holidays

Thanksgiving 2010

November 27, 2010 by Edie Wadsworth 17 Comments

the kids table….

dear dacor range, how did I ever live without you?

the big kids table…
parker House Rolls, ten years running

my reason for living

happy-tizers
a few of my favorite people
step away from the chocolate-orange dream cake
right out of the oven
a few more people I love….

the feasting begins
the carnage
the clean-up crew (my brother and sister whom i affectionately call ‘brother’ and ‘sister’)
still cleaning
we didn’t eat a thing, lookin’ slim and trim

that’s my story and i’m stickin’ to it.

Hope your day was filled with all the things you love!

Skirted Table Dessert Buffet

November 23, 2010 by Edie Wadsworth 18 Comments

I’m not gonna lie, it’s hard to host anything at your house when you homeschool. There are books and #2 pencils and notebook paper e.very.where. This buffet that I’ve had for many years has recently become our locker. It holds all our books and is usually hideous like this. But without our beloved school room, it’s how we’re making do.
So what’s a girl to do when it’s Thanksgiving-hosting time? Put all the books nicely away somewhere out of sight?
Nah. That’s far too practical and grown up.
My solution: cover it up with some pretty fabric and noone will ever know the difference. I used this simple tutorial here found via Little Green Notebook (a blog I love). It took maybe an hour to hem and make the pleat. I’m in love with the skirted table.

I found the fabric at Lewis and Sharon Textiles and spray painted the lamp and the tiered tray. I basically hemmed the fabric and then ‘stuffed’ the fabric between the granite top (which comes off) and the top of wood. My husband informed that it’d be easy enough to staple the fabric to the wood but it’s Tuesday already and the list is long. We can hope for time to do that but if not, it works just fine like this. Just don’t pull too hard on it.

Today, while admiring my dessert buffet, I made this blueberry pie and this apple pound cake. I also have this pumpkin pie in the freezer already and these red velvet cupcakes. Tomorrow, I attempt this orange- chocolate ganache cake.
The most brilliant part of this whole buffet is my stealth purchase of cake forks.
Am I the only one who has to wash forks before dessert on Thanksgiving? I’m having 22 people at my house. I do not have 44 forks. I bought these at TJ Maxx and can’t wait to eat dessert without washing forks. It’s the simple things that make my day.

ps. I published this post without adding all the links and now I have to leave. Check back later for links and sources. 🙂

Thankful for Home

November 22, 2010 by Edie Wadsworth 23 Comments

Like you, my next three days will be quite busy, baking and cleaning and decorating and such.
I wanted to pause this Monday morning and give thanks for this house.
This place of sanctuary from life’s troubles.
We are thankful for it and for the precious ones who dwell here with us.

Prayer for the Home:

Lord God, our home is among the most precious gifts we receive in this life.

We realize this all the more as we remember our Lord Jesus. He set aside home and family. Having no place to lay His head throughout His ministry, he chose to sojourn among those He came to save. We prayerfully invite Him to dwell in our earthly abode even as He continually invites us by Word and Sacrament to dwell forever in our heavenly home, which He prepares for us.

Make us ever grateful for this shelter from life’s storms.

Keep this house always the home of comfort, joy, peace, and forgiveness.

According to Your will, protect this home from the spiritual assaults of Satan, but likewise make our home a fortress against the calamities of nature and the wickedness of sinful man.

Grant us the virtue of hospitality, the joy of harmonious living, and the blessing of gathering around Your Word and bringing our families’ prayers before You.

May all who dwell in our home be blessed by Your presence and Your peace,

and may all who go forth give thanks for the grace they receive from You, through us, Your dear children

We receive Your loving kindness in our home as a reminder of the eternal home we inherit through Your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.
Amen.
{prayer taken from the Lutheran prayer book which can be purchased at Concordia Publishing House.}

Sweet blessings on your home this Thanksgiving season.

A Sparkly Christmas Tour

December 13, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 56 Comments

Welcome to my warm and cozy and very sparkly Christmas tour. This year I have simplified my festive decor and hope you’ll enjoy the lights, fresh greens and the smell of wassail on the stove! Come on in y’all.

Christmas Front Door Wreath

December 9, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 67 Comments

I feel like I’m moving in slow motion. I can’t seem to get anything done. I piddle around with this and that, decorate a little, teach a little, wrap a few gifts, read a little, bake a little and look around and wonder how it’s all possibly gonna get done by Christmas. And what on earth we’re gonna eat for dinner. I’m supposed to be finished reading All the Presidents’ Men by Friday—so I can somewhat intelligently lead a bookclub discussion on the subject—- and I’m currently on chapter 5. Alas.

In a small feat of Christmas decorating victory, I did remove the Halloween pumpkins from front stoop. I also decided that maybe the audiobook version of All the Presidents’ Men was my only hope for possibly finishing—and it’s still seems hopelessly doubtful (it’s 12 hours of audio!).

So as I removed pumpkins and leaves and added holly, magnolia and pine clippings to my front planters, I listened to a convoluted mess of political jibberish about Watergate, trying to keep track of the very long list of characters, and wondering if my brain is just too old and full to work like this anymore.

At least it looks like Christmas from the outside of my house. The inside is still a work in progress. Dinner will likely be from Taco John’s. And maybe with a latte or two, I’ll figure out what G. Gordon Liddy had to do with the Watergate scandal.

Oh and we’re three days behind on our Advent readings. Already.

Ever have those slow-motion days….or weeks?

Please advise.

P.S. I’ve already had a bubble bath.

P.S.S. And a glass of wine.

P.S.S.S. And painted my front door blue.

Post Edit: The color of the door: sunwashed blue by Ralph Lauren.

Lindsay from Living with Lindsay is having a similiar week. Here’s hoping we all recover our creative selves. Until then, click here for some inspiration.

Thanksgiving Replayed

November 28, 2009 by Edie Wadsworth 16 Comments

We gathered around the table and prayed a Thanksgiving litany–written by Pastor Bill Cwirla.

The food was served buffet style—-and if I do say so myself—it was pretty yummy!

Some of the crew (my brother was sick this year and we missed him dearly—-he always does the dishes!)

Let the feasting begin!

The ‘teens and tweens’ table and their beloved sparkling grape juice.

A sneak peek at myspace….

…and a whole lot of football!

Apparently my sister has rescued her husband from his ten year old worn out Carhartt (?acid-washed) jeans—I thought it was picture-worthy.

The cute couple Marcus and Katilin (and a sneak peak at my freshly painted tiffany blue door)

I was a little disappointed with my performance on desserts this year. Pride comes before a fall and I sorta pride myself on serving a plethora of yummy desserts. They were just ‘ok’. Next year, I promise to bring back ‘chocolate crusted creme brulee’—-and red velvet cheese cake. Accept my sincerest apologies.

It was a glorious day altogether and we counted our many blessings.
Friday I took the kids to see Blind Side and cried through 75% of the movie. Steve was 95% sure I’d come home with a 250 pound homeless football player. I seriously pondered it and may be in an adoption ‘funk’ for weeks. Today, I’m thinking about resurrecting the fresh Christmas tree tradition. Hope your weekend is marvelous.