Carmel-by-the-sea, Monterey, St. George

 It's been a busy few weeks.
We took a trip to see our one, and only Grand, and his parents too, of course...*smile*.
     Our eldest son and his family live in Monterey California.
We took a couple weeks vacation and drove out to see their family and spend Thanksgiving with them.

 We went to Carmel-by-the-sea.
It's a charming and beautiful city. 
White sandy beaches, charming architecture, winding roads, and beautiful sunsets. 

 Our son is attending the Presidio in Monterey, learning his fifth language: Mandarin. 
He took us on a tour of the Presidio. Pretty impressive.

 Three sections of the Berlin Wall are displayed. A historical reminder of hope.

Big Sur Coast.
Amazing beaches, rock formation, sand, and awesome surf.

 Point Sur Lightstation.

 Fort Ord Dunes State Park
One of the prettiest places to watch the sunsets. 
(My sweet family enjoying the last of the daylight, and watching the sunset.) 

 Our eldest son, and our Grand. 
  Our Grand is such a beach baby. He is just 16 months old and most of his life has been living where he can enjoy the sand and surf and beaches.  He spent 5 months enjoying the beaches in Brazil.
Lucky boy!

 We feel so thankful that we were able to spend time with our sweet family and enjoy beautiful weather. 
We soaked up the sun, knowing that soon enough we would be returning to Utah, and snowy mountains.

On our way back home, we stayed in St. George for a few days. 
We are preparing for retirement and doing some preliminary home searching. 
Yes. We want to move to St. George when we retire.
A beautiful sunrise greeted us as we began our time in St. George.

Home again, home again, jiggity~ jig.
Now the Christmas tree is up. Lights in the windows, simmering potpourri and candles make our home smell amazing. 
The snowblower has been working overtime, as we've had snowstorm after snowstorm.
The fire crackles away, and I'm playing Christmas music forcing myself to get into the spirit of Christmas. 
This year has sped by so quickly, and we have been so busy, that it isn't feeling as though it's time for Christmas, so I'm immersing myself in all things Christmas...to convince myself that it is indeed December and time to celebrate the holidays.
~Dinner tonight will be crockpot broccoli~cheese soup, with rosemary~garlic focaccia.
~I'll work on decluttering some more. I've been working on decluttering for weeks now and taking things to the D.I.
~I'll clean and polish the wood floor in the kitchen today.
~Routine cleaning, and puttering around the house.

~Attitude of Gratitude:
~So thankful for safe travels. For time to 'mug' on our Grand.
For conversations and making warm memories with our son and his family.
~Grateful for our Saviors birth.
~Thankful for opportunities to serve.

* Santa Fe, New Mexico, & Snow *

 Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Have you ever been?
My daughter and I just returned from a trip to Santa Fe.
It was on our bucket list.
I joked that crossing off that item on our bucket list, almost caused me to "kick the bucket"!

 We left on a snowy morning, at 4:00 am, for what was supposed to be a 10 hour drive.
We spent about an hour and a half at a Denny's waiting for the snow to stop falling and for visibility to increase.
Finally, after talking with some truck drivers that were headed up this same canyon, we decided to get going again.
Bad decision.
We slid off the road and into the emergency lane, and gratefully, we did not slide off into the barrow pit!
Let me tell you, it was scary and tense!
That canyon drive, which was about 100 miles long took us hours and hours and hours to get through.
At one point, we were pushing the car up the mountain road, in the snow.
We didn't see a single plow, and as you can see by the picture above, even semis with chains on their tires were sliding off the road.
Frightening, to say the least.
Finally, we got up through the canyon, and on the other side of the canyon the roads were wet, but not snowy, and we got on our way.

 We finally got to Santa Fe 16 hours later. It was dark in Santa Fe when we finally made it there.
The next morning, we went sight seeing, and exploring.
In the snow.
It snowed in Santa Fe almost the entire time we were there.
It was beautiful though, and with the luminaries glowing at night, it looked magical.

 The two above pictures are from the old square.

 Our beautiful daughter, Brooke.
We had breakfast at a little place and watched it snow in Santa Fe.

 A snowy view.

 A snowy street, and a view of the cathedral.

 Another view of the cathedral.

 Shop windows decorated for Christmas, in silver and golds.

 We spent a morning at the Farmers Market.
That was so much fun, and definitely worth visiting.

 Decorated chili ristras.

 All kinds of treats and pastries.
Many pastries included green chilis

 More of the market...

 another view of the market....

 inside the market....
lots of wonderful venders and goods.

Handmade grass baskets.

I bought one of the grass baskets.
Truly beautiful craftsmanship!

~ Some of the market pictures are from Google images, as it was windy and snowy on the day that we went, and unfortunately I didn't get a lot of pictures..
Anyway, you can see how the market is set up and how many wonderful booths there are to shop at.

We ended up cutting our trip short, because of storms and road conditions. If we had stayed for our entire planned time, we would have gotten stuck for another week and that would have been a very bad thing. Our daughter has a kidney transplant and has to take anti rejection meds 2 x a day.
Of course, she packed extra, but not another weeks worth.
So, we ended up getting up at 3:30 am Sunday morning, and driving back home.
Gratefully, the roads were safe, even though they were snowy in places, and we made it back home in about 10 hours.

We loved visiting Santa Fe, and we are planning another trip there for next year.
We will not go in December, however..... **smile**!

If you've been to Santa Fe, then you know how beautiful it is, and if you've never been, I would add it to my bucket list if I were you.

