Meet Our Lovely Sponsors

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1. I grew up in Connecticut and moved to Philadelphia 3 weeks ago.

2. I love Starbucks. Anything Starbucks. Hot ... cold ... latte ... whatever. But outside of the 'Bucks, I don't really like regular hot coffee. I very much prefer iced. In fact, I'm drinking a pumpkin iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts as I write this. :)

3. I miss my friends and family like crazy! There's a built in shelf in my new living room filled with pictures of all of my loved ones ... including my fur nieces.

4. I am terrified of haunted houses but I love scary movies. My friends and I once went to Six Flags during Halloween time and I cried like a small child. It was terrible!

5. I have three nephews and two nieces. I've been an aunt since I was 8 years-old. 

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Hello, my name is Liv and I am a free-spirited, new experience craving, music loving, peace seeking, soul singing butterfly.  My blog is a special place where I store away all of my treasures, a place where I record our daily adventures and reflect on the simple blessings in life.  I love writing, learning new ideas, making music, taking photos, and collecting sentimental pieces.   I spend my days balancing my time between working as a nurse and building a career I am passionate about while also being a wife and mama to my precious family.  Together, we spend our days striving for peace in our hearts, kindness in our words, and adventure in our souls.

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1. I am classically trained dancer in all styles of dance and I will definitely bust out the moonwalk any and everywhere.
2. I hope to publish a book one day and own my own business. This girl has big goals!
3. For my honeymoon I went to Southern California and I am dying to go back. Being from Louisiana you can only imagine that the worlds are different. I mean, there are NO rednecks in Cali. I have included a picture of me striking a pose in Cali on our hike in Palm Springs!
4. Me and my husband's first date was mud-riding on four wheelers with a big group of people. He flipped the four wheeler over in a ditch of muddy water. The rest of my ride I had mud clumps in my eye lashes and was freezing in wet clothes! Good for cuddling but bad for disastrous look.
5. Most people need to have their morning coffee...well I have to have my morning hot chocolate. It's the breakfast for champions! 

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My name is Misty. I'm a child of God, a 30 year old wife to an incredible man for 4 1/2 years and a mom to an awesome 2 yr old little girl. I blog over at Through a Photographer's Eyes. What started out as a simple challenge of taking a photo a day for 365 days has blossomed into so much more including a weekly photo contest called SHOOT. EDIT. SUBMIT, a weekly Tutorial Tuesday, and a  weekly series called Sunday: Focus on the Savior. So much going on over in my corner of the blog world! Come visit me and join in on all the happenings!

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Hey guys! I am Rach and I blog over at "So, hi". It is a blog about my life as a high school senior going through all of that "getting ready to grow up" phase in her life. It is also about beauty and fashion tips that everyone should know, and just tips that make life a little easier. I also have a lot of random opinion posts, hottie's of the day, and a bunch of other random stuff. So come and check it out, you definitely will not be disappointed. ;)

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1. I am in love with reese's peanut butter cups.

2. I talk to my cat on a daily basis.

3. I sing like no one is watching/listening but someone usually is.

4. Me and my husband ran away to Vegas when we were 18 and got married.

5. I secretly dream on being a forensic psychological.

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1. I am a dance teacher and choreographer.
2. I love playing Scrabble.
3. I've owned my tap shoes for 14 years and even though they have a hole I won't get new ones. They are perfectly worn in.
4. I absolutely have to have my toenails painted at all times.
5. I hate eating in fast food restaurants and would way rather go through the drive through then sit in the car and eat it.

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Love at First Bite:Chicken Stew with Biscuits

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The season of comfort food is upon us! In my opinion there is no more glorious a time for eating than when the weather turns cold and the leaves fall from the trees. Some people have their summer barbecues, strawberry shortcakes, and corn on the cob, but for me nothing is better than a hot, steaming plate of comfort. It can come in many forms - a hearty meat chili, gooey baked mac ‘n cheese, a rich, creamy bread pudding, but perhaps my favorite is Chicken Stew with Biscuits. Its sort of like chicken pot pie, but with biscuits, and lets face it, everything tastes better with biscuits (and bacon, but that’s a post for another day).

