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scotianostra · 1 year

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January 23rd is National Pie day.

Is it really a year since I last posted on this? Last year I took us on a journey of our Nations favourite, The Scotch Pie, everyone has their go to Butchers or even Bakers for theirs. The Killie Pie is legendary, The Macaroni Pie is another legend, you can still get this elsewhere, but Greggs discontinued their version in 2015. The Mince Tattie and Baked Bean Pie was always a favourite of mine growing up, our local bakers did a great job of this, sadly the bakers is no more. And this time of year you can find Bells Steak and Haggis usually on offer at the supermarkets throughout Scotland, especially for Burns Night, which is only a couple days away.

Anyway this year I want to concentrate on the Steak Pie.

Us Scots love a steak pie to celebrate the New Year and cannot get enough of them, according to industry experts. But why has it become an annual tradition across the country?

One theory holds that steak pie became the national dish at New Years because January 1 wasn’t generally taken as a holiday so families were too busy to cook.

They would buy steak pies to feed their families instead, this continues to this day as people want a delicious meal after the previous night’s celebrations. So you could say it was essentially one of the first ready meals.

Or is it that the Steak pie is the nation’s hangover cure on what is often the roughest morning of the year for many, after a night of celebratory drinking?

Another theory is that because it is a big meal you can keep warm and serve to visitors throughout the day, as people come to the house. I don't buy into that one, we Scots always put on a spread on the table, Shortbread, Black Bun, even Dundee Cake was waiting for any first footers and others coming through the door in the wee sma' hours.

In days gone by oor mammies used to cook their own steak pies. so here's a recipe for a traditional Scottish steak pie, as seen in the main pic.

Things you’ll need to make a Scottish Steak Pie

Large Pot/Pan

Mixing Bowl

Pie Dish.

Ingredients

800g Diced Beef Stewing Steak (Approx 2lb)

2 tbsp Plain Flour

2 tbsp Olive Oil/Butter

2 Large Roughly Chopped Onions

500ml Beef Stock (Approx 2 cups)

35ml Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, Pronounced – Wooster-sher ( Approx 0.14 cups)

1 tbsp Tomato Puree

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Now my mum always cheated buy buying ready made Puff Pastr, but you can make your own.

Add ons

Many Scots swear by a Steak and Sausage pie, rather than just steak alone. We don’t mind adding sausages also, but personally like to have just steak most of the time. However, this recipe is easy to adapt if you want to! We’ll share more in variations below, but you can add 4-6 sausages if you like as well.

ake your mixing bowl and toss the beef in the plain flour, this will help insulate the meat while browning as well as helping the sauce to thicken. You can season the flour to help add an extra depth of flavour if you’d like.

Heat your pan and oil/butter, once hot add the onions and cook until soft.

Once the onions are soft add the beef to brown it, this should only take a few minutes.

This process of browning simply means to lightly cook the surface of the steak to caramelize it and add a richer flavour to the meat.

Once browned add the stock, Worcester Sauce, Tomato puree, Dijon mustard and seasoning.

Bring the mixture slowly to the boil.

Once it begins to boil reduce the heat and allow to gently simmer for 2.5 hrs.

During this time stir occasionally and, if you have a gas stove that doesn’t have a low enough setting to simmer keep rotating the pan to avoid too much heat in one place.

If you’re adding sausages (see variations) then you can chop and add them about halfway through cooking. If they have a high fat content you may want to fry off in a separate pan or even boil for 10 minutes to remove some of the fat so that the pie won’t get too greasy.

Once the sauce is good and thick and the meat is breaking apart nicely tip the mixture into the pie dish, it should be roughly 3/4 full.

Preheat your oven to 180°C or 356°F, approx gas mark 4.

Cover the top of the pie dish with the rolled puff pastry, use your thumb or a fork to push down or crimp the edge of the pastry along the rim of the dish, helping to seal the mixture and the flavour in.

Make a hole in the centre of the pie to allow steam to exit during cooking.

Place your pie into the preheated oven for roughly 30 mins or until the pastry has risen and is golden brown.

You can find this recipe and more like it at https://scottishscran.com

#scotland #scottish #pies #national pie day

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openheartfanfics · 9 months

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Picta & Edits 📷

Ethan x F!MC: S - #

Sadie’s Self Care Sunday - @peonyblossom 📚📷 [extended: wip] Sadie posts different acts of self care on Picta every Sunday.

Sandwich and a Fridge - @potionsprefect 📷 Victoria has a delicious lunch and the doctors lounge gets an upgrade.

Second Chances - @jamespotterthefirst 📱📷🦃 Their son gets in a fight at school right before Thanksgiving.

Second Impressions - @liaromancewriter 📱📷 It’s Cassie’s first day as a Junior Fellow on the Diagnostics Team. [2.1]

Self Reflections - @liaromancewriter 📸📱 Cassie's journey to finding herself after the poison attack as told through changing hairstyles.

Self-Care Date - @liaromancewriter 📷 Cassie decides to focus on herself but it soon turns into a self-care date.

Soon-To-Be Mom - @potionsprefect 📷🌸 Ethan surprises Victoria on Mother’s Day.

Soon To Be - @potionsprefect 📷 A day date leaves Victoria swooning.

Spooky Trip - @peonyblossom 📷 Ethan and Sadie go on a day trip to Salem.

Springtime - @liaromancewriter 📷 Cassie finds springtime weather in New England unpredictable.

Sugar and Spice - @liaromancewriter 📷 Cassie, Sienna and Aurora unwind after a long day by baking fruit scones.

Sweet Celebrations - @liaromancewriter📱📷 Cassie goes all in when it comes to recognizing small moments.

Technical Issues - @jerzwriter 📷Ⓜ Ethan thinks he'll have some fun with Kaycee, his only follower. Except...

Thankful - @liaromancewriter 📷🦃 Cassie spends her first Thanksgiving in Boston working a double shift, but finds small moments to be grateful for. Set in Book 1.

Thanksgiving 2023 - @genevievemd 📷🦃 Thanksgiving memory from Ethan and Gen.

The Days After the Engagement - @potionsprefect 📷 Victoria and Ethan are back home in Boston as an engaged couple.

The Final Days - @genevievemd 📷 Gen shares moments from her pregnancy on social media.

Part 1 | Part 2

The Game - @liaromancewriter 📷📱 It’s the annual Edenbrook-Mass Kenmore softball game. Cassie’s ready for revenge, but can’t stop thirsting after her boyfriend. Told through social media and text messages.

The Poo Life - @monsoonblooms12 📷 Pooja gets to Boston, only to be faced with an uncanny situation. With the support from family, she navigates through her first week at a new city, a best friend breakup while also going on a little tour around the city that would become her lifetime.

Chapter 3: A Journey

The Ramseys and their Fur Babies - @genevievemd 📷 Ethan and Gen with their kids and dogs.

These are some of my favorite things - @zealouscanonindeer 📷Edits of Aspen's favorite moments.

Time Together - @potionsprefect 📷 A day off means Victoria and Ethan get to spend some time together, or not.

Time With The Twins - @potionsprefect 📷 Victoria spends a day with Luke and Lily.

‘Tis the Damn Season - @genevievemd 📚📷 [extended: complete] A look into the final eight months of Ethan and Gen’s first year of marriage.

Too fast. - @zealouscanonindeer 📷 While on holiday, Aspen realises it's only been a year.. but it's enough to bring her to tears.

Too Many Clothes - @potionsprefect 📷 Victoria is sorting out her wardrobe.

Twinsies - @lsvdw-blog 📷 Serena matches with her baby boy.

Twins Outing - @potionsprefect 📷 Luke and Lily have a special day out with their parents.

Two Hot Besties - @rookiemartin 📷 Ethan takes a photo of Angel for social media.

Vacation - @zealouscanonindeer 📷 Aspen shares pics from their vacation.

Valentine's Day - @danijimenezv 📷💘 It's Jill's (and Hunter's) birthday! This is a little something to commemorate the date, and Valentine's Day of course.

Valentine’s Day - @potionsprefect 📷💘 It’s their last Valentine’s Day before they get married.

Winter Wonderland - @trappedinfanfiction 📷 Ethan is taking Celia away on a small winter vacation.

What Happens in Vegas - @liaromancewriter 📷📱 Cassie and her friends head to Vegas for a conference, but it’s really about what happens when the lights go down. Feat. Ethan Ramsey, OH Gang

Whatever It Takes - @liaromancewriter 📱 Cassie knows becoming a doctor requires hard work, but sometimes it's too much.