One thing.. I wanted to buy chili ristras and never had a chance to, so I found a great company on line that sells chili ristras, dried chilis etc..
Just in case you want to buy your own chili ristra here is their link :http://www.newmexicochileandristra.com/


What ever plans you have, or where ever you may be traveling, I wish you safe travels and a very healthy and Merry Christmas!!
~ Attitude of gratitude:

* I am eternally grateful for answered prayers!! I know many prayers were said on our behalf as we traveled to Santa Fe, and I know that we were blessed beyond measure.
We arrived safely, and traveled home safely.
* I am grateful for our daughter!! She is an amazing, intelligent woman. I awarded her " Best driver in the Family" after she drove for a total of 27 hours on icy, snowy, slick roads and on a route that we have never ever been on before!! Amazing!!
* We are so grateful to be back home, with our family, and blessed to celebrate this wonderful time of year.
* Grateful for Christmas, and all that it means.

~ All is Merry and Bright ~

 I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,

 Just like the ones I used to know

 Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

 I'm dreaming of a white Christmas,
With every Christmas card I write

 May your days be merry and bright,
And may all your Christmases be white.

 We are dreaming of a white Christmas..
as for now, there is no snow on the ground.
So, I added a bit of frost and a bit of snow to my pictures... just for that wintery feel.

Perhaps through the magic of this Christmas season , we will have a white Christmas.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and I will see you in the New Year!
Enjoy this time with those you love.....

{* The leaded glass window that I repainted the frame on.
I am loving the black paint, as opposed to the white color it had previously.
Hanging in the library window, with twinkle lights behind it.}

Attitude of gratitude:
~Feeling grateful for warm socks
~Feeling grateful for Christmas carols
~Feeling thankful for "clickers" that turn on my light and lanterns, etc.. with just a click of a button.. it's so nice to just click a button and have the twinkling Christmas lights all come on!
~Feeling grateful for prayers from kind family and friends, on our behalf.  I know that our Heavenly Father blesses me every day.
~ Feeling grateful for each of you... thank you for being my blog friends.

* A few of my favorite things.. Christmas Edition *

 It's that time of year, when we gather together, pop popcorn, and break out the candy canes.

It's time for our favorite Christmas movies.

I'm just highlighting a few of my favorites.

There are so many wonderful, funny, heartfelt, and witty Christmas movies.

 

*Elf

 Finally, a movie that made us feel OK about liking candy, Christmas carols, and smiling.

Oh, and of course SANTA CLAUS!!!

 

 

 

* It's a Wonderful Life

Oh that Jimmy Stewart.
I think I fell in love with Jimmy Stewart after seeing him in "It's a Wonderful Life".
Here was a man that could see the potential in old houses!
Making him even more lovable, is how hard working and honest and benevolent he was.
Swoon.
Just that kind of man, every girl needs.

 Must be on the top of my list : White Christmas.

Oh, those crooners!
Bing Crosby! I still have tons of his music.
I wanted to live at the lodge so much... the fireplace, barn, etc.. etc..
I guess I really fell in love with country living after seeing "White Christmas".

A Christmas Story
We can all relate.

One of my favorite memories of watching A Christmas story, is my Dad laughing until his cheeks hurt.

 

More favorite Christmas movies:

Holiday Inn

A Christmas Carol

Christmas with the Kranks {I've already watched it 3 times this season}

The Holiday {not necessarily just for Christmas}

Just a few of my favorite things.. Christmas Edition.. Movies
If there is one movie that you absolutely must watch during the holidays, what is it?
OK.. you can pick two.... *smile**.

~ Joy~

{image from Pinterest}

                                          
  Oh Joy!
Christmas decorating begins, this day!
Boxes and boxes of decorations strewn throughout the cottage, and Christmas music playing.
Twinkle lights going up everywhere, candles on the mantle, and the Nativity gets set up.
What a wonderful season. What a wonderful time of year.
Joy, and happiness!

All Around the Cottage......

 All around the cottage...daily life, and preparing for Christmas.
I went to a little shop, looking for a unique gift.
I found a few unique, and wonderful gifts.
I also found a beautiful, heavy framed mirror.
After the holidays are over, I'm going to re-paint, and re-decorate the bathroom, and this mirror will be perfect.
Love when a plan comes together.
I also have a new tube for the bike tire.
I think I waited a little to long to repair the tire though... we ended up with quite a few inches of new snow.
Also, temperatures.... are just downright cold!
Winter officially starts tomorrow, and we're certainly  having winter  like weather.

 "The Girls" have been laying beautiful brown eggs.
Today, we'll be cracking eggs, and doing some Christmas baking.

Like every Christmas season, we are baking up a storm, and making treats.
Chex mix, Cinnamon baked nuts, fudge, and gingerbread cookies, dipped in chocolate.

Hope all your holiday plans are going well, and you are enjoying the magic of the season.
Wishing you, happy baking, candy making, gift wrapping, Christmas carol singing, craft making, and most of all.... enjoying that warm feeling that comes with remembering the reason for the season.... our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Attitude of gratitude:
~I am so grateful for the power of prayer.  A few nights ago, around midnight, I was waiting for our son to get home from work. The snow was coming down hard, and visibility was practically non-existent.  I felt prompted to kneel down and to offer a prayer on his behalf.
I prayed for his safety.
A few minutes later, he arrived home .. safe and sound.
He told me that just outside of town, the roads were super slick with snow and ice, and suddenly in the middle of the road, there were two deer. He knew that he could not stop in time. He heard a still small voice , tell him to honk the horn. He did... over and over again.  Suddenly, the deer ran off and he slid right by on the road, where the deer had been standing.
He didn't hit the deer, or run off the road.
When he got home, I told him that at that moment, I had been praying for his safe return. He felt the power of my prayers, and he told me "mom, I know that your prayers helped me."
How very grateful I am for the power of prayer, and for the blessings that our Heavenly Father blesses us with...... each and every single day.

*Just a little side note: generally speaking.. deer do not run off when you honk your horn.  They will freeze and stand there just looking at you.