Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014 was amazing! We opened presents early in the morning, and had a yummy Christmas morning breakfast afterward! 

As you can see, Lukas really wasn't sure what to think when he first saw all the gifts around the tree. He is just getting to that age where he kind of understands about Santa and how the holidays work, but he still has a ways to go. It's still exciting seeing his face light up, though. :)

The most wonderful mess ever is on Christmas morning! ;)

The rest of the day we watched Christmas movies, and had hot chocolate! Well, I had coffee, of course, my caffeine addiction doesn't leave much room to drink anything else! Haha

We ended up taking the tree down that same evening because someone wouldn't stop trying to pull the ornaments and decorations off! Hahaha

Merry Christmas, everyone, and happy New Year!!! :)

- The Klichs

Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas is my favorite holiday! Mostly because I love the snow and cold of the winter season. But also because of the excitement and cheer! I love the spirit of the season. :)

We had a wonderful Christmas this year (as always) and it was so much fun because Lukas is getting to that age where he kind of knows what is going on now.

Here are some candids we got of our holiday memories!

Of course, we baked a bunch of yummy cookies on Christmas Eve. I feel like the oven is never off these days, between the salt dough ornaments among mnay other things it hasn't had much of a break haha.

Little man absolutely loved them!

I finally got to do the Christmas Box tradition this year for the first time. In this box is a Christmas book and Christmas movies, new pajamas for the kids, popcorn, hot cocoa mix, candy and snacks, Magical Reindeer Dust and Santa's Magic key (two other traditions we were happy to incorporate into our routine tradition!) 

Tim had to work Christmas Eve but was home in the evening, and we sat down to some holiday movies.....

.... Then, we all snuggled up cozy on the sofa together and read our traditional favorite story The Night Before Christmas. :)

After our story, Lukas took the Magical Reindeer Dust and sprinkled it outside.

And we did the usual tradition of leaving milk and cookies and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer. :)

And hung the magical key on the door for Santa. ;)

Now it's time to go to sleep so Santa can come!

Merry Christmas, everyone! :)

BEST READS OF 2014

I already made a list of the books I really enjoyed this past year (my top favorites of 2014) but I feel this last particular book I read deserves it's own post.

Once again, one of my favorite authors, David Liss, wrote a very amazing piece of work called The Day of Atonement and I wanted to elaborate on it because the ending makes me wonder if this will be a first book in a saga or at the very elast a sequel is to follow soon? I hope so, and if not I would deifnitely read this one again!

I've finished reading the series on Benjamin Weaver, and this book is connected to that heroin. So when I heard about it I kenw I would love it. I went out and bought it and didn't put it down the second I picked it up and read the first page.

Sebastião Raposa is only thirteen when his parents are unjustly imprisoned, never to be seen again, and he is forced to flee Portugal lest he too fall victim to the Inquisition. But ten years in exile only serve to whet his appetite for vengeance. Returning at last to Lisbon, in the guise of English businessman Sebastian Foxx, he is no longer a frightened boy but a dangerous man tormented by violent impulses. Haunted by the specter of all he has lost—including his exquisite first love—Foxx is determined to right old wrongs by punishing an unforgivable enemy with unrelenting fury.
 
Well schooled by his benefactor, the notorious bounty hunter Benjamin Weaver, in the use of wits, fists, and a variety of weapons, Foxx stalks the ruthless Inquisitor priest Pedro Azinheiro. But in a city ruled by terror and treachery, where money and information can buy power and trump any law, no enemy should be underestimated and no ally can be trusted. Having risked everything, and once again under the watchful eye of the Inquisition, Foxx finds his plans unraveling as he becomes drawn into the struggles of old friends—and new enemies—none of whom, like Lisbon itself, are what they seem.
 
Compelled to play a game of deception and greed, Sebastian Foxx will find himself befriended, betrayed, tempted by desire, and tormented by personal turmoil. And when a twist of fate turns his carefully laid plans to chaos, he will be forced to choose between surrendering to bloodlust or serving the cause of mercy.

If you love historical fiction, the Benjamin Weaver series, or David Liss novels in particualr, then I highly recommend this one to you!

You can get your copy in either kindle, hardcover or softcover HERE. So grab a big mug of coffee (or tea) or a big glass of wine and snuggle up under a big fluffy duvet and down blanket and enjoy! ;)

Magical Key for Santa

I love this tradition! I actually like it a little more than the chimney tale, to be honest, it seems so much more magical and believable. But because I am a woman of old fashion, I do the chimney one now ;) haha. But this idea is great for anyone whether you have a chimney or not.

There is no chimney you see,

So here is a special magic key.

Use this key on Christmas Eve,

And put it back before you leave.

You can definitely personalize the tag's message any way you want! We did this every Christmas Eve when the kids opened their Christmas box it would be inside for them to set out for Santa, when we lived in our condo and didn't have a chimney. :)

2014 Favorites!

I really love books. I have a love for them I can't explain to anyone who doesn't share my passion for them. Reading has always been my past time, since I could read at the age of 2 with my brother. I've always loved books, I've always needed them. It doesn't take a lot to make me happy. My family, coffee, books, wine, the holidays . . . I tend to find happiness in the simplicities of life.

So that brings me to my latest post, which I am dedicating to books and the reading I've done this past year.

