Bells for Blue Monday

Today is Blue Monday, I love to join Ms Sally every Monday and post something blue.

For Christmas all the "boys" had blue bells around their necks.....

Buck was a ham and loves to poise for pictures....he loved his blue bells around his neck.

Evil Kitty hated her blue bells around her neck. The dogs all liked them though because they could hear her coming so they could get out her way....

Buster is such a grouch. He hated his blue bells, he refused to look at me so I could take a picture of him.

Even Alabaster the Bird joined in on the Christmas spirit and got blue bells to wear around his neck......then he ripped them apart and bent them so bad they wouldn't ring anymore.... OK, it was really tempting to put blue bells on Charlie the Turtle's neck....but I didn't....For more Blue Monday posts, please click here and go visit Ms Sally at Smiling Sally's Blog!

Amaryllis Blooms for Pink Saturday

For Pink Saturday today I thought I would post a picture of a beautiful PINK Amaryllis Bloom I have in my garden. I live in beautiful Southern California and I have pink and red Amaryllis blooms in my garden right now!

After Christmas every year I search Walmart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. for these bulbs. All these stores discount these bulbs after Christmas to around $1.00 to $2.00 per bulb. This plant is one that was given to me last year from a friend. I grow them inside the house the first year then I plant them outside. In Southern California they can bloom any month inside or outside!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and don't forget to click here and go visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for more Pink Saturday posts!

Merry Christmas

"This Christmas"

This Christmas.........mend a quarrel.

Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.

Write a letter.

Give a soft answer.

Encourage youth.

Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.

Keep a promise.

Forgo a grudge.

Forgive an enemy.

Apologize.

Try to understand.

Examine your demands on others.

Think first of someone else.

Be kind.

Be gentle.

Laugh a little more.

Express your gratitude.

Welcome a stranger.

Gladden the heart of a child.

Take pleasure in the beauty and the wonder of the earth.

Speak your love...and then..........Speak it again.

Howard W. Hunter

Pink Saturday - Our Christmas Eve Tradition

Today for Pink Saturday, Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound has asked us to post about our favorite Christmas Tradition.

Since I was first able to sit up in a high chair, I have sweet memories of every Christmas Eve my family all getting together at my Grandmother's house and having a delicious dinner of Spaghetti with Lobster and Clam Sauce, Fried Shrimp, Octopus and other yummy Italian dishes.

Here is a picture of me when I have just turned one, it was my first Christmas Eve dinner, the date is December 24th, 1951 and I am sitting in my high chair next to my Grandpa. My Grandmother is sitting closest to me, she is dishing out her Spaghetti from her favorite white bowl that she used every Christmas Eve. My Uncle Pete is kneeling down between me and my Grandmother, and my Mom and Dad is sitting on the other side with my big brother peeking out next to my Dad. My Aunt Ann and Uncle John is also in the picture.

I can still picture my Grandmother serving us her spaghetti every Christmas Eve out of that bowl till the year she died. After she passed away, my Mom carried on that Tradition using the same bowl every Christmas Eve with her delicious spaghetti with Lobster and Clam Sauce. And here is that bowl today, security displayed in my kitchen cabinet.

My Grandmother and Mother use to also cook along with their dinner fried shrimp. They use to serve it on a pretty platter with pink flowers around the edges. Here is that platter today, I display it on a shelf in my living room.

Christmas Eve was our family's favorite day of year until December 24th, 2004. That is the day my father passed away. We have just started our Christmas Eve Tradition dinner up again, this time it is at my house on Christmas Eve and there is only a few of us. I am looking forward to this Christmas Eve when my Mom and I will serve my Grandmother's delicious spaghetti recipe from that precious white bowl.

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends!

Love, Ann

Blue Monday - Blue Christmas Trees

Today is Blue Monday and I try to join Ms Sally at Smiling Sally's Blog each Monday and post something Blue.

I didn't get a chance to take pictures of some of my Blue Ornaments because I did a Gold and Burgundy Tree this year. So, for those of you that want Blue, here are some beautiful Blue Christmas Trees to look at!