This is essentially the combination of two recipes; one for chicken stew (which I’ve adapted from Ina Garten’s book Barefoot Contessa Family Style) and my go-to, easy-peasy biscuit recipe. You can certainly roast your own chicken, but for ease of assembly (and one less than to make) I usually opt for the store-bought rotisserie chickens that seem to be ubiquitous these days. Bonus - save the chicken carcass to make your own homemade chicken stock, which can be frozen for up to two months and used the next time you make Chicken Stew with Biscuits. I promise you that this is a recipe you will be coming back to over and over again. 

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

Chicken Stew

●     1 store-bought rotisserie chicken

●     1 quart chicken stock (I use homemade, but store-bought works fine)

●     1/2 cup heavy cream

●     3 medium carrots, diced

●     3 ribs celery, diced

●     1 lb mushrooms, cleaned & chopped

●     1/2 cup frozen peas (you can also use shelled edamame)

●     1 medium onion, diced

●     2 cloves garlic, chopped

●     3 tbsp butter

●     2 tbsp olive oil

●     1/4 cup all-purpose flour

●     salt

●     pepper

Biscuits

●     2 cups all-purpose flour

●     1 tbsp baking powder

●     1 tsp kosher salt

●     6 tbsp cold butter

●     1.5-2 cups heavy cream or half & half

●     1 tbsp butter, melted

Make the stew

1.    Preheat the oven to 350F. Remove as much meat as possible from the rotisserie chicken and shred with your fingers. Save the skin and bones to make homemade stock later.

2.    Add the shredded chicken, diced carrots & celery, and peas to a 9x13 oven-proof casserole dish. Add a dash of salt and a dash of pepper and mix to ensure all bits are evenly distributed. Set aside.

3.    In a large skillet heat the 3 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the 1/4 cup flour and stir into the onion mixture. Let cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly (this will get rid of the raw flour taste).

4.    Pour the chicken stock and 1/2 cup cream into the skillet and whisk to remove any lumps. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, whisking constantly to prevent scorching. Let boil for 1 minute and remove from the heat. Add salt & pepper to taste.

5.    Pour the liquid over the chicken and vegetables in the casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Make the biscuits

1.    While the casserole bakes you can make the biscuits. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade combine the flour, baking soda, and salt with a few pulses. Add the cold butter and pulse until it is cut into the dough, about the size of small peas. With the motor running slowly pour 1.5 - 2 cups of cream or half & half until the dough just comes together in a ball. (You can also mix the dough in a large bowl; just cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives and proceed with the rest of the recipe).

2.    Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured board and gently pat into a circle about 3/4 inch thick. Using a 3" biscuit cutter (or small juice glass) cut out six round biscuits, reforming the dough scraps as needed. Any scraps left can be refrigerated for a few days and used for extra biscuits or shortcakes.

Finish the stew & biscuits

1.    After 45 minutes remove the stew from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 425F.

2.    Remove the aluminum foil and gently arrange the biscuits atop the stew. Brush each biscuit with some melted butter.

3.    Once oven has reached 425F place stew back into the oven and bake, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until the biscuits are golden-brown on top.

4.    Serve hot and enjoy!

Finding What Makes You, You!

Today I'm reaching out to all of you with both arms. I'd love to get feedback. Have you ever had your own business? What was it? What advice do you have for me that could help? What things should I stay away from? Any suggestions, tips, words of wisdom and criticism I would love to hear (read). ♥

The last few weeks I've been busy kicking off my Photography Business. It's definitely a challenge working on my own and who knows what the future will bring. What I do know is that I'm happy, really happy. Enjoying each session, getting to know people and give them beautiful photos. I'm also in the midst of planning out a studio in my own home. I'm totally psyched for that and to begin this project. This allows me to offer an indoor location which is something I've lacked during my years of taking photos. I've also, been working on getting my website together and I can't wait until it's in one piece and ready for viewing! I have a wonderful friend of Charlie's assisting me. 

[Photo taken by one of my very talented friend's Dave]

*Tomorrow there is another special treat coming your way from the new Wednesday series "Love at First Bite." If you missed last weeks, you can check it out here.

"Oh, it's Monday again."

I know that's the first thought that comes to our minds when we roll over in bed to turn the alarm off. What has always kept me on track when the week begins is playing memories of the weekend over and over in my mind. This one was fabulous. I did a bunch of photo shoots that I'm spending today editing [you can see my work here]. I also had a fun photo session with a friend of mine where I was able to get some great shots for my Website (coming soon). It was the first time in a long in which I was in front of the camera putting on my serious face (which never lasts too long). Mother Nature has been good to us lately. Here's a few randoms from over the past few days.