Yoga Fun - @liaromancewriter 📷 Cassie is all about trying new things, until she isn’t.

102 Days of Smiles - @genevievemd 📚 📷 [extended: complete] One post a day, for 102 days, with something that made our new bride smile.

SUBMIT OPEN HEART FICS & WRITERS HERE

#open heart #open heart fanfics #open heart choices #open heart fanfiction #ethan ramsey #ethan ramsey x mc #ethan ramsey x f!mc #open heart edits

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elliegoestodownton · 2 years

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Operation North Pole

I haven’t written creatively in years and I haven’t certainly published anything in about ten. Might be another ten before I write something else. This just came up as a short scene and I felt inspired to jot down a few words for a drabble. Well, it’s definitely not a drabble! My first time writing for the OneChicago universe. Merry Christmas to those of you celebrating it and Happy Holiday season to you all!

Summary: When Makayla’s school is left without a Santa for the annual festival, a kind firefighter steps in. As sweet as molasses, this is pure humorous fluff, with a dash of Burzek and a dollop of Plouch.

Wordcount: 3.2K words more or less

Warnings: If you are already in a sugar-induced coma due to the Christmas lunch/dinner, this might be just too much for you. It contains the truth about Santa, so don’t read it if you haven’t found it out just yet.

‘Twas two weeks before Christmas, on a night like many others at Molly’s. The firefighters’ bar was buzzing with animated chatter, the clinking of glasses and sudden bursts of laughter punctuating the otherwise common sound filling the place and nearly drowning the melody of Christmas songs that Stella had insisted they put on, no matter how much Herrmann had protested that no, he would not spend another evening listening to “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” on a loop.

Mouch had wisely sat that one out, even when asked for his opinion, knowing all too well that in the end his best friend would have relented, not too secretly enjoying the cheerful tunes despite all his objections. Perched on one of the stools at the bar, he takes in the additional fairy lights, making the place even more festive than usual. He’s always liked Christmas, even when it was just him watching old black and white classics on VHS, but he’s come to appreciate it even more in the last few years, undoubtedly owing it to a certain Sergeant who loves to share his old movies and her seasonal bakes with him.

He smiles a little to himself as his eyes scan the crowd. Nearly everyone from 51 is there. Squad is sitting at a table, with Joe, in a decidedly rarer outing for the new dad these days, and Capp joking about something as Tony listens on, characteristically taciturn but with an amused smirk on his face; Severide is only half-listening, his head turned towards the bar, where Stella is preparing a cocktail. Whatever tension there might have been there as soon as Stella got back from her trip, it had completely dissipated in the last few days, much to Mouch’s and everybody’s else relief. Just a few feet away, Gallo, Ritter, and Violet are huddled around some documents in what seems to be the umpteenth light-hearted match in which Ritter has to play unwitting referee. Only Sylvie is missing, many miles away from Chicago for a last-minute trip to Oregon to jointly celebrate the success of the paramedicine programme and an early Christmas with Casey and the boys. His heart fills with pride when thinking of the young PIC’s achievements in the last few months, despite the many obstacles that life keeps throwing at her. Blame it on the Christmas spirit, but Mouch can’t help feeling a little sentimental at seeing his 51 family and noticing that finally, just finally, things seem to be turning for the better.

“Damn!”

His reverie is interrupted by Kim’s exasperated voice, coming from a couple of seats from where he is sitting. Her eyes are intently scanning her phone, her knitted eyebrows giving away her preoccupation, as her thumbs scroll down the shiny surface of the screen.

“What is it?”, Ruzek’s expression matches her own, his body fully turned towards her as he tries to decipher whatever is going on.

“Remember I told you that Olivia’s dad was going to play Santa at the Winter Festival?”

Adam nods, recalling the conversation from a few nights before.

“Well, he’s come down with the flu, so we don’t have a Santa anymore. And the Festival is in two days.” Kim’s eyes still don’t leave the screen as she lets a huff escape her lips.

A concerned expression colours Adam’s face.

“That sounds like a disaster in the making if you ask me”, Herrmann unhelpfully pipes up from behind the bar.

Both Burgess and Ruzek shoot him a look at the same time and, hadn’t they been both so worried, Mouch would have found it quite cute from his privileged observation spot.

“Makayla was so looking forward to it”, Kim’s disappointment is clear as she turns towards Adam.

“I know. She’s been talking non-stop about it for the past week.” Adam pauses for a second, his eyes fixed on the bearer of bad news that is the bright screen of her phone. “I guess I could do it.” He offers after a second with a shrug.

Kim’s expression softens, the disappointment giving way to a small smile and warmth in her dark eyes.

“Don’t you think that Mak would recognise you though?” she voices her doubts, while letting her hand lightly linger on his forearm to however show him her appreciation.

“Maybe you’re right.” Adam muses in response.

“I’m free on Friday.” All eyes suddenly turn towards Mouch. “If you need someone to play Santa, I mean.” He clarifies, even though everyone’s got it already.

Adam’s delighted smile is mirrored by Kim’s own, although she hesitates for a second. She silently admits to herself that this would be a perfect solution as Mak is not that familiar with Mouch just yet; at the same time, she does not want to impose nor take advantage of the kindness of the firefighter.

“Are you sure? Because if you have other plans…you don’t have to. I am sure the other parents will find someone.” She says, more to abate her own doubts than anything else.

“Well, he’s certainly got the right physique.” Herrmann adds with merriment in his eyes. It is Mouch’s turn to shoot him a less than amused look. The comment earns him a swat on his arm from Stella, who joins in the conversation, just as Mouch is about to comment that Trudy has never complained about his love handles. “Don’t listen to him, Mouch. You’re perfect as you are.” She tells him reassuringly. “Herrmann, what did we say about body positivity?” Her face telling the other Lieutenant that she would not accept any other remark on the matter. He still manages to roll his eyes.

“Thanks, Kidd.” Mouch good-naturedly smiles at her, before turning again towards Kim and Adam. “Anyways, yes, I am sure. Told you, I’m free and it would be my honour to make a bunch of kids happy.” He puts some extra wattage in his smile, already picturing those children’s surprised little faces at seeing the real deal. Well, at least till anyone tells them otherwise.

Truth to be told, despite having met the little girl just a handful of times, Mouch has grown to love Makayla and could not stand the thought of her, and to a lesser extent that of her classmates’, disappointment at a Christmas celebration without Santa. Considering everything that she’d been through that year, she definitely deserves all the happiness in the world. And so does Kim, the woman that his wife holds so dear to her heart, even though, knowing Trudy, he’s pretty sure she’s never said this to the young cop in such clear terms. Quite inevitably, Mouch has also developed a fatherly affection towards her as a consequence, sharing Trudy’s worry in the aftermath of her abduction.

If nothing else, Kim’s big smile convinces him that a couple of hours in a red velvety suit and fake beard are definitely worth the sacrifice.

***

The next morning, Burgess enters the 21st with a spring in her step, followed by Adam a few feet behind. Mouch’s kind offer had earned her some brownie points in the parents’ chat, but it was mostly Makayla’s excitement at the approaching festival during breakfast that morning, and her questions on whether Santa would like a drawing in exchange for her wish list, that put her in a good mood. She is halfway through the hall, having narrowly missed a drunkenly perp being escorted by two plain-clothed officers, when a familiar voice stops her in her tracks.

“Hey, Burgess.”

In a silent conversation, Adam lets her know he’ll wait for her upstairs and makes his way toward the gate. Kim turns on her heels, approaching the desk, a bright smile plastered on her face. “What’s up, Sarge?”

Platt looks her in the eye, leaning with one arm on the desk, the other fist on her hip; her poker face does not give Kim any hint of what’s going on in her mind. “Little bird told me you’ve recruited my husband for an undercover operation at the North Pole.” Her voice remains even throughout.

Kim suddenly feels a little less sure about their plan, but still tries not to show it, nodding to confirm. “He was kind enough to volunteer and who am I to say no to Santa?”

“Obviously.” Trudy acknowledges, still quite serious.

“That’s not a problem, is it?” Kim double-checks.

“Don’t worry, I’ll give him a few tips and make sure he doesn’t blow his cover.” The little smirk gracing Trudy’s lips reassures Kim, who smiles back widely once again, suddenly imagining poor Mouch being treated to Sergeant Platt’s school of horn-busting.

“Oh, and Burgess, make sure to appropriately file all the photographic evidence to me. I’ll need a picture for next year’s Christmas cards.” The glint in Trudy’s eyes does not go unnoticed by Kim.

