{A True Thought.....}

Image via: R. Hardy

{In All Things....}

Yep. What was my last post about?

Something about the beach and being done with the chill of winter.

I guess in theory if I have a cup of coffee, and the sun is somehow shining on my face,

I will find good in all things.

So here is my grand effort people!

Bed head messy hair, no makeup and all! Eeeeek!

Or, it was about 7am and I did not yet have my wits about me!

Just keeping it real with ya.

Honestly, the snow is beautiful!

Soooooo.......In all things I will be thankful.

The sun is shining and little kids giggling in the snow, so how can I complain?

I just cannot.

Happy Winter Weekend to you all.

Happy Valentines too.

{A Little Winter Sunshine}

The last three weeks at work have been crazy in deadlines!!!!!

...and oh yes....last I checked I am still wearing my pretty

J. Crew winter coat every where I go!

Yes, yes, I am grateful to have a coat. My point is that it is still winter, smile.

...and I am sooooo the sunshine kind of girl.

The kind of sunshine girl that sets her alarm early to see if the gopher saw his shadow.

...and he did indeed see his shadow and yes I will be fine...after the tanning bed that is.

Anyhoo...

I am just sayin.....a moment like this looks divine~yummy~lovely.

You know what I am talking about people! It is winter where you are toooooo.

Images via...seriously I don't know! One is from South Africa. Does that help in my efforts in giving credit to the image source? I tried.

{Happy Friday Thought}

Just sending you all a big bunch of happy!

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch,

a smile,

a kind word,

a listening ear,

an honest accomplishment,

or the smallest act of caring,

all of which have the potential

to turn a life around."

-- Leo Buscaglia

Have a beautiful and smile~filled weekend!

Image via Design Lovely

{This kind of weekend is my wish for you!}

With all the snow and ice coming in the last couple of days across

the nation and it being winter and all...stillllllll....uggghhh....smile!

Looks like we all might need a little of the above to warm us up!

Keep your toes warm and just enjoy the fluffy white wonder falling from the sky

if you are in a city that is blessed with blankets of snow!

I am in GA so that will not happen here...or so Mr. meteorologist says.

But ya know, they can be off a bit...I am just sayin....wink! :)

Hoping your weekend yummy, safe, warm, wonderful and soul shine filled!

Image via citified

Creme Brulee - So Surprised, so humbled!!!!!

Nope not that kind of creme brulee above even though yum...
But this below kind of yummy creme brulee!

Thank you sweet Paige from Simple Thoughts!

I don't know how I pulled this one off.
but....
I am humbled and well so thrilled to be the new owner of
this beautiful Calphalon Creme Brulee 1 1/2 Quart Covered Round Casserole dish from CSN

Yes...yes...I did a happy dance!

I don't normally enter contests by nature.
Ok, other than the HGTV Dreamhouse giveaway...which I am still awaiting to win!
People it could happen! Might as well stay positive and speak it true... ya know....Amen!

Any hoo...

To enter contests feels guilty in a way to me.
Yes. My issue but it is true.

I don't want things to become my focus,
but for people's hearts to matter more!

But I must say in the corner of my mind
sat this dish that unveiled itself on Paige's blog.
Its color is Creme Brulee after all! My fav. color besides black.

I actually posted to be silly with my friend and thought
I will buy one of those babies with a future paycheck.

So what to my excitement when Paige stated that I was to receive this dish I love so.

Can I say a smile came over my face big! So thank you Paige.
I am humbled and grateful.
I will do this dish proud!

Thank you CSN!
They have so many great items to choose from for your home so do go for a shopping jaunt.

Here is the Lobster Ravioli Recipe revealed.
No below is not an image of the lobster...but lobsters in real life are not cute like this baby below!

No it is not my own creation!
I can't remember where I found it...epicurious possibly.

Might I tell you ahead of time that the Lobster Ravioli
I posted I purchased the actual Lobster Ravioli at Target in their cheese/pasta section.

But if I had the time, wouldn't from scratch pasta be fun to make!

I can't bring myself to buy one of those live lobsters at the store in knowing what I might see.

eeeeek!
I just love living creatures too much for that instant grief! Oh my!

I watched Julia Childs on TV end a lobsters life....It freaked me...It just did people!
Still love her cooking though and that movie about her too!

