Cork Crafts

I'm still suffering a little bit from jet lag. My clock is still a little off. I want to go to bed at 8:00 but I'm up at 5:30 in the morning. After 5 days of being home, I'm just starting to feel normal. That's a good thing since Kimi comes home tomorrow..get ready for plenty of puppy pics.

I'm very excited to have been mentioned in someone else's blog, Robin at http://www.mymelange.net/. You should definitely check out her blog since she was my most motivating factor for starting my own. She adores Paris and has had some wonderful adventures there that she's blogged about. She also adores Italy so how could we not become friends??? AND, she has a dog....sigh! Also, Robin sent me over to this site http://geggieblog.blogspot.com/, she's having a cool contest so check it out and definitely tell her I sent you.

Unlike Robin, I am not suffering from the winter blues, just the jet lag. Late afternoon seem to be really bad. When the sun starts to go down and all my body wants to do is sleep. So yesterday, while dogsitting for a neighbor, I decided to start a craft project. Now I have a whole craft room filled with stamping and cardmaking material AND a whole list of thank you cards that need to be written after the holidays. I just couldn't drag myself up there. So, motivated by Robin's winter blues and her wine drinking, I decided to take the corks we have been saving and do something productive. Here's the outcome:

I have a very small cabinet section in a corner of my kitchen and it's where the phone goes, cell phones get charged, etc. and it's fairly hidden so it was a perfect place for an experiment. A word of caution, don't start any hot glue gun projects when you're tired....tee hee. I started the wall about 2:00 thinking that I had plenty of time to finish before a 5:30 Pilates class. Wrong. I only had 3/4 of it done so I went to Pilates then came home to finish the project. I did, but I practically burned all the skin off my fingers from the hot glue. Tired and cranky, I had a little more trouble fitting the puzzle together. But, it's all done and it's really cool.

I got my recycle bin yesterday and my papers are going in...woo hoo!!! And, I just finished reading my first book of this month "In the Company of Newfies: A Shared Life", an awesome book by Rhoda Lerman. Rhoda is a breeder of Newfoundlands and this book is a heartwarming read for anyone who loves animals. Her relationship with her dogs is amazing and a must read for anyone getting a puppy, Newfoundland or not. You can also check out her dogs at http://www.blueheavennewfoundlands.com/. This is actually the 2nd time I've read this book...does that count towards my 2 per month? Yep, I think so!!!

1 1/2 days and a wake up!!

It's almost here!!!! Just a day and a half and we're on our way. We're expecting snow here on Friday but the prediction (right now) is for afternoon/evening snow. If all goes well...by afternoon we will be in Washington, DC, then on our way to Paris!! Here's a preview for you. We have rented an apartment on Rue Chanoinesse...it's a block away from Notre Dame and this is an actual picture of our view! And now the back of Notre Dame is lit as well as the front so when we will be able to see it at night also. How romantic for Christmas...to have the bells awaken us. Stay tuned for "live" broadcasts next week.

3.5 days and Banana Crunch Muffins

Since we are now only 3.5 days and a wake up away from Paris, I thought I'd share another archive photo. This pic was taken New Year's Day 2005 with our friends R & S from Arlington, Virginia. They have been our travelling companions on multiple trip to Paris and are awesome. This is the thumb statue at La Defense!! Isn't it awesome?




This morning I spent at a great holiday breakfast hosted by my running, shopping, all around best friend, Sally. I made these delish banana crunch muffins that I found on the Barefoot Contessa area of the food network website. I just love everything Ina makes. Here's the recipe:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs 3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)
1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
**dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add the melted butter and blend. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas, and add them to the flour-and-butter mixture. Scrape the bowl and blend well. Don't overmix. Fold the diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each 1 to the top. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve warm.

8 days & Blue Skies

Good afternoon! Well, the snow is done for now even though we are expecting more on Friday. Today is a typical Colorado winter day....look at those beautiful blue skies! And it's been so cold that the aspen trees still have snow on them.

The excitement is building. Only 8 days to Paris and only 5 days to our momma dog's ultrasound so we'll know definitely if we're getting a puppy or not. The suspense is killing me. Even though mother nature can always have a hand, at least we'll know on Monday if there's even a chance for us.
I'm home today "nesting". Cleaning house, washing clothes and making both soup and chili to put up for the next week while Dick is home. The house smells all yummy and homey.

Here's a fun pic from this week. That's NC Pam, Sally and me with Santa Claus. We went to the Pearl Street winter festival in Denver on Friday night. What an enchanting little street...there was hot chocolate and cider, roasted chestnuts and plenty of cookies and other goodies to go around. Santa was there taking pictures with the kids and we just couldn't resist a pic of our own.

9 Days and More Snow

Well, more snow overnight and this morning! This better stop before next Friday. I don't want any Mother Nature issues to get in the way of our trip. It does look like a winter wonderland here right now though!

I can't wait to be blogging from Paris. The 10 day forecast for Paris is showing in the high 30s and sunny. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Speaking of forecasts, this is where my friends K & A are going for their Christmas vacation!!! I don't think it's 38 degrees there!!!

10 days and Puppies

Only 10 days until our departure to Paris. We are getting very excited although very busy. And I still can't speak French. C'est la vie! I'll manage somehow...I always do. The great news is that we will probably be gettting a new puppy - a Berner of course. I've been working with a breeder who has puppies due Christmas Eve. What a wonderful gift that would be. The mom will be having an ultrasound on 12/17 and we should know then how many she will likely deliver. There are 3 people on a waiting list before us, but they all want males so the chance of us getting another female is high. Here's the mom & dad...aren't they beautiful?

Mom:

Dad (this is an early pic of him...he's actually grown now!) but he's from a championship Belgian line...do you think he speaks French?

12 Days and More Snow

Here it is, Sunday morning and the snow is still coming down in flurries. Weatherman said we got 6-10 inches. It's cold this morning...about 12 degrees but nice and dry. We love that about

Colorado weather. We're off to Estes Park this morning with friends. It should be a nice day...and maybe we'll see some elk. We're only 12 days from Paris and getting more excited every day AND we may be getting a puppy early in 2008. We're talking with some breeders and I think it's highly likely that we'll have a new little Bernese puppy in February. So much exciting stuff going on!!!

Snow in Colorado & 13 Days to Paris

Only 13 days to Paris!!! WooHoo (or ooh la la as I'd say in Paris). Here's a pic of our backyard this morning. It's snowing....only have an inch or so right now but it's coming down and it's currently 22 degrees....brrr.

16 Days to Paris

My new coat avant Paris!! Or would it be Paris avant? 2 months of studying French on Rosetta stone and I don't know the answer to that question! Isn't it fabulously French looking? I can't wait to actually wear it in Paris.

Also did some shopping at Ann Taylor Loft (bought these cords in both blue and white). Also bought a couple of long sleeved tees at the Gap, along with a great striped scarf and socks, neither of which I could find online!!!

From this day forward, most of my posts will probably be dedicated to our approaching departure to the City of Lights. I will also be posting daily from here in Paris as well so please stay tuned in!!!