What kind of Mom would I be if I didn't check to see if Peanut's Christmas suit fits him? ♥

Little Bits of Love ♥

Don't forget to enjoy this beautiful day.

 

Awkward and Awesome Thursday!

Awkward:

- I had lunch with a close friend of mine at Panera Bread (mmm, sidenote..one of my top favs) yesterday. She looked up at me and had this huge smile on her face and pointed to her head. I looked around and there was a cute, little old man with the most obvious toupee on his head. The worst part is he was with his daughter. I promise now to my Dad when and if he ever needs one, we'll make sure it matches all of his hair that's still hanging around.

- I was trying to take some Holiday photos of Peanut yesterday outside. There was a dog a few houses down barking that Peanut found more interesting, even though he couldn't see him or her.. Peanut was just not feeling the photo shoot. I really need a studio.. sound proof preferably.. :)

- Letting your stomach grawl, grunt and do flips for hours only because you're too stubborn to decide on what to eat!
- Approaching someone with the impression I've met them a few times before. Going over all possibilities of how we knew each other just to find out..it was definitely the first time we ever met.
- Typing out the word possibilities wrong in the previous note and realizing there's quite a few "i's" in that word.
- Getting an automated call from CVS Pharmacy for someone else. I followed the prompts to talk to someone to explain it's the wrong number they have on file, only to get a speech about why I need to get my flu shot. 

Awesome:

- I'm currently working with a good friend of Charlie's to help put together a Photography site for my little business. Very psyched for the final product and things are looking up! I've been having such a blast at photographing more sessions and growing my business. Indescribable feeling!

- We're having a fire at our home on Friday Night, always a fun time and definitely a way to save money. With all of the trees that fell down in our back yard from this past storm we'll have plenty of wood to keep the fire burning. It's funny how things work out. 

- Having a the most delicious sushi this past week ♥

- Since the storm we have only had beautiful weather each day.Today may be a bit cloudy, but it's dry and that gives perfect walk around aimlessly weather! (I jinxed today, as it's now raining)
- When you feel like your life has made a full circle, in a great way. Reuniting with friends I've lost touch with for years a at time. Welcoming and being welcomed into new friends lives. That's awesome.

Love at First Bite: Sun-dried Tomato & Pesto Torta

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     Hi there! I’m Matt, one of Katie’s oldest friends and I’m obsessed with food. I write a blog about food, sustainable agriculture, and food policy called Green Eats Blog, and I’m excited to be starting a new column here at Love Is Everywhere called Love at First Bite. I’ll share recipes and tips for easy, healthy dishes that even a kitchen novice could make. Check back most Wednesdays for a new recipe!

This was by far the most popular appetizer that I served at my recent wedding (yes, I catered my own wedding, I know I’m nuts). The recipe could not be simpler, all it takes is a little time to assemble the layers and a food processor to blend the ingredients. Everyone who entertains should keep a copy of this recipe on hand! This tastes better after it has had time to sit, so I would recommend making it at least one day ahead, but preferably two or even three.

Sun-Dried Tomato & Pesto Torta

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Dec. 1999

Ingredients

●     4 tbsp pesto (store-bought or homemade)

●     2 2/3 cups cream cheese (room temp)

●     1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

●     1 1/3 cups drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

●     1/3 cup tomato paste

●     3/4 cup butter (room temp)

●     fresh basil sprigs (optional)

●     toasted pine nuts (optional)

●     toasted baguette slices

●     Nonstick vegetable oil spray

●     plastic wrap

●     6-cup souffle dish (or similar-sized, straight edge dish)

Directions

1.    Add 1/3 cup cream cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and 4 tbsp pesto to food processor. Using on/off turns, process just until blended. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside.

2.    Coarsely chop tomatoes in processor. Add tomato paste and process until mixture is almost smooth. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese and blend well.

3.    Using electric mixer, beat 2 cups cream cheese and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.

4.    Spray 6-cup soufflé dish with nonstick spray. Line with plastic wrap, extending plastic over sides. Spread 3/4 cup cream cheese-butter mixture evenly over bottom of prepared dish. Top with half of tomato mixture, then 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, then half of pesto mixture. Repeat layering with 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture, remaining tomato mixture, 1/2 cup cream cheese-butter mixture and remaining pesto. Top with remaining cream cheese-butter mixture. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

5.   Invert torta onto platter. Peel off plastic. Garnish with basil sprigs and toasted pine nuts. Serve with baguette slices.

