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Three Kings’ Day

With the new year bringing a call to get into shape and embrace good health, all of the goodies in my house were expelled.

By the first weekend in January, LB was looking for his 9PM dessert.

Yeah I got nothin’.

So when I found out that there was a CAKE made especially for a celebration on January 6th, I was in!

This celebratory cake is in honor of

Three Kings’ Day

a/k/a Epiphany

a/k/a Día de Los Reyes

In Mexico, Día de Los Reyes  is a holiday celebrated on January 6 to honor the Three Wise Men.  The day the Three Wise Men gave gifts to Jesus Christ is the day that closes the Christmas festivities.  During Día de Los Reyes, Mexicans serve Rosca de Reyes, also known as

Three Kings’ Cake

“Rosca” means wreath and “Reyes” means kings. The Rosca de Reyes has an oval shape to symbolize a crown and has a small doll inside which represents baby Jesus. The doll figure symbolizes the hiding of the infant Jesus from King Herod’s troops. Traditionally roscas are adorned with dried and candied fruits to symbolize the many jewels that a crown would have.

My version of the Rosca de Reyes was made from a box mix, baked in a bundt pan, and decorated with icing, maraschino cherries, slivered almonds, and some leftover green chocolate chips.  It looks a bit odd, but tastes as good as any yellow box cake you’ve ever made.  Also, I did not include any trinkets in my cake.LB didn’t mind.

 

Here is a fun tidbit of information:

For those of us in the U.S., Christmas is over, but for those in Latin America and Spain, the majority of gifts are coming not from Santa Claus, but rather from the Three Kings.  Before going to bed, the children place their old shoes with a wish list on top for the Three Kings.  The next morning, the shoes are filled with toys and gifts from the Three Kings.

(source)

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

This week my

Friday Favorites

begin with these two fellas

Favorite # ONE

My Nephews

Kyle and Clay

They started out like this:A couple of little cuties!

One of my favorite pictures of Gina’s babies is this Christmas photo that was taken with their cousins, My babies…The original Fab Five!

Kyle and Clay reached the ripe old age of 24 on Saturday.

Happy Birthday Boys!

Birthdays weren’t the only reason to celebrate this week.  On Monday, LB and I headed to Jekyll Island to ring in the new year.

Favorite # TWO

New Years Eve

We enjoyed a stay at the very nice Westin Hotel.

Later that evening we participated in a party at the Jekyll Island Club.  The party was catered by the Jekyll Island Resort and there was more food than I could believe.There was a band, a dance floor, and plenty of strange people.Happy New Year!Its gonna be a good one!

With the New Year comes

Favorite # THREE

New Year’s Resolutions

For me new year’s resolutions happen monthly.  I’m always starting something new.  Recently I have found several schedules that I pinned to my Healthy Me board on Pinterest.  These are helpful to aid in staying on track in an effort to reach goals.  For example, there’s the 30 day De-Clutter Challenge, the 21 day Mental Wellness Challenge, and my favorite…

The 30 Day Brazilian Butt Workout Challenge :

 

I have no idea what a Brazilian Butt is, but I’m pretty sure it is better than an American Butt.

The first few days have been pretty easy.  We’ll see how this goes.

Favorite # FOUR

is this sample of perfume that I just realized that I love…

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black

Gina gave me a perfume sampler a couple of years ago and I’m still discovering all the lovely fragrances.

So far this one is my favorite.

And last but not least

Favorite # FIVE

Another blouse from Classy Crossroads Boutique.

I’ve already worn it twice this year and we’re only one week in!

Blouse // Jeans // Shoes

 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

The Bucket List Blog post

A “Bucket list” can be defined as a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.  Since it is possibly derived from the English idiom – ‘to kick the bucket’ we can also call it a list of things to do before you die (source).

To keep from feeling overwhelmed by such a great list of things to do, accompanied by the feeling that the unchecked items are looming, reminding me of all the things I haven’t done,  I have include items on my list that I have already accomplished.

After reading others’ bucket lists, I realized that there are so many things that I have had the opportunity to do; things that others have not been able to accomplish.  Adding these items is an exercise in gratefulness as it reminds me to

Appreciate the Accomplishments!

Even the little ones.

One blogger calls this The Reverse Bucket List and explains it this way:

“it is a relatively new phenomenon that’s been growing in the past year or so.  It changes your focus and your mindset.  Instead of focusing on the things you haven’t accomplished (yet) it has you focus on the things you have done” (source).

