Well, I am back.  Almost.  A tummy bug will not keep this Christmas spirit down!  I had cooked all Friday morning, preparing for B's presentation at school on Diwali (a Hindu tradition).  I made rice pudding with saffron (the recipe and saffron were courtesy of the chef at our local Kolam Indian restaurant) as well as honey glazed carrots with a dipping sauce.  I watched … [Read more...]

We went out to Jone's Tree Farm yesterday and got our lovely tree!  The weather was cold, but dry - so the kids had a lot of fun playing on the boulders and belly sliding down the hills while we walked along the tree trail.  The photo magic happened.  All three, in one shot.  YAY!  Off to Costco.com it went, since I knew that Neil would be making some sort of excuse to go … [Read more...]

Cold. and snowing. Hardly what I would call delightful! Stay warm, friends! … [Read more...]

I went with my best friend and took the children to the New York Botanical Garden on Sunday for the Holiday Train show inside the conservatory.  It was our first snowfall in the region, and the inch or so on the ground made the experience all the more ethereal.  The garden in Winter was beautiful with the plants seemingly frozen in time. Inside the conservatory they make all of these … [Read more...]

I still remember Celia from the production company that taped the "That's Clever" segments this past December, where I had a little scrapbook album featuring summer pictures in it, saying 'what is OBX'?  And when I explained 'The Outer Banks', she still had no idea where I was talking about.  I guess the Outer Banks of North Carolina wouldn't be a vacation hotspot if you live … [Read more...]