Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Share one favorite moment/memory from your Christmas holiday. 

  My favorite moment this Christmas was when Diane and I had our own little Christmas yet under our own Christmas tree. It was such fun giving each other gifts whilst snacking and talking. It shall surely become a tradition, a delightful one at that.

2. What was the best thing you ate over the holidays? Was it homemade or store bought? If it was homemade did you make it?

   I'd have to say that the best thing I ate over the holidays, as in the tastiest would be my whole Christmas breakfast in general which was a mixture of store bought and homemade.

3. What was one of the most beautiful things you saw over the holidays?

   There are so many things I would love to name, like the smiles of pure joy on the faces of everyone as they opened presents and gave gifts, or perhaps our lovely Christmas tree, even the mini gingerbread houses that Diane and I made.

4. What does fresh start mean to you?

   Fresh start means a new perspective on life. Going for the positive view, ignoring everything that hinders and bursting forth with determination. New years are perfect for such things though I frequently "re-started" all throughout last year. I can understand how the new year is the biggest time to start anew with your life, but as I always thought, everyday is a new day, a time to start afresh.

5. On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being very positive and 1 being not so great) how would you rate 2016 in terms of personal achievement and well being? Explain.

  I suppose I'd rate it a seven or an eight. In overall perspective it was pretty good but I hope to top it this year.

6. Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they'd like to see banished from the Queen's English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse, or just general uselessness. Go here to read more about how the words were chosen or, if you're like me, to find out what in the world the word or phrase even means or the context in which it's used. There were quite a few on this year's list I'd never heard before.

Here's the 2017 list of banished words-

You, Sir-focus-Bete Noire-Town Hall Meeting-Post Truth-guesstimate-831-historic-manicured-echo chamber-on fleek-bigly-ghost-Dadbod-listicle-get your dander up-selfie drone-frankenfruit-disruption

Which word on the list would you most like to see banished in 2017? What word or phrase would you add to the list?

   I would love to banish the word guesstimate, as a perfectionist that word raises my hackles just looking at it. I would love to add the word triggered, it annoys me beyond belief how so  many people go around saying how "I was so triggered."

7. Large or small, light or deep, share with us one goal you have for the new year. 

   Oy, if I would have know this was going to be one of the Hodgepodge question I wouldn't have shared my list of goals this Monday, but as it is, if you would like to see my goals please click here.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

  One of the things I have learned recently is that it is a whole lot better to have an overwhelming amount of things to do all the time, than to be bored completely even once.

Tasty Tuesday ~ Molasses Crinkle Cookies

  Today was and still is spectacularly foggy, cold, and rainy, not to forget muddy and dreary, and it's exactly days like these that I love to bake something warm and oozing with delicious spices. I set out to the kitchen and about two hours later I am sitting back quite satisfied that not only did I discover one scrumptious cookie recipe, but also the gingerbread replacement for this Christmas since my Mum banned gingerbread cookies from ever being made again. (No one likes them, so it's not like anyone is suffering because of her decree.)

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ginger
white sanding sugar

In a large bowl beat together the butter and the brown sugar. Vigorously beat in the eggs and molasses till smooth. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Gradually add in the flour mix to the wet ingredients, mixing well till a smooth, soft dough forms. Use a cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to form round balls of the dough. This step was particularly fun for me since it was pretty much the adult activity of playing with play dough. Gently press the cookie balls into white sanding sugar till they have flattened to about half the size of the original cookie ball. Bake the cookies one inch apart on a parchment covered cookie sheet at a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Let the cookies set for about a minute once you have pulled them from the oven so that the crinkles can set, then move them to a wire rack. These are delicious with a glass of cold milk, or a cup of hot cocoa depending on your mood.

New Year's Goals

  Isn't it both terribly exciting and perhaps a touch intimidating to face a new year, a year that is completely clean and sure to be oozing with surprises and the potential to be the best year ever?! I definitely think it is and therefore I am viewing 2017 with much eagerness to embark on a potential adventure.

  I love to be organized though for the new year and because of that I wasted no time and immediately composed a list of goals for this year. Since I supposed you would appreciate seeing what my goals are (I know I would like to know what yours are) I made a list (I have an undying love for lists.)

New Year's Goals 2017

• learn to temper chocolate
• have a proper high tea party
• complete my crochet afghan
• start my own kitchen notebook (like Rachel Khoo)
• blog much more frequently
• have excessive berry-ings
• read 52 books
• finish writing my book
• make a proper pâte à choux
• make a proper pastry cream
• broaden my french baking knowledge in general
• break my bad habits (wouldn't you just love to know what they are)
• have a real picnic
• become fluent in French

  And I think that finishes my list. I am only slightly daunted, not overly much because I absolutely love challenges and my list makes a splendid one. Just so you know, I will try to let you know if I have completed any of my goals and shall strive to document each adventure regardless of whether or not they were completed throughout this year.

