the snow today. catching what he calls snow "flags" on his tongue.

joy

you know. for some reason. i just realized that this was the end of a decade. i know. i know. you don't need to say it. somethings just come to me a bit slower.

but you know. as much bad that happened this decade. a lot of good happened in my life, too.

it really was a decade full of a lot of joy.

for both little one and little two came into our lives.

and even though his favorite words right now are idiot and penis. yes. that's right. you didn't miss read. (are all three year old boys obsessed with saying that - especially when they call you that in front of a crowd of people at nordstrom???)

and she might have suddenly developed a "but gosh mom don't you know?" kind of attitude.

they still were (and are) big pieces of joy this decade.

2010. my story. already.

yes. that's right. a story. already.

sinus infection. pink eye. doctor's appointment. good times are already here.

i'm grabbing a box of kleenex. a cup of tea. and the humidifier. and heading to bed.

see you when i un-burrow tomorrow.

my 2009 story.

my 2009 story. in pictures. it was hard to pick just one for each month...

january.


february.


march.


april.


may.


june.


july.


august.


september.


october.


november.


december.

hope.

there's a lot of talk in the blog world right now about picking your word. a word to define you or live for or work or remind you of for the year. kind of your signature word.

the first sunday of every new year is star sunday at our church. epiphany sunday (which is a Christian holiday on January 6 celebrating the visit of the Magi to the infant jesus). but it is also (per wikipedia) this:

• Epiphany (feeling), the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something

baskets full of stars are passed through the sanctuary. and you pick one. each star is carefully cut out and a word written on it. this is your word. your word to help guide you for the year.

last year. my word was sustain. i think it was perfect for the year. and i needed that word just at that time. sustain.

i don't know what i'll pick this year - you can't cheat and look first. but i guess i'm thinking that i would like to choose the word hope.

because i'm full of that for 2010.

hope...

...for friends struggling with illness

...for those out of work

...for friends dealing with loss

...for peace

...for warm days ahead

...for decisions to be made

...for change

...for new horizons

...for new beginnings

...for bigger and better

...for smaller and smarter and simpler

...for greener

...for safer

...for you.

looking forward to getting my word tomorrow. i'll let you know what it is. what word would you choose?

2010.

well. good morning all. it's a new morning and a new year. i wanted to thank you

for stopping my little corner in the web. you brighten my day with your kind words and support.

but. whew. finally. this year has come to a close. and it's a new day. a new morning.

...sigh...sigh...sigh...

i was ready. ready for 2009. to. be. over. it was not a good year. so much. too much bad news.

sure. there were some good moments. but it seemed like everywhere we turned.

there was more bad or sad news...

it started off miserably for us and i'm just glad to say good-bye. to 2009.

but today. today. is a new day. a new year. a day for change and resolutions and

moving on. but i'm going to save that for tomorrow. today. i'm spending some time today to remember.

and reflect. first. before i dive into 2010.

so remember i'm going to. can't believe it's been a year. miss you just as much now as i did then.

miss you little one.