Merry Christmas!

 We've had a white Christmas in central Virginia.

 

Check out all our snow!!!

From my home to yours ~

I hope you've had a joyful holiday.

Buying Local

When possible, I'm a huge fan of buying local. Here's a great website to help you locate where to buy newly released books locally: Indie Bound.

Leaving on a Jet Plane ......

Where do our travels take us next???

LYNCHBURG! 

Family & Friends: Are you ready????

(P.S. - We're flying through Charles de Gaulle tomorrow. And don't you know within that hour and 20 minutes I will hunt down some macaroons!!!)

 

More of Rome

St. Peter's Basilica

Pieta at St. Peter's

Swiss Guards at St. Peters

Outside St. Peters

Work by Michelangelo

 

 

 

Pantheon

Trevi Fountain

Campo Fiori - An absolutely lovely market I wish I could shop in often!

Bonhoeffer on Advent

"A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does various unessential things, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent."

-- Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Letters and Papers from Prison

It's Happening!

I'll be packing soon and very soon!

Second Song of the Day

I'm such a little Nashville hipster today:

Song of the Day

Or - at least song of my day.

Street Art ....

.... keeps it interesting.

Millions. Really???

MBA & I were amused by this check. [Click on the picture to see it larger] Note how it has a category for Millions, Hundred Thousands, Tens of Thousands, etc. I guess the University writes enough million pound checks to include a category on their checks for it!??!?! Really!?!?

The Evolution of a Tacky Gingerbread House

Our friends Sean and Leah hosted a Gingerbread House party this past Saturday. It was a lot of fun!

I'm diligently working on our masterpiece!

Work in Progress

Side View of Our "Beauty"

Look: It's the Batman Building!

Then tragedy strikes:

Our Creation Begins to Crumble

MBA's Disappointed

While he begins to plaster the thing back together, true tragedy strikes:

Complete Collapse

However, a new creation can be made!

Isn't it beautiful!??! It's a galactic bank with a banana sidewalk and starship parking.

[At least the two-year old at the party liked it!!!]

First Night in Florence

While the Arbos visited us, we took a holiday to Italy. After flying into Pisa, we trained over to Florence, checked into our fabulous hotel, and headed out to dinner.

 Cheryl & Me

We had antipasto for dinner and it was fab!

These pictures will make my dad so jealous! He loves antipasto platters!

Platter of Italian Cold Meats

Cheeses - Including Fried Mozarella

Then they brought each of us a dessert platter! What!?!? By that point, I could hardly eat another bite. However, the profiterole and tiramisu were pretty divine.

After that, we took a stroll through the historic center.

 

At the Duomo

Loving Florence!

Visit to Dundee and St. Andrews

While the Arbos were visiting, we headed north and went to Dundee and St. Andrews. Our first stop in Dundee was at the St. Peter's Church where Robert Murray M'Cheyne pastored. I'm not very familiar with M'Cheyne, but MBA's parents have both read his books and were really excited to see where he lived and pastored.

St. Peter's Church

Bill & Cheryl Arbo at M'Cheyne's Grave

Next, we headed to St. Andrews.

MBA at the Cathedral Ruins

MBA & his mom checking out Adam Ferguson's grave.

Ferguson is a very important person in our household. If you want to read about him, just check out MBA's dissertation.

Cheryl & Me in the Scottish Cold!

St. Andrews is set on the North Sea

MBA & his dad at the Golf Course

St. Andrews Golf Course

MBA & I at the 18th Hole

After St. Andrews, we drove along the coast, fishing village to fishing village, back to Edinburgh.

We stopped at the eastern-most point in Scotland.

Isn't it gorgeous??? 

Some of My Favorite Things

French Ticking Stocking from Marley and Lockyer's Etsy Shop. These stockings make me want to purchase permanent fixtures for a future home. (This would be opposed to our somewhat transient, current life).  

 

Oil of Olay's Conditioning Milk and Daily Toner

These products are quite perfect for the skin during the harsh, winter months. The Conditioning Milk is so moisturizing during the cold and the Toner doesn't dry out. Plus, the Conditioning Milk reminds me of Bobbi Brown's. Perfect for this time of year and a great price!

I'm obsessed with this book! It has pictures and fascinating information on every country in the world. Every time I pick this book up, I dream and dream and dream. I want to visit so many places in the world, and this book serves to transport me to many other destinations until I physically arrive. And - it even makes suggestions as to books and films that will prepare you for each country's culture. Very fun!