   Before I go, I want to wish all the best to you with completing all your goals.

'Twas the Day After Christmas

  It's really the same thing every year, for months I look forward to Christmas with an enthusiasm that can't truly be explained. I put all of my time and energy into creating festive things, from Christmas ornaments, to gifts, to cookies, and various treats. Then, on Christmas Eve I am a-twitter with excitement. The following day is much like a passing dream and then it's all over. Nothing can express the sorrow that seems to flood me throughout the week after Christmas.

  Usually I spend my week after Christmas doing nothing but mourning for the holidays of my past while staring dismally at the ghost of Christmas that lingers everywhere, like scraps of wrapping paper, leftover treats, the empty tree, and everything else that has faded in some way or another.

  But this week after Christmas I was surprised and still am as each day that greets me is actually fresh and full of delightful activities (minus having to do Geometry of course). I wanted to let you guys see what my day after Christmas was like so I shall compose a list. And just in case you are wondering, no, I did not not spend the day after Christmas in my pj's, having a LOTR marathon whilst munching on leftovers. Not that I'd frown upon those of us who have done just that though.


My Day After Christmas


I spent hours reading a book.

I began planning a high tea party.

I got to work on finishing a crocheted lace table runner that I want for my tea party.

I got most of my New Year's goals written down and dreamed over.

I ate part of my mini gingerbread house (it's actually made of graham crackers.)

I read my old diaries.

I poetically daydreamed over my gifts.

And lastly I had a chocolate from a box of delightful things a friend had given to me.


After Christmas fun, is so much better than after Christmas blues!

Simple Woman's Daybook

For today..... Monday, December 19, 2016

Looking out my window..... I see brilliant sunshine penetrating every space outdoors. Tiny patches of snow are quickly melting under the fierce light from the sun, the sky is a lovely shade of blue but everything looks expectant as if waiting upon the arrival of snow.

I am thinking..... That I would most likely not be able to produce a satisfactory post if I couldn't listen to music while I was writing. 

I am thankful..... I am thankful for the ability to love.

One of my favorite things..... While this is not technically a "thing" one of my favorite "things" are The Piano Guys.

I am wearing..... A pinkish burgundy skirt with a black and white peony printed blouse.

I am creating..... I would have said Christmas gifts but I just finished up with all my gift making yesterday.

I am reading..... One of my favorite books, Anne of Green Gables

I am hoping..... That by some form of a miracle that I'll wake up on Christmas morning to see the world blanketed in mounds of feathery snow.

I am learning..... That real love is sacrificial love (no, I am not just saying that to prove I actually listened at church.)

In the kitchen..... Various ingredients are laying on the counters in preparation for making Christmas snacks this afternoon.

Picture thought.....  Diane and I actually set up a tree in our room this year and worked for hours on end making ornaments for it. Though  it may be a touch rustic, I find it absolutely perfect.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Let's talk holiday decorating. On a scale of 1-10 where do you fall? (1=Scrooge and 10= Clark Griswold). What's your favorite corner-room-table-space to decorate? Is it done?

  I absolutely love Christmas decorations but my home is not completely covered with heaps of decor. I suppose on a scale of 1-10 that I personally would fall at a five. Because each year my sister and I decorate our room thoroughly. The house in general only has a Christmas tree but my room has been touched with the Christmas spirit. I have stockings hanging on the wall. I have a cheery painted picture of a snowman on the wall (I painted it at one art class). We have our own Christmas tree laden with homemade ornaments, and we have bowls of pine cones everywhere.

2. Is there a nativity scene in your decorating somewhere? Post a picture or, if it's special to you in some way, tell us why. Or do both-it's Christmas!

  No, we do not have a nativity scene anywhere in the house. I used to want to play with the little people in those scenes though when I was just a wee girl.

3.  Do you live in a social neighborhood? If so are you glad? If not do you wish you did?

  Oh my yes! My neighborhood is such a pleasant and friendly area. Quite frequently we see our neighbors. Not necessarily as in having backyard barbecues but as in the fact that no matter what need anyone has had our neighbors are always there for each other. 

4.  As the saying goes, 'there's no time like the present'. How does that ring true in your life right now?

  Well, I have just recently discovered that keeping a to-do list is helping me massively in not procrastinating any longer. I have also discovered that for some strange reason it is satisfying to get a heap of things done in one day.

5. Do you dread Mondays? Why or why not?

  I personally dread Mondays. The reason why is pretty simple. I have lots of fun things to do during the weekend and after my delightful weekend hubbub, I get to turn to little ole Monday and have to face the rude presence of Geometry again. 

