With a kiss to the hubby and a pat on doggie’s head, I hopped a plane and headed east to visit my brother and his family in Pittsburgh. After 10 years in the U.S. Navy, Ryan, Maria and the cutest niece in the world – Paige – found their new home in the suburbs of the big city.

Living in Maria’s hometown, her entire family is diehard Steelers fans – my brother now included! And when winter moves in, the Penguins take the ice. Thanks to Maria’s cousins, we scored tickets to a Penguins game while I was there that were six rows off the ice! Now I’ll admit I’m not the biggest sports fanatic. I’ve watched games on TV, but haven’t really ever gotten into one particular sport. But when you put me in a hockey arena where I can hear the sticks hitting the ice, the puck clank off the goal post and bodies slam into the glass, I’m going to be cheering with the rest of them! This was my first NHL game, and one that will never be forgotten with the game coming down to a shoot out. Talk about edge of your seat! Penguins win!!

Pittsburgh is an amazing city with incredible views of the skyline from Mount Washington. The unique characteristic shape of Pittsburgh’s city center is a triangular tract carved by the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, which meet to form the Ohio River. The city features 151 high-rise buildings, 446 bridges and two inclined railways, making it not only know as “the Steel City,” but also “the City of Bridges.”  Pittsburgh is also home to Heinz ketchup and the famous Primanti Bros. Restaurant, where sandwiches come piled high on homemade bread with your choice of meat and cheese topped off with fresh cut fries and coleslaw. It truly is an entire meal in one bite!

I’m excited to return and explore more of this city. Soon there will be a new reason to visit, as Paige will be a big sister!

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. And even though I itch to get those decorations out as soon as I start to see jingle bells pop up in the stores, I patiently wait until the day after Thanksgiving to start the transformation. Early in the morning I lug the containers up from the basement (which have grown to quite a few throughout the years!) and carefully unpack the treasures that I neatly stowed the year before. With Christmas music filling the air, I can’t help but smile as I unwrap each item and reflect on its past.

Every item among my collection has a story to tell, from the ceramic figurines I made as a teenager to the Cowboy Santa that travelled with my husband from his home state of Texas. The Christmas treasures all have their own places in the house, with angels singing from the top of the piano to sledding snowmen on the coffee table.

With every decoration in its spot, the tree becomes my focus. Not only is it my most favorite Christmas treasure, but it offers a story in every ornament that hangs from its branches.

When I was only a year old, my mother started an annual tradition of getting us kids a new ornament each year to build a collection that would travel with us throughout our lives. Missing only one from the year I was born (and one that shattered a few year back), my collection offers 31 tiny treasures that twinkle from the lights around them. Some are round balls with colorful characters, while others are angels made from nuts and snowmen made of bells.

Throughout the years, I’ve added to my own collection with ornaments I’ve found or received as gifts. Even the hubby has added his own signature ornaments with skiing bears and, of course, ornaments with a little Texas style.

It’s a joy to reflect on all the items that bring us happiness this season. For me it’s the tiny treasures that make me think of family and friends who have graced my life. Merry Christmas!

My two-and-a-half year-old niece, Paige, is crazy about dogs. She loves their furry coat, and laying beside them for hours just petting them. But having one of her own isn’t quite in the cards in her home just yet. So for this Christmas, I set out to find something fun to take its place. That’s when I found the Sock Dog pattern online, and I immediately fell in love with it. With Paige’s favorite colors pink and purple, the sock I found was just perfect! The pattern was easy to make and it took me only a couple of hours to complete. