Friday, November 29, 2019

A Thrill of Hope


Christmas isn't about gifts and vacation and travel aren't just about the shops and shows. 

It's with a thrill of hope when luggage is packed with the promise of adventure ...


... it's the journey, the laughs, the smiles and the whole experience.

We couldn't wait to get into the mountains. The sun was shining, the sky was blue and those winding roads with magnificent mountains on each side, that's where I wanted to be.

Beauty surrounded us. 

Lighthearted and relaxed, my daughter pointed for me to look at the ash on top of the mountains. I laughed and told her that was snow, snow-capped mountains. We laughed, but to give her credit, it did look like a dusting of ash.

Driving through tunnels in the mountains, we played the game we always do, and we held our breath. The goal is to make it through the tunnel without breathing. 

Enjoying the countryside, the crystal clear waters of the rocky rivers that ran along side the mountains, seeing different homes, lifestyles and cultures. Just talking, laughing, and sharing.

The gasp of seeing something breathtaking and beautiful, the laughter of the ridiculous, the smile of this Momma when my little girl said she was sleepy and asked if I was okay driving while she sleeps.

This Momma is always okay, sleep well. This Momma also enjoys the quiet and am perfectly happy and content driving and taking in the views in the quiet of a vehicle surrounded by mountains and sunshine.

Driving home we planned to leave a bit early on Wednesday due to the high volume of traffic the day before Thanksgiving. I wanted to be through the winding mountains, before traffic and before it got dark. We successfully made it home with no traffic delays in 8 hours with 2 stops. 

Sunny & 73 degrees in West Virginia, it felt incredible to crack the windows for fresh air and the sun was hot on my skin. 

A thrill of hope for the trip, happy to get home to her babies, it wasn't about the shows and stores, "Maybe travel, ... perhaps ... means a little bit more!'"








Thursday, November 28, 2019

A Thanksgiving 1st


A full afternoon of cooking and the kitchen is clean. Leftovers split, packet up and sent home with my girls (I'm not big on Thanksgiving leftovers) and I'm ready for cold med's and going to bed.

I always say, "I love you ... you're my best friend ... you are beautiful & perfect ... I'm so happy to see you ... I missed you ... " etc to Sofia. Words of affirmations are one of my love languages and believe me, I lavishly cover her affirming her worth and my love.  

Tonight as I was putting her in car seat as they were leaving Sofia said, "I love you, Gamma!" 

Hearing her sweet little words, was magical to this Grandmomma's ears.

What a wonderful Thanksgiving 1st.



Quintessential Christmas


Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is completely lit up for a quintessential Christmas. 

With so much to do, my daughter and I were on the same page sticking with quaint shops in Gatlinburg and hands-down preferred Historical Pigeon Forge. 

My most favorite store is the Savannah Bee Company with everything honey, I was in heaven. I feel I should open a location where I live. 



We ate at the Pancake Pantry, a must do for Mariah. She & Jeremy ate here as on of their stops on their 3-week honeymoon and it was worth the themed pancakes they offered. The line was wrapped around the building and I for one am not a wait-in-line person. 

We took our number, 61, and at about 10 minutes waiting a woman came up and asked our number. We cut ahead of at least 100+ people waiting to get in to eat, because we were a party of two. Yayyy, us! 


Nestled behind the Pancake Pantry was a little village of shops and the Donut Friar, which made Southern Living magazine as the best donuts, so of course we stopped. 



An absolute must see and do is the Hatfields & McCoys Christmas Disaster dinner theater! We were looking forward to an evening of comedy and music and it was so much more. We laughed out loud the entire evening as they integrated comedy, music and foot stompin' dancing into a show about the historical Hatfield & McCoy family feud. It was a funny and heart-warming show that ended in the true meaning of Christmas. 

Pa Hatfield shared the true meaning of Christmas and one of the cast stepped up and bellowed O Holy Night. When she came to, "and the soul felt it's worth" ... I was most grateful for my print I just bought. It was powerful.


The food, amazing and sweet tea is plentiful. 



After the show, we went back into Gatlinburg for the Christmas lights and decided to take the sky lift.


On top of that mighty mountain was a Christmas village like no other and completely unexpected. We perused the shops with grateful hearts we found this hidden treasure. Hallmark should seriously consider this destination for a Christmas movie!


What goes up, must come down. That meant us, too. 

This ski lift had a simple bar that pulled over the lap to keep you in your seat suspended at least 100 ft in the air above the ground. Tall mountain + high off the ground, look how far we had to take it down this mountain into the heart of Gatlinburg. Sunny & 55-60 during the day and 30's at night, this steal bar was pretty cold on my death grip. 


