Hot Apple Cider

I think one of my new favorite smells

is the smell of hot apple cider wafting through the house

on a cold day.

It just seems so quintessentially wintery,

and warms my tummy and my heart.

Making your own cider is pretty easy.

It's pretty much just dumping a gallon of cider into a pot,

adding a bunch of spices to it,

and letting it simmer away on your stove

filling your house with warm, appley, cinnamony smells.

Hot Apple Cider

1 gallon of pure apple cider

3 sticks of cinnamon

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 teaspoon whole allspice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 orange peel - peeled off in strips with a peeler

Pour cider into a large pot.

Add spices, sugar, and orange peel.

Heat to a boil, then lower heat to keep warm.

Pour a mugful, grab a blanket, curl up on the couch, 

and watch Love Actually  =)

A Hot Chocolate Kind of Day

It has been ccchhhilly here in LA lately.

I mean, it's like in the 50's.

Brrrr.

Seriously, though, my house is freezing

and I've been spending my nights bundled up on the couch.

Even Cheeto is huddled up in the corner.

This past weekend it seemed like the perfect time

to make some hot chocolate

and finally send out some Christmas cards.

Card writing is always better with some peppermint bark!

Weekend Happenings

We had a rather low key weekend here

involving a sick baby (pink eye and a nasty cold),

a pancake breakfast,

and a holiday baking day.

crusty pink eye 

pancake morning

 mmm....prunes

holiday treats 

almost crawling

We have yet to put up the Christmas decorations

(there are still mini pumpkins on our table!)

but we are slowly getting into the holiday spirit.

Things just seem to take a bit more time

when you have a little one to chase after.

Hope you all had a good weekend!

Lately...

I've been neglecting this little bloggy blog a lot lately,

but that doesn't mean I don't think about it often.

So many times during the week something will happen, or I'll make a new recipe and I'll think,

"Hey, that'd make a good blog post!"

And then the baby cries.  Or dinner needs to be made.  

Or I just want to sit and watch Bill & Giuliana.
So to get things rolling again, here's an update of my life lately...

***

Evelyn has started solids.  Which has meant middle of the night poopslosions.
I believe this is butternut squash.

My husband's fish Grimlock that he's had since college passed away.
I'm pretty sure it's the only time I've been really sad to lose a fish.
RIP big guy.

I got all fancied up and attended a gala with my sister.
I rented my dress, a Badgley Mischka, from Rent The Runway.
I don't think I'm every buying a fancy dress again.

Aren't we glamorous?

And someone had her first ear infection
but smiled and laughed her way through most of it.

Note the runny nose
and reflection of her cute little butt in the mirror.

***

I've got  few posts planned for the near future.
Here's to hoping I actually am able to get them done!

Happy December!