the SIGH week between Christmas and New Year's

from themurmuring cottage

We are all thinking about the past year and the new year and soon to write 17 at the end of 20. This year ends with a tragic death in my sister's family. Her neice's husband had a sharp 
pain in his forehead on Christmas morning, volunteered to a call for a fire that afternoon, was up at 5:30 the next morning with his head about to explode. Blood on the brain. 
He was airlifted from Pinehurst to UNC and died Tuesday morning. Brain tumor. He had said on Christmas night ( my sister told me )  how busy the season had been as an asst. worship leader at his church. He loved to praise the Lord  and leaves his high school sweetheart wife who is almost 30 and two kids.

Makes you love more deeply.

You never know... and you also want to know they will be in the Presence of Jesus. 

Picking up my oldest brother this afternoon from Texas who already flew in Christmas Day but returned Tuesday so he could tie up end of the year To Dos plus had  another funeral.  
( Retired Am. Airlines) The tiny church in a small NC town will be overflowing with tears tomorrow morning. There will be no more tears in heaven but tomorrow's will produce a flood. 

back from NYC but this is from LONDON

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

16m

skillet recipes & books

Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookies Recipe

  
                                                                recipe here

                     Easy Skillet Apple Pie

        

                                                               recipe here

Books read so far in December

something to make

Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix from Smitten Kitchen

and if you are really ambitious, you can make homemade marshmellows. 

checking off the leftovers TO DO list

Sweet potato Muffins in the oven and I adapted the recipe like the first link 
and put coconut sugar on top. I will put most of the muffins in the freezer.
My sister always has muffins for guests. Morning guests or for tea in her freezer. 

I used cashew meal flour instead of the whole wheat with bleached flour. 


recipe here

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen -- a favorite cooking site who adapted the recipe from Gourmet magazine

is your to-do list getting checked off

I have started to say this is the month of writing: Christmas Cards. 
I also try to plan sending them when I think they will arrive.
College students now. 
Overseas now.
Far away in the states : soon.
In town : next week


Gifts: love having the doorbell ring when they arrive ( getting deals online)

Wrapping: to be done and soon so I remember who gets what and to lighten the TO DO 
list

What else? 
I baked brownies today to bring with pizza and a salad to a former student's family. The mom was in the hospital and out now. Comfort food. This made me think of Christmas cookies 
which I haven't made in years because daughter did. She might when she gets home. 

The Battle for Christmas

Song from GOLDEN HOURS : a blog by Lanier Ivester and her friend  on Christmas
where the title comes from: 

I did get a little overwhelmed Monday night—can’t even remember why now. But it was a very near Christmas-spirit-fail and took a great long talk with Philip, including a bunch of strategizing for the following day, in what he’s now calling The Battle for Christmas. 

PLUS there is a GIVEAWAY by Weds: here

winter snow song