And here is my Gold and Burgundy Tree. I love the Gold and Burgundy velvet Angel Tree Topper! Burgundy and Gold matches my living room so I kept with those colors this year! For more Blue Monday posts, please click here and go visit Ms Sally at Smiling Sally's Blog!

Pink Saturday - My Favorite Christmas Decoration

Today is Pink Saturday and Beverly at How Sweet the Sound, our hostess each week, has asked us to post our favorite Christmas decoration.

My favorite Christmas decoration is my Nativity. I bought this set when my husband and I were first married. It is one of the first Christmas decorations I bought for our home. It is also a reminder in our home the real reason for Christmas, to remember the birth of Christ.

For more Pink Saturday Posts, please click here and go visit Ms Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!

Vintage Thingie Thursday - Vintage Rooster Salt & Pepper Shakers

Thought I would join Suzanne over at Coloradolady blog for Vintage Thingie Thursday today. Haven't participated in awhile so I thought I would today!

A friend of mine the other day gave me a pair of Vintage Rooster Salt and Pepper Shakers. They are about 40 years old and she came across them in her garage and thought of me and my kitchen full of roosters. I thought it was so nice of her to think of me!For more Vintage Thingie Thursday posts, please click here and go visit Suzanne at Coloradolady Blog!

Blue Monday and My Birthday Surprise

Today for Blue Monday I thought I would show some beautiful blue pictures from my Birthday Surprise from my dear sweet husband.

The other day was my Birthday. My husband told me he was taking me somewhere for a special dinner and for me to pack a overnight bag. Where was he taking me that I needed a overnight bag I thought?

We drove to downtown Riverside to the beautiful Mission Inn Hotel. They were having their Festival of Lights for the Christmas Holiday and the lights were breathtaking!

Look at what greeted us when we drove up!

This was my favorite area, the beautiful blue pool with the lights surrounding it! There was blue lights everywhere!

My husband rented a beautiful Suite on the top floor overlooking all these beautiful lights!He told me we had 7:00 dinner reservations. The Hostess took us to a beautiful room in the back to be seated. There I was startled with a screaming of SURPRISE!

I was embarrassed so I covered my face.....

My husband had invited my girl friends and their husbands. They made me wear a Boa and a Crown on my head and my girl friend Donna made me a Barbie Doll Cake (I collect Vintage Barbie Dolls)

The Barbie on the Cake also had a Boa and a Crown!

Here is a picture of my friends. Isn't my husband the greatest?

For more Blue Monday posts, please click here and go visit Ms Sally at Smiling Sally's Blog!

Pink Saturday - My Childhood Memories

Today is Pink Saturday and Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound asked us to post something about our Holiday Childhood Memories.

My childhood memories are all in this house, the house I grew up in. I have the most wonderful holiday childhood memories full of love, laughter, happiness and food with my Italian Family. When I went to look for a picture of the house I grew up in, I noticed it is painted a very light PINK!

My Mom still lives in this house today, and I just had to post a picture of the side yard where it shows I got my green thumb from my Mom! Look at those beauiful flowers and most of them are different shades of PINK!

I remember one year, Santa Claus came. My sister and I ran to the living room to see what he brought us and we each got a Tiny Tears Doll dressed in a pink outfit. That pink outfit is long gone, but I still have the doll and here she is today.
For more Pink Saturday Posts, please click here and go visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound!

Recipe for Russian Tea Cake Cookies

This is a old time favorite recipe I thought I would share with you. It comes right out of my Mom's old Vintage Betty Crocker Cookbook. Our family has been making these cookies for years!

Russian Tea Cake Cookies

1 cup soft butter

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

2 1/2 cups Flour

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts of your choice (walnuts, pecans or almonds)

Mix together butter, confectioners sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Mix in nuts.Roll into 1" balls. Place 2 1/2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 400 degrees 10 - 12 mins until set but not brown. While still warm, roll in confectioners' sugar. Cool. Roll in sugar again. Makes about 4 dozen 1 1/2" cookies.

Enjoy!