Merry Magical Christmas!!!!!

Merry Magical Christmas 2017

It's almost Christmas Day but of course we are so busy with the whole month of December that it seems like Christmas is a season all of its own.  Each year as I prepare some crazy "theme" seems to come together that I don't really plan.  I love adding one or two ornaments to the tree.  i love wrapping all of my gifts with some sense of continuity and I seem to carry that through the Christmas season.  This year one of my good friends married and her wedding was magical.  It was outside in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains a few days after the first snow.  She had worked months on her planning.  It was beautiful.  All of us bridesmaids wore dresses of a blush color.  Kim herself was a princess....at least in grace and beauty.  Two of my granddaughters along with an adult friend are true fans of Harry Potter......a most imaginary and magical series.  So this Christmas it seems just perfect to have a magical feel to the holidays.  I wrapped the packages with gold unicorns, had shiny bows of gold and pink and then took the pink to the tree with yards and yards of pink tulle garland.  Magical for any young wizard or little girl.  The traditional red ornaments stayed in the box this year and gold, silver pink and magical ones went on the tree.  The amaryllis was pink.  The candle holders are angels with gold candles.  This decoration was made by my mother well over 20 years ago.  This year it was my favorite.  There are lots of twinkling lights throughout my house and out in the barnyard.  And speaking of barnyards the young kids at Caramel Apple Farms all got jammies for Christmas to have their pictures taken in with children.  I hope everyone finds joy in this Christmas season.  I wish you all a season and New Year filled with LOVE, KINDNESS, GRATITUDE and ABUNDANCE
And may you all have a
MERRY MAGICAL CHRISTMAS!!!!
Love Denise

Magical unicorn

On the way to Seattle

My angel.  I hope you all have yours with you

Apple Blossom amaryllis

ready for Ella and Kate to set the table

A little magic

And who doesn't love chocolate cookie batter?

Gooey Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

recipe by Gaby Dalkin, creator of the blog  What's Gaby Cooking?

Dipped and crisp peanut butter cookies

recipe by Joy Wilson, creator of the blog Joy the Baker

Another Williams Sonoma endorsed recipe in the cookies class was a funfetti sugar cookie by Kate Wood, creator of the blog Wood & Spoon

I love teaching the cooking classes at Williams-Sonoma

And eating them with my friend, Mette

Yes, we made gingerbread houses too

Penelope and Daisy in their jammies ready for a photo shoot

Eight month old doelings from Caramel Apple Farm .....one of my favorite places to be

My bounty of Meyer lemons picked just a few days ago in Denver

me

Merry Magical Christmas to all!!!!

Yes even the champagne is pink

And the first ingredient in my Poached Pears for Christmas Eve dessert