I think this year was better than any other for a long time now as far as books go, because not only did I find a new favorite author (well, just another favorite author, really), but I have a new favorite book I abolutely love, besides To Kill A Mockingbird, Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christy's Poroit and others I've favorited over the years, this one is at the very top of my list.

It's The Whiskey Rebels and it is written by David Liss.

David Liss has also written a series I'm really liking right now. The series itself doesn't have a saga title, but the individual books are A Conspiracy of Paper, A Spectacle of Corruption and The Devil's Company. There is also a new book connected to this series and the series' heroin, Benjamin Weaver in The Day of Atonement.

My seocnd favorite this year was Jennifer Crusie (always a favorite authorof mine) I read Maybe This Time, and fell in love with the book and the characters in it. Very wellw ritten, great plot twist, and kept me interested enough that I lost mroe sleep than is healthy to my mortality, but so worth it.

Same with The Whiskey Rebels!

Another favorite? The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston. I confess I atually read this book in 2013, but it is a huge favorite of mine and I will always love it. I read it a second time this year, so it technically counts as a 2014 favorite as well ;).

Catching Up

Well, time to catch up on my blog!! I have been super busy with the holidays coming up and the kids and everything that I haven't been on here in a  while! I have also been updating my holiday blog with some recipes I hope you will enjoy ;).

My in-laws are all coming this week for Thanksgiving and I have a ton of things to do! And of course, something had to go wrong right before Thanksgiving too. :(

Our dryer was having issues and it stopped heating up! So, I am way behind on laundry and my poor hubby has had to track down the right part (he finally found it just this morning, but had to order it so it won't be here until tomorrow sometime). So I am kind of lost not having a ton of laundry to do like I usually do haha. Not that I am really complaining.... :-P

Anyway, Tim has been working his tail off like crazy, too. He works in retail as an APM, so it's extremely stressful and hectic this time of year (as if it isn't insane all year round).

And, we were all sick with colds the past month so we really had a lot of catching up to do after that was done with.

Now I am just prepping for Thanksgiving and company coming.

We got our turkey (as usual, we got our huge 23 pound bird like every year). The bigger the bird, the better! Our family loves holidays and we enjoy cooking for them :).

I just got done blanching and freezing all of the green beans, which I have never done before, and have always gotten the frozen beans from the grocery store. But I love fresh beans! Anything fresh is better. And if anyone wants to know hjow I did this, follow these links below:

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/preserving-canning/freeze-green-beans/

Click Here To Learn How To Freeze Beans Without Blanching Them

I have been getting the hosue in order as well, which you can iamgine is just a one step forward and about five steps back when you have kids in your home haha!

I have been checking off things on my super long to-do list, and next week I need to start my baking. I plan to make pumpkin bread and pumpkin bars (I absolutely LOVE the flavors of fall!) I will definitely include the recipes as soon as I can!

Well, kids are awake now, so I have to go, but I will be updating as much as possible. :)

Healthy Carribean Fried Rice

Ingredients:

2 TBL. fat-free or country crock butter
1 1/2 cups white or whole-grain brown minute rice (cooked according to package directions)
1 Lemon
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook the minute rice according to package directions. Next, heat butter in a skillet. Add your rice, squeeze the lemon juice over the rice, stirring it into the rice well.

Next add your pepper and sitr rice well. This is the quickest, easiest rice recipe that has a lot of good flavor to add as a healthy side to your meal! :)

Healthy Fried Fish Fillets

These fish fillets taste deep fried, but they are really not fattening or unhealthy like ordinary deep fried fish. They have an excellent flavor and my family loves it! At only 100 calories per 4 oz. serving of fish, this meal is a huge hit with our family!

• 
  
• Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (salt is totally optional, it isn't necessary)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound tilapia, haddock, catfish or other white-fish fillets
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (you may need more if you are making a bigger batch of fish)
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning (if desired)

1. Pour or squeeze lemon juice over fish fillets in a medium bowl. Refrigerate or let sit for 30 minutes, soaking in the lemon juice, while you prepare a pan with the olive oil and prep the flour mixture.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Thoroughly dredge fillets; discard any leftover flour.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish, and cook on medium- medium high until lightly browned and just opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve immediately.

I make this fish a lot with my steamed cheesy broccoli and rice side. :) I hope you all enjoy it! 

Pumpkin Picking at the pumpkin farm!

Each year, it's our tradition to go to the farm on the 1st of October and let the kids' pick out pumpkins for Halloween (Samhain).

Once we get the pumpkins home, I use a spell on each of them for our home. If you are looking for a good protection spell for your pumpkins, maybe you will find this useful.

It's very easy. It's a simple enchantment spell you can use and I like to do it every year:

Pick out your pumpkin or pumpkins, and place it near your front door, but not on concrete as that will destroy your pumpkin and rot it out. If you have to, then place a board underneath the pumpkin to prevent this and protect it.

With a black permanent marker, draw a small pentagram on the bottom of the pumpkin(s). When the moon rises, hold your pumpkin (or one by one, if you have more than one pumpkin) in your arms, and repeat the following:

Precious pumpkin,
watch over my home

Protecting from bane,
all you behold,

By the power of this fruit
in the pale moonlight

Shield us from harm
both day and night.

Leave your enchanted pumpkin(s) as a watchful guardian(s). You may carve it no more than one day before Halloween (Samhain), and when you do, save some seeds for magic in the future.

You can also use the seeds for runes, which is something I like to do besides roasting them. ;)

Happy Autumn everyone! :)