For a lot of people, the reverse bucket list has been embraced as a mindfulness exercise. It’s a way to look at being grateful for all of the things you have done.

If you’re looking for bucket list ideas, some interesting ones can be found here and here.

Achievement

  • Earn an associates (AA) degree
  • Earn a bachelor’s degree
  • Earn a master’s degree
  • Start a business
  • Start a blog
  • Write (and illustrate) a book
  • Create a piece of art (and sell it)
  • Start an herb garden
  • Be on TV
  • Be in a commercial
  • Solve a Rubix Cube
  • Earn a design degree
  • Achieve my ideal weight
  • Run a 7 min mile
  • Run a 5k
  • Run the Gate river run
  • Run a half marathon
  • Run a marathon

Adventure

  • Go parasailing
  • Ride on a Ferris wheel
  • Ride a scary roller coaster
  • Go ice skating
  • Go on a picnic
  • Go snorkeling
  • Go skydiving (preferably indoors)
  • Go zip lining (preferably not over a reptile farm)
  • See the sun rise over the ocean
  • See the sun set over the ocean
  • Drive route 66
  • Tour Biltmore Estates
  • Tour the US capitol
  • See all the Washington DC monuments
  • Go biking on the beach
  • Dance in the moonlight
  • Dance on the beach
  • Swim in the ocean
  • Drive a jetski
  • Pet a dolphin
  • Ski a black diamond trail
  • Go on a cruise
  • Dine in a celebrity owned restaurant
  • Attend a small town festival
  • Climb a lighthouse
  • Go on a spontaneous road trip
  • Ride in a gondola
  • Play racquetball
  • Pitch a game of softball
  • Rollerblade

Education/New Skills

  • Learn how to play the guitar
  • Learn to speak French
  • Learn a line dance
  • Master a video game
  • Learn Archery
  • Learn to play chess
  • Learn Kung-FU
  • Learn how to cook
  • Learn how to bake
  • Learn to change a tire
  • Take a ceramic class
  • Attend a woodworking class
  • Learn how to meditate
  • Take piano lessons

Entertainment and Events

  • Attend a Jazz Festival
  • Attend a Parade
  • Attend a Vegas show (Rod Stewart)
  • Place a bet on a Horse Race
  • Go to a Blues Bar (BB King’s, NY)
  • Go to a dinner theater (Alhambra Theater and Dining)
  • See a pro Football Game (Alltel Stadium)
  • See a Broadway show (Jersey Boys)
  • See a Cirque du Soleil Show (Beatles LOVE)
  • See Barry Manilow in concert
  • Dance in a club  (Ziggy Mahoney’s)
  • See the changing of the guard
  • See a Nascar race (Daytona International Speedway)
  • See a major league baseball game ( Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta Braves)
  • Attend a Grand Ole Opry show (Ryman Auditorium, TN)
  • See the Backstreet Boys in concert

Life milestones

  • Prepare a will
  • Get a tummy tuck
  • Vote in an election
  • Donate blood
  • Attend a high school reunion
  • Make a cake roll
  • Make a blooming onion
  • Go to the movies by myself
  • Get a bob (hair style)
  • Go blonde
  • Participate in a wine tasting
  • Cook thanksgiving dinner
  • Build with Habitat of Humanity
  • Read the entire bible
  • Learn to snow ski
  • Learn to water ski
  • Take swimming lessons
  • Learn to surf
  • Build a snowman
  • Adopt a pet
  • Stand under a waterfall
  • Witness a solar eclipse
  • Be a bridesmaid
  • Take an art class
  • Take pictures in a photo booth
  • Work on a pottery wheel
  • Sew an item of clothing and wear it
  • Write a poem
  • Audition to be in a play or choir
  • Visit Disney World
  • Visit Universal Studios Orlando
  • Visit an art gallery
  • Have no credit card debt
  • Have my own business cards
  • Learn to use chopsticks
  • Make ice cream
  • Build a sand castle
  • Go canoeing
  • Have a collection
  • Plant a tree and watch it grow
  • Load and shoot a shotgun
  • Drive a tractor
  • Plant a garden
  • Take a dance class

