Welcome Winter!

What a welcome to Winter! Snow fell this weekend with a total of 23.2 inches in our area!

Here is the new banner I created to replace my Autumn one. It turned out exactly as planned, and I love it!

I am setting up camp for these last few days of crafting and last-minute frenzy before Christmas!

Things can get hectic but remember to take some time to slow down, read a good book (preferably in a bubble bath), warm some cocoa, and then gather your loved ones under a big, fluffy comforter to laugh your bellies silly watching Elf.

These are the days, my friends. Enjoy them!

Free Printable BookPlates

Endless snow fell from the gray skies yesterday! My holiday wish has come true!!

The girls played in the snow until their cheeks turned red, then we warmed them by the fireplace with hot chocolate.

Afterward, we consumed massive amounts of caramel popcorn and watched movies in sleeping bags under the light of the Christmas tree!

A delectable day all around!

Since holiday shopping came to a screeching halt due to the storm, I thought I would post about this great site with free printable bookplates.

A selection of these bookplates with a book donated to the classroom would make a thoughtful last minute teacher gift!

Here are a few of my favorites:
(I especially love the B&W ones, print and color to personalize them!)

Turkish Side Dish - Kisir

A lovely family friend of ours, Deren, passed along this great Turkish recipe to us. Originally from Turkey, she stayed in the United States for too brief a time before moving back home to her family. We still miss her terribly!

I have altered it from her original but it is super tasty and I must admit I am a little bit obsessed with it! I think it makes for a great and unique side dish for the holidays!

Here is the recipe...enjoy!

Kisir - Turkish Couscous Salad

1 1/4 cup plain couscous
1 handful of fresh parsley (finely chopped)
1 pint of grape tomatoes (finely chopped)
3 scallions (sliced thin)
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tablespoon of red hot sauce (the original recipe calls for red hot pepper paste)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
boiling water

1. Put the plain couscous in a wide bowl. Cover with boiling water until a bit higher than the couscous.
2. Add the salt and pepper, stir and then cover. Let steep for 5-10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, chop the tomatoes and thinly slice the scallions.
4. After the couscous is fluffy, add the lemon juice, olive oil, and hot pepper sauce.
5. Add the chopped vegetables and parsley, mix well and refrigerate until cold.

Longwood Gardens

This weekend we took a trip to Longwood Gardens. Simply gorgeous!

We bundled up and walked through a wonderland forest decorated with over 500,000 lights! There was an outdoor dancing fountain show set to holiday music with twinkling snowflakes suspended above us!

We also visited the Conservatory which is host to 11,000 different types of plants, inside and out, and is the world's premiere horticulture showplace.

This was our first trip to Longwood Gardens and we enjoyed it so much we plan on visiting the gardens for other seasonal events in the future.

Forgive the poor photos. They do not even begin to compare to the enormity and beauty of the Gardens. My camera decided to bust on me that night and the lens became quite fickle and did not want to focus correctly.

Unfortunately, it must be shipped out for repair and I am crossing my fingers on its safe return before the holidays. (THAT would certainly be a Christmas miracle!)