Any hoo...Lobster Ravioli...sauce at least! It is very yum! So make it and just enjoy!

Ingredients

1 pkg. store bought lobster ravioli (ha, ha, ha...not made by hand....but Target Lobster Ravioli!)
1 cup mascarpone cheese
4 Tbl. butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
Salt and White pepper, to taste
Heavy cream as needed

Directions

Prepare ravioli according to package instructions.
While ravioli cooks...
Melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat.
Add the mascarpone to the melted butter and stir until it has melted and combined.
Add nutmeg to the mascarpone mixture and stir to combine.
Add all of the Parmesan cheese at once and stir it into the mascarpone mixture off the heat. Note: the sauce will clump up if it is gets too hot after the Parmesan is added so be careful.
Adjust the sauce consistency to your likes with heavy cream added in small amounts.
Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
Serve sauce over the drained ravioli, and don't be afraid to add more Parmesan on top if you like...I like extra!

Happy wonderful day to you all!

images via: kecute, hgtv, ny-icecream,csn

{Freedom = Surrender and Let Go}

"...Give yourselves to God... surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes." Romans 6:13 Oh my, A bit scary (It just is people.), but as you lay it all down and surrender everything in your heart....well, ... ...God will grow your character~beautiful. I promise! What I realize in me too though is that it is a daily laying it down. Have you ever surrendered it all? What does that even mean? Where the choice lay in front of you to surrender all that you are in the midst of searing trials out of your control, with all your good and bad to find amazing? I think that none of us can escape life's trials, temptations, sin, and just trying to make it through this life right and unmarred by the journey. The true thing is that if one chooses the journey of surrender there is true freedom. Yes, you are gonna cry and hurt, and no the journey does not end because of our humanness and selfishness, and well because life is always changing and we grow and hopefully our souls become more beautiful in character for the journey, but to find true joy in the walk that lasts is so worth it and you will find a solid, deep in your heart smile that is immovable. It takes time though. I leaned in through so very much yuck in 2009...I am still learning. Bless your hearts as you read my posts...every one, smile and just encouraged me. The amazing thing I wish to tell you that I found that God was just standing by the water saying, "Keep your eyes on me, gently lay it all down..., one by one and let go (the good, the bad, and yes my baby, all the ugly too please!)". I held onto things because nothing made sense in severe trials. I held onto some things because I can be selfish and in honesty, sinful. Yes, people I had some crying fits with God through this...it was not pretty but that is just real and life! God embraced me and walked with me even when it was hard to breathe. He allowed me the chance to open my hands to the ends of my fingertips with all of me the good and the sin too even as tears streamed down my face in letting fear go and find a smile in letting go. I know it is still a process. He showed me what lessons to hold onto to grow in depth and good to be used later for Him alone. He gets the glory of my good! What I am humbled by is that Brave (Christ) stood bigger and is still in my soul than anything as He gently and continually asks me to let go of my all. So many precious people stood telling me to lean in and hear his gentle whisper and I would be ok. I have known God in my heart forever, but it was always performance based and not authentic. It is authentic now! Thank you God!!!!! I am so very amazed by this gentle whisper and cool way that God deals with us. He is a gentleman after all and I found that gentleman waiting to walk with me. Yes, there are still things to surrender and still big trials that I am facing. However, to feel brave in the midst for a girl like me that desires to become mature in my heart, a smile-filled woman and face all my fears and trials. To let God have room to make my life story a testimony. I am willing. Not that is an easy task because people it is not to find authentic. But worth every moment, most definitely with soul shine all over my heart, YES! In the quiet of me there are these amazing souls that walked me through last year. You know who you are and I am so very grateful for you. So many of you just praying for me, allowing me to pray for you too. I am completely humbled and owe you so very much! I pray I can bless you back 100-fold. Please forgive me. I have been off of blogworld for a while working, working and well.....working. But so grateful am I for the opportunities, I AM! So, hi again. I have missed this place. I have missed each one of you. I pray that your 2010 is going gently and beautifully with your soul. I pray you blessed brilliantly in amazing soul-shine. Good and true like the sun shining on your heart warm when cold surrounds. Just praying you happy-good in every way. The heart of worship is surrender. By Rick Warren Surrender is an unpopular word, disliked almost as much as the word submission. It implies losing, and no one wants to be a loser. Surrender evokes the unpleasant images of admitting defeat in battle, forfeiting a game, or yielding to a stronger opponent. The word is almost always used in a negative context. Captured criminals surrender to the authorities. In our competitive world we're taught to never quit trying, never give up, and never give in - so we don't hear much about surrendering. If winning is everything, surrendering is unthinkable. Yet, the Bible teaches us that rather than trying to win, succeed, overcome, and conquer, we should instead yield, submit, obey, and surrender. And by surrendering to God, we enter into the heart of worship. This is true worship: bringing pleasure to God as we give ourselves completely to Him. Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience, cooperating with your Creator. You say, "Yes Lord" to whatever he asks of you. In fact, "No, Lord" is a contradiction. You can't claim Jesus as your Lord when you refuse to obey him. Peter modeled surrender when, after a night of failed fishing, Jesus told him to try again: "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Surrendered people obey God's word, even when it doesn't make sense. God is not a cruel slave driver, or a bully who uses brute force to coerce us into submission. He doesn't try to break our will, but woos us to himself, so that we might offer it freely to him. God is a Lover and a Liberator, and surrendering brings freedom, not bondage. When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus, we discover that he is not a tyrant but a savior; not a boss, but a brother; not a dictator, but a friend. p.s. I found a friend! Oh my, I pray you have too! He is right there for you too. Know this, as He smiles gently waiting to take your hand and walk. Image via: R. Hardy

