Dream Trip: Napa Valley

When you have young children, the holidays are incredible. They are also incredibly exhausting. Right about now an “adults only” vacation sounds heavenly. I’ve been dreaming of a romantic trip to Napa for years and it just hasn’t fit in the schedule to date. Based on the places I have checked out online I have… read more

Gift Guide: Coffee Table Books

Well – hello! We are back online with plenty of good content ahead. I owe a hug debt of gratitude to my web designer Chris Carvache over at New Leaf Web Solutions for working double time this holiday season to get me up and running again. If you have tech issues or need a website designed… read more

Merry Merry!

  We’ve been in a major tech snafu over here. The writing of this blog is the easy part – but keeping it up and running is the tough part! That being said I have chosen to see the shutting down of my host GoDaddy as a message from the universe to take some time… read more

Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers for Her

I’m feeling a little behind over here on the Christmas front. With just 8 days to go until the big day I am busy scouring the internet for something special for each person on my list. We are hug fans of stockings in our home and that’s often where I receive my favorite gifts. The… read more

Farewell: John Anthony Pless Jr.

  My father-in-law passed away last Monday. He was a good man. A man who lived through some incredible and incredibly tough times. He loved life and his family fiercely. His health had been up and down for years but each time we almost lost him, he came back from the brink – making us… read more

Read: In The Shadow Of The Banyan

I was a little late to the game on this one. In the Shadow of the Banyan, by Vaddey Ratner, was an international best-seller back in 2012. I found it amongst the books left behind by the previous owners of our home and recalled hearing it was excellent. Excellent is an understatement. This book twisted my… read more

Inspiration In Between

It’s that moment. Right between Thanksgiving and Christmas we find ourselves in between. It’s not quite parka weather but there’s a chill in the air and a leaning towards cozying up by the fire. I’ve been layering up for cold mornings and warmer afternoons. Craving pie, warm drinks, and red wine. Here’s some inspiration for… read more

Great Movie: Spy

It’s the holidays people. Sadly that can mean some serious stress. The gifting, the cooking, the travel, the mess… I find that a good laugh is often the best remedy for all the mayhem and emotions that boil to the surface between Thanksgiving and Christmas. After a friend recommended my husband and I watch Spy,… read more