Mouch is definitely in for a treat.

***

The gym at Makayla’s school has been completely transformed into a magical Winter Wonderland for the annual festival, when the kids and their families gather to partake in the jolly merriment. The children’s artwork decorates the walls and a few tables. Songs have been sung, albeit slightly out of tune. Yet, everyone found the kids terribly cute oohing and awing at their musical skills. The charity bake sale is still going at full speed in a corner, a few parents having volunteered to help. And, after a glorious entrance with full fanfare, courtesy of the school band, Mouch has been sitting on a quite uncomfy throne for the past hour, sweating through his Santa costume, as kids perch on his knees revealing their deepest and dearest wishes for Christmas to him. The elf, a tall and lean man who Mouch has been told is the P.E. teacher when not passing for Will Ferrell’s younger brother, has been helping him out by making sure that the kids, and mostly some pushy parents, are all in an ordered queue for their turn with Santa.

As instructed, Kim has already snapped quite a few pictures, fully enjoying Mouch’s performance. The one with him hugging a fake reindeer as he regales the children with a story must be her favourite so far, sure it would make an awesome illustration for Platt’s cards. She’s been sending her updates via text and, if one had to judge by the uncharacteristic use of emojis in her otherwise pretty straightforward texting style, she’s fairly certain her Sarge is having a blast. If only she didn’t have to work today.

Her eyes have been scanning the room for a few minutes now, mostly out of habit, as she queues alongside Makayla and Adam to meet “Santa”.

“Do you think Santa will like my drawing?” Makayla’s eyes are uncertain, looking for reassurance as she holds the piece of paper on which a portly old man in red, a tree, and two reindeers have been skilfully drawn.

“Are you kidding? He’ll love it. Don’t worry, bud!” Kim tells her in her best mom voice. But Makayla still looks skeptical.

Crouching down at her level, Adam backs Kim up. “You know, I always used to leave him a drawing with some milk and cookies when I was little and, one year, he left me a note to thank me for it. He said that he loves receiving gifts as much as he loves bringing them. Moreover, Darlin’, the other kids haven’t brought him any drawings so you’re already one step ahead.”

Makayla finally seems convinced, toothily smiling at Adam. He flashes her a bright smile of his own and then stands up again, winking at Kim. She’s pretty sure her heart has just grown two sizes, but is left at a loss for words. She could hear the voice in her head, which weirdly sounds a lot like Trudy at this moment, scolding and telling her to use her own words, but Kim is not sure she could coherently express in a very succinct way what she feels right now. Or every time she sees Adam interacting with Makayla for the matter. She could not when he spontaneously told her he was tagging along for the festival because he couldn’t miss Mak’s first Christmas performance. Or when, earlier that day, he’d revealed the ugly Christmas jumper that the little girl had chosen for him to wear. But she feels that soon she will have to find those words, that the time has come to voice them, and not just for the little girl’s sake. They owed it to each other.

With one last look at Adam, she moves forward in the queue, the elf signalling that it is finally their turn.

Makayla’s excitement could not be contained anymore as she approaches Santa, all of her previous doubts completely gone. Kim and Adam stay a few feet behind, observing as Mouch picks her up and places her on his knees, both of them openly grinning.

“Hello, my friend!” Mouch utters in a booming Santa voice.

“Hi, Santa!” Makayla answers, her tone quiet and shy in comparison.

“What’s your name?”

“Makayla”

“Well, it’s lovely to meet you, Makayla!” Santa extends a hand that the girl gingerly shakes after a moment of hesitation.

“I’ve brought you a drawing!” Makayla tells him as she hands him the piece of paper, having regained a little of her confidence. “Adam says you love drawings and you like to receive presents.”

Mouch accepts the gift from Makayla’s hands and observes it for a second, noticing how carefully the figures have been drawn and coloured. He figures she must have spent quite a bit of time on this piece of art. He looks at her with kind eyes, a little moved by this small and yet considerate gesture, even though the drawing is not technically for him, but for the mythical man he is impersonating.

“This is a beautiful drawing! Aren’t you a skilled artist? Thank you so much, Makayla. It was very kind of you to bring me a present. And yes, Adam is right, I do love drawings.” He quickly shoots the two cops a glance and a smile, turning back to Makayla soon after.

“So, Makayla, what would you like for Christmas?” He asks the ritual question.

“Kim said I could ask for two things tops because you need to bring a lot of presents to a lot of kids.”

“Well, if you have more than two things on your wish list…” Santa concedes.

“No, I have thought about it and it’s fair.” She answers quite maturely, nodding a little bit with her head. Something that leaves Adam stupidly grinning and Kim smiling proudly at the goodness and selflessness of the young girl. On his part, Mouch finds it incredibly endearing. He makes a note to himself to tell Trudy to add yet another present to their little pile with Mak’s name on it, sitting under their Christmas tree.

“Alright. So what would you like?”

Makayla counts on her hand. “The first present on my list is a new drawing set.”

“Oh! That is an excellent choice!” Santa beams. As an avid sketch artist, Mouch can certainly understand the appeal of such a present. “Ok, have you heard that, elf? One drawing set for Makayla.”

The elf distractedly nods as he tries to keep an overly eager parent at safe distance.

“And what else would you like?”

Makayla looks around circumspect for a second, before getting a little closer to Santa’s ear. Mouch bends his head a little, trying to get closer yet and hear whatever super secret wish Makayla is about to share with him.

In the loudest whisper that only a child could ever muster, Makayla very candidly reveals to Santa: “I would like Adam to move in with us! Like forever and ever.”

It doesn’t take Mouch much to notice the colour tinging both Kim’s and Adam’s cheeks and their slightly embarrassed appearance as they try to look everywhere but at each other, before finally locking eyes and smiling a little. Mouch feels this might be just a punch above his pay grade, but doesn’t tell Makayla.

Kim realises she might have to put those feelings into words sooner rather than later.

***

Nat King Cole’s soft baritone singing about chestnuts roasting on an open fire welcomes Mouch back home that evening. As he hangs his coat on the rack, he notices the twinkling lights on the tree in the living room, and a few more decorations that were definitely not there when he left in the morning. The moose with big feet and striped tights is decidedly new. He chuckles, feeling a little like one of those kids he’s just left, marvelling at the magic of Christmas. Or rather, at the marvel that is his wife when it comes to festivities and decorations. She’d told him she loved Christmas and went all out on decorations when they first started dating. He just did not know to what extent. But it’s just one of those unexpected little things that made him love her even more.

“Hey, Santa!” Trudy emerges from the kitchen, a wide grin on her face. “Have you parked your sleigh outside?”

She’s definitely been enjoying this little stunt a whole lot - and he does not mind one bit.

“Yes, I expect Rudolph, Dancer, and Prancer will soon want their dinner.”

She laughs freely as she approaches him.

“Hi, sweetheart.” He greets her, his hands circling her waist.

“Hi, babe.” She smiles back, before tenderly cradling his face in her hands and giving him a quick kiss. “How did it go?”

“Well, my knees are complaining a bit, but it was fun!” His jolly expression telling Trudy everything she needs to know. “You should have seen Makayla. She was so happy and excited.”

“Aw! I am sure you’ve made her day.” She says softly, her smile reaching her hazel eyes, mixed with adoration.

“Oh, she might just make yours when I tell you what she asked for Christmas.” He notices her interest is definitely piqued, but when she does not say anything, expectantly waiting to hear the rest, he goes on. “She asked Santa if Adam could move in with them.”

A snort leaves Trudy’s lips, her shoulders shaking a little bit with the quiet laughter that follows. “He’s already moved in. Those two idiots just haven’t figured it out yet.”

Mouch is about to go on with his tale when the waft of freshly baked cookies hits his nostrils, completely catching his attention. “Have you been baking?” He asks as he moves next to Trudy, their arms intertwined behind their backs, starting to walk toward the kitchen.

“I’ve made some ginger snaps.” She confirms, pausing for a beat before going on, her voice an octave mischievously lower. “As a reward for my favourite Ginger Snap.”

It’s his turn to laugh. “I’m sorry, have you just called me Ginger Snap, uh?”

“Well, you’re a ginger.” Trudy soundly kisses his cheek. “And you’re as sweet as a cookie, Randall McHolland.”

***

It’s on a crisp December morning, another year having just rolled around, that Kim finds a Christmas card in her locker. She instantly recognises the penmanship on the envelope with her name neatly scribbled on it. As she opens it and sees the picture on the card of Mouch in his Santa costume hugging a reindeer, her smile widens significantly. Platt’s ended up using that photographic evidence after all.

