Goodness, New Year & Friends!

I think we can't go 'round measuring our goodness by what we don't do, what we deny ourselves,what we resist, and who we exclude. I think we've got to measure goodness by what we embrace, what we create, and who we include.
~ Hugh O'Conor (Chocolat)

Nathan turned fifteen yesterday and I continued a tradition that I have done since his very first birthday. I wrote him a letter and stuck it in his birthday card (I do it for each of my children).
I write about things that take place throughout the year- like who he was friends with and what activities he did or special events so that when he gets older he will have them to look back upon and reminisce about.
Writing him the letter this year felt different because not only has he grown and changed so much over the past year but I have too.
In the spirit of O'Conor's words I encouraged him to measure his goodness by what he does and it got me thinking about how I measure my goodness.
For starters, I embrace friends who (want to) listen to what is in my heart. I create good food for my family and friends because I know that it is the most basic form of care and nourishment I can offer them. We had friends over last night for a meal and of course to share a birthday cake with Nathan. And, I include into my life and my heart only those things that support me and cherish me for me-not simply another's idea for or about me but what is true for me.
I want to teach my son to embrace his goodness-I suppose the best way to do that is by my example.
We're heading off Cape today and going into Boston. I bought tickets for a Boston College Basketball game for Nathan's birthday-it's snowing out there now so the day may prove to be quite an adventure.
(I recently read the quote above from an informative weekly newsletter for writers and I liked it-it struck a chord with me).

Mom's, Magic & Hand-made Aprons!

I can recall as a child wholeheartedly believing in the magic of Santa and Christmas. What a blessing to be able to watch my five year old tip toe down the stairs first thing Christmas morning to find a princess ride-on car and hula hoop! It was exactly what she had asked for-like magic!
So much of the magic of Christmas reflects our deepest desire for something (anything) and then having (and also hoping) that it might come true. Part of the reality of that is we so often in life don't get what we desire or hope for and it is in those special moments where everything seems like it will be all right (like those few moments, early on Christmas Day).
A friend recently told me that life is just two sides of a coin; the good and the bad. She's right.
My oldest daughter offered me a magical present. It was so unexpected and somehow she managed to make it all on her own. She printed out a series of family photographs and the words #1 Baker and transferred them onto a white cloth apron. The apron is beautiful. I wore it yesterday as I made Breakfast for us all. I know I will wear it for many baking adventures to come. Something else magical is that I always want to know that my children love me and her kindness and thoughtfulness to me clearly reflects what is in her heart.
We drove to my mom's yesterday for a family gathering off Cape. We were grateful for the chance to spend Christmas with extended family. They made us a delicious holiday meal and we passed out gifts to one another. I brought the game Pictureka and we gave it a try. It's fun and we shared a few laughs.
We finally took our Steele family photo and hope to have it out by New Year's. I guess I've been a bit busy this season to get it all done before the big day. I paused just long enough to look for the magic in things along the way.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful!

Sophia and I braved the cold this morning to wait in front of the house for her to go to school. It's pajama day in her kindergarten class so she wore adorable snowman pj's with her pink snow pants, pink coat, pink hat and bright red boots. It was 19 degrees out and our noses were as red as Rudolph's. But, she couldn't miss pajama day!

Despite the storm we managed to have our holiday open house last Sunday. Lots of people didn't make it out on the roads but a whole bunch of us 'die hards' were there.

What could be better in a snow storm than to have a fire going with friends over eating good food? We kept a fire in the kitchen and the living room going throughout the night.

Luckily for me my guests brought their appetites so I wasn't left with a ton of food on my hands. I even managed to get them playing the 'guess that Christmas song' game-which was fun! During the party we heard that school was canceled for Monday in Falmouth so everyone was able to stay later than expected.
Despite it being so cold, it's beautiful in my yard and it looks like we are in for a White Christmas after all.

The Cape Cod Times & Candy Cane Cookies!

I learned yesterday that my cookbook was mentioned in Wednesday's Cape Cod Times as one of three gift choices for local food lover's. That was a nice surprise!
I just finished making a tray of green and red candy cane sugar cookies that I needed for Sophia's Kindergarten Christmas lunch today.
Our holiday open house is Sunday and I have baked cranberry biscotti, peanut butter chocolate drops, dreamy island cookies, red and green whale shaped sugar cookies, and chocolate cake balls dipped in white chocolate. I might just need a long hot bubble bath from all this baking.
I hope our guests bring their appetite and their holiday song knowledge. I came up with a party game since I didn't do a 'Yankee Swap' where people have to fill in the blanks to popular 'Christmas tunes'. Ho Ho Ho!

Hold on Tight, the Holidays are Coming!

Bella and I had a blast in NYC together. I am head over heels in love with the Broadway production of 'Wicked'. Instead of buying a t-shirt to remember the day I decided to buy 'wicked' perfume instead. I put some on immediately to walk around the city. It's a great combination of fruity with a bit of wicked.