Travel

  • Visit all US states 50 States, 50 Landmarks, 50 States of Bucket List Adventures
  • See Mount Rushmore (South Dakota)
  • See the USS Arizona (Hawaii)
  • Visit Yosemite (California)
  • Visit Branson (Missouri)
  • Visit Denali (a/k/a Mount McKinley in Alaska)
  • Visit Deadwood (South Dakota)
  • See the ALAMO (Texas)
  • Visit Gettysburg (Pennsylvania)
  • See the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (New York)
  • See the Vegas Strip (Nevada)
  • See the Grand Canyon (Arizona)
  • Visit Yellowstone (Wyoming)
  • See Stone Mountain (Georgia)
  • See Glacier National Park (Montana)
  • Stand in the Southernmost Point in the Continental US (Key West, FL)
  • See Ernest Hemingway’s house (Key West, FL)
  • Walk through Grand Central Station (New York)
  • Walk in central park (New York)
  • Climb a tree in Central Park (New York)
  • Stand in Times Square (New York)
  • Be on TV during the Today show (New York)
  • Ride on a subway (Boston, New York, and Washington, DC)
  • See Plymouth Rock (Massachusetts)
  • Walk on pink sand beaches
  • Venture out of the country
  • Visit the Parthenon (Greece)
  • Visit Puerto Rico
  • Go on a Caribbean cruise

I’ll be adding to this list.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

Last Friday was my Favorite of all Fridays because I enjoyed the start of a staycation that lasted until Wednesday, December 26th.

Now I am back to work.

Alas.

But what a great Christmas holiday!And although being away from the office for 5 days was the best gift ever, I have some other favorites that I want to share today.

Favorite # ONE

While LB and I were Christmas stocking shopping last Saturday I was reminded of the bucket list that I have been adding to [and have yet to share].  One of the bucket list items is to try each flavor of

Pringles

This idea came to me when I was looking for items to add to my bucket list via google search.  I read in another blog that there are 29 flavors, but I count 22 on the Pringles website.

There were about 12 different varieties on the store’s shelf and I proceeded to add one of each to the buggy.  We walked around the store for about a half an hour before I decided that it was a bad idea to take so many Pringles home with me at one time.  So I put them all back.

We’ll tackle that bucket list item slowly.

Favorite # TWO

Sunday night LB and I experienced

Elf the Musical

at Alhambra Theater and Dining

Dinner was great.  I ordered the parmesan crusted salmon (which was SOOO good) and LB had the Holiday feast.  While Elf the Musical doesn’t compare to the Charles Dickens story, it was a very good show!

And as always, LB and I had a great time.

Favorite # THREE

In addition to the spectacular giraffe jammies presented to me by Stephanie, I also received a pair of ENORMOUS silver hoop earrings.  Richard thought it would be a good idea to try them on and LB caught it on camera.

This Photo

is definitely a favorite!

Favorite # FOUR

Friday’s

OOTD

Straight from Macclenny’s  Classy Crossroads Boutique

I wore this Merry Christmas outfit to work on Friday, so my blouse wasn’t off the shoulder as intended.  It can be worn comfortably both ways.  I love it and the jeans are very comfortable.

Blouse // Jeans // Shoes

 

Favorite # FIVE

 Holiday Hoopla

at Mama’s house!

I love it all!

 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Merriest Christmas Moments

This Christmas was very merry, so much so, I wanted to share a few of

My favorite Merry moments.

I was awake very early on Christmas morning.  LB “lit” the fireplace and Elvis made himself cozy on my lap.  LB and I enjoyed our coffee and listened to Christmas music before exchanging gifts.

Although exchanging gifts also makes for Merry Christmas moments!

LB wraps packages beautifully!

And watching LB dance for joy makes for merry memories.Merriment and mild chaos ensued when the clan arrived!Elvis was Merry prior to their arrival.  He may not enjoy having company, but I am so happy to report that he is healthy this year!  We did not have to spend Christmas Eve in the Pet Emergency Hospital!Two little girls loved their Merry Mermaid Stockings! And later when I donned the

Merry Giraffe Jammies

It made me feel Merry to discover that there was a TAIL!Thanks Steph!

Later at Mama’s house, it was Pure Merriment to receive a bag filled with a few of

Gina’s Favorite Things

(Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Mascara, Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream,  L’Oreal Color Riche Shining Peach Lipstick #910, Carmax Classic Lip Balm, Dream St. Kathleen Lights X Colourpop [Eye] Shadow Palette, and Buxom “Kimberly” full-on Plumping Lip Polish).