#ellie writes #fanfiction #randy mouch mcholland #trudy platt #kim burgess #adam ruzek #makayla ward burgess #burzek #plouch #chicago pd #chicago fire #onechicago

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tabloidtoc · 3 years

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OK, December 21

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Queen Elizabeth cancels Christmas

Page 1: Big Pic -- David Beckham in an ad for Haig Club

Page 2: Contents

Page 4: Bella and Olivia Jade Giannulli -- life on their own -- find out what Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli’s daughters have been up to while their famous parents sweat it out in prison -- Bella has been so stressed out and felt she deserved a trip with her buds so she went to a luxury resort in Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving weekend

Page 6: It’s been a little over a year since Felicity Huffman was released from prison after serving her time for role in the college admissions scandal but she is finally starting to get her life and career back on track -- initially she was nervous about working again given the controversy and everything that went down and she seriously wondered if there would be anything out there for her material-wise but she shouldn’t have worried as she landed a part in an upcoming pilot in which she’ll play a recently widowed owner of a Triple-A baseball team and she’s really excited about the show

Page 7: Kristin Cavallari is fed up with Carrie Underwood’s meddling in her divorce from Jay Cutler -- after Kristin called time on her seven-year marriage Carrie and her husband Mike Fisher who used to be Nashville couple-friends to both Kristin and Jay have taken Jay’s side and since then there’s been some snide stuff said that’s made it clear how Carrie really fills about Kristin -- while Jay spent Thanksgiving with Carrie and Mike, Kristin filmed a wine-fueled Instagram Live and Carrie finds this type of thirsty behavior on social media incredibly lame and she’s saying it’s obvious Kristin cares more about upping her profile than making any type of family peace

* After nearly 60 years in showbiz Cher has a different aspirations -- since traveling to Pakistan to help a mistreated elephant from a local zoo be relocated to an animal sanctuary she’s saying this is her new mission to help endangered species in third world countries and campaign for other good eco causes -- Cher spends much of her time cooped up and bored in her Malibu mansion and her trip made her realize there’s a world out there that needs her help

* Mark Harmon of NCIS is all work and no play these days and nearly two decades in the same TV gig as Leroy Gibbs has only made things worse as the responsibilities of the show seem to wear heavier on Mark by the year and even on a break you can’t get him to crack a smile or tell a joke; he’d rather go lie down in his trailer -- off set Mark and his wife of 33 years Pam Dawber get along because they’re such homebodies and Mark can usually be found working on his cars in the garage or relaxing in the yard and he cherishes his quiet time but people have stopped inviting him out because he’s known as Mr. Boring

Page 8: Dolly Parton is spreading Christmas cheer far and wide with a new TV special and album and Netflix movie but at her home in Tennessee the holiday spirit is decidedly lacking because Dolly is forgoing her favorite 40-year-running traditions which are filling her house with trees and driving her nieces and nephews and their kids around her farm in golf carts dressed as Santa and handing out presents because of her concern for her husband Carl Dean who has Alzheimer’s disease and he’s in a high-risk group for coronavirus so she’s restricted the property to just them and two staff members -- it breaks Dolly’s heart to have to cancel her big annual celebration and she’s still decorated her home to the nines but it’s a lonely feeling knowing the family won’t be there to see it

* Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton are proving themselves to be perfectly postmodern parents by raising their kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with firm rules for TV and electronic use -- Kate who recently revealed she’s fielded her share of temper tantrums actively attempts to stave off meltdowns with a strict rewards chart and the kids have to earn screen time -- Kate prefers to keep them busy with activities like board games and hikes and baking which the children enjoy anyway

* After spending the last several years living a relatively low-key life in his native England Russell Brand is desperate to have a bigger presence in Hollywood but his wife Laura insists he stay put -- Russell’s craving SoCal living and the copious acting jobs and event invites that came with it but Laura prefers their British life outside the spotlight with their young daughters -- while some work has come to him in England like the upcoming Death on the Nile if he had his way he’d make a more aggressive career push in L.A.

Page 10: Red Hot on the Red Carpet -- stars stand out in festive green dresses -- Carly Pearce, Angela Bassett, Zendaya

Page 11: Jodie Comer, Adriana Lima

Page 12: Who Wore It Better? Melissa Gorga vs. Jennifer Lahmers, Abigail Spencer vs. Hailey Bieber in Max Mara, Olivia Culpo vs. Aurora Culpo

Page 14: News in Photos -- Brooke Burke with Christmas ornaments that will be auctioned by non-profit Operation Smile

Page 16: Audrina Patridge brought along her daughter Kirra’s favorite toys for a picnic in Beverly Hills, Padma Lakshmi visits The Vitamin Shoppe in NYC, Brandy at the BET Soul Train Awards

Page 17: Kelly Rutherford felt the love from her dogs in L.A., Shawn Mendes out for a walk in Miami

Page 21: Robin Wright and husband Clement Giraudet held hands while riding their bikes in L.A., long-time friends Gabrielle Union and Snoop Dogg unpacked ingredients delivered by Shipt

Page 22: Josh Duhamel on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Karlie Kloss on her new Adidas collection

Page 24: Vanessa Hudgens snuggled up to her beloved pup Darla while at the park in L.A., Jay-Z taking a walk around the island in Hawaii

Page 25: Kimora Lee Simmons and her children handed out food to residents of a housing complex, Prince Jackson safely helped a community church distribute food to those in need

Page 26: Inside My Home -- Ariel Winter’s stylish setup

Page 28: Like most Garth Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood have had a challenging 2020 but their 15-year marriage was put to the test this past summer when the country superstars’ daughter Allie tested positive for Covid-19 -- they were worried sick and had to go into quarantine themselves and not being able to hold Allie’s hand was terrible for both of them but fortunately Allie’s case was mild and Garth and Trisha’s tests came back negative

Page 30: Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott who have amicably coparented their daughter Stormi since their split last year and recently spent Thanksgiving together as a family are drawing up plans to have another baby together in 2021 because both of them want to give Stormi a sibling ASAP and neither can imagine going through this process with anyone else -- the exes are figuring out a contract to specify their family plans that will protect Kylie’s money and outline coparenting terms more formally and give them each an agreeable share of custody if things don’t stay as rosy down the line

* They’ve costarred in five films and have proclaimed they’re each other’s work wives and are finally single at the same time so pals of Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis are urging the longtime friends to give it a go romantically especially now that Jason has split from Olivia Wilde -- Jennifer always says Jason makes her laugh the way no one else can -- while Jason’s primarily focusing on coparenting his kids he’s long harbored warm and fuzzy feelings toward Jen and he would love to ask her out but the only thing holding him back is the potential to ruin their solid friendship

* Love Bites -- Johnny Galecki and Alaina Meyer split, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky dating, Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan engaged

Page 31: Matthew Perry’s loved ones are worried the Friends star has made a rash call by suddenly getting engaged to literary manager Molly Hurwitz -- the on-off two-year romance between Matthew and Molly has been dysfunctional from the get-go and Matthew’s way more into this than Molly who seems to love him more like a brother

* A rough year for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle including inter-family strife and a move across the pond and a devastating miscarriage has only strengthened their bond -- after Meghan revealed she and Harry had miscarried in July the two were quite overwhelmed by the outpouring of compassion and the response not only validated their decision to go public a thousand times over but it also helped them grow even closer -- they’re determined to put this behind them and try for another baby at the earliest opportunity but more than anything else it’s really underlined how they belong together as soulmates

Page 32: Cover Story -- Queen Elizabeth’s holiday shake-up -- inside the monarch’s heartbreaking decision to call off the family’s annual Christmas celebration -- the queen will celebrate the holidays at Windsor Castle in Berkshire for the first time in more than three decades -- while the queen is upset not to have the company of the younger royals this year she has to think about her and Prince Philip’s health

Page 36: Katie Holmes’ season of joy -- how Katie is spending the holidays with her new love Emilio Vitolo Jr.