It was beautiful. Everything was beautiful. From the cabin, to the mountains, to the Christmas lights, quaint village shops, all of our senses were set on extraordinary for days.

This trip was a perfectly planned segue coming home to Thanksgiving and the Christmas season. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is on, I'm going to take my time cooking, and can't wait for my babies to walk through the door. 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!








Wednesday, November 27, 2019

A Momma & Daughter Smoky Mountain Holiday


The extraordinary happens when something far exceeds your expectations and this cabin and our vacation was just that.

There's so much to share and I'm going to do it over several posts, because it's still hard for me to believe all we accomplished and experienced in a few days still with plenty of downtime for real relaxation.

First, I will say that beautiful mountain made me grateful I own a Jeep, simply to get up and down steep and winding one lane paths with no guardrails, the only light on the mountain was the moon light, and some pretty significant straight-down drops. Our cabin (one of probably 50) had the best view. That wasn't by chance, I sincerely prayed for a great cabin. 


The nature and beauty of this mountain was more than I expected. From waking up and relaxing on the porch ...


... 

... to the jacuzzi at night, we never got tired of the view.



We pretty much kept a constant fire in the fireplace that made the cabin warm and toasty.


Of course, I brought my new favorite coffee mugs. Hot coffee, hot tea, hot chocolate, every detail counts when planning. 


This Smoky Mountain getaway was sensory overload. The sights, the sounds, the scents, all the feels, and oh my gosh, the food we had.

The South is famous for sweet tea, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, bbq, pancakes, fudge, grits, and now I know they are all about creamy [vegetable] soup. It's everywhere. I need to detox. 

We ate out a lot, but I wanted my Mariah to wake up to the aroma of a country breakfast. That's the way it's supposed to be when your in the mountains. I would wake up, turn on the fireplace, put on a pot of coffee, open the windows to take in the view, then make breakfast. 

Mariah, a young momma, enjoyed sleeping through the night. I wanted her to rest and be unrushed, just taking care of her. 


One of the mornings, after breakfast we decided to stay in our pajamas and watch the movie, The Holiday. The cast is well-chosen and the dialogue... so beautifully and powerfully written. It's exhilarating and reminding and I forgot how much I love it.    


It felt good to be in this perfect cabin with so much to do in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge; yet, relaxing was also a big deal to both of us. Spending time at the cabin on that mountain is where rest came. 

I seriously fell in love with this tub and this cast iron pitcher!! This tub, a bath bomb, and homemade Mountain Berry soap, became a morning, afternoon, and sometimes an evening retreat. 

My next house is going to have this tub and I'm looking for this pitcher. No, it's not sensational, but when your in a deep tub of hot water, this cabinesque & rustic pitcher belongs here and just feels right in my hand pouring the perfect amount of water. I've never been a "bath" person, always preferring showers, until now. 


I found this cabin journal and as I flipped through the pages of guests before us, it was fun to read their stories and comments on who they are, why they came here, and what they loved best.


I loved all of it. 

Finding my pen, I sat down and wrote our names and our story/experience at the cabin. 

Dawn + Mariah
A Momma & Daughter Smoky Mountain Holiday

I can't wait to share more tomorrow.














Saturday, November 23, 2019

A Smoky Mountains Holiday


Country roads, take me home to the place I belong
in the Smoky Mountains, mountain mamma, take me home, 
country roads

I made a list of what I want this Christmas to look like. New places, new adventures, how I want it to feel, and to kick off the season I only want to be in the mighty Smoky Mountains of Tennessee in a picturesque log cabin, unplugged.

Our beautiful cabin comes all-inclusive with an outdoor jacuzzi on the back porch overlooking the mountains, with a large indoor fireplace, and a large soaking tub in the bedroom. My Mariah and I are taking this trip together and I can't wait to wake up early, put a pot of coffee, and have her wake up smelling the aroma of a country breakfast after getting a full nights sleep.

My Comfy & Warm mugs are coming, too. I'm thinking a good book, a cup of hot tea in front of a fireplace.

Quaint shops in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to take in the romance of Christmas, it's the fresh country air, the picturesque views, and winding mountains that I crave.

My grandmother lived in the mountains and she never did leave. She loved it. Perhaps, one day, I will get my family to relocate together where the views are breathtaking, to live where there is a lot more nature, and life is a little bit slower.

