My Gift To You

The Mace Bundt Cake is the definitive Holiday dessert in my family. We make several throughout the season and it is my most requested baked good. It is my Grandma Louise's recipe and she was generally known as the best cook in the world. (In certain circles.) When Shane tasted it for the first time he said that it actually tasted like Christmas. I would pay top dollar for a candle that smells like this cake right out of the oven. It is great with Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate in the evening, or as a Christmas breakfast alongside sweet berries. Enjoy!

Mace Bundt Cake

(Do not preheat oven)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature + 4 TBS for pan
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 TBS Ground Mace (found in spice section of almost any grocery store.)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• Cream the one cup butter; add sugar gradually; beat until very light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time- beating well after each addition.
• Add dry ingredients to blend, add nuts
• Grease Bundt pan using 3-4 TBS butter (You REALLY want to get that pan greased up.)

Bake at 300 degrees 50-60 minutes. Watch carefully!
Turn out immediately. Serve room temperature.

The Power of Prayer....Sorry!

Shane and I are lovers of the snow. There is nothing that we crave more than a cozy evening by the fire watching the snow lazily drift by. Somehow we have ended up in the South where a mere mention of flurries closes schools and public offices. (I am not exaggerating. Just a chance of flurries.) This year we are spending our Christmas holiday in my hometown of Spokane, Washington. We have been looking forward to this vacation all year. In the sweltering heat of August it was our snowy little oasis. Lydia and I have finally arrived. Shane will join us for a few days, but Lydia and I will be here for 3 weeks. Three weeks of hot chocolate, thick sweaters and catching snow on our tongues. At least that was the hope. For this to be the vacation we dreamed of, we must have snow. Snow is not optional. With a new baby on the way, the hellish 14 hour flight to get here will not be feasible anymore. We have to make this Christmas count.

Starting last spring Shane and I started to pray for snow. Literally. It wasn't every night, but often amidst our family prayers, a request for a snowy Christmas was made.

Monday Lydia and I arrived in Washington to see a little sift of snow frosting the ground. Hardly anything, but I thought, better than nothing. The next day it started to snow. By Wednesday we had a idyllic winter wonderland. I ecstatically called Shane with the news. "Bring warm clothes! It is freezing!" I warned. I took a walk outside to capture some of the majesty on film. For me, life doesn't get much better than the absolute silence that permeates the air after a heavy snow. The crunch of my boots, the crisp air chilling my cheeks. Total bliss. I bundled Lydia up and she ventured out for a "special treat" and began feasting on the bounty. Yum. Even I grabbed a handful and started munching. My sister Emily and I believed that if you wished hard enough that you could make the snow taste like chocolate ice cream. I swear it worked. At least when I was 7.


Today. Today is not like yesterday. We have had 19.5 inches in 24 hours. The snow just will not stop. Today the entire city is at a standstill. EVERYTHING is closed. I mean everything. The hospital, the electric company, of course the schools. The only thing I have heard is still up and running is the jail. (And the emergency room) My parents have lived here for over 30 years. They both say they have never seen a snow like this.

Spokane is ready for snow. This is Washington. We don't have snow days willy nilly. My parent's home is in the mountains and we own a mammoth snow plow to allow us to escape our winding driveway. We own one. That is how prepared we are over here. Last night my Dad could hardly get the plow to move. This morning he greeted Lydia with a hug and said "You know. This is all your mommy and daddy's fault. They prayed so hard for snow, this is what we got."

Still, I am in heaven. I am inside my warm childhood home with the snow filling each windowsill. My Christmas shopping is done. My mom and I are going to spend the afternoon wrapping gifts and baking before the rest of my family arrives tomorrow. With Christmas music playing, the fire burning and Lydia joyously playing with the dog on the floor, it still doesn't get much better than this. I just hope the planes can land tomorrow. I'll start praying.

Our Tree(s)

I will begin by saying that Shane and I are all about the real Christmas tree. Not only that, but we drive to North Carolina to cut ours down from our favorite mountain tree farm. Blame it on the pregnancy exhaustion, but this year I wanted a break. We decided to go artificial. Of course, we plan on this being a one time thing, so I didn't want to invest in a pricey tree. Instead I thought of these three smaller trees that have been in our attic since a Hobby Lobby 90% off sale a few years back.

