Tag Archives: “live happy”

gratitude

Some days are just so easy to be grateful for. 

The sun is shining, the birds are singing their happiest little song and you have leftovers in the refrigerator for dinner.  Life is good.

Today was simply not one of those days.

It is so hard to see those that we love struggle.  We feel their pain; we cry their tears.  We want to “fix” things… but we can’t.  So tonight I go to bed with a heavy heart.  And yet, even so, I realize something very important – I have so much to be thankful for.  So I will quiet my mind in the silence and be thankful for my many, many blessings.  My prayer is for everyone that needs a hug tonight.  I will pray for your blessings tomorrow.

In gratitude… live happy

ice cream sandwich day?

Yes – You heard me correctly… It IS “National Ice Cream Sandwich Day”!!  Who knew; Right???  Well that doggone thermometer continues to hover at triple digits, and there are absolutely ZERO age limits for celebrating this “national holiday” – So a big WooHoo to that!  I loved this blog post that I found at Twig & Thistle (below) because it is not so much a recipe as a “how-to”.  Simple instructions and a beautiful, tasty little package of cold refreshing sweetness!!  Even better – you can make them up ahead of time and pop them in your freezer. Done. Then at your next outdoor BBQ or summer party you can whip them out and impress your friends, smiling politely as they “Oooo and Ahhh…”   Give it a whirl before the summer comes to an end.

There are few things that I love more than ice cream in waffle cones. It doesn’t take much convincing to go for a scoop so when I saw waffle butter cookies at Trader Joe’s I knew excatly what I had to do: ice cream sandwiches! They’re super easy to do and would make a great treat for Easter, just pick a pastel ice cream, sandwich it between waffle cookies and violá! Easter eggs! I used strawberry here but mint or sherbert would be cute too, honestly though, can you ever really go wrong when it comes to ice cream?

What you’ll need: Carton of ice cream Butter waffle cookies from Trader Joe’s Round cookie cutter bent into an oval Large knife Cookie sheet Parchment paper Wax string

Directions: Take your ice cream (the boxed kind works best) and cut off a 3/4″ thick slab, it doesn’t have to be exact just thinner than your cookie cutter. Next, use your cookie cutter and cut out ovals from the ice cream, set the ovals on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and put the sheet in the freezer to firm up.

While you wait, cut out 9.5″x2.5″ strips of parchment paper to use as holders for the finished product.

Once the ice cream has chilled for a bit, transfer to the cookies with a spatula. For a little extra sweetness, add decorative chocolate sprinkles; simply roll the edges through the sprinkles for an even coating.

For the final touch, wrap in parchment paper and secure with waxed thread or baker’s twine then freeze until ready to serve. Enjoy!

live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

one of those days

Ever had one of those days when something stops you dead in your tracks…  Maybe you were kinda, sorta expecting it; often times it comes out of nowhere and pulls the rug out from under you.  These are the times that we are called to pause and quiet ourselves in a way that allows us to absorb the world around us.  Sometimes we need these moments of reflection to remind us of where we are, who we are and where we are going.  Did we stop this morning to count our many blessings? Did we love the ones that we love?  Did we make someone laugh or smile; show kindness to a stranger or put someone else’s needs before our own…?

I am incredibly blessed in my life, and I will go to bed tonight with a feeling of deep gratitude for all that I love…          live happy

drink like a lady

Take the time to dive into this article; including the links.  It is a blog post from “Lauren Conrad“, a fresh, feminine and lighthearted site that I really enjoy following.  She covers absolutely everything from makeup and fashion to cocktails and entertaining.  Just give it a whirl if you’re a girlie girl… (Ha!  Sorry.  That was bad… teehee!!)  Happy Weekend!!  live happy… laugh, love, dream, create

Ladylike Laws: Holding Drinks

Sometimes I find that I just have to treat myself to a much-deserved glass of wine after a long day of work, or sip a flute of bubbly to celebrate a special occasion. But you would be surprised to learn that there are very specific rules when it comes to the way you hold your drink. Clutching your cocktail correctly might be a custom that we often overlook, but I’ve found that it is just as important as basic table manners. Whether you’re a guest at a summer dinner party or the happy hour host, these essential-yet-simple tips will remind you to grasp your glass the proper way the next time you wine and dine. Without further ado, here are my rules for holding drinks:

  • White wine & champagne. Always hold your glass or flute by the stem. Holding it by the “bowl” warms your drink, and both white wine and sparkling wine taste best when chilled. Instead of holding the bowl, pinch the stem between your index finger and thumb. Otherwise, you might get called a “bowl grabber.” No thank you!
  • Red wine. First of all, a bottle of red should always be uncorked or poured into a decanter for a while before serving so it has time to breathe. This improves the taste enormously! Like white wine and champagne, red wine should be held by the stem (contrary to popular belief). Not only does it keep your merlot or cabernet the right temperature (a little cooler than room temp), it also prevents your fingers from leaving smudgy prints on the glass too.