We come home to Thanksgiving. The turkey and dinner is bought and I will be ready to wake up Thursday morning, enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade on television, spend the day cooking and prepare for my babies and grandbabies to come over for dinner together.

Tomorrow begins a much needed vacation and I am breathless with excitement to load up, pull out of town to destination, the Smoky Mountains.




Wednesday, November 20, 2019

I Stood There Smiling


Okay, you know in the movies, when a woman is innocently standing in the window in the evening, looks over and the apartment across the way has the lights on and they see a guy naked, so they stand there and just watch?

This is real.

I come home from work late tonight and walk across the house to close the verticals in the living room... and pause. The guy that lives behind my parents house does not have curtains or window coverings and every light is on in his condo. The back of his condo faces the back of my parents condo [Yes, I'm still here and am staying here while they are snowbirds in Florida all winter]. 

I confess, I pause for a second. Does he really not have window coverings? It's late and with it being dark out there is full view to his house. For the record, I am not a nosy person. Quite honestly, I don't care what you have, I was more curious. I may have stood there for 10 seconds, when he walked up to his living room window. He was NAKED! What?! 

When I come home from work, I have a routine. I close the windows in the living room, then my room. So, I go into my bedroom to close the windows, when I see him walk through his room into the bathroom buck naked. Listen, you don't prance around naked at night with all the lights on and no window coverings unless you want to be seen.

Nice butt. Nice body! This guy is a health nut and does yoga on his patio, I've seen him out there a lot this summer. My mom had one recommendation when I moved in, "Don't fall for the guy behind their condo." He's single, but pretty certain he's an obsessive cleaner. He washes his satellite dish on the roof of his house too often and I did see him sweep the little bit of snow that was on his patio off the other day. An extreme perfectionist.

I know, okay, back to the window... Perhaps, I stood there for a bit [2-3 minutes] curious. He is in and out of the bathroom and going room to room. It's also been a long time since I've seen a man naked. 

Realizing I was smiling, I felt like a creeper and closed the blinds. 

It's dark at 5 o'clock now and now I know the neighbor prances around naked. This is going to be a long winter. 










Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Sweet Dreams


Being a tea lover, unsweetened iced tea for it's cold refreshing taste, sweet tea a special treat with sugar added, varieties of hot tea from Tea Co. businesses in countless flavors, to my newfound favorite, Sweet Dreams.

Hot tea is a comfort beverage and wanting to pick up a box of caffeine-free tea so I can enjoy a hot cup in the evening, I found this. 

Chamomile and soothing mint, it hit me that I've slept fantastic since I began drinking this in the evenings. 

A comfort evening beverage and a good nights sleep, I find I look forward to a great mug with comfort tea as part of evening routine.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

And the Soul Felt It's Worth


Always up for a road trip and an adventure, one of my favorite things to do is find new places and experience new things. I had learned of a Christmas open house and popping the destination in my navigation system, I had no idea where it was and that made it all the more better.

Road trips, adventure, new places, a fabulous new mug, because coffee & tea bring me comfort & joy, creates the setting for an ordinary day turned extraordinary.

In the midst of the Christmas open house I saw an old fashioned house, turned gift shop and I went inside. It was one of those moments where everything was so beautiful that I was taking in the detail from room to room. Walking from one room to the next thinking to myself, who put this together? Bows and congratulations, beautifully done!

That's when I saw the print in a frame, And the soul felt it's worth and I stopped in my tracks just staring at it. So subtle, yet so powerful.

Not the mind or the heart that can be so fickle, but the soul, the spiritual principle and very essence of your being, the soul felt it's worth.

The shop was closing and I wanted to see the rest of the house. Let's just say, if it were a bed & breakfast, I would make a reservation, I wanted to stay.

Next door was an ice cream parlor, it's been a while since I've had ice cream and I went inside. Toasted Coconut w/chocolate shavings?! Honestly, it was the best ice cream I think I've ever had.

That print framed so simple and beautiful, I wish I would have bought it. The ice cream, amazing!

I'm going back this week.

I'm going to buy the picture, take my time in that beautiful house, stroll through room after room, and bring home some ice cream.

The perks of having a work schedule that is all over the place is that days off during the week are by far my favorite. Weekends are chaotic with traffic and hustle-n-bustle and honestly, people are crazy, and chaos drains me. Give me peace & quiet, the simple things that matter, and little traffic.

My road trip today far exceeded my expectations.

