Tennessee Family Christmas

This Christmas John and I spent the week in Tennessee with my mom, grandpa, sister, brother-in-law and neice and nephew. Whew! We had a super fun time playing, eating, shopping, laughing and exchanging gifts and good times.


I love you guys and miss you already.

Natalie Turns ***15*** Today

Isn't she fierce?

We Love You Natalie!

It Speaks for Itself (Literally)

Isn't it beautiful? It's much better than my old, clunky, virus ridden one.

Merry Christmas Cheesecake

It turns out that blogging is a really valuable habit. I used my blog recently to find out when in my life certain things happened. (When I write that it sounds so pathetic since this blog is only three years old). So, since I haven't blogged in awhile, I'm going to start again and I'm going to start with a picture of this beautiful Christmas Cheesecake. It's a Christmas Cheesecake for no other reason than I made it last night and tonight we had Christmas ham for dinner with the kids and presents afterward.

I took a cooking class with a friend in town a couple weeks ago and the agenda was cheesecake. The one in the photo is a classic NY, but we learned to make savory cheesecakes as well. I thought I'd made one before, but the process didn't feel familiar. So, I'm considering this my first of many Christmas Cheesecakes to come. It will be my tradition along with Christmas lasagne (which I made a veggie whole wheat lasagne this week for a potluck that was really good - even the die hard meat eaters liked it).

Call it beginner's luck, but seriously, that cheesecake pictured is the best I've ever tasted. It was moist, smooth, creamy and will be remembered for a long time.

Merry Christmas!

and THANKS Patrice!