'Few Of My Favorite Things' - Damascus Ward Relief Society Christmas Social.

How blessed are we?

When you think of everything we have in our lives, be it, home, family, children, food, or 'favorite things', are we truly blessed? I, myself, will say, yes! Wholeheartedly.

Others may say, oh, heck no. My life sucks, I wish I had this or that, life hasn't dealt me good luck, etc... Etc.

Yet, we are alive. We have our health, our body. Some, however,  have ailing bodies and suffer illnesses, disabilities, etc. 

Now, when you think of 'favorite things' what is the first thing that comes to mind? Books, movies, TV shows, chocolate? Or...the famous song sung by Julie Andrews in  The Sound of Music? 

Well, besides that song and everything else I suggested, 'my favorite things' also means - my church women's, Relief Society Christmas social. And, that is what we had last night. A fun gathering of women, enjoying each other's company, having dinner and cake, talking about favorite things, and just having fun.

This, of course, takes hours, days, and months of planning for a couple hours of fun. But, it's worth it to see everyone enjoying themselves and getting to know each other better. Even if it's knowing someone loves, lemon chicken, lemon rice, sunny days, cloudy days, twirling, singing in the car, having friends, etc. etc. 

We decided this year to use brown paper sacks, filled with a star cookie cutter and a saying from an Etsy site called 'papertagged'. I used my Cricut to make the tags with a little difference and tied them to Christ. 

'For you are one of HIS favorite things.' Instead of 'These are a few of our favorite things.'

I went simple this time around, displaying a few of my fav things - Artwork I painted/drew, pictures, Welsh wool Blankets from home, my dad's cardigan, and slippers. (Today would have been his 82nd birthday today- he passed on the 5th Dec - two days before his birthday last year) The cardigan my mam got me for my 30th and last but not least British chocolate.

Sarah brought a picture of the Temple, Kim brought a statue of Christ, Becky brought her nativity

I had sisters, including myself, make/buy cakes for our table centers which were our desserts.

Sarah made German Chocolate Bundt

Kim got a gluten-free Bundt cake

I did a Boston cream with Ferrero Rocher

Annika made a peppermint cake

Shauna made a lemon cake!

I must say a huge thank you to all the wonderful ladies who helped me set up, Sarah, Annika, Narce, Eunice, and all the sisters who helped clear away afterward.

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Seren Turns 7!

A month of birthdays is what March means to me :)

And this past week Seren celebrated her 7th birthday!

Again - Time has flown by just look how cute Seren is here aged 3! and is STILL just as cute now :)

Seren Choose Frozen as her theme too :) which made it easier for me as Carys went with the same theme - with a little help from me suggesting it ;)

The birthday girls chair.

Snowflake wands 

You can find all the links to how or where I got all my 'stuff' from to make the wands, tulle bench 

skirt, where I got the cake idea from etc on Carys' Frozen birthday blog post HERE

This time round I went with the jello in little pots :)

Thank you gifts bags

Snowflake Homemade Slime

Anna and Elsa making sure everything was in order for the perfect 

FROZEN  PARTY

SEE CHEESE EVERYONE

We also did Face painting  like we did for Carys' party 

Time for CAKE

Time for presents

Happy Birthday to our sweet 7 year old Seren

and of course Carys who also turned 5 on the 14th

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Memorial Cake

Yesterday was Memorial Day. 

This at a federal Holiday, in which American's remember all the Men & Women who have died while serving their Country.

Being of Welsh Birth, but now an American citizen, I don't have a grave to visit and place flowers upon. But we do have Rememberence Day

But, I did have family that served in the British Army and I remember them as well as all the US soldiers; men & women on this Memorial Day.

But for dinner, we did the usual burgers, hot dogs and lots of fixings on the side (of coarse all homemade)

And for dessert, a patriotic

Red, White & Blue

MEMORIAL CAKE

INGREDIENTS

Boxed White Cake

Marshmallow Fluff

2 Pkts (8oz) Cream Cheese

1/2 Cup heavy Cream, whipped

Raspberries

Blueberries

Powdered Sugar

Bake Cake as per instructions on the box. Allow to Cool completely.

Wash Fruit and allow to dry on some kitchen towel

Whisk Cream Cheese until smooth & the whipped Heavy cream and whisk.

Add 1 tablespoon of powdered Sugar

Add 1 full Cup of Marshmallow Fluff

MIX WELL. Pop in the fridge until ready to decorate the cake.

 Cake, spread the frosting all over, raspberries around the edge, blueberries in the center.

Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar

Light, fluffy and moist, with the sweetness and tartness from the fruit, makes a wonderful dessert.

Drizzle with some homemade fruit syrup.

Memolicious!!

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Happy Valentines Day

A 

HAPPY

VALENTINES DAY.

Today is a day in which most of us send a card or hopefully receive a card/ gift / chocolates/ flowers etc from a loved one and for those who don't - don't fret because we are all loved.

If we share a simple smile and hello to someone in passing, that might just make their day. If you have a spare minute, send someone you know a text saying you love them and are grateful they are in your life.

Valentines Days is all about LOVE and Sharing that love.

Mmmm -- Yummy Treats and flowers!

From the man in my life, whom I love with all my heart

Oh, and the big box of chocolates is mine, all mine muah!!!! LOL

 My hubby eats the desserts I made for today!!

Delish!

Seren's turn to try some.

And me, says Carys! Notice she already has 2!!

It's nummy, mammy, it's nummy!

Seren devoured the cupcake!!

So let today not be all about how big a gift we get or if you have a huge date planned, let it be about sharing love with the ones you love xxx

Have a Happy Valentines Day to you all.

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