O holy night the stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior's birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn
Fall on your knees
O hear the angels' voices
O night divine
O night when Christ was born
O night divine o night
O night divine

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Rowan's Christmas Stocking


I shared with Brooke this morning that I started Rowan's Christmas stocking a couple weeks ago and when I can, I sit down and work a couple hours at at time on it.

Let's just say, I'm on step 11 of 89. Sofia's stocking took me 50 hours to make, but it's worth it. Wait till you see it complete. The photo is my current situation.

I turn on Christmas movies and cut, thread, stuff and sequence each individual piece. I think of him and pray for him as I am making this and wonder all the years he will find joy when his Christmas stocking is hung.

When I was sharing with Brooke how far I still need to go with this, she said something that I never thought about. She said, "Thank you for making my stocking when the doctors told you I wasn't going to make it." 

Brooke was born premature and sick. When I delivered her, my doctor cancelled my tubal the next day and said he wouldn't tie my tubes, that my baby is very sick and most likely wouldn't make it, and that I was too young (29 yrs) to not be able to have another baby. He told me to prepare myself.

I pulled the rocking chair up to her incubator in NICU and I spent 9 days and 20 hours total making her Christmas stocking and praying. 

Rowan is 5 months old and won't know what it is now, but every year at Christmas his stocking will be hung next to his big sister's as the excitement and magic of Christmas fills his little heart. 

I love you, Rowan. 

xo








Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Underestimate Me


We had our monthly conference call with all 150 locations this afternoon and I got two shout outs on the call!

The first was the top sales people for holiday events across the country, only 8 names were listed and I saw my name on the webinar and it was announced over the call, then ...  

They ended the webinar talking about gratitude with several slides talking about the importance of gratitude and opened it up across the country for whomever to speak up and share what/who they are grateful for. It was cool to hear others from Arizona, Colorado, Texas, jump on the call and comment. 

About 15 people jumped in and made comments and I was stunned when I heard the Marketing guy from corporate (Virginia) jump on the call and say he is grateful for Dawn [me] at X location. That they underestimated me when they came on as the new management company at the beginning of this year, but that with this year I far exceeded their expectations and my sales carried the loss in our other division. 

Honestly, I was so shocked and honored that he was so thoughtful to acknowledge me. 

I think people are tired of hearing my name. My name is shared on many calls and I've made every corporate-wide competition they've had. 

When I smiled sweetly and asked who's the best salesperson here in Orlando last March, they underestimated me. That's where the fun begins!


















Miss Understood


When my daughter, Mariah, was 2 years old she had done something and was in trouble. Papa, quick to defend his granddaughter, reminded me she was 2 years old and that I should reason with her.

I vividly remember my shock and thinking, perhaps even saying, "Who are you?! You are not the same person who raised me!" He may have laughed. It's just different when you are a grandparent.

Let's just say, it's come full circle.

This is a photo a couple weeks ago I captured when little Miss had an attitude. She is stomping to her room as a public display of not being pleased. I'm laughing, it really is the cutest thing ever. She stomped into my room, put on her sunglasses and sat down hard in her plush chair and clearly is not happy. She was probably further aggravated I was laughing at the familiarity of it all.

Oh, my sweet Sofia, I know all too well. xo


Yesterday's visit started off exciting when I walked in with cake and loaf cakes.


It's a good time to eat the icing off 2 pieces of cake, then lick the loaf cakes to see what she likes best. I love her eyes that light up in happiness and her excitement of all things new.

I cannot even remember what triggered unhappiness, it may have been when I was holding brother who happens to always be happy ...


... that she stomped down the hall into her room and shut the door pretty good. My Mariah just shook her head. That's when I shared a piece of valuable insight.

[Flashback to 22 years earlier and my dad telling me to reason with my 2 year old] "Sis, you were a door slammer, too." She didn't remember that, but both my girls were stomping to their bedrooms and door slammers from toddler years through teen years. I shared with her the best thing about it is, I didn't even care. I was glad you were behind your bedroom door and out of my sight.

When there's attitude, separate space is good. Two years old's get frustrated, too. If stomping down the hall to remove yourself from what is making you unhappy, enjoy your room. Cool off.

Sofia is two years old, she gets over things very quickly. Allow her to have her personal boundaries and self expression. Enjoy your few minutes of peace and solitude.















Tuesday, November 12, 2019

A Hallmark Worthy Coat


In Hallmark movies, the main actors clothing are combinations of reds, greens and whites. Heart-warming movies with bright and festive clothing.