What a fun little goodie bag!

I’m looking forward to sampling each of these items.

It was truly a Merry little Christmas with many Very Merry Moments!I hope you had yourself a Merry Little Christmas too!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

Friday Favorites

Today is a FAVORITE Friday because I have the day off!  I LOVE my days off!  Even though I spent most of it getting organized for Christmas and doing laundry, I am Not Complaining! 

Although this week has been a short one, it has presented me with several memorable experiences worth sharing. 

Starting with…

Favorite # ONE

Wendy

and I exchanged Christmas gifts at work this week this week. 

(Trivia Question: How many times has WENDY been one of my favorites?)

She presented me with the PERFECT coffee cup…

I love it!

Thank you Wendy!

 

Favorite # TWO

As I sat in my car yesterday morning before work,

A Special Lady

walked over and knocked on the window. 

I opened the door and she said “Hi Honey… Merry Christmas” and handed me this…

A Tory Burch Mini Ella Patent Nylon Tote

which she thought would go nicely with the Tory Burch Miller Platform Wedge Slides

that I acquired earlier this year and shared in this post.

Thank you Juenic!

Favorite # THREE

On Wednesday night, my nephew left me a hint in our

Family Group Text

With that, Amanda and I proceeded to meet today for our annual Divinity fiasco.

Favorite # FOUR

Although it has been advocated by the Talking Heads, I enjoy

Not burning down the house

Even though we set fire to the stove.

Luckily LB has a fire extinguisher stashed under the kitchen sink. 

It came in handy today.

 

Favorite # FIVE

Divinity

Amanda declared it to be a Christmas Miracle!

Even though the first batch caught on fire, the second and third batches were successful! 

@clayridgdon there will be divinity at Mema’s on Christmas Eve! 

Along with

Diabeetus.

Diabeetus GIF

Just kidding! 

I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas!

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

What’s Up Wednesday

What’s Up

is a recap of everything that has been going on this month.

Because it is an immensely important topic, What’s up Wednesday begins with

What we’re eating

WE CAN’T STOP eating the Almond Roca that I made last Sunday.

We = Me

Almond Roca is a chocolate-covered, almond/butter toffee with a sprinkling of chopped almonds.

It looks like this:

It is made like this:

Almond Roca

  • Servings: 2 lbs
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

  • 2 cups light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 cups (4 sticks) butter
  • 1 1/2 cups almonds, chopped
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp coconut oil

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat, add brown sugar and salted butter.

Stir until sugar is dissolved and occasionally until mixture is bubbling.

When candy thermometer reaches 280° remove from heat and add half (3/4 cup) of the almonds to the mixture, stirring to combine.

Pour mixture into a rimmed, foil lined 18×13 baking sheet and let cool.

While toffee cools, add chocolate and oil into a pot set over low heat, stirring until melted through.

Use a rubber spatula to transfer melted chocolate evenly on top of toffee layer, taking care to smooth the surface.

Sprinkle remaining chopped almonds evenly over the warm chocolate layer.

Chill in the fridge

Once set, break into pieces and store in airtight container.

What I’m reminiscing about

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been reminiscing about an album that I remember from my childhood. 

What I’m loving

I’m loving these two…

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They spent all day with Glammy last Saturday and we had a great time.

What we’ve been up to

Same as it ever was… Work.

And the degree that I’ve been working on since 1984.

My class ended on December 14th and I am one course closer to completion.

Also I got an A!

What I’ve been working on

Wrapping Presents!

What I’m excited about

CHRISTMAS!

What I’m dreading

My typical New Year’s resolutions: to exercise more, lose ten pounds, and try to be nice.

What I’m watching/reading

Hallmark movies, the Food Network, and the Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda.

Last week I was very disappointed to learn that Kathie Lee will be leaving the show in April 2019.

What I’m listening to

After reminding myself that I have quite a few great Christmas CDs, I put this in the car…

What I’m wearing

With the help of my Stylebook, I’m wearing something different to work every day.

What I’m doing this weekend

I am DOING five days away from the office!

What I’m looking forward to next month

LB’s birthday is next month!

I never got around to posting about his 2018 birthday and now I can’t remember what we did!

But I’m sure it was fun!

 

 

Thank you for taking time out of your day to stop by my blog.

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