{Just a little Christmas Cheer for you}

{This Kind of Day! Mmmmmmmmmm!}

Just praying you this kind of day. The kind of day that is warm to the heart and sweet to the soul. The kind of day that you feels like holding a warm cup of white hot chocolate close to your heart and makes you feel grateful to be alive.

Happy, Beautiful Day to you!

{I need a Silent Night!}

Oh my, I need a little Peace right here!

First of all my apologies for this post being so long. It just is...are you really ready?

I ran across this image above and see me in it! I know that is both sweet, sad but true people.

Christmas~ like those wings on that dog, are on top of me! Tied to me none the less!!!!!

As if I cannot run and yes, I have that look on my face too!!!!! I won't lie to you. One year I bought a halo for my little dog Imrie to take a Christmas image. She would have nothing to do with it and was quite miffed with me! Oh, I would have been beside myself too! Smile!

I would love to be fake here, and gleam a pretty smile, possibly wink, offer you a warm Christmas cookie and tell you of my Christmas glory and that I am singing Fa, La, La...but it just is not true. I have done that each day...sing Fa, La, La that is, but moments in between that are in desperate need of a Silent Night and Peace! So real is what you get people. There is good in that too because it comes from a solid place that holds true joy! See below for Amy Grant's song, "I Need a Silent Night". Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom first pretty please.

My family has a corporate Christmas Decorating business. Holly Productions we are called. I think we do 64 trees some of them 30 plus feet tall, to 20ft, to 14ft, to 7ft. One tree you can park a car in width. Outside lighting of trees and boughs, boughs, bows to bring peace and cheer to people. We start in the beginning of October making or revamping this holiday cheer and dusting every thing with sparkle. Mom starts this in July! My sisters and I take our full vacation to do this business and then work double time to catch up at work, but I am here to state that I am so blessed for the opportunity to spend that precious time with my family and dear friends, to work, to laugh so hard you cry, to live each day of those weeks of installation with as the moments to sleep and rest are few. We finished last week and then I sat in my home with no desire to decorate anything but fell asleep many times on my hardwood floor, tucked gently next to my fireplace on my furry white floor pillow only to wake there the next morning...ouch! I really just need to sleep I am guessing! I love pretty decor! It is what I am about! I love peaceful uncluttered but refined by perfect design that is both natural and glamorous. I love Christmas so very much! But my heart has nothing to give but sees that peace in the midst is possible and I will be brave enough to see it through.

I see my friend Lissa who has found beautiful and solid peace in the midst of a year that has been tender in hard but she is amazing and determined to walk with God and be at peace in here heart. I saw my life best friend Paige find peace through the holidays after her husband, Gregg died and every year after sitting in the presence of God with a grateful heart to shadow Christ's peace on and in her home and within her family and friends. She is always the woman to me that faces storms with grace and true. I have reflected and thought many times God give me that kind of grace that places my full hope in you my maker, my Christ and the lifter of my head that gives me solid to walk in. I saw and see both of these women take a beautiful stance at finding peace and their hope in their creator and lover of their souls. So much to learn from these two. Proverbs 31 women are they and they are to be called praiseworthy. Take a look at their blogs and find all kinds of hope in their words and Christmas peace in the beauty of decor.