Now that you know how to hold your glass correctly, you might find these tips helpful too:

  • Proper placement. When setting your glass down on a dinner table, place it to the right of your water glass.
  • Eye contact. You may remember from my post on Cheers & Toasts that it is polite to hold eye contact when clinking someone’s glass. Otherwise, you risk seven years bad luck, according to the French superstition.
  • Keep glasses full. If you’re the host, make sure your guests’ drinks are never empty.
  • Direct your gaze. While sipping your drink, you should direct your stare into your glass. It is impolite to look at another person while drinking if you are in conversation.
  • Chill champagne flutes. When serving champagne place the flutes in the refrigerator beforehand to chill them. Like I said before, champagne tastes best chilled!
  • Filling facts. Know the appropriate measurements when pouring drinks. Red wine glasses should be 1/3 full, white wine should be ½, and sparkling wine or champagne should be ¾.  A glass that is too heavy might result in an unladylike spill.
  • The “twist pour.” To prevent dripping, when filling your glass, twist the bottle at the end of pouring. It also looks pretty fancy!

Ladylike Laws: Holding Drinks So there you have it. You now know how to hold, serve and drink wine and champagne like a true lady. Class dismissed! Now go ahead and celebrate with a glass or two (and for those of you who don’t drink, treat yourself to something sweet for reading this anyway)!
If anything, just remember: Always hold by the stem 🙂

a sweet little fourth of july

So the Fourth of July is a “midweek holiday” this year.  Kind of a fun way to put a little fun, family and friendship into an (otherwise) ordinary week.  Perhaps you’re heading to the lake, popping over to the neighbors or entertaining in your own backyard…  I will tell you that I have a tendency to focus more on the main part of the meal when it comes to entertaining – and the cocktails and desserts are often an afterthought.  (I can hear some of you laughing already…  Perhaps “cocktails” are where you START your planning…? Ha!)  Anyway – I thought it would be fun to share a few little last-minute “sweet” ideas for the Fourth of July holiday that is upon us!

Well – First of all – I have got a recipe here for a “Double Berry Margarita” that is calling my name.  Loud.  And it’s not even noon yet.  (Houston – we have a problem…)  Anyway, I’m going to share it with you in the hopes that you will make it for the 4th, or sometime this summer, and share your “results” with me.  (Well, maybe not ALL of your results.  We’re sticking with a “G” rating here, friends! )

Double Berry Margarita

1 oz. tequila blanco

1/2 oz Cointreau

1/2 oz Chambord

1 splash sweet and sour mix

2 raspberries, muddled

2 blackberries, muddled

2 lime wedges, muddled

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass.  Shake hard and serve in a glass with a salted rim.  Garnish with a lime wedge, raspberry and blackberry.  Oh my, that sounds good!! 

Doing a little “last minute” entertaining?  Need something quick & easy in the beverage department??  Well, icy cold lemonade – or pink lemonade – works great for any outdoor entertaining… perfect for the kiddos, and even more fun for the adults (Hint, hint:  Keep a bottle of citron vodka in the freezer for an icy little “adult lemonade cocktail”!!)     

As for dessert, nothing is sweeter and simpler than a cupcake.  These cupcakes can be made with your favorite cupcake mix/recipe (Red Velvet, perhaps?) and a simple white buttercream frosting.  I just fell in love with the simplicity of these decorations…

Stars & Stripes

  • Tint 1 cup buttercream a bright blue with gel-paste food color. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (#4). Frost each cupcake with a smooth layer of untinted buttercream.
  • To finish, cut red licorice laces into seventy-two 1-1/2 inch long pieces and seventy-two 3/4 inch long pieces. Arrange three longer pieces and three shorter pieces to form a flag pattern. With blue frosting, pipe nine dots in each open corner to form “stars”.

Need something for the kids to help with while you are sipping on your “Double Berry Margarita”??  Staying with our “sweet” theme – a little project that will give an ordinary blue napkin a festive feel in a simple way… Starlight Spangled Napkin Rings!!   Not a lot of supplies and simple directions.  Just trying to give the kiddos something to do while you are busy sipping on your margarita…!!

OK – so there you go.  A few “sweet” little ideas for your upcoming Fourth of July holiday!!   Say a prayer for our troops, and the families who are missing them.  Be proud, be safe, be American; Keep calm and eat a cupcake!

Happy Fourth…  Live happy

I’m so very happy you are here…

OK, so here I am… my very first post on my brand new blog and I’m so excited that I don’t really know where to start!  Some of you reading this are dear friends and loved ones that know me and my crazy ways and thoughts (Ha!  Well…maybe not ALL of them!)  To all of my new (and old) friends, this fresh new blog is a journey for all of us, myself included, into the very center of my heart, my thoughts, my passions.  With each post I will be sharing a bit of myself with you; a favorite picture, a memory, a recipe… anything that reminds me to “live happy” today.  We will share funny stories, deep thoughts, big belly laughs and maybe even some tears.  After all, that’s what friends are for.  In my mind, with each and every post, I will picture you, my friend, sitting right here next to me, with a cappucino or a cup of tea and a yummy chocolate covered biscuit. So pull up a chair and let’s have a chat.

 I am so very happy that you are here…   live happy~ laugh, love, dream, create