I ♥ Faces

This is the face that I love!

My Dahlia - the little girl who made me a mommy, more than five years ago.

And makes me so happy!

This picture was taken 2 days ago, just before we started putting away our Christmas decor.

It's the one year anniversary over at the iheartfaces site. And this week's photo challenge is - pick your favorite face. Well, that was easy. Hop over and check out all the other entries. They have an amazing group of judges for their birthday celebration.

Recipes on Monday

See that solo chocolate ball on the little white dish?

That......is a truffle!

Or as close to heaven as I can imagine.

I've had a few people asking for the recipe and I thought I would post it as the first submission in Colleen's Monday recipe challenge, over at her Crazy Eight blog.

This chocolate truffle is part of my Christmas desserts that I have prepared every year since we began our home. It's the easiest recipe imaginable....but so delish!

Chocolate Truffles

• 
  
  8 squares (1 oz. each) semisweet chocolate
• 
  
  1/4 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
• 
  
  3 Tbs. butter


• 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten (yes, raw....see how old this recipe is?)


• 1 Tbs. brandy (ok....a lot more than that....'k?)


• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In top of a double broiler over hot, not boiling water, melt 6 squares chocolate with sugar and butter. Remove from heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into slightly beaten egg yolks; add yolds to chocolate mixture, stirring well. Blend in brandy. ( I sometimes mix it up and add Ameretto and then toss with crushed almond powder or Mint Liquer and toss with icing sugar.)

Chill without stirring for 1 or 2 hours until firm.

Finely grate remaining 2 squares of chocolate; stir in cinnamon. Shape chocolate into 1-inch balls; roll in grated mix until well coated. store in refridgerator. Makes about 20. (And just in case you wanted to know, they're about 85 calories each - but I try not to think about that.....and succeed very well, thank you very much.)

Tip: don't waste your time making only 20. (Twenty?!?.....that's a snack....there'd be none left for company.) Triple this baby.....at least. They freeze well. (Translation: edible any old time.)

Enjoy!

Ode to feet.....

....not really...it just sounded good!

Take a guess what this is.

A mouse? (No, I wouldn't advertise that....:o )

Try again.
Still not sure?

It's Zizi's paw (or foot - thus the title).

Bedtime rituals in the bathroom with Dahlia were always something shared with the company of her beloved cat -Zizi. But since Milana's arrival, we've had to close the door so the light won't wake her up and most nights we forget to invite Zizi in before we close the door.

So......what's a cat to do?


Well.....at least now she feels somewhat included.



Then the other day I heard clomping on the hardwood floor in the loft. But my brain did not compute. Dahlia was in school, Danny doesn't clomp and Zizi is a quiet little thing, she is.



I turn the corner to investigate and look what I see. The kid is still wobbly on her feet but oh......it's started already. Get the girl some high heels.

She's raring to go!

Yes, they're backwards but.......

they ARE high heels.

Outta my way!
I've got things to do, places to go and people to see.
Hmmm....let's see what else I can get into while sissy's in school.
Happy Friday everyone!

Wordless Wednesday

2009.....quite a year!

Mommy.....did Santa come?

Zizi's job on Christmas Eve? = Watch for Santa!

Looks like someone was sleeping on the job!

Dahlia slept in our bed on Christmas eve, as our guests arrived a day early (yah!)

So her bedroom became the guest room.

This is Christmas morning.
Dahlia showing Milana how to slide on her bum. (So much faster, girl!)


Excited? Who....me?

Santa wrote Dahlia a letter, like every year.

Now, here is where I should have a million pictures of the kiddies ripping into their prezzies. No, I cannot join in that fun and hold a camera still too. So....I opted for the fun (and mayhem). With the addition of a 22 month old boy (my neices son) the joy and craziness factor augmented
big-time so I just tagged along for the ride.

Dahlia's two kitties. Zizi, of course and her newest - Miette - from the Three Muskateers. Interestingly, it was the only thing Dahlia kept asking for. Other than the 2009 Barbie doll which she said looked like me (yeah...I wish), that's all she wanted. She got a bit more but we did not go crazy this year.


No, really!

Time to get a bit of fresh air. Mom is waiting but maybe I'll tinkle the ivories first........

Are you coming?

Hmmm....Mom say's - good thing I'm cute!

And just to keep it real.......I present our very messy (but funfilled) family room.

....with their little cousin

...and cutie-petutie on her zebra.

...and my model....performing beautifully except for....

.....wardrobe?.......

....anybody?

See this sweet dress? It was Dahlia's back in 2004 for her first Christmas with us. I don't know how many times I looked at this dress, hanging in her closet, wondering if her little sister would ever get to wear it.

Dahlia - Christmas 2004
(same dress but with a little matching bolero.)

Dahlia - Christmas 2004

Dahlia - Christmas 2004

(ummm.....change of wardrobe.....we had a little accident....)

....but we're havin' fun!

A few favorite sweets I make every year. Wouldn't be Christmas without them.

....but nothing could be sweeter!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL !

From yesteryear's......

till today........

...from our family to yours.......
2009
a Very Merry Christmas to All !