6.  Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis-which on the list is your favorite holiday plant? Are any of these on display in your home right now?

  I love poinsettias. We don't have any holiday plants in our home. 

7. Share a favorite quote from a Christmas movie.

  I have a thing for ridiculously lame Christmas movies and during the holiday season it's not very hard to find multiple cheesy movies. I watched one recently and had to explode with laughter when this quote was said. "Our library got a new book last month. Pandemonium." The hysterically sarcastic way that it was said made me bubble over and I couldn't help myself.

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

  It's pretty much official. I can not stand Emma by Jane Austen. I tried to read it so many times and each time I found myself slowly dying inside. It is slow mind-numbing torture. I loved The Three Musketeers and Pride and Prejudice, but for some reason I can't stomach Emma. It's on my list of required reading for this year so I keep plowing through one dreadful paragraph at a time.

Awk + Awe ~ November

  I know that I haven't posted an Awk + Awe in quite some time and the reason behind that is that I was simply far too busy and by the time I had remembered that I needed to make an Awk + Awe post it was already too late. So let's just ignore the fact that it is already December the fifth and continue.

  I believe that most of you already know that I have been part of a home school group for the past few months and considering my natural tendencies to find myself in awkward situations, you can most likely imagine the doozie of a time that I've had at my home school group.



             Awkward

•  I was sitting there quite calmly in my chair at my home school group, busily conversing with Christina and Wade as well as several other of my friends, as you know, I have quite a mess of curls on top of my head and so naturally they were in my way. I reached to sweep my hair back and my fingers caught onto the necklace I was wearing and I nearly choked myself with it. Christina didn't seem to be concerned and Wade definitely wasn't since he burst out laughing.

•   One class that I have at my home school group is acting class. All of us kids were sitting around the auditorium being taught how to project our voices (out teachers find passing a mike around to be sloppy and unprofessional.) I happen to love acting so memorizing my script for our Christmas play was tons of fun. I have this one problem though, it seems that whenever I become extraordinarily excited or nervous, my nose starts to bleed. So imagine this, there I was, I had just finished acting out one of my parts and all of a sudden my nose started to bleed. Giselle, who had been sitting beside me, didn't really catch on to what was happening, but I must have made a scene and a half (which is hysterical since it's acting class) whilst I fled the room to the restrooms. 

• This next awkward moment occurred the very next class after my nosebleed during acting class. I was sitting in another classroom explaining to Sabrina how my nose had bled during acting class. "Oh, so that explains what that stuff was dribbling down your chin" she said with a gag. I smiled, because I couldn't help it, it's not every day I flee an acting class. I could still taste the bitter rusty acid taste of blood in the back of my throat and that terrible taste caused me to cough quite vehemently for a second or two. "Are you okay?" Sabrina had asked with a look of genuine concern. "Yes, I'm fine," I said, and in a British accent I added "I"m just coughing because I had a bloody nose, and a bloody throat, and a bloody face in general." Sabrina chose that moment to scoot back in her chair in mock horror. I suppose my British did get too carried away.

•  Somehow I seem to have the very worst luck with bringing awkwardness upon myself. My most unfortunate moment at my home school group happened during writing class. It was all completely innocent. I was sitting at the table scribbling away at a story, quite fervently too, and a sharp flash of light caught my eye. I looked up to see what it was and it turns out that there was a glitter on Carter's lips. "There's a glitter on your lips" I spoke before I had time to think. He reached up to remove it and then halted, "Wait, why were you looking at my lips?" he asked. I could have died right then and there. Like I said, it was completely innocent, but nevertheless, that was one of the most awkward moments I have ever had in my life.

• I love the Sundays of Advent, and one traditional thing that my church does is to have communion each Sunday during Advent. It's no big deal but knowing me, I still had a chance to provide an awkward moment. I was walking down the aisle, in line behind a lot of other people but right behind a particularly tall man. I suppose I must have become distracted with looking off across the room at some lady tucking up her hair because before I knew what was happening, my nose smacked straight into the extraordinarily sharp shoulder blades of the man in front of me. I have just come to the conclusion that lines are not my thing.

           Awesome

•   As you already know, I love acting, so I found it quite awesome when my acting teachers commended my acting. It was one of those warm and fuzzy moments.

• Right now I am only four days away from the big day at my home school group, known as the night of the play. I am extremely excited.

• Another one of my awesome things is the fact that I am now reading Anne of Green Gables again, I used to love those books and apparently they are still every bit as good now, if not better since I can actually understand what I am reading, so that to me is a pretty awesome thing.

• Something else that I find to be pretty awesome is the fact that I get to bake some desserts to bring to the play this week. I love baking so I'm excited, in fact I have already planned to take chocolate chip cookies and chocolate peppermint cupcakes. I can hardly wait.