From Paige's home.

From Lissa's home

Beautiful and yummy white, with hints of silver, green and tan their homes are. Both Paige and Lissa's hearts are each as beautiful!!! I am not just saying that! To me I just want to pack my bags and go to their homes and sit and gaze and find giggles too. They might find me there and come in from family stuff and there I will be snuggled on their couch gazing at the Christmas peace everywhere. I am just sayin Lissa and Paige, be warned, smile! I want to find that peace that I see in decor. I want to see that peace resides in my heart.

I have not blogged because of work, but also my heart that is trying to overcome much still and think how do I put you all through this silly mess. But stand true and keep it real I will. I will stand as Esther in the bible for such a time as this. I am such a glass half full, or so I thought about myself, but when truth smaks you in the face you gotta deal. I am bravely and hope God will find good in my soul for the journey. So I am facing my heart and truth brave and the beauty is finding not just God, but a real and authentic God that loves my soul and I would walk this journey again to find what I have found in Him! Things are no better in circumstance than they were in July, but what has changed is my complete trust in Christ. My complete surrender to the ONE that loves my soul and yours too!~ He is my all and to Him I will decorate. To him I will bow, and lift my hands and see the beauty in this season and really for once seeing what it is about. To him I will gaze and find peace and the reason for my hope the reason my my silent night. If my girls Paige and Lissa can do this no matter if present or in the past, for such a time as this I can too. So thank you Paige and Lissa my dear, precious friends for showing me it is possible. I am so very grateful for you both. I love you both so very much!

I pray if you are in the midst too that you just find some peace and a beautiful silent night!

Lastly I wish to post this.

My kindred friend Paige. Tender-hearted year for us, but the gift of her friendship is one of amazing to me and humbling to my heart as to what a true friend is. She has fought for our friendship and I am humbled by her grace and love towards me. Paige know this! She has walked my journey with me at times that I have been too private to share my tender heart about my circumstances. We have walked through so much in life together and she has been there. She has given me too many beautiful tangible gifts over the years that I wish I had a picture for each as they are always true gifts of the heart, wrapped beautifully each one, but this post would not end, but many times gifts too of allowing my heart space to work through my present circumstances that have gone on for years and for just being there. What has also never ended is this precious gift of a friendship and I am blessed by you and love you my dear, lifelong, tender and kindred friend.

I wish to also show you this. This is not a hey look at what I got. Please know in humbleness this. But a thank you to this girly that God knew we were just supposed to be friends.

My precious friend Lissa sent this beautiful package below to me. There is a CD too that goes with it but I have not taken it out of my car and it plays non-stop! Thank you Lissa for the box of Christmas cheer. From your heart beautiful and I am grateful! This picture does not do it justice. She even found a recipe card with a pink tractor on it in smiles to the fact that I learned to drive one on my mom's farm this year. Silly, brave, solid in heart and sweet girly is this Lissa!

Off to work and decorate in between (Keep that on the down~low will ya! wink!) today as I promised God I just would and will.

I pray your weekend Beautiful, Peaceful and Smile-filled!

I pray if you find yourself in this place too that you see that you in fact have Christ that will love your soul to the end and show you real and beauty in you that you did not know existed before. I pray you find your heart in that stable that beautiful night that our King gave us hope!

I promise to take images of my home once dusted with Christmas Joy!

Please forgive my lack of commenting too. I want to do this and have read your blogs late at night, but wanted my comments to make sense and be heartfelt as with lack of sleep the comments might just not make sense. Thank you for your grace in the midst of this.

Love, peace, hugs and silent night to you,

Kristin

This song is amazing to me!

Please turn the music off below and then press play.

Work has me in such a deadline-crazy place, but so very grateful for the opportunities.

So press in and on I will with a smile in tact...ok a little sleepy, but a smile none the less.

I have missed being here but also it has given me a chance to

reflect why I even do a blog and if it is a good thing after all.

I hope your December is finding you peace and gentle smiles.

Many, blessing to each of your precious souls!