Since we were breaking the mold, I thought we could play around with the color scheme. Purple and silver replaced our usual red and green. I'm glad these ornaments finally made an appearance. When Shane and I first got engaged we planned on a December wedding. We eventually postponed the wedding until the next spring, but only after my mom and I purchased every lavender ornament we could get our hands on.

I'm not totally loving our new look, there is something to be said about classic tradition, but it is a fun change. Kind of romantic. In the years to come our tree will be draped with handmade macaroni ornaments and strung popcorn. Most likely all the decor will be on the bottom half of the tree, where eager little hands can reach. This year, the grown ups are still in charge. - Well, kind of. Lydia tipped two of the trees over 5 minutes after we had finished decorating. Wish I had taken a photo of the trees before that happened. :)

A moment from our house

Shane was doing his best to keep Lydia distracted while I was wrapping gifts....

The Worst Gift Ever.

Let me begin by saying that I have been the recipient of some wonderful Christmas gifts. My family is fantastic about finding sweet and sentiment gifts, as are my friends. While Christmas is about giving, no one can deny that receiving a heartfelt gift is a joy unlike any other. Of course, we don't always receive gifts that give us that warm fuzzy feeling.

A few years ago I was working at a law firm and they announced that they would be holding an optional Secret Santa Exchange. The limit was $30. I enthusiastically signed up. The name I chose was a receptionist who I didn't know very well, but I knew had a well developed sense of style. I searched for something that she would love and settled on a cashmere scarf I discovered on sale. I wrapped it beautifully, adorning the package with candy canes and a glittering ornament.

The day of the exchange came and everyone was excited. The law firm was a relatively formal environment, so something fun and social brightened every one's day. We watched as each person opened their gift. Gift cards, jewelry, DVDs - each gift brought a smile and a genuine thanks. The receptionist gushed at the scarf. Soon it was my turn. I found my gift in the pile. It was small and wrapped in newspaper. - Obviously from a man :). When the gift was opened I just stared at it in confusion. Suddenly the co-worker who had given the gift to me erupted in laughter. "Awesome huh?! Sperm Candy!". Yes indeed. My Secret Santa had given me a box of candy shaped like sperm. The $2.49 price tag from Spencer's Gifts was still attached. I turned the box over thinking maybe he had attached a gift card. Nope. Just the sperm.

As the rest of the group squirmed in the mist of this gentleman's uproarious laughter, I thought quickly what I should do it this situation. I really couldn't feign enthusiasm without looking like an idiot. I put the candy in my purse, smiled and replied, "Thanks Paul. I definitely wasn't expecting that." The rest of the group gave a small chuckle and we continued with the exchange.

That gift sucked pretty badly. Not only was I totally jipped, but I was embarrassed too. Though it may have worked in my favor because my Christmas bonus was bigger that year than I expected, very possibly because the head partner of the firm was witness to the exchange. Maybe he felt worry for me. I took some of the extra bonus and made myself feel better with a cashmere scarf for myself.

So that is my worst gift ever. What is yours?

Just try not to smile.....

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is going for Family Home Evening to see Rock City's Enchanted Garden of Lights. Christmas music, kettle corn, an hour and a half walk through gorgeous Christmas lights, decorating breathtaking natural caves and rock formations. Lydia loved it. Except when she saw Santa. She preceded to run the other direction.

For the record, that first picture isn't our Christmas card. Just a random collage I was playing around with. (Mom: to see it bigger, just click on it.)

Dear Santa....

I would really like this dollhouse for my daughter. But $699?! I don't think so. Hopefully Santa, you have one in stock you can leave under our tree. Just make sure NOT to send this little gem.....

Had I not snapped this photo myself, I would not have believed that this was a real toy.

This weekend

Don't forget that this weekend is the Handcrafted Holidays Art and Gift show. It is being held at 9400 Magical View Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37421 (the house pictured above). Come and enjoy some fun shopping and refreshments. The first 25 people through the door on both days will receive a gift! We will be awarding some amazing door prizes as well. Don't miss it!