Just a Few Snaps & Smiles.

As most of you know I've been working really hard on my Photography. I've put together a bunch of fun sessions so far. I enjoy seeing people happy and then capturing all of it.Over the last few days I've had the opportunity to take some of the first of many Holiday Photos this year. I hope these photos make you smile just as they do for me. I hope you'll stop by and visit my Facebook Photography Page and check out more of my photography. ♥

Below are photos of my bestie's son, RJ. Isn't he the cutest little man in the world?

Below are photos of my lovely friend Tania and her daughter Emma. 

You can follow their journey at "My Adventures in Mommyland"

 

Falling Into Place.

This past weekend I spent an entire day with very close friends of mine. We enjoyed each others company as we always do and during that time we discussed our past. I think often where my life has taken me. The people I've met, whether it was briefly or a relationship was made..  those that have hurt me and especially those that I have hurt.

I think everyone can agree with me (or I would like to think each one of you does) that we have all had some pretty low times. I can't count the amounts of times I've been through one of those. When I say 'low' it does not at all mean I was destructive, just that decisions I made which effected others and myself I was not proud of. I've made choices of certain people to be around that may not have brought out the greatest parts of me, I've been attracted to people that I hurt because the time was just not right in my eyes, those that were really close to me I didn't treat with the amount of respect and love that I now know I was capable of showing, and the list goes on. 

All and all, through those low times I've learned. I can sit here writing about my past, upset about all of those not so great times and be so proud of the person I am today. I may not have a lot to give. We're not rich by any means and time can be taken up by so many little things. But I do have a lot of love here and I know how to forgive.

I look around at some people I know that haven't reached that point. I see people hurting other people and hurting themselves at the same time. They can't move on from their past or do not wish to acknowledge it. The only thing we can do, really, is bite our tongue and hope they find the path that makes them happy in life. The path that makes them sleep better at night and hold onto great relationships. When that day comes, this world will be a better place. ♥

Exciting & Happy News!

Tomorrow will begin the first of many posts called Love at First Bite. One of my best friends from childhood who is one phenomenal cook will be sharing on Wednesdays with us some of his favorite recipes. So get ready to be awed and hungry!

Also, my venture in my Photography Business is growing. This past weekend I had more sessions and you can find some of them on my Facebook Photography page. A website is in the works, so stay tuned! Visit here!

Sharing a Love Story ♥

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I was 16 when I was in my very first relationship. It was a good relationship. It lasted nearly four years and we lived together for a year and a half. But you know what? I never had the urge to marry this guy. It never crossed my mind, ever. We were more like friends than a couple. After years of living with this {to me, the relationship was more like a safety net / baby blanket than anything}, I ended things. A few months later, at the age of 20, I met S. I honestly have no idea what I seen in S. We had nothing in common. I think it was because I was just... plain lonely. I've always had someone by my side, so I basically took whoever came across my path. BIG MISTAKE. S and I should have never been together. Our relationship was dysfunctional. He cheated on me numerous of times and I resented him for that. But I stayed... I stayed because I was so dependent on him {yes, and stupid}. 

It was December 2009. I was burying myself in my school work {I was finishing up my last semester of my undergrad degree}. Whenever I wasn't studying or in class, I was volunteering. Then, I was out with my friends. I was basically doing anything BUT hanging out with S. I was pretty much at the breaking point and was really considering breaking up with him. So one day, December 5th-- I think-- I was sitting in my last political science class of the semester. We were just finishing up with a few presentations. I was talking to my friend Teja, who sat in front of me, when our prof announced the very last presentation. I noticed this "tall hot/quiet guy"  get up out of his seat and make his way to the front of the class. I continued to chat to my friend. The prof then made one last announcement, "Ken here is going to give a presentation about the Omar Khadr case." My head perked up. I hushed my friend. My eyes were GLUED to this tall hot/quiet guy. 

You see, for months and months, I was advocating for this particular case. I was very sensitive to this issue and even coordinated university events to help raise awareness. So there Mr. Tall hot/quiet is...standing in front of my class, about to give a presentation ON THIS CASE. My God, I thought... Why didn't I befriend this guy earlier? We could have chatted about this issue together! I could have helped him coordinate my event last month {lol}!