Page 38: Mistaken Identity -- with these celeb look-alikes it’s deja vu all over again -- Carrie Underwood and Reese Witherspoon, Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood

Page 39: Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon, Amy Adams and Isla Fisher, Lucy Hale and Selena Gomez

Page 40: Interview -- Tommy Lee’s new beat -- the veteran rock star opens up about his latest solo album and his new fan base

Page 42: Gal Power -- how Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot gets into superhero shape

Page 43: Fight Club -- these buttkicking superheroines pushed themselves to new limits -- Brie Larson, Scarlett Johansson, Danai Gurira

Page 46: Style -- Zendaya for Lancome’s new mascara

Page 48: Sleek activewear from celeb-loved label Gigi C Bikinis makes it easy to look like a star when you work out

Page 49: 5 minutes with Adrienne Bailon

Page 54: Entertainment

Page 58: Buzz -- Disney Holiday Singalong featuring Ryan Seacrest, Katy Perry, Pink and daughter Willow, Ciara and her kids Future and Sienna

Page 60: Sound Bites -- Nelly on feeling disappointed with placing third on Dancing With the Stars, Kaley Cuoco on husband Karl Cook’s social media presence, Megan Fox on first meeting boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly

Page 61: Paul McCartney on why he doesn’t like taking pictures with fans, Cardi B joking about how her 2-year-old crashed her selfie video

Page 62: Horoscope -- Sagittarius Vanessa Hudgens turned 32 on December 14

Page 64: By the Numbers -- Dan Levy

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shmisolo · 4 years

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For Anyone Looking for Not-Super-Angsty-Stuff

I’m compiling mine (or at least the less-angsty stuff) into one list for ya.

Seen ✔️✔️

His lock screen has three texts from Rey on it:

Rey Wife: Babe I know you’re probably busy right now, but you sent that pic to the wrong chat. Rey Wife: Bennnnnnn Rey Wife: Call me when you’re done processing your trauma.

And then about ninety chats from the Skywalker Ranch WhatsApp thread.

In which Ben sends a picture to the wrong chat.

The Sweater Curse

She’s never made a sweater before, but she saw the pattern on Ravelry and who cares if she’s only made (lumpy) hats before—she has to try it. She has to make it. She has to make it for Ben.

“You realize that Hannukah isn’t an important holiday, right?” Ben asks as she makes eye contact with him. His eyes are big and brown and—at this moment—mildly annoyed.

“Really? Is it a giant conspiracy theory? Part of the war on Christmas?”

“More than you realize,” Ben says and for the life of her she can’t tell if he’s joking. He does this thing sometimes that’s confusing—where he’ll say something that sounds mopey but is actually snarky and it disarms her every damn time. “In any event, ugly Hanukkah sweaters definitely aren’t a thing the way ugly Christmas sweaters are.”

“Well, they are now,” Rey says firmly. “I’m making you an ugly Hanukkah sweater. Deal with it. And stop moving.”

it's you and me (i know it's our destiny)

It’s just a kid’s game, he thinks when jealousy pangs in his heart. But it’s more than just a kid’s game.

It’s Pokémon.

It’s the only good thing in his life.

Shalom Rav!

In which Rey comes to terms realizing that she is attracted to the rabbi.

Apples and Honey

When Ben catches wind that his mother is planning to foist a potential girlfriend on him when he comes home for Rosh Hashanah, he takes matters into his own hands: specifically, he runs to Rey and asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend.

atlanta > all atlanta > community > missed connections

In which Rey meets a cosplayer at DragonCon.

Two to Tango

Rey: I need to ask you something awkward. Ben: What’s up? Rey: Can I give you a blowjob? Please?

Bang for your Buck

“We ready?” he asks her, sounding huffy.

“Nice to meet you Ben, I’m just familiarizing myself with your training,” she replies.

“Ok, well I don’t have all day.”

“No, you have,” she checks her watch, “another hour.” Because of course he’d booked an extra long session. Bless that sweet, sweet overtime pay.

“And you’re sure you know what you’re doing?” he asks her and she glances up at him, sure that her eyes are flashing because that’s fucking rude. She’s a professional. Amilyn wouldn’t have hired her if she didn’t know what she’s doing, and just because he apparently thinks he’s the center of the universe doesn’t change that fact.

“Don’t worry, you’ll get your bang for your buck,” she tells him icily.

A Picture's Worth

reyjay: hiya your art is amazing

reyjay: it’s a big ask but could you draw me for my art final tomorrow? i’m shit at drawing people and i can’t fail this. can you help?

He stares.

And stares.

kyloren: is this some kind of a joke?

reyjay: no?? why??

kyloren: you’re asking me to help you cheat your exam, but you’re not even offering me money?

Forged

There are several reasons that Ben would never have dreamed he’d ever receive this text. The first is that he’d be invited to a Halloween party. The second is that he’d never in his life expected to be in a serious relationship, much less the sort of serious relationship where his partner would suggest matching Halloween costumes. And the last is that he is dating someone who’s show only and they’ve only almost murdered one another twice. Because he’s an A Song of Ice and Fire fan. He hates Game of Thrones.

(Not) Interested

We're bringing Speed Dating back to Space Battles Bonanza! Register online for one of our special Bonanza sessions of 15 three-minute dates so you’ll no longer have to look for love in a galaxy far far away. Choose from one of seven speed dating sessions, two of which are queer focused. If the Insurgents can blow up the Doom Moon in 11 minutes, let’s see if you can make a love connection in only three.

There’s a history of successful Speed Dating at Space Battles Bonanzas, with long-term couples, engagements and marriages now among the alumni.

In which Rey & Kylo meet at their fancon's speed dating.

do or do not (do the do)

In which Ben, in an effort to improve his stamina (look he's making progress, ok?) after reading some articles that he'll never be able to unread, receives some coaching (that he very much did not ask for).

(Very much did not ask for.)

A for...

Rey’s seeing double by the time there’s food on her plate. Oh. There’s food on her plate. That’s good. That’s unexpected at this point. “Eat,” Ben tells her.

So she does. It tastes good. Very good. She likes this food a lot.

“I’ll make sure she knows,” Ben says.

Oh she’s at that point of drunk where she’s just saying things out loud instead of keeping them in her internal monologue.

“You are,” Ben says, looking very amused.

She hopes she doesn’t say anything embarrassing.

“I promise, you haven’t yet, but oh boy, I’m looking forward to this.”

She shoves food into her mouth to keep herself from thinking out loud about his dick in her ass at his mother’s Passover seder.

The Love Committee

In which Rey, tired of her bad luck with dating apps and failed relationships, enlists her friends' help in determining who she should date next.

They take it a little too seriously.

💦💦💦💦

In which Ben accidentally implies that he gets his cardio from having sex on national television.

You, Me, and He

When they say that Kylo's brain is in his groin, they're not far from the truth.

Alternatively,

In which Kylo Ren is his own penis.

and beyond

“Please?”

For a moment, he thinks it will be like the first time, him begging, her crying and saying no and him not knowing how to protect his crushed heart.

But she doesn’t cry, she doesn’t say, “Please don’t go this way,” she doesn’t look horrified or disgusted. She just grabs him by the front of his shirt and tugs his lips down to hers before reaching down to cup his cock.

we decided not to kill the wolves (we wanted to be wolves)

A pack of wolves lives in the woods to the north of Raddus and as winter looms, they have their eyes set on Leia Organa’s stronghold. Rey may be new to Raddus, but she’s not about to do nothing while it may be in danger. And besides, Poe must be exaggerating about wolves the size of bears. She’s not afraid of monsters.

myosotis

Ben picked the flowers for their wedding.

The Kitchen

Rey and Ben, hunting for their first house.

Investiture

In which Ben goes to daven for his father’s yahrtzeit and manages to prove to himself once again that he is both a terrible person and a terrible Jew.

Oh and he sort of falls in love.

The Sweetest Thing

A post-coital trip to Waffle House.

with you i shall play

And when it's dry and ready, then Ben's dick Rey shall play.

Everything to Prove

“The show,” he says. “It’s probably best if they don’t—if we don’t—”

And Rey follows his line of thought at once. For all the program is one that doesn’t seem melodramatic—the height of drama in previous seasons came from someone’s cake falling over and that was about it—she does not doubt that the producers and cameramen would leap at the opportunity to make there be something out of nothing in their relationship—especially if there was something out of something.

“Yeah,” she agrees. “Yeah, probably. We can pick baking stations that are…” but she doesn’t want to complete the thought. She likes baking next to Ben.

“Or we can just be careful?” he suggests, sounding quite as pained by the prospect as Rey feels.

“Yeah, careful. I can do careful,” Rey says at once and her lips are on his again and he’s laughing now, and she’s laughing, and she didn’t think laughter would be part of all this. She didn’t think it could be. But here she is, laughing and kissing and holding a man who, at some point, she’s going to want to beat.

She does her best not to think of that now.

It’s a friendly competition, after all.

It’s not life and death.

It’s baking.

Brightblades

In which Rey learns about a startling kink of her new boyfriend, and in which, much later, they roleplay it.

