Monthly Musings: How We Holiday Edition

 

Hi Friends and Welcome to Monthly Musings!  Patty and I are so glad you are here!  We hope you will join us for our fun linkup.  This month we are talking "How We Holiday!"  We are answering the questions below...

 

 

So...without further ado...here we go....

1. Favorite Holiday Traditions

 

I have so many: Mass and The Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve, Zoo Lights, My Annual Cocktail Party, The McLains' Holiday Party, Jammie Christmas and a Visit To The Local Food Pantry

2. Favorite Holiday Fashion Items or Accessories

I say anything sparkly or shimmery- I also love mixing tartan plaid with either pearls or something sparkly

 

 

3. Share Your Favorite Holiday Recipes

For Appetizers- Crabbies and Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs

For Seafood- Lobster Risotto and Calamari with Potatoes and Peas

For Dessert- Holly's Christmas Cookies and Rolo Pretzels

 

 

4.  How do you celebrate the holidays?

We celebrate all month + long with different traditions and get togethers and then we host The 7 Fishes on Christmas Eve.  The big kids come over and sleep over and are with us on Christmas morning.  Then we go to my parents on Christmas Day. 

 

5. Do you go to see holiday lights?

Yes we all load in the car and drive around with a stop at Starbucks/Chic Fil A for a Holiday Drink and look at lights- i.e. Jammie Christmas

 

 

6.  How do you decorate your house for the holidays?

Lots of lights- lots of greenery and several Christmas Trees- both inside and out! :)

 

 

7. If you get a Christmas Tree is it real or fake?

 

We used to do real but we converted to artificial several years back and now we have several artificial trees all around the house 

 

 

8. Favorite Holiday Treats?

I would say different cookies and my favorite is with chocolate and peppermint- my favorite holiday flavor combo!  "Holly's Christmas Cookies" which I linked above is the perfect flavor combo

 

 

9.  If you have pets, do your pets get and give gifts?

We usually give Remi one toy in his stocking :)

 

 

10.  Best tips  to make the holidays less stressful?

Looking to YOU for suggestions but my one piece of advice is to truly remember the reason for the season...can't go wrong. 

 

 

Can't wait to read all about how YOU holiday?  Make sure you link up us below!  C'mon...it'll be fun :)

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What's Up Wednesday: November 2023

 

Hi Friends!  It is time for one of my favorite link ups of the month!  It is when we dish "what's up with us!" This is such a fun time of year for this linkup so I am going to get right to it and answer the questions above.....

 

 

What We're Eating This Week

 

We are keeping things VERY simple this week as we come into a very busy time....

 

Monday Pasta with Sauce, Rolls and Broccoli

Tuesday Grilled Chicken Salads

Wednesday Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries and Pickles

Thursday Breakfast for Dinner- Frittata, Pancakes, Bacon and Berries

Friday- Mama's Holiday Party- Apps, Cocktails and Desserts :)  Diana eating in NYC with her Theater Company- Eva and Rob and Papa eating up at Hockey Tournament in Vermont 

 

What I'm Reminiscing About

My Holiday Parties of Past....

 What I'm Loving

"Naked Remi" Sunbathing- no harness after having to apply his latest medication due to an infection- my poor baby boy BUT he is so cute he still makes me smile! 

 

What We've Been Up To

We "Halloweened" Hard

 

and we "Taylor Swifted" Hard Too ;)

Diana was chosen for the All New England Choral Festival and had a blast!

 and we devoured our time with Zach and Zoe during a fall visit

Snuggles with Remi never get old :)

 

There has been QT at Starbucks Of Course

 

and Quality Dance Mom Time Too

 

Mama watched Ava "slay" in her cheer comp

 

 

and we loved seeing Johny and Londonderry kill it at playoffs

 

There has been plenty of hockey!

 

and Date Walks!

Diana saved up her babysitting funds and got hair extensions which she has been dreaming of!  Before And After :)

and she had a blast at her Homecoming Dance!

