tea for two (or more).

a few weeks ago i was greeted by my good friends with a nice surprise. a couple of side notes about surprises:
a). true TRUE ones come so few and far between (especially the older you get), and
2). i LOVE them (duh).

my friend charlie's mum had offered up her mother's b-e-a-utiful silver-plated tea/coffee set to little old moi. i squealed (quite loudly) with excitement as visions of girlie tea parties and hosting divine dinners with friends, quickly filled my head and i promptly assembled it all and displayed it in my teeny dining nook.

you see, i had access to a miniature tea set when i was a gal, but some pieces were missing by the time it was passed on to me (ahem, older sister...) and frankly, i was getting a bit too big for the single spot of tea (or water) the pot could hold. this new set was complete with two slender pots (i could hear myself asking: "regular or decaf?" "coffee or tea?"), a stout little creamer and a twin sugar bowl. each piece with four tiny "feet" on the bottom for slight elevation, all resting on an ornate silver tray with a handle on each side, to boot!

all this on top of the fact that i live + die by second-hand treasures, just made this sunday surprise so much sweeter. while i have visions of the previous life this beauty of hosting...accoutrements...had before me - including mid-day coffee, holiday dinners and maybe even a brunch here or there - i also have big plans for it in the future. above all, my heart warms knowing where it's been: in a family of friends that i have come to consider a form of family of my own. and isn't that just the cream to my coffee?

thanks janine!
*yours truly prepared to serve up some goodness at thanksgiving dinner!

the last first.

hello december - welcome! you came all to soon, but i welcome you with open arms - you're one of my faves.

i look forward to all you bring in the next few weeks: trips to nyc, holiday parties, birthday celebrations, champagne, eggnog, lights, carols...maybe even some snow. but most of all, i look forward to the trip down to NC for a family (and friend) reunion.
and while i'm not sure where the rest of this year went, i will squeeze all the best that i can out of you to cap it off and prepare for the next.

let the fun begin!

i'll be gone till Movember.

Movember is an annual moustache growing charity event held every November which raises funds and awareness for cancers that affect men. nov.1, guys register with a clean shaven face and grow + groom their Mo all month, raising money along the way. funds donated to the organization are divided evenly to the Prostate Cancer Foundation + LiveSTRONG.

AB + i are...shall we say...challenged, in the facial hair department. and while e can grow a solid 'stache, he keeps a pretty clean palette. so we decided to take matters into our own hands to show support for this cause and our dad who is currently battling prostate cancer...for the second time.

he's upon his last week of radiation treatments and we're hoping this battle will be the last. so it's only fitting that we close out this month with a few photos of our progress in hopes he sees some as well. hats off to all you who participated this month and burgin beale, this one's for you.

thanks, again.

it's hard to believe that it's time for another thanksgiving.

this year, e + i are welcoming people to our home - a first for us. we'll be making the turkey, adding some sides, downing some wine + building a fire. all with an intimate group of friends and, for the first time in four years, my sister. that's right, i will finally share the table with another beale again.

i've said it before, and i'll say it again, thanksgiving is my favorite (juuuust after halloween). there's no stressful gift-giving, no nausea as you watch your credit card balance slowly rise and (for us at least) no travel anxiety. as long as you remember to take the giblets out of the turkey and turn the oven on, it's a piece of cake, well...pumpkin pie. it marks the beginning of my holiday season for sure and i actually find it the most fun day of the span.

i do miss my home - meaning my mom + dad - and the years i had with them, at their house. since those times, thanksgiving food just hasn't tasted the same. i know it never will. but i don't let that distract me from being thankful for everything else in my life. my cup runneth over. and i hope yours does too.

so cheers to a day of family, friends and delicious food. take a minute to count your blessings, hug the ones you're with and give thanks to whomever will listen.

happy thanksgiving to you + yours!