The Knotting Shop

Ben realizes upon entering the shop that he had gotten the complete wrong impression from the name of it.

What the fuck sort of shop calls itself The Knotting Shop if it’s not about, well, knotting?

The answer, apparently, is a knitter with a sense of humor. An Omega, by the scent that seems to have landed in every colorful ball of yarn in the shop and which hits him right in the groin.

Let Go (Never Let Me Go)

In which Rey swipes right on Ben, 35. Probably too much of an asshole for you, but my therapist is trying to convince me that assholes deserve love too, so here’s me on Tinder, and it does not proceed as she expects.

crossfade (cursed and blessed)

The Talmud states that on Purim one is to drink to the point of not knowing the difference between “cursed is Haman” and “blessed is Mordechai.” In other words, you’re supposed to get so blitzed you can’t tell your friends from your enemies. Rey and Ben might be taking this a little too literally at Leia’s annual Purim Party.

Kind Stranger

Ben stares at the text for a minute before opening up his computer and typing “+7793 area code” into his web search. Jakku. Of course he wouldn’t have recognized it. He confessed himself surprised to know that Jakku even had an area code. Did people still live in Jakku?

#kylothekiller

It’s not the first time that Rey has seen Kylo pop up in her Fido stream, but it is the first time she’s clicked on him fast enough to be scheduled for a meet and greet with dog and owner on Saturday.

All Bets Are Off

“Fake girlfriend. What does that even mean?” Ben asks her.

Rey rests a hand on his arm, feeling the muscles underneath his sleeve. “Babe,” she says, leaning close to him. “It means we pretend we’re madly in love. Think you can pull that off for your office pool?” Ben’s eyes flicker softly between each of hers and he swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.

#reylo #reylo fanfic #reylo fic

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melio-theeventuallawyer · 3 years

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1st and 2nd December, 2020

oh my god its december already how

1st December - Do you like winter?

yes, mostly. I don't like the super early nights but it's cozy and I always enjoy the holiday season so it's not too bad. i also love how much it makes me appreciate the spring and reminds me of the changing seasons and constant change of the natural world and the world around me and I love that.

2nd December - What is your favourite thing about winter?

I grew up on a farm. As you can imagine, winter is the down-season: the animals are cosy and fat, there's not much to do in the garden, and with the ice and snow, even maintainance and projects become difficult to do. Life reduces to the bare minimum, and focus goes into the not-necessities - baking, reading, working on the projects which have built up over the year. It's been an annual change which is ingrained into me - Winter is the time to slow down, stock the wood pile, clean the house, and reassess where you are and what you are planning for next year, when the sun comes out and spring brings the world back to life. I love that, and it's something that I try to channel even now, when I live somewhere that doesn't get iced over for months on end and living a life that is not so intimately connected to the seasons. I think it's healthy to have a natural rhythm.

Ft. Pics from a long walk with friends i took this morning. Always finding new and beautiful corners of London.

#studyblr #studyspo #personal #winter studying challenge #studytube

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milfadvisors · 3 years

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Pretty sure I can’t eat another bite. 🤤 I haven’t posted as much this holiday season simply because I was too busy cooking, baking, and having an amazing #Christmas with my daughters (pics are definitely coming). 👩🏻‍🍳 We started my annual #BakeOff with #GlutenFree #bananabread and #Homemade #Pizzas on #ChristmasEve.🍕 #For #Brunch on #Yuletide, I made pineapple spiced ham 🍖, country gravy and biscuits, cherry fluff jello salad, breakfast potatoes, cinnamon pull apart bread, and deviled eggs with a pickled relish assortment from my mom in #Ohio 🎄❤️ For #ChristmasDinner I made a super delicious #7layersalad and #glutenfreevegetarian #EggplantParmesan 🍆 (plus #leftovers). We also stopped for #BobaTea🧋a few times during the holiday break, I had some #PokeNachos and a #SourBeer 🍺 on their last day home, and then even made a last minute pot of #FromScratch #PotatoSoup 🥔 before they left. ✈️ This is on top of the endless supply of #freshbaked cookies and late night #lattes I’ve enjoyed with my amazing new @breville #BaristaExpress that #Santa brought me (thanks fam)!!! 🎅🏼🍪☕️ I’m sad that my oldest and her boyfriend had to leave, but I’m ready to end this year on a high note and get a jumpstart on the year ahead. One thing is for sure… #CoffeeAndCannabis just got even better… and after all this cooking, #coffee is the only thing I’m making until 2021. Lol ✨ (at Las Vegas, Nevada) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJVOg8vDJ5P/?igshid=q00izrks5xvh

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evelyn-foresis · 6 years

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along with my annual holiday pic of akar with festive lights, in recent years I also draw Trix(the moon/sleep/night deity) for the winter solstice. And well, bake lavender pancakes served with whip cream and sprinkles like the polytheist I am.

------------kanqa---------------------

Each zin has a prophet. to carry their word, to run their home temple, to spread their aura. The prophets are their most treasured and dedicated worshipers, one per zin. To Trix, her prophet Aldrin is new to the game but the only person of non-divinity she will speak to. The land she cursed with night is partially ruled by the words she gives Aldrin. Aldrin is however nothing like her; he is timid quiet and kind, loyally serving a chaotic evil deity.

Even so Trix is vital to Molamola, turning the world to give night and day, her song giving sleep and dreams. because of this she has an annual ceremony that is celebrated outside of Tamixreea, but with lesser enthusiasm. Trix’lee’ai, the winter solstice counterpart of Ex’leeai for her brother the sun. on first second of night candles are lit and blown out with a wish before bed. in some ways, one might find it odd to pay respects to an immortal light being who can make you sleep and has no problem killing you in your sleep, or giving you nightmares for kicks....maybe that is incentive to some....

#art #Aldrine #trix #trixleei #night #moon #zin #molamola #jdinShjwaCivill #solstice

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kurtwarren54 · 4 years

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Holiday Bucket List + Holidays at Disneyland

This past week Blake took the day off from work and we headed to Disneyland with Otis to enjoy a day of holiday fun at the parks. It’s one of my favorite times to visit because they do it up GOOD and the decor is just so cute and everything just gives me the warm fuzzies. (I know, super scientific terminology!!) We stayed from 9am to 7pm and let me tell you, we had the BEST DAY EVER. Since we are annual passholders, we can come to Disney pretty often (and we do!) but we always like to make time in December to see the tree lit up and experience the holidays there. Otis coy little smiles when he met Mickey are the sweetest thing to witness and I just love watching him grow and learn to love Disney more and more each month.

The holidays can be hectic and wild for alot of people. Between holiday parties, family get together, work deadline, and holiday presents can feel stressful for alot of people. I always remind myself each year that it’s important to remember what is really important this time of year: spending time with the people that you love. Whether that is friends, family, etc, make sure you are taking time out to slow down and enjoy life. I wanted to share with you my holiday bucket list of things that I try to do during the holiday time! Don’t let this list stress you out either! There is so much pressure to celebrate the holidays in all these perfect pinterest ways but really, it’s as simple as grabbing your dog and taking a walk in a new neighborhood discovering some holiday lights that can really add a special warmth to the holiday season. With Christmas next week, we still have a full weekend ahead to explore some more holiday traditions and I encourage you to take some time for yourself to slow down and take it all in.

My Holiday Bucket list

Find Holiday Books: This one I can already check off my list. Take a trip to your local bookstore or library and grab some new books to get into the holiday spirit. We read books every night with Otis before he goes to sleep and it’s a very special part of our day. I wrote a whole post with my favorites kids Christmas books here. Plenty of time to swing by your local bookstore and pick up a holiday favorite.

Take a holiday lights walk: This can be as simple as exploring your own neighborhood and checking out the holiday lights after the sunset. Where we live, we love to check out the holiday lights and houses on Balboa Island. People go all out and it’s a nice walk with our stroller along the inlets. We also love to watch the Newport Beach Boat Parade. People decorate their boats and parade through the water. It’s been a special tradition to go see it for us! Especially since moving to Orange County it’s such a unique experience. Lots of local Zoos and botanical gardens usually decorate as well!

Plan a Holiday Snacks Party: Gather your friends and have them bring different holiday cookies (store bought or homemade whatever your vibe is!). Or find some kind of food you can decorate. Sugar Cookies are always a crowd pleaser but they take alot of work to make. An easier treat to whip up is rice krispies and let kids decorate with icing and sprinkles. You can also have everyone bring one sweet treat and create a massive sweets charcuterie board. Basically keep it easy and fun and use it as an excuse to get together with friends.

