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Archive for the ‘Musings’ Category

Wedded Bliss

Seventeen years ago today, Hubby and I stood before family and friends and vowed to love, honor and cherish each other for the rest of our lives.

I could go all sappy on you here at this point, but I’ll try to restrain myself.

What I will say is that when you marry the person you are meant to be with, the person who understands you, who loves you unconditionally, who touches your heart and soul in ways no one else can… 17 years flies by really fast.

The holiday season is extra special to us not only because we wed the week before Christmas but also because we met the day after Christmas.

Hubby’s Dad and my Dad knew each other and after much ill-fated conspiring on their parts, they finally convinced us to go on a blind date. It just happened that the day after Christmas was on a Saturday.

Hubby got lost and showed up late  (even though at that time I lived less than a mile away from him). I was ready to call the whole thing off until he showed up at my door and set my heart aflutter. It has been fluttering ever since.

So to my beloved, my Captain Cavedweller, He who melts my heart daily –  Happy Anniversary!

I love you!

Your Girl

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Do you have a man in your life who is hard to shop for?

Wow, look at all those hands raised out there! I’m not alone!

Captain Cavedweller, my beloved Hubby, He… is absolutely impossible to shop for. Seriously. Categories of gifts he refuses to accept include clothes, anything that remotely resembles a household item, or anything that has a useful purpose and might require future exertion on his part. He only likes to read sports and outdoors related books. His main hobby is tormenting me.

Do you see what a challenge this is?

So I recently began some in-depth research into the realm of what guys would really like for Christmas.

Several gift ideas had me chuckling out loud. I hate to tell the people who came up with these suggestions, but no guy – especially an extra picky outdoorsy kind of guy – is going to be excited about a set of matching pajamas for the entire family, a funky shower curtain or a diary to collect all the ticket stubs from their most special movie moments that they will treasure always and forever.

Are you kidding me?

So let’s look at some other options.

How about a ghillie suit? Not only will he blend into the landscape while hunting, you will never again have to purchase a Christmas tree. Just dress him up in this, let the kinds hang lights and ornaments on him and tell him he can practice standing still and quietly (just like in the woods while he waits for that trophy buck to wander by) from Christmas Eve right on through Christmas Day. Wouldn’t that be fun?

If your guy has had some bad hair days, or is heading into no-hair days, get him Flair Hair, complete with a visor. He’ll be out the door with what appears to be a small deceased rodent or shag carpeting on his head in record time!

Every guy needs a union suit. Right? I mean, who wouldn’t want to be zipped into a one-piece garment that goes from ankle to neck with a zipper heading both north and south. It’s not like the zipper would ever malfunction and you’d be trapped in said suit. Nah, that would never happen.

How about a pair of flaming steel-toed shoes. Because these would be just the thing to wear out to a construction site full of other men who would bring your guy to his knees in embarrassment within five minutes. Everyone needs a pair of flaming shoes don’t they?

Ok, enough with the silliness.

Here are some real gift ideas for those guys who are truly difficult to shop for and, like mine, tend to like the outdoorsy things best.

If your guy spends any time outside in wet weather, a boot dryer is a fabulous thing to have. You pop the boots on, plug it in and his boots will be dry and toasty in no-time. Hubby uses his daily when it is wet outside.

Hat lights might look dorky at first glance, but let me tell you – they are a handy thing to have. Especially when your guy is trying to work on something in the dark that requires both of his hands and he can’t find any willing help to come hold a light. (I’m going to have to talk to that Heinous Cat again about shirking his responsibilities!).

Designed from a military pack, these sling bags are a rugged outdoorsy version of a backpack. If your guy likes to hunt, hike or hang out in the great outdoors, these bags are a great choice.

If your guy likes to cook at all, this slow cooker is a great option. There is nothing girlie about it and maybe, just maybe, it will result in you arriving home to a wonderfully warm dinner that you had no involvement in preparing.