When we got out of the show it was snowing. It was so beautiful. We stopped at a little bakery and shared a croissant and coconut macaroons as we watched the snow fall over Manhattan. I wish we were able to stay longer and I'd love to visit again soon.

As I'd expected I have lots of baking to do before the holidays --but I have a plan. I am doing cranberry biscotti dipped in white chocolate today, cake balls tomorrow, sugar cookies over the weekend.
The holidays always feel as if they are rushing toward me so quickly and my plan is to do a little work and have a little fun each day!

'Wicked' Fun

I enlisted the help of my kids to put together a scavenger hunt for Tommy's birthday. We gave him a series of clues that if he followed them correctly they would lead him to each of his birthday gifts.
Luckily, he managed to find them all, and I think he had fun doing it. One of his gifts was a Roger Stauback # 12 jersey and the clue was "go to your closest fellow Cowboy fan's house".
We all met back at our house and had a yummy dinner of sushi and salad. We had cheesecake for desert.
Tomorrow, Bella and I are off on our own mother/daughter adventure to NYC! I surprised her with tickets to see 'Wicked' tomorrow at the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway.
Lots of holiday baking will be waiting for me to get done when we return.

Turkey's, Football & Family!

We are heading out early this morning to watch the High School Football game in Falmouth. I have a thermos filled with coffee and a bakery box of cake balls, chocolate chip cookies, banana bread and pumpkin bread to share.
I just finished making a chocolate cream pie and an apple pie for our dinner later today!
Tommy and I were laughing yesterday because we couldn't quite remember when there was a time that we actually cooked a turkey.
Although, since we are both pretty good cooks we decided we will figure it out. I am making a glaze from roasted shallots with maple syrup and rosemary-it should be delicious!
The blessing of staying home this year is that we get a chance to reconnect as a family and focus on what is important. At least we won't have to spend the day traveling.
To those who read my blog: thank you and happy thanksgiving!

Gratitude!

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart

Five things I am grateful for today:
1) My home: especially my super comfortable bed and my kitchen fireplace
2) Morning Coffee: especially when I wake up before everyone else and watch the sunrise while drinking it fresh brewed with a bit of milk
3) The completion of my little 'cookbook': it's small but sweet and I created it from start to finish on my own and feel grateful that I did it
4) Sophia: last night she told me I am the best 'mommy in the whole wide world'
5) Smells from Baking: the whole house smells delicious from baking cake balls and chocolate chip cookies

Sometimes it really is the little things that can make the most difference.

Game Night, Lemon Cake, Football Dinner & Deprived Husbands!

On Wednesday, I decided to bake a lemon cake for my family. It had been quite awhile since I let them taste something I'd made because often it's going out the door for a party or filling an order. We also played the game 'Apples to Apples' which everybody loves. Sophia played on my team and had a blast just hanging out with her older siblings.

Just recently I have been very aware of how in just a few short years Nathan and Bella will most likely move out and Sophia will not have them around as much. I try to get them all together as often as I can just to do something fun. I made a fire in the kitchen fireplace because it was a cold night.

On Thursday, we all went to a Football Dinner at the school for Nathan. It's a tradition where the Varsity players serve the parents and the rest of the freshman and JV players.

Tommy commented to one of the other dad's about how when his wife bakes he doesn't get to taste much of it since I am either filling an order or giving it away. He pointed out that the chances of the other dad getting more of my baking than he would is pretty strong since I usually bake for people around the holidays. They joked about how he would invite my husband over when I passed out my holiday baking gifts.

Since his birthday is right around the corner, I'll make a point of baking him a special cake so that he won't feel so deprived!

Baking is funny that way though. As much as I enjoy it- it takes a lot of time and effort to get just the right amount I need so that I tend to be a bit protective of what is cooling on the cooling racks.

The Holidays!

The kids are home today. Nathan has two friends here and Sophia has the girl from next door over. They are busy!
The boys have been throwing the football around, playing video games and drinking soda- lots of soda. The girls are upstairs trying on dress-up clothes, flipping through books and playing pretend. I have to admit it is really nice having everyone around today.
I've been brainstorming party plans for the upcoming holiday season. It always arrives sooner than I feel ready.
This year I am throwing caution to the wind and hosting a Holiday Open House. I think by this weekend I should (seriously) get a head start on my holiday baking.
For the party I know I will want cake balls and Christmas cookies to serve to guests. Luckily those are two items that freeze well.
I am not quite sure what we will be doing for the Thanksgiving Holiday this year-although I know we will continue with one important tradition. I am sure I probably wrote about it last year on this same blog.
We put together either a whole bunch of turkey sandwich lunches or buy a slew of gift cards and pass them out to people in need. It's been a great way to instill in the kids the importance of reaching out to help others.