Thanks to Hallmark and my upcoming vacation in the mountains, I was in search of a red winter coat. I'm a consignment shopper and I found the most fabulous red wrap belted coat (almost identical to the photo), then was thrilled to see the sales tag read $18! Checking out, the clerk pointed out the coat still has it's original sales tags on it, meaning it is also brand new and someone originally paid $140 and never wore it. Yayyy me!

That's because it was meant for me. Me and my pretty new gloves I put on today and realized driving they match my favorite scarf perfectly. 

It is a Hallmark worthy combination and perfect for my upcoming cabin vacation in the mountains.




Hello Winter


Waking up this morning I smiled. A deep freeze was hitting last night bringing the first snowfall and I couldn't wait to see it. Jumping out of bed, I ran to the window. Everything is white.

Hello winter.

A day off work, an arctic freeze, a pot of coffee, and pretty new gloves should I venture to go outside.


Sunday, November 10, 2019

No Longer a Teen


Happy 20th birthday, Brooke! I cannot believe my baby is 20 years old. 

Two and through, we successfully made it through the teen years with no teenage pregnancies. I say that in jest, but raise a couple of teenagers in this day and age, I'm incredibly grateful the teen years are behind us. 

Brooke & I spent the morning together going to a beautiful Christmas open house with hot chocolate and Christmas cookies and went to lunch. She loves steak and a Ribeye at Longhorn, with a quick happy birthday song from the servers, the steak was pretty delicious and her birthday lunch enjoyable.

Brooke loves to buy presents for me that are sentimental and tear-jerkers. Happy tears to her equal success. For her birthday, along with other gifts, I had all her wedding photos printed and put them in a beautiful photo album to present to her and Alex. I wasn't going for happy tears, but I certainly got that reaction. 

Family together, we celebrated both Brooke & Alex's birthdays as they are 4 days apart. I saw pretty cakes at the store, but they are so commercial and there is something about homemade that I swear just tastes better. So, I made a homemade chocolate cake with cool whip frosting and crumbled Reese's Cups on top. It really was yummy. With my beautiful, little princess helper, we lit the cake (Well, I was lighting the cake, she was swooping her fingers in the Cool Whip and picking Reese's chunks and eating them) filled with candles for both their ages total and wished them a happy birthday.


Happy birthday, Brookie, you are no longer a teen!












Warm & Cozy


My day trip to Amish country became a serendipitous adventure of fabulous shops, Christmas decor galore, an incredible Amish lunch, a fabulous theater new find and tour, and two great mugs. 

In my mind, I was wanting large red mugs. Warm & cozy is a wonderful winter theme and I when got home to blog about my adventure, I saw that I had just written that morning I wanted warm & cozy and I jumped up and ran to my mugs, and that is exactly what is on them. They are perfect, like a special gift from God that is exactly where I was supposed to be. 

In a Keurig world, I prefer the comforts of a real pot of coffee and great mugs. 













Monday, November 4, 2019

The Magic of Christmas


I'm lost in the magic of Christmas. Thank you, Hallmark Channel, for the warm & cozy movies.

Last year as I was deciding what new color theme and decor I wanted after so many years, I decided on deep reds with bone colored and rustic accents.. With so many color themes available, traditional is timeless. 

I've seen so many other color themes that are simply beautiful and there really is something for everyone. 

It's the simpler moments I want and today I am in pursuit of the perfect Christmas coffee mugs. Destination, Amish country. 

I want to enjoy time and conversations with coffee, hot cocoa w/ peppermint sticks, and hot spiced cider w/cinnamon sticks with my girls and friends over these mugs. This whole Christmas season I want to have baked cookies and baked cakes readily available for family and friends because sharing a beverage and dessert warms the heart. Last night I baked a family favorite, banana cake with real bananas and cream cheese icing. 

Date days with my daughters, just the three of us together, is always special. Last weekend started off going to a Christmas Open House at a beautiful, local landscaping business, turned quite the Christmas shop in the last few years. They put on stunning Christmas displays with Christmas music in the back ground and a table with Christmas cookies & always some sort of Christmas punch. Beautifully done and my compliments. 

When I spotted the Grinch and Cindy Loo Hoo, I told my girls I wanted their pictures with them, and they replied, "No way!" Well, no way until the Grinch snuck up behind them and photo boomed them in a photo and after much laughter, they readily agreed to pose and the moment was captured ...


After a stop at another local arts & crafts show, we found ourselves in a cozy coffee shop sipping drinks with a bite to eat. These are the moments I love and between work schedules and babies, a few hours away together is enjoyable.

Preferring and seeing the beauty in simpler things, that's where the magic happens. It's in the moments and memories that warm the heart.