Twas twenty-six days until Christmas...

Here is a great recipe from the Rachael Ray deli...

It helps trim the fat from my turkey day belly!

(P.S...This veggie broth rocks my socks...you use it in place of chicken or beef broth. It lasts forever (just use 1 tsp per cup) and it is entirely made from veggies. No msg + less sodium=healthy substitution for soup! Down side...You have to buy it at a Chinese grocery store)

Twas twenty-seven days until Christmas...

We’ve hung all the stockings by the fire with care.

Can you believe December is already here?

Right now I am nestled all snug in my bed.

James’s cold has hit me hard in my head.

There are sixteen inches of new-fallen snow,

And the temperature feels closer to eleven below.

Now I need to exclaim before I exit this site.

Kimme, thanks for the call. I'll call you tonightJ

Turkey Day Vacay...

This Thanksgiving we decided to take a getaway to warmer weather, so we packed up the car and headed to Cali. We spent a few days in Vegas where we met John’s brother, Tim, and his wife, Catie.

I love Las Vegas mostly for the lights...literally... the LED’s, LBL’s, sconces, and the custom chandeliers around every corner. Thousands of fixtures that would flip any designers switch. Sadly, though I didn’t get to see much of the strip because James’s sickness took a turn for the worse. So while Tim, Katie, and John took in the sights I stayed in the suite with my little man, had a photo shoot, and watched Sister Wives...

Here is our Hotel Home thanks to John’s Holiday Inn points from working on the pipeline all summer. It was a pleasant surprise since I was picturing a place like we stay at in Price...which wasn’t exactly this nice!

Chilaxing with our sick little guy in our suite.

lounging Las Vegas style

dinner at Downtown Disney

Thanks to Disney Dave we only paid $200 for 2 two-day park hopper passes.

Also at Disneyland, if you have a youngster ask for a rider switch pass from the workers at the front of the lines. Then only half your party has to wait in line and then after they ride the others can go in through the exit without a wait. More details here.

And my last tip, I found out they have the nicest baby changing and feeding center that made even diaper duty Disney-ish.

I think It's a Small World was my favorite ride. It had me at hello with all of it's special holiday season Decor.

I don't want to candy coat our trip to Cali with a sick, grouchy toddler too much. It was a lot of work for all four adults! But from all the photo-ing you can see we still had a fun time, and despite all the Dimetapp, we’d do it again in a Mickey Mouse minute!

Giving Gratitude for all the Gifts God has Given...

for the sounds of a baby

the touch of a kiss

the sight of a masterpiece

the smell of a blossom

the taste of a macaroon

England swings like a rusty gate... Fish and chips on a greasy plate...Hairy legs and a toothless smile...makes me wonder if it's all worthwhile...

That's just a little tune I sung in front of the entire first grade when I was five. My teacher was telling us about the London bridge. I raised my hand and said my dad had lived there a few years and taught me a song about England I could share... so I stood up and sung it loud and clear hitting my high note at hairy legs...Ahh to have the confidence of a kid again:)

So, here are my London pictures...A little late and probably not worth the wait for anyone but the people pictured. But I was saving my posting for a time when I needed a pick-me-up... And this my peeps is just that week. It is frigid, James has a cold, and I am lacking some serious motivation to get moving. So I've been sifting through my pictures in

Picasa reminiscing of more lovelier days in London.

I would describe Paris as decadent and Disneylandish and London as hip and Harry Potterish. By now our curling irons were fried by the circuits of Paris, so hair was all natural, we were going on very little sleep, and our clothes were wrinkled from being washed in the hotel sinks. But ahhh, the memories that were in the making... and back to the song...I would say I no longer have to wonder... this place was worth my while by a mile!

We took the Eurostar train from Paris to London.

First night in London... enjoying some fish and chips in a pub.

Shopping spree at Harrod's department store...okay we just pretended like we were the petroleum princesses who could actually afford to buy a handbag...that is, until the department store clerk's "up and down" looks let us know we were not welcome. But if I were 16 again and going to prom, I might pickpocket just to get my hands on this pink Oscar de la Renta dress.

Westminister Abbey... the place prince William and Kate might tie the knot in not so long ...Yup, I have a sick baby right now so I've spent a little time in front of the telle. I am in the know of all things nuptial right now in the united kingdom.

Playing at the Piccadilly Circus. Notice Heather with her nose in a metro map. She was the designated navigator during all our travels. Hallelujah to Heather for getting us around the metro system without hardly a mistake. Her sense of direction is something that this sister definitely didn't get blessed with.

Hyde Park

We saw Billy Elliot on Broadway. It really was everything that the posters professed. It was entertaining, life changing, and magnificent!

The Royal Highness's house...Buckingham Palace

Jersey Boys on Broadway was Brilliant too. Just not as mind blowing as Billy Elliot:) And I just found out you can see this show in Las Vegas...which is a bit closer than London:)

More pictures of the historical Hyde park

The Globe Theater.

Platform 9 and 3/4. A hot spot for Harry Potter fans.

Portobello Market. Best. Strawberries. Of. My. Life!

P.S. Portobello road, I am pinching myself for not purchasing more of your vintage costume jewelry...b/c Claire's Boutique just doesn't quite compare!

British History Museum...The resting place of relics such as the Rosetta Stone.

The touristy Tower of London

more Tower of London

Paying homage to the Beatles at Abbey Road.

So that is London through through this gal’s lens. Please go on a vacay with your mom and sistas if you have an opportunity. Go without hair dye, Dillards, or restaurant dinner dates. I did, and Europe was an extraordinary experience I won’t ever forget. Thanks to all the Down gals who were up for an adventure. I can't wait to do it again... b/c eventually Athens will be calling my name:)