Put the Kettle on
TEA has a soothing, relaxing quality that has always set me right. I first started drinking tea when I was in the seventh grade. My parents took a trip to England and when they returned my mom served us tea just like they had experienced in Great Britain…on a tray with sugar, milk and toast. …
Happy Birthday to my Grandmother!!
Happy birthday to my Grandmother!! Fervent Bridge Master, Frequent cocktail maker and Faithful Irish Catholic If there were a trophy for having the most fun in life, my grandmother, Patricia Ann Shaughnessy Stricklin would win! She was like a magnet…people loved to be in her company and she was always the life of the party. My grandmother (who liked to …
Love, Love Me Do
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach. ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning It’s time to say, “Love, Love Me Do” to the ones you love and seal your affection with a Valentine’s Day gift. Send your love with these Valentine’s Day cards: Je t’aime cards by Sugar Paper for Goop come …
Joffrey Ballet: Chicago’s classy cutting-edge company
One of the top dance companies in the world, The Joffrey Ballet graced Dallas this past weekend for the first time in twenty years. The program in Dallas’ Winspear Opera House included Edwaard Liang’s, Age of Innocence (2008), Christopher Wheeldon’s, After the Rain (2005) and Vaslav Nijinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps (1913). The three performances gave the audience a mix of emotion, romance, and history all …
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Little Sous Chefs
LAST weekend when my husband told our children that we were going to be making pizza, it sounded something like this, “YESSSS! I wanna help. Where’s my apron? Can I pull up a chair to stand on? Can I snack on the cheese? I wanna put on the green olives!” The house was buzzing with excitement …
BABY IT’S COLD OUTSIDE
What do you do on a snow day? Play in the snow of course but then what do you do to prevent cabin fever? How about watching an old movie, using your extra Christmas candy canes to make a cocktail and ice cream (most people have a burgeoning supply of candy canes after Christmas), and …
Happy Birthday Little Sister!!
Happy Birthday Paige!! Little sister, musician and merrymaker! My little sister Paige is my favorite person to laugh with. Earlier this year I called her laughing so hysterically that I couldn’t even speak. She patiently waited (while laughing with me) until stopped giggling hard enough to share with her what was so funny. If I …
New Year’s Eve Lobster fête…avec les enfants
My friend Jen and I have spent many New Year’s Eve nights together…starting in the early 90’s. It’s changed a bit since we’ve had children, but we have double the fun with NYE energy times four! Jen lived several years after college in Boston where she met her husband. My husband grew up in …
TRÈS ASHLEY GIFT GUIDE 2012
We are only weeks away from Christmas day! Here are some ideas to help you check off everyone on your list. Think personalized and thoughtful gifts that make your loved ones feel extra special. Chop! Chop! Time is almost up. Need more ideas? Check gift guides from 2011. Happy Shopping!! Gifts for the Kids Geomag Young builders will …
The Sweetest Dreams Come to Life through the Nutcracker
GROWING up, I remember my mom dressing me up in a navy velvet Christmas dress to see the Nutcracker ballet. She even let me wear my tiara. I had no idea the effect the ballet would have on me. Sitting in the audience, I was overwhelmed by a dreamy feeling of Tchaikovsky’s music, the winter …
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O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are your branches!
SUNDAY is family day…the day before going back to work/school…the day we do everything together. This Sunday, it included picking out our Christmas tree. This annual holiday tradition conjures up many happy memories of picking out a real Christmas tree in years past. My children (six and four) are in the back seat singing the Vince …
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