{ sights & sounds }

Sunday strolling during my favorite time of year ... around one of my favorite towns, Exeter, New Hampshire.

{ i love a parade }

Holiday happenings in Hampton, NH.

The Stanley Cup even made an appearance (c/o the Boston Bruins).

Small town festivities -- so great.

{ group effort }

Ty is [finally] home.

The turkey has been eaten.

The Christmas tree has been slayed (and decorated).

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

:: christmas in july ::

An oh-so-very-special delivery arrived today from one of my favorite shops, Pence Christmas Tree Farm in Pontotoc, Mississippi. But even better than the origin of the mail was the contents of the package -- RAZ products! -- undoubtedly, the greatest Christmas decorations ever.

I swear, I could seriously spend the entire lot of my retirement fund on RAZ Christmas goodies -- they make me giddy. The colors are as bright and gaudy as my treasured Mexican tin ornaments, and just as whimsical and beautiful.

So if we suddenly experience a blessed drop in temperatures, or if cool breezes spontaneously relieve the country from the current oppressive heat wave, you can thank me for bringing a touch of December to the world (and send me a RAZ item as a token of your gratitude).

Color. Glorious color. And even better ... Christmas! Glorious Christmas (in July).

Is it fall yet?

o holy night

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

--Luke 2:8-14

dasher, dancer, prancer, vixen, ...

... and Hope?

Yep. That's right. Despite the frigid temperatures (wind chill hovering close to zero), Hope the Reindeer visited Aidan's preschool this morning.

As the kids were lining up to go back indoors -- their precious little noses were all very Rudolph-like due to the cold -- a dusting of flurries began to fall.

It was a quintessential Christmas snapshot in time -- I "hope" (hehe) he remembers it when he no longer believes in Santa Claus, and gets caught up, as we all manage to do, in the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Now dash away, all.

my favorite pastry chef

... is four-years-old.

You just can't beat Christmas cookies -- especially on a Tuesday with a little boy who has the gaudiest taste this side of Las Vegas (when it comes to combining icing and sprinkles, anyway).

Yummy and fun. All is calm, all is bright.

dashing through the snow

Chocorua, New Hampshire

tin tradition

¡Feliz Navidad!

My one and only collection (if you don't count the ridiculous amount of Twilight paraphernalia, books and DVDs I've acquired over the years) is my Mexican tin Christmas ornaments.

I've blogged about my passion for them on several occasions, and shared my tin ornament tree pictures last Christmas. This year, up in the far northeast, my collection means more to me than ever -- it's a little touch of home in an area that doesn't know chile con queso from chile con carne. So looking at the festive colors brings me much happiness.

Each one I unwrapped from the storage box had me saying, "Oh! This one's my favorite!" until it became abundantly clear that I really have no favorites -- they're all divine.

So, again, here's my gaudy Christmas display, festively perched on top of my kitchen table, just waiting for me to gaze at it's splendor ... while I munch on tortilla chips and pico de gallo with a good bowl of chile con queso (in my mind) ... and listen to traditional carols and hymns sung by King's College, Cambridge ... while visions of San Antonio dance through my head -- ahhh. What a perfect blend.