Sometimes I fancy myself a confectionist

I watched The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe again a few days ago. It reminded me of my taste for Turkish Delight and all its confection sugary goodness.

The first time I saw this movie I went all in and tried to make the candy myself. And I've found that the process of making candy is usually far less attractive than the candy itself.

When I was finished I gave a piece to a very skeptical Lily who reluctantly took a pea sized bite. I'm ashamed to say, I couldn't bring myself to eat a single one. Finally after letting it sit in a plastic container on my kitchen counter for a month I ended up throwing out the entire batch.

My biggest mistake was when I mixed the ingredients while the sugar simmered which somehow created hundreds of little lumps. I didn't get take any pictures at the time but imagine a jelly like substance riddled with pimply little tumors. NOT the most appetizing thought. Second, I greased the pan so heavily that the candy was coated in a disgusting oil.

So I pose this to you. Those brave enough to have tried their hand at the candy making, TELL ME, how to do Turkish Delight sans lumps AND without jelly sticking to the pan.

And where in the "h-e-double hockey sticks" do you buy rose water?!

OMG!! The most beautiful shoes I've ever seen!

These are the most beautiful shoes I've ever seen. Notice the bee? The thorny heels are 18 karat gold and the silk petals are hand-dyed. The bee is made of gold, onyx and agate. Now, I'm off to acquire the $27,945 to call them mine........yah, that comma is in front of the 9 not the 7.

Photoshoot Epiphanies

I am totally loving the new Crewcuts shots. I wish I could have been creative enough to come up with this idea on my own but I might have to settle for copying them. With winter and temperatures in the 20s this is such a GREAT indoor idea.

Now, I'm not a neat freak but even I think this is gross....

This is what Brian lovingly leaves behind for me in the mornings. I think I feel my breakfast coming up.

*Lily's cute quote of the day:
"MOMMY, did you know that there's an earth called Pluto?!"

Sometimes she surprises you....

My daughter Lily (like probably many of your daughters) needs my attention at all times. When I'm in the middle of an important task she seems to need me the most. Today, she decided that she wanted to wrap Christmas gifts for her best friend Gracie. It turned out to be quite an ordeal.

First she needed me to get the wrapping paper down from the attic. Next she needed scissors and tape. Then she couldn't figure out how to wrap the paper. And when she accidentally tore it, all hell broke loose.

This was while I was frantically searching for my cell phone under chairs, inside drawers, inside purses, out in cars.

The last thing she needed were bows. But they couldn't be just any bows they had to be sticky. So, after searching our attic for those, I managed to find two. Just enough for her two presents. End of story? Well, almost. Soon after, she meekly sidled up to my leg and troubled me with yet another bow request. I had reached my wits end. But she assured me that it was for a present both she and Molly would really love.

The only bow I had left had come apart and had to be re-folded and stapled. FINALLY, after searching for the stapler (and extra staples because....of course....it was empty) I handed it to her, admittedly annoyed.

She took the bow and placed it on my hand, looked up at me and smiled. "You mommy," she said. "You're my present."

I was humbled. She can really surprise you sometimes.

That being said....this morning she climbed into my bed and told me, "Something stinks....oh yeah, that's because you're beside me."

Ooo La La

I don't know what it is lately, but I've had a hankering for a rotary phone. I love their color, their feel, the clunky sound they make when you hang them up, the tangible noise they make when they ring. I want one in every color and I want to take a million pictures of them and have one to match every room of my house.

Watching Life on Mars has made me homesick for my own rotary phone of my childhood. It was yellow and hung on the wall. It was made of bakelite thermoplastic and had some weight to it. We had it from the day I was born to my senior year in high school.

So, I guess I'm just feeling a little nostalgic for a simpler time. A time when you had to stay within a 3 foot radius to talk to someone. A time when you couldn't be reached if you weren't at home and the only channels to choose from were ABC, CBS and PBS. (remember how NBC never came in very well on rabbit ears). Then I remember iced cafe lattes, HD picture and the whole internet 'thing' and I realize that I could never go back. But still....they really look really yummy don't they?

Mid-Season Premiere TV Roundup

All you Lost Fans out there, get ready. I've seen various previews and I'm getting so excited for January. Not only will Lost be returning but Battlestar Galactica AND my new favorite Life on Mars. I don't know who invented the new "Mid-Season" finale but "Life on Mars's" was AMAZING!! I have it saved on my DVR and refuse to erase it. Although it could technically be considered a 'cop drama' it has a very sci-fi 'Losty' feel at times. If you aren't watching you should! I think its ratings are sort of so-so and these next couple months will determine whether it has a future or not. I was a bit skeptical at first but after last week's episode, I have to say, Jason O'Mara is the PERFECT Sam Tyler. In case you don't know the premise, Sam is mysteriously stuck in 1973. That's him in the finale being shot by the father who abandoned him 35 years ago.......he plays 'damaged' so well.