A Few New Purchases

I am sharing a few new things I got over the past week or two and what I think of them so far.  I’m not an affiliate of anyone so I’m linking for convenience.

Christmas Jammies

I saw these Denver plaid flannel jammies on Target.com and the price was right since they were on sale for $20.  I see they are no longer available, so a lot of people must have thought they were as cute as I do. 

I love everything Denver plaid so I am so excited to wear them in the evenings over the holidays. A much more festive look that sweats.

Window Plaid Napkins

Also from Target, and specifically from the Magnolia line, are these window plaid napkins.  These puppies have solid five-star ratings on the site.  Not only are they beautiful, they are heavy duty as well.  They are 100% cotton, so I got to iron them after I washed them.  Dang it. 

These are black and white so they will work all year, but I love the understated addition they bring to a holiday table setting.

The beautiful amaryllis in wax was a gift from DF Barb and is so far my only holiday decoration.

As an honest review of Target, I can say I love their products and generally their quality, but their shipping is not reliable for timeliness.  Amazon and Walmart have them beat there.

Wooden Spoons & Ramekins

I know this isn’t really very interesting to 99% of the population, but it’s been sort of a big deal in our house since our favorite wooden spoon broke a few weeks ago.  I bought a pretty expensive replacement at Crate and Barrel, but then.

I found this set of four bamboo spoons at World Market.  I love them and think they are as good as the one we lost.  Sniff, sniff.

And these ramekins.  Oh, my.  I am in total love.  Ramekins are actually a little love affair I have.  Anything that contributes to my grazing habits and makes me feel classy is a win.  These are oven safe, freezer safe, microwave safe, dishwasher safe.  What’s not to love?  I think they’ll look beautiful on my board too.

Vegan Boots

Look at these adorable boots!  The soft “fur” and side buttons are right up my alley.  Oh, and did I mention, $16 at Walmart? 

Now, here’s the thing.  No judgment, but I will not purchase anything shearling.  That include Ugg boots.  So you might consider these fake or knock-offs, but I consider them better.  They are warm and comfy.  I am using them for indoor wear only because they don’t have a lot of support, but I would call them a “highly recommend.”

I have to admit, everything I’ve purchased from Walmart lately has been really nice and for a $35 order, the shipping is free, fast and reliable.  Their ordering is wonky though if you are looking for your history. 

What I’m Reading

On audio I finished one of my new favorite author, Martin Clark’s, The Jezebel Remedy.  Similar to The Substitution Order, this is a legal thriller.  It’s also smart and snappy, but not quite as good.  I still enjoyed it and recommend it.

I checked out Esoteric Hollywood by Jay Dyer.  I was really looking forward to reading about the creepy and the kooky, but it turns out to be dry and skips around a lot.  I’m not going to finish it.  Sorry, Jay.

What I’m Eating

No Roll Sugar Cookies was a big hit this week.  John helped me whip these up.  He loves sugar cookies but rolling dough is not one of the things I excel at so I never make them.  I found this recipe and thought I’d give it a shot and kick off the holidays.

The dough is balled and pressed, no rolling pin necessary. They come out of the oven without browning at all, so they need to be watched pretty carefully.

I cranked up some Christmas music and destroyed the kitchen.  When I cook or bake, I clean everything at the end.  That makes John crazy – luckily for me.  So not only did he help, he kept cleaning around me.  Whoo hoo.

This recipe called for a TON of butter and a TON of sugar.  So they went right into the freezer and I hope we can moderate eating them over the holidays.

They aren’t the most beautiful things in the world, but making them was doable for me and they really are delish.

Sully

This is DF Ghia’s handsome boy with his Christmas collar on. Sully crosses our path when we walk and he knows us well. He stops for a little visit and then wants to get on with his day.

Please forward any pet holiday pics and I’ll post with love.

The holidays are easing into our household.  Maybe I’ll get around to putting up a wreath or something this weekend.  So far, I’m just enjoying our perfect weather and not stressing about Christmas.  Easy does it.

Whether you are all-out Christmas or decorating with a tea towel like I am, I hope you’re enjoying this season and I’m sending blessings to you and your home.  XO