I am so thankful to be spending time with friends and family over this holiday weekend. 2014 has been an amazing year and I’m looking forward to all the possibilities that 2015 brings!
Archives for December 2014
Merry Christmas!
Every year The Renaissance Man’s Grandparents send us a beautiful Christmas wreath. The wreath arrives late in November and it always prompts me to start decorating for the holidays!
I store the wreath hanger with the rest of our Christmas decorations in bins up on high shelves in our garage. When the wreath arrives, The Renaissance Man and I work together taking down the bins and I quickly locate the wreath hanger. Christmas starts almost immediately!
Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies for Santa
Everyone knows to put out milk and cookies for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, but if you want to leave him something extra special…I’ve got just the recipe for you!
You may remember that back in November I was invited to do an olive oil tasting out at the Oregon Olive Mill. As part of that event, we explored olive oil through food pairings. One of the pairings that I was most impressed with were the Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies sprinkled with Jacobsen Sea Salt. They were absolutely divine, sure to impressed dear ole’ Santa Claus!
Below you’ll find the recipe and pictures of the process, enjoy!
Is that Santa riding a Brush Rig?
Have I mentioned that I love living in a small town? Ha! I may have mentioned it a time or two…or three…
Last Monday evening we celebrated the season with the Annual Dundee Fire Department Holiday Parade. It was the perfect opportunity to make some hot cocoa, bundle up nice and warm, stand on the sidewalk, and take in the sights! Around 6:30pm, I could just hear the faint sound of sirens so I quickly ventured up to SW Dogwood Drive to take in the parade.
Holiday Shopping at Rain Dance Marketplace
Shopping for holiday gifts can be so much fun! Especially if you keep things local.
This year we decided to purchase gifts that showcase our new home town and the bounty of the Willamette Valley. With that in mind, it gave me an excuse to go exploring places that I haven’t had a chance to visit. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about the Rain Dance Marketplace, so last Saturday we made a point to drive out OR219 to find the “Red Barn!”
First Friday ARTwalk ~ Christmas is Here!
It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just TEN short days away!? Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
I am so thankful I was able to make it to the First Friday ARTwalk in Newberg on December 5th, it was just what I needed to get into the holiday spirit. With caroling, Santa Claus, tons of little kids, and a grand Christmas tree, the ARTwalk was the perfect way to kick-off the weekend!
I learned that this year’s tree lighting marked 30 years of celebrating Santa in Newberg! It was great to see so many families out and about enjoying the ARTwalk and the Chehalem Cultural Center.
Birthday Surprise: Planting Raspberries
Earlier this summer I posted one of my very favorite recipes for raspberry pie! I grew up with a backyard full of fruit trees and berries with a Dad who tended to them like prize possessions, so it’s no wonder that I have such a love of fruit. Summers meant running around the backyard barefoot noshing on all of the fresh fruit I could get my little hands on.
Raspberries are my go-to berry because they’re delicate in nature and can be both sweet and tart. My parents have several healthy raspberry plants in their backyard, and for my 30th Birthday they gifted me enough raspberry starts to get one full row in our backyard.
I have such sneaky parents…they gave me both a gift and a ton of work! ha! Welcome to your thirties Kristen!
#WineWednesday ~ Anne Amie Vineyards
Back in November, we spent a lovely day wine tasting with some friends and family visiting from the East Coast. The Renaissance Man and I love hosting people in Wine Country because the possibilities are endless when it comes to showing people a good time. The Willamette Valley has so much to offer!
{Sunday Sunrise} Snapshots from Dundee
There really is something to be said about catching the sunrise. I am so thankful that our little home in Dundee looks out over the valley and that we can see the tippy-top of Mt. Jefferson peaking out from behind the Cascade Mountain Range.
Mt. Jefferson is always there keeping watch for us and I’m sure this morning’s sunrise took his breath away.
Thanksgiving Day Recap & Turkey Broth
It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving was over a week ago!? Time flies, especially this time of year! We had a lovely time with family and friends celebrating on Friday. It was our first time hosting a big holiday and I think we did a pretty good job pulling everything together. My Mom was a huge help when it came to logistics…she’s hosted a few Thanksgivings over the years and was a valuable resource. She even let me borrow some table linens for the event!