Walk around Disneyland to see all the decorations: This one is specific to me here in California. Since we have an annual pass, there are times we just go to walk and have a special holiday flavored treat. SO WORTH IT if you are debating on going. Yes it’s crazy crowded, but if you do a little research and go with the flow, you can have a really amazing day.

Host a cookie decorating party: Making sugar cookies took me years to get into. Then one day I found this recipe that is magic and makes the perfect sugar cookie. Now I look forward to making them each holiday. Last year, we had a cookie decorating party at my friends house with my sisters family and we all spent the night decorating cookies with icing and sprinkles and ordering Chinese food takeout. We had holiday music blasted and it was the most fun day. I plan to keep this in our holiday traditions. If baking isn’t your thing, you can easily buy some store bought cookies and icing and do the same thing at home with friends. It’s more about having the time together creating something yummy.

Friendsgiving: We all spend alot of time planning our family Thanksgivings but we love to celebrate the holidays with our friends as well. Either cook and have everyone bring a side, get catering, or just make it a special dinner out if you don’t want to be bothered cooking. We love to plan Friendsgiving with our friends that have kids since no one case we plan our dinner at 4pm so we can all go home at bedtime. HA! I know it’s way past Thanksgiving but the idea of a big special dinner is something you can easily accomplish without roasting a turkey for hours too.

See Santa: I am a big kid at heart and seeing Santa in the flesh is just always so special. Even without kids, seeing the man in red always made me smile. We saw so many Santa’s this year and Otis is finally getting excited to see him from a far. I loved the Santa at South Coast Plaza (here is our pic!) and they have a little train and carousel etc there that makes it a fun activity day for the kids. Otis didn’t enjoy sitting ON Santa but what a fun memory to share with him when he’s older. We also now have a tradition of going to my friend Poppy Lea Photography’s studio for an intimate Santa experience. I posts about it here if you are into it for next year! I also oddly enough ran into Santa at Target!! Honestly Santa gets around guys. There are so many places to go see him!!

Christmas Tree Hunt: Another great activity if you are into Christmas is going on a Christmas Tree hunt! Lots of local malls and shopping centers have some amazing setups and the lights and decorations can be such a fun thing for adults and kids to experience. It can be a fun game to make a checklist of all your favorites and then make it a tradition to go see them each year.

Donate: My family has a tradition of donating money to the local food bank ever since I was younger. I remember my dad explaining to us that every year, it was important that we did that to help our local communities. It has always stuck with me that in a season where everything is so focused on gifts and gift giving it’s so important to take a step back and think about others. Whether its bringing toys to a local children’s hospital, donating food to your local food bank, or dropping off toys and food at your local animal shelter. There are so many way to contribute to your communities and what better time than the holidays to remind us all that we need to open up our hearts a little bit bigger if we are able to.

The post Holiday Bucket List + Holidays at Disneyland appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides.

from Wellness https://www.eatsleepwear.com/2019/12/19/holiday-bucket-list-holidays-at-disneyland/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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elizabethcariasa · 4 years

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Holiday Bucket List + Holidays at Disneyland

My Holiday Bucket list

The post Holiday Bucket List + Holidays at Disneyland appeared first on eat.sleep.wear. - Fashion & Lifestyle Blog by Kimberly Lapides.

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tru-b-blog · 4 years

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It’s been a couple months since my last post, but the holiday flying kept me pretty busy. A lot of people asked me if I was sad to be working the holidays and if it was hard for me. Honestly, it wasn’t! I absolutely LOVE my job (which you will probably hear me say quite often here on my blog)!! I’ve also moved around a lot on my own since I graduated high school so this wasn’t going to be my first time away from family during the holidays. Also, with my job, I am able to fly anywhere I want on my days off. So while I wasn’t able to celebrate the holidays with family and friends on the actual days, we had our own celebrations when I could be around. I am so grateful to my family and friends who understand my job and are willing to celebrate early or late to include me.

So, without further ado, here were my holiday trips!

Thanksgiving: Sioux Falls, SD

I had a three-day trip starting November 26th, which was getting me back in NYC on the evening of Thanksgiving Day. I had a trip the next day so I wasn’t going to be able to go home even after getting back. BUT what was great about this trip, we had a full day off on the second day, a 27 hr layover! I love trips like these because I technically get paid to have a day off of flying haha.

Anyway, Sioux Falls was FREEZING!!!! It had just snowed the day we arrived. The biggest thing to do in Sioux Falls is, well, obviously, go and see the falls! But during this time of the year, they weren’t open during the day but they have lights during the evening. My crew and I really wanted to see them, but we were told we needed to drive through and we didn’t know if an uber would take us through (they probably would). However, we also were getting picked up at 330am and we wanted to get enough sleep (which is extremely important as a flight attendant, we really LOVE our sleep).

During the day, I walked around the small town and found some fun little shops on Main St. They have lights and decorations around town which was perfect for entering the holiday season (I don’t know about you, but Christmas music is not allowed for me until after Thanksgiving). Below is a picture of one of their trees decorated with ornaments. The statues are a little hard to see but the one in front of the tree reads: “The Angel of Contemplation”. There were these little statues and sculptures all throughout Main St.

If you find yourself in Sioux Falls, Zandbroz is a must! It’s a cute shop with a bunch of little knick-knacks. Books, toys, kitchen items, gifts. I actually got a few Christmas gifts for people here. If I had more room in my suitcase, I probably would have boughten a lot more!

I found this coffee shop that had a very rustic feel. I love the round wood table tops and their overall atmosphere was relaxing. I ended up getting a hot chocolate (because, well, it’s cold and hot cocoa sounds great during the holidays!) I sat and read for a little bit while enjoying my hot cocoa in an actual mug rather than a paper to-go cup (though I did get a pour-over coffee to go for my walk back to the hotel). On my walk back, I ran into the “i love you” sign on the rooftop of a building. I don’t even know what this building was, but I liked the sign, so, enjoy. 🙂

San Antonio, TX

I had a layover in San Antonio a couple days after Thanksgiving. They had just decorated the riverwalk and their lights are lit every night! While it’s very crowded on the riverwalk, the lights are beautiful. The weather is still nice enough where you don’t really need a heavy jacket and the water just adds an extra element. Phone pics don’t always give the best quality, especially at night, but here’s what I got!

Riverwalk lights

Boat rides on the river

Cool church on the walk

CHRISTMASTIME!!!!

ICE! at Gaylord Rockies Resort

I LOVE Christmas! It’s my favorite second holiday after July 4th (I really, REALLY like fireworks). In December, I took my days off to go to Denver and Fort Worth to spend time with family and continue traditions.

If you’re in Denver during the holidays, the Gaylord Rockies Resort is a MUST!! They have so many different activities to do there for Christmas. My boyfriend and I took his nephew to ICE! which is a Christmas story carved into 2 MILLION POUNDS of ice!!!! That’s a lot of ice. This year, they did Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer which is my favorite Christmas movie!! When you first enter, they give you parkas because they keep the building at -3 degrees to keep the ice from melting! Seriously, one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen!

They also have a walkway with lights everywhere that really is beautiful!

27th Annual Christmas Cookie Baking with Grama

Every year, for as long as I can remember, the grandkids have always made homemade Christmas cookies with my grama Overman. We usually try to make them closer to Christmas, but this year we made them in the first week so that I could be there in person rather than over skype (which we have done in the past). This is something very special for me and is probably my favorite tradition. I love being with my cousins and making a mess (sorry grama) and it’s always fun to decorate with homemade frosting. The recipe for the cookies and the frosting was passed down from my grama’s grandmother which makes it all the more special.

NYC!!

The holidays are a big deal in NYC. . . duh! It was extremely hectic when I went, so I didn’t get a lot of pics, but it’s still really cool!

Cartier

Rockefeller Tree!

HOME!!!

I was able to get about a week off before Christmas to be with my family and catch up with some friends. Even though I wasn’t home for actual Christmas day, we celebrated our own Christmas and it was just as wonderful!

Six Flags Christmas

Brunch with my TX Girls

Christmas Dinner with the fam!

I was blessed with a long Denver layover on Christmas Eve. My boyfriend and I spent the first half of the day with my family in Loveland and the second half with his family in Thornton. I could not have asked for a better way to spend Christmas Eve while technically working. I actually don’t have any pictures from this day because I thoroughly enjoyed being in the moment.

I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving and Christmas! Thank you to the passengers who really were wonderful on these days (you can continue that on a regular basis you know. We appreciate it all year round, not just on these days lol).