Coffee Catch Up on Veteran's Day :)

 

There has been BFF Time

 

and we loved seeing Diana in "She Kills Monsters" at WHS

Book Club was a blast at Bethany's and I loved the book "The New Couple" by Alison James

Sylvie has paid us a visit so we snuck in as many squishes as possible of course

and we enjoyed a night out with our besties for "Martorana Strong"

and we had an amazing Thanksgiving Weekend full of all of our favorite traditions- Girls Breakfast with The Fourniers, Thanksgiving Eve with Family and Friends, Breakfast and Turkey Trot with the Fam, Dinner with Our Parents, Christmas Movies, Black Friday, Decorating and new traditions like a New Dance Studio Surprise and Tour!

What I'm Dreading

Nothing at the moment

What I'm Working On

A new project at work...so excited about this huge business potential AND a night class for a certification for a 2nd job- fingers crossed!

What I'm Excited About

Sounds funny but alone time this weekend while the rest of my family is off doing their thing...I am giddy about it really...ha!!  Can't wait to recap my weekend for you :)

What I'm Watching/Reading

Lots of Hallmark...not a big fan of all of the new movies...playing some of my older faves....

and still binging Beverly Hills 90210- Up to Season 8

Once I am done with this, we will return to Suits, Blue Bloods and The Crown- we are set for the winter!

and my Two Books for November were...

 

 

Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger

 

Almost a decade has passed since Andy Sachs quit the job “a million girls would die for” working for Miranda Priestly at Runway magazine—a dream that turned out to be a nightmare. Andy and Emily, her former nemesis and co-assistant, have since joined forces to start a high end bridal magazine, The Plunge, which has quickly become required reading for the young and stylish. Now they get to call all the shots: Andy writes and travels to her heart’s content; Emily plans parties and secures advertising like a seasoned pro.

Even better, Andy has met the love of her life. Max Harrison, scion of a storied media family, is confident, successful, and drop-dead gorgeous. Their wedding will be splashed across all the society pages as their friends and family gather to toast the glowing couple. Andy Sachs is on top of the world. But karma’s a bitch.

The morning of her wedding, Andy can’t shake the past. And when she discovers a secret letter with crushing implications, her wedding-day jitters turn to cold dread. Andy realizes that nothing—not her husband, nor her beloved career—is as it seems. She never suspected that her efforts to build a bright new life would lead her back to the darkness she barely escaped ten years ago—and directly into the path of the devil herself...

 

 Such great chick lit! :)

 

 

and The New Couple by Alison James (Book Club Read)

The perfect marriage. The perfect house. The perfect secret…

As I step through the cherry-red door of my new home, I know I should feel like the luckiest woman alive. I have a handsome husband, a beautiful daughter and now the house of my dreams. And to everyone else my life looks perfect…

When the neighbours stop by to welcome us, I tell them my name is Stephanie Hamlin and, under the watchful gaze of my husband Richard, I introduce him and our curly haired little girl Poppy. I smile as wide as I can and desperately hope I can fit in to this exclusive place with its pretty communal gardens. Because I’ve risked everything to be here.

Behind closed doors I try to relax, to unwind in the huge clawfoot bath and forget about my complicated past. It’s hard being the new couple on the street when you’ve got secrets.

Because the truth is, my charming husband isn’t really my husband.

And I’m not Stephanie Hamlin…

 

Awesome Thriller!

 

 

What I'm Listening To

 

It's time for all of the holiday tunes...I go between Sirius XM Holiday Traditions, Sirius XM Holly and Magic 106.7 Boston 

 

 What I'm Wearing

Black....Leather....Workout Clothes...the Usual this time of year

What I'm Doing This Weekend

Hosting My 9th Annual Holiday Party for My Besties- next year I will have to dial it up even more given it will be the 10th Anniversary! We are going with the "Favorite Things" Theme again.  Each person brings three gifts- their favorite things- and goes home with three new gifts.  In addition, the gang chose pj's as the attire this year so there will be a chance to vote on Best PJ's with a prize for the winner.  Everyone is bringing an app too so we will be able to vote on Best App and award that winner too!  So fun :)

The rest of the weekend will be getting things done for the holidays- resting- studying- a birthday party..life right now..oh and did I mention ALONE TIME? ha! :)

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

All of the Christmas and Holiday Traditions and Festivities

What Else Is New?

We registered Diana for Drivers' Ed...so there's that....this is all I see...

 

 and don't forget that tomorrow is Monthly Musings- Patty and I hope you will join us as we answer the questions below...

 

 

So...what's up with YOU?

 

 Linking Up HERE