After his class, I was still in awe. The dorky side of me then took over and I ran up to him. "Um, so... I'm super interested and involved in the Omar Khadr case...I coordinated an event last month about it. I was wondering if you could send me your paper sometime, I would love to read it and maybe you can get involved in similar causes!" I then slipped him a note with my email on it. Honestly, I wasn't hitting on him. I really wanted to read his paper, that was it. He smiled and agreed.

Three hours later, I received an email from him. Not with his paper though. Apparently, "it wasn't finished." Instead, he gave me his MSN email address and said that he would love to chat sometime... about the case or just whatever. Hmmm... INTERESTING. But whatevs, I decided to add him to MSN anyway and we began to talk....for hours upon hours!

He was SO intelligent! So hilarious! I loved it! 

Within the next few days, we began to study together for our final {just as friends}. Then, we shared a few drinks at the university bar together one night. It hit me right then: I was really starting to like this guy! I was SMILING. I was having fun...something I never really did with S {and yes, at this time, I was still with him}. I finally realized one night that I wanted to give it a shot with Mr. Tall Hot/Quiet {and now, very interesting/intelligent} guy. So I called S and broke it off with him. He went a little psycho... you know, he wouldn't stop calling me, then texting me, then creeping my friends on facebook to try to get information etc. -- But I didn't care. I was having fun with this new guy, Ken. 

This was in December 2009 and Ken and I are still together...but the BEST part is, I am so incredibly happy! This is the FIRST time in my life that I really fell head over heels with someone. We've been through so much together. His father died of cancer when we were only dating for six months. When he took sick, I flew to a different province {where Ken's parents lived} to be with Ken and his parents. His father passed away the night I arrived. However, I will always cherrish the few hours I got to spend time with him. Shortly after his fathers death, Ken and I decided to move to a different province {mainly because I was accepted to graduate school}. We ended up moving in together. Within a few weeks, we bought a boxer puppy together. That Christmas {which was last year}, I didn't fly home to be with my family; instead, I spent it with his. This summer past, I decided to leave Ken and our dog behind and travel to Russia for two months {for school}. It was rough on our relationship, but it made it SO much stronger. It worked because we are really dedicated to this relationship. 

I love this man with all of my heart and soul. Once upon a time, I was an unhappy girlfriend who resented her boyfriend. I never wore a smile and butterflies never danced in my stomach. Now, I am the complete opposite! I am so blessed! 

And oh, just last week, Ken fell to his knee and asked me to marry him! I squealed out "YEEEEEESSSSS!!!!!" as we embraced eachother. I felt SO incredibly alive! So happy! ...And of course, a little lucky... Who would ever thought an in-class presentation would bring two people together? ;)

I hope you enjoyed it!!!

XO,
Leanne

 

All stories will be archived here. We would love to read your story so if you would like to share please visit for details ♥:

Surviving a Blackout.

Hello all! I'm back, alive and safe. It's been a rough week, especially not being able to blog. I can live without power but the internet, it's been brutal! 

So I know the title of this post may seem a bit scary but a blackout during one of the coldest weeks so far this year is not all sunshine and rainbows. The wonderful men & women of CL&P got our power up and running last night 6:00 pm (11/3, Thursday) after it went out 4:00 pm last Saturday (10/29). There are still over 200,000 people without power but that's down from the original tally of over 900,000. Would you believe they had to cancel Halloween for most of CT? A lot of towns rescheduled for this upcoming Saturday; however, it makes sense why they asked people not to trick-or-treat. There could have been serious injuries.

I'm really in awe over how amazing towns worked together, neighbors helping neighbors... Also, you learn a lot from people. One thing which I giggle about is when the traffic lights go out. People do not realize the are supposed to treat the intersections  as 4-way stops. Everyone started catching on after a while. It's all good now! :)

Through it all there was very minimal serious injuries and sadly a few deaths. I wanted to put together a list of how we survived this past week without power. Perhaps, it will help others when it comes time to thinking about what you need when the lights go out ♥ I have to give all the kudos to Charlie (the greatest man in my life) for making this week livable for us. 

KT & Charlie's Survival Guide

[make sure when the power goes out to turn off all electricity]

*[top left photo] Make sure you have some propane tanks on hand. The cost around $20. The first main use is for a grill. If you lose power and can't cook inside, resort to cooking outdoors! Also, if you purchase a space heater (thankfully, Charlie's sister had one for us to borrow for the week), some run off propane. You just need to be extremely careful that you know how to use them and there is enough oxygen, etc because you don't want anyone to get CO poisoning. 