Stay tuned in the new year. . . my friends and I are conquering Times Square for New Year’s Eve!!!!!!!!

B ❤

Chapter Seven: Holiday Travels It's been a couple months since my last post, but the holiday flying kept me pretty busy.

#Travel

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glimmerbugart · 4 years

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Weekend Wrap Up: Thanksgiving Fun, Farm Visit and Christmas Decorating Starts!

And just like that, Thanksgiving is in the rear view mirror. Hard to believe it’s come and gone already! It’s probably my favorite holiday, since we get together with our family to enjoy each other’s company, share TONS of laughter and have our annual gingerbread decorating contest! But first, I had to get some baking done for the big day, including an apple pie and a pumpkin pie!

My kids absolutely ADORE their cousins and love all the fun they have creating these fabulous houses with all of them. The smiles are from ear to ear and the kids have a ball making all these houses with their favorite people! Each year, my cousin opens up her house and has, not only the best turkey and sides ever, but the most fabulous display of candies and toppings to create these sugary sweet houses! My kids are the youngest of the group (as of right now, but that is soon changing since we found out we’ll be welcoming a new little cousin next summer and that means my cousin will be a grand dad!!!)

I get a huge kick out of watching all of my younger cousins, who are now grown men (which totally freaks me out) have such a good time making these gingerbread houses with my little kids. I can remember these guys being my kid’s ages, which is both awesome and terrifying at the same time, especially since one of them is going to be a daddy! It’s great to see how it comes full circle and to see the relationship that my kids have with all of them. It’s heart-filling, that’s for sure!

Next up, after we got back from that celebration, we jumped in the car and drove almost 6 hours out to Rochester, NY to have our day after Thanksgiving celebration with my mother-in-law at the farm. Sadly, I didn’t take many pics, except for these of my favorite little friends out in the pasture in the back yard. There’s over 350 of them, and they are just so sweet and adorable and peaceful to watch. No wonder I have an affinity for them by having several decorations in my house of sheep. They are just the best.

While my husband and I have to make ourselves scarce during “Camp Grammy,” the kids have a ball with her running all over western NY and visiting fun places, like the Strong Museum of Play. That’s the highlight of their visit every single time and they are always asking when they can go back. Meanwhile, hubs and I do our own thing, like go out to eat, and watch the History channel in our little hotel apartment. It’s quiet, but relaxing and we love how much fun the kids are having with Grammy.

But as we sat in our hotel room, we closely monitored the weather that was impending doom upon us, especially during our drive home. The forecast for a fairly large snow storm was due to start on Sunday morning, right when we were leaving Rochester. After a lot of back and forth and hemming and hawing, I pulled the trigger and we left at about 7PM on Saturday night, cutting our much anticipated trip short so that we could get ahead of the storm and not get stuck in the horrible traffic that I had envisioned for our drive home that Sunday.

And let me tell you, good thing we did leave early. We made great time getting back and walked in the door around midnight on Saturday, but watched the weather and traffic for much of the day yesterday and saw what a complete shit-show it turned out to be on our route home. We would have sat in bumper to bumper traffic pretty much the whole ride home, which would have turned a 6 hour drive into probably more than double that. And that would have made this mama NUTS!!!

Waking up this morning, in our nice warm little country house, was wonderful. The blankets of white snow outside in our yard was a beautiful sight. We’re all tucked in, warm and happy, with no plans to leave since school has been canceled for today. Not sure about tomorrow since this storm is supposed to last into tomorrow afternoon. But for now, all 5 of us, plus our little doggie babies, are snug as bugs in rugs in our farmhouse, watching TV, baking and enjoying our pajamas!

Needless to say, I had to order some snow pants and boots for my littles this morning (thank you Amazon Prime) since it appears everyone has outgrown last year’s snow clothes. But, what can you do… I can’t get believe it didn’t dawn on me to do it sooner, but oh well!

Anywho, hope you have a fabulous week and enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with your friends and family! We’re looking forward to a lot of holiday goodness with our friends in the coming weeks, complete with our annual holiday craft party with the favorite “aunties” and then our yearly Christmas party at a wonderful friend’s house that is like spending time in a winter wonderland! So exciting!

Enjoy your day!

#Thanksgiving #Christmas #Snow #Snow storm #Gingerbread Houses #Family #Weekend Wrap Up

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resultnorth1-blog · 5 years

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Fleece Navidad: Christmas Sweater Cookies!

Merry (almost) Christmas Dear Reader! It's not Christmas until someone dons a Christmas sweater or at least eats a Christmas sweater cookie! These sweet little sugar cookies are patterned with festive cheer. They're also easy to do and I show you how to make them!

Dear Reader, I was frustrated a week or so ago. I wanted to make these Christmas jumper cookies but I didn't have a sweater cookie cutter. I rang around to my local cake decorating supply store and they didn't have any and while I saw some online, I didn't want to pay $9 to ship it to me especially since the cutter was $4 nor did I want to spend $30 to get free shipping. It was then that a lady that I rang suggested using a gingerbread man cookie cutter. Genius!

These cookies can be fiddly when it comes to decorating them but they're not difficult. They come together with just a few colours too so if you're wanting to tackle royal icing cookies definitely give these a go. I find decorating cookies relaxing and I loved doing different cookie decorations. You could of course make them all the same and they'll still be fun but it's amazing how many patterns you can make using just a few colours.

I've been getting into the Christmas spirit with it being less than a week away. We've started a Christmas tradition of an annual Mochi Santa photo. She's so good wearing clothing and so patient with us fussing over her so I knew she wouldn't mind.

If last year taught us anything, it was that we should get there early so we headed to the Santa chair early one Sunday morning. Not all Santas allow for pet photography (although this one did specify no lizards haha!) so it was nice to be able to take her one.

The line had lots of dogs and Mochi made friends with some of them. We managed to get a pic of her in record time. The photographer marvelled that she pretty much looked straight at the camera the whole time and was so easy to photograph (listen to me, I'm a total stage mum!). And then we ran some errands, had lunch I got home and baked these cookies.

I've also been rather addicted to a podcast and Dear Reader, I'm almost positive that you may have heard of it. It's called The Teacher's Pet by journalist Hedley Thomas and it's about a cold case in Australia. It's a true crime podcast about a woman called Lyn Dawson who went missing in 1982 and is about the twisted relationship between Lyn, her husband Chris and his live in student girlfriend Joanne.

It is an incredible story about entitlement, boy's clubs, sexual abuse by teachers, gross incompetence and without spoiling anything, it is a true crime podcast with an ending. I have been so glued to it I've been listening to it before bed and when I wake up. It's also an excellent soundtrack to cooking as I decorated these cookies at the dining table listening to this with little Mochi at my feet!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you have a Christmas sweater? And have you listened to The Teacher's Pet and what did you think of it? Do you have any other podcast recommendations for the holidays?

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 20 minutes plus 1.5 hours decorating time

Cooking time: 15 minutes

85g/3ozs butter, softened

140g/5ozs white caster superfine sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

180g/6ozs all-purpose flour (or a bit more, I needed about 30g more for this batch)

200g/7ozs. icing or confectioners sugar, sifted

1 egg white

Red, green, blue and brown/black food colouring

Tiny pearl sprinkles, sugar snowflakess

Step 1 - In an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together until pale (about 4 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. On slow speed or by hand add the flour and mix until just combined. Roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2 - Cut out either using a sweater cutter or using a gingerbread cutter trimming the head and legs off. Bake at 200C/400F for 10 minutes or until golden and baked. Cool completely.

Step 3 - Make the royal icing. Place the icing sugar in a food processor and process until all lumps disappear. Add in the egg white-you want the icing to be stiffish and pipeable so add more icing sugar if needed or a sparing drop of water or lemon juice if it is too stiff. Divide the royal icing into five bowls and tint red, green, blue and brown or black and leave one white.

Piping royal icing outlines

Step 4 - Place a couple of teaspoons of all 5 colours into piping bags (see how to make these piping bags here). Pipe an outline around each cookie in blue, red, green and white stiff icing. Wait until set and then add a couple of tiny drops of water to the remaining bowls of royal icing and then "flood" the cookie and allow to set (may take a few hours).

Flooding the cookies with slightly runnier royal icing

Step 5 - Decorate any way that you like-I made reindeers, Christmas trees, Xmas pudding, snowmen and Christmas lights. Set completely.

Source: http://www.notquitenigella.com/2018/12/21/christmas-sweater-cookies/

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