a healthy reminder!

this adorable image, found on Pinterest, lead me to

creature comforts 

:: here ::

the flu is on!

it's time for me to make sure that we  have our own 

sunshine stash and...maybe...
... a couple of "these" put together for friends and family!

check the medicine cabinet...your not going to want to go outside

if Mr Evil McVirus arrives at your house.

 withLove!

~ more healthy reminders :: here ::

French bread on Friday... the menu!

:: via ::

mr d will be working this weekend...an opportunity to grab some "o.t."
that we will stashed away for a late winter trip to Whistler B.C.!

 i will be organizing and tucking the last of the Christmas boxes away.

i hope to embrace a winter indoor gardening project to share next week.

next week's menu planning will be a MUST. now that training is complete, 
we're GOING LIVE. on Monday, the change is official at work.

Sunday morning is coffee time with Mom and Dad. i'll bring
them some yummy cinnamon scones.


i have something fun...and a little bit of my history to share with you today.

it's no secret that i love menus.
when i came across a collection of vintage French menus on
Etsy last summer, i purchased them for our chandie.

:: here ::


on Bastille Day in 1969, i was in Paris. i could fib and
say that i was two years old...

...i was 17.

we were on a summer travel / study tour of Europe.

 we took the train from the Universite' of Paris at Nanterre
to the city to watch the parade and festivities.

after spending the day touring the city, (which included purchasing and changing
into some chic (affordable) French frocks), we headed to the Eiffel tower to view
the city of lights after dark. much to our surprise, we were able to be
admitted, without a reservation, to the restaurant on the second stage.

[i ate my first escargot. when would i ever have this chance occurrence
happen again...in my lifetime?  
go for it, Lynne!  (this was way before you go girl!) ]

the very handsome, young waiters, fussed over us. when were ready to leave,
we were each given a menu, a match book, and an ashtray...yes an ashtray.

as i was photographing the menu this morning, i noticed that it was actually
a year old when it was given to me.
 (perhaps that's why it wasn't so difficult for the restaurant to part with it.)

the concept of design is very "late 60's".

there are some (very fun) advertising graphics inside.

well..."near the top"! 

i once thought about taking it apart and framing various pages

for my kitchen.  i am now thinking of keeping it "as is" and

framing it for our dining room / wine bar.

what do you think?

 i welcome a creative opinion!

(thank you for all of your visits and comments this week!

if i haven't been by to visit you, i will be popping by on the weekend!)

withLove!

Wednesday's wrap! it's back!

when i first started my blog, i used to wrap a gift, 

or feature a prettily wrapped gift every Wednesday.

 i decided that i would bring the feature back for 2013!

like many of you, i LOVE to wrap a gift.
it's one of my obsessions.

(my kids joke about it to this day!)

both Chrislyn and Jay know how to wrap a gift

with special detail. when the recipient makes a favorable

comment they laugh and say...

"We went to Mom's gift wrap boot camp!"

now,  i'm not claiming perfection...

the wrap... just needs to possess a special touch!

when the children were small,
one of my favorite activities was to wrap all of the

Christmas gifts in white or brown plain paper. 

{i love an empty canvas}

the kids then painted, glittered, or embellished the gifts to

 correspond to our chosen Christmas theme. 

it was so much fun to see each creative interpretation!
 sometimes, it was very difficult to unwrap their
precious works of art!

in my previous post, i mentioned that i have some

catching up to do in blog land.

i have some goodies that must go to some very

patient blog friends. they are from a give a way, a while back!

the good news is that i have added additional surprises!

i will be wrapping a gift and preparing a parcel

every Wednesday until all the goodies are mailed

to their appropriate recipient!  

preparing one gift each week will allow me to give 

proper attention to detail.

{each gift will hold a little French bread}

so here we go!

today,  i am wrapping for:

Kim, and her adorable Bailey!

i know...beyond cuteness!
doesn't that sweet face melt your heart?

 most of you love and visit Kim here!

for Kim and Bailey:

withLove.

this year...this month...

so far so good!

:: via ::


you could be smiling and thinking...

Lynne! it's only been ONE WEEK!

yes!  that's right!

:: couldn't find the source, please tell me who you are ::

on the job front:

i am officially a new employee of the largest employer in my county.

for two weeks, i am in a transition period, where i am being paid
by two different employers. (so blessed to have two employers

 when there are so many in this country seeking work.)

i am currently in training outside of the office, while making it my
best effort to keep the "quality of care" from my desk a high
 priority during the transition.

i have embraced new knowledge, new acquaintances, 

and new opportunities for growth.

i can't say that i haven't stressed, but...it's okay!

on the home front:

:: via ::

Mom is progressing well. she continues her "post fall" and "post
stroke" therapy three days a week. Dad is being a wonderful
care advocate and is pretty much running the household.
i visit them for Sunday morning coffee.  we had such a lovely
visit this past weekend!


we attended our last Christmas gathering on Saturday.
we have a friend with a full, almost white beard.
when Holland set her eyes on him she called out, "Santa!"
he played along with an occasional HO HO HO... she
smiled and giggled with delight!

 i have just two more Christmas vignettes
to disassemble. (they actually look more "winter" than Christmas.)

baby Ben is now one month old and we received great news
about Miss Holland's hip!  we are relieved that there will
not be surgery in her future.

on the blog front:

i have some catching up to do.
i have goodies waiting to be wrapped and mailed to some sweet lovelies and
their pups! ( you know who you are.)
i plan to wrap one each Wednesday for the next five weeks.
attention to detail is very important to me.
i will admit that the circumstances of the last few months has
overwhelmed me at times.  my family and my work have
been the place for my time and mind space.

i'm off to class for two more days!

embrace this week, lovelies!

(oh!...and... how about those Seahawks?)

i'll be wrapping on Wednesday!

withLove!

the color of the year and a 34th street cheer!

hi  everyone!  

 there has been "quite the buzz" about in the Pantone color of  the 

year. although i like the color green, i doubt that emerald will be 

incorporated into my decorating plans here on 34th street.

perhaps a pretty scarf, sunglasses, or a cotton top to update

last year's white jeans will be my attempt to express the trend.

it appears that the choice for our newly painted "Needle" is

  a perfect reflection of  Pantone's color design direction.

the Emerald City is on trend and painted with pride!

 there is an epidemic of blue and green spirit occurring in the Pacific Northwest!

it's quite contagious!

GO SEAHAWKS!

withLove