A lot of guys are really overgrown children. They love toys! Think about getting him something cool like the Nerf Blaster. But be warned! Any toys you buy that involve moving parts, particularly moving parts that can be aimed and shot, will most likely be aimed and shot at you at least a dozen times Christmas Day alone. Just saying…

When thinking of gifts for your guy, think about his hobbies, his likes, his interests and go from there. Choose something you know he would enjoy, not something you would like for him to enjoy and you can’t go wrong!

Happy Shopping!

The Desperate Guy Gift-Buyer

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I think it was the second Christmas after Hubby and I wed that someone started giving Hubby  pieces for a Christmas village. What started out as a few little pieces we enjoyed getting out for the holidays quickly morphed into an obscene number of village pieces that required a lot of effort.

That would be the exact moment when Hubby lost complete interest in The Village.

As much as I would like to lay the blame elsewhere, I think I was the guilty party who started the whole snowball rolling. I vaguely remember purchasing a few pieces on an after Christmas sale. I bought them because 1. They were on sale! 2. Hubby collected Coke memorabilia and they fit the bill 3. It sounded like a fun idea at the time.

This was one of the first pieces I drug home. The old-time store with Coca-Cola emblazoned across the front.

As time went on, it seemed both his family and mine joined in the fray of giving us more pieces every year. We have lighthouses, castles, tree houses, inns, and just about every building a town could possibly want.

One of my favorite buildings is this cabin. It makes me think of Currier & Ives holiday scenes.

 

I could envision myself hanging out in the Tea Room. It looks like a fun and tasty place to stop during a busy day of shopping.

Hubby enjoys The Village from afar (as in he will look at it, comment about it and find a place to set whatever new pieces he may acquire during the holidays – but goodness sakes, don’t expect him to help set it up!).

Along with way too many buildings, we have a varied assortment if extra pieces.

Like this bridge that goes over the pond, hurried shopper, skater and the homeless man who sleeps under the bridge. All he needs is a cardboard box.

 

I like this sleigh because the couple looks like they are having fun and that has always been something I thought would be nifty – to have a one-horse open sleigh.

 

The expression on the snowman’s face makes me smile every time I look at it. Is he afraid the deer is going to eat his nose? Lick him into a puddle? What is the deer thinking? So many intriguing questions.

 

I would be the guilty party who added these three mischievous raccoons to The Village. Two years ago, three raccoons came on nightly raids through our backyard, terrorizing the Heinous Cat and wreaking havoc around our house. Hubby referred to them as the Invasion Force. When I found this piece, I knew Hubby had to have it for his village.

So despite the fact that I grumble about setting this up and Hubby continues his act of not being interested in it at all, we both know it doesn’t seem like the holidays without it gracing a huge area of space in our home!

Do any of you set up villages?  I’d love to hear what is in your collection!

Happy Holiday Entertaining!

The Village Keeper

 

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Ambrosial

Word of the Week: Ambrosial

am·bro·sial

am-broh-zhuhl

–adjective 

1. exceptionally pleasing to taste or smell; especially delicious or fragrant.
2.divine.

The sweet rolls were positively ambrosial.

My BFF came over Saturday and we were up to our elbows in giggles and flour as we endeavored to make pumpkin rolls and cinnamon rolls.

The cinnamon rolls we made were the result of me getting a new cookbook and deciding I had to try a recipe. Of course something sweet and completely bad for you was the thing that drew my attention. These were, quite possibly, the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever eaten. From the gooey cinnamon sweetness on the bottom of the rolls to the light, airy bread right on to the frosting that drenched every last little millimeter of the tops of the rolls – they were delicious. Divine. Dreamy. Finger-lickin’ good (not that anyone at my house would like their finger, but if they did, these cinnamon rolls would definitely be a reason to.)

I promise to post the recipe soon, but for now I feel the need to go make friends with my treadmill and walk off a few of the cinnamon rolls I may have devoured.

Happy Monday!

Shanna

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