*[top right photo] You need to remember your little fur balls can also freeze just like you. If you end of going someplace to keep warm, don't forget about those little rug rats. 

*[mid right photo] Hats! Scarves! Socks! Warm clothes! Be sure to have thick clothes if you want to stay at home during a blackout because the nights will get super cold, also during the day. If it's warmer outside than inside throughout the day, open windows to let some fresh air in and it gives the cold air an opportunity to escape!

*[bottom right photo] Cell phones, lap tops, chargers I'm always thinking how crazy it is that we depend so much on cell phones. Well, when land lines go, power lines are blocking you from leaving your home believe me.. you want a cell phone. Be sure to have a car charger so you can run out and charge that bad boy up. You'll need it!

*[top left photo] Charlie was smart to put blankets over the windows to trap heat in. So, blankets are so important. Probably, the most important. You want something to wrap around you at night. Sleeping bags are good too. Mmhmm!

*[top right photo] We purchased those methanol gels and tin foil pans to boil water in to make coffee and hot coa coa. I do not drink coffee but I sure loved my cups of hot chocolate! Also, it helped us to warm up leftovers that his mother (who had power) made for us. What a clever idea, Charlie gets another pat on the back for that one too!

*[bottom left photo] Always have a lot of clean towels on hand. Since you won't have power to keep rewashing towels just always stock up. Also, if you have as wonderful friends like we do that let us shower at their home you'll want to bring towels over so you don't keep using theirs (which I did, oops. I love them).

*[bottom right photo] Flashlights, batteries, candles, matches, lighters, little radios (less than $10 for the one in the picture). All necessities, I feel. You want to be able to see your way around the house, using the bathroom (yes, I said it!), walking outside and just being able to know what is going on in the outside world. 

*[top left photo] It's going to be difficult to keep beverages such as milk from going bad. I recommend putting a cooler together outside with ice or snow (if you had as much as we did) and packing it up with some beverages. I personally love my Crystal Light packs that can be mixed in those bottles of water.

*[top right photo] Is it possible for me to write a post and leave wine out? No way, Jose. That also keeps you warm. :)

*[bottom left photo] If you get a thermos you can buy coffee like my father did and pour the cups in there. It stays warm all day.

*[bottom right photo] Those are the methanal gel containers that Charlie bought. They're small and easy to use. They're safe to, believe me!

There you have it. It worked for us. ♥

 I'm so happy to be back. I've missed everyone! ♥

Who turned off the lights?

First, I apologize truly for the lack of posts. These past few days have been quite a new experience for us here in CT. Today marks Charlie and I, 2 year Anniversary living in our home. With that said we were just hit with a blizzard Saturday that has left us without power. The rumor is almost 90% of the state of CT is without power. You would think we would be complaining and miserable? We're not! I'll tell you why!

1. We are not alone. What I mean by that is so many other people are in the same position as us. When the power goes out, for most that means no heat. That's us too. We are very fortunate to have been able to borrow a space heater that runs off a propane tank which we took from our lovely grill outdoors! So, needless to say we have heat!

2. Saturday night we huddled at one of my besties house up the road. She too was effected by all of this but has a fireplace. We had such a great night. Drank wine, played board games, talked, laughed and enjoyed this new experience of living in the dark. It was beautiful.

3. Fall is not even over and there is a ton of snow (slowly melting) on the trees. The leaves haven't even finished changing colours yet. Crazy! I know! Believe me. It is quite a new site for me. You'll see in the photos the bright leaves along with a black & white background. No photo touch ups here, this is pure nature!

 

4. There is a 'hellalotta' damage all around us. Trees fell, took down power lines. The upside to it all is no one was hurt (that I've heard about). Like someone said on the radio yesterday... "trees grow back, plant a new one. be happy that you are all safe." I keep thinking about that the more I look around and see how destructive this event has been.

There are so many more pictures, but sadly I am working off of minimal internet right now. 

I hope where ever you are tonight, you are safe and warm. We're so thankful for the minimal damage we have in our yard. Our home is still in one piece and we're doing fine with the fabulous space heater. One of my besties is staying with us. Our other besties up the road have power and have let us take hot showers, watch movies and cook food. They are so amazing. We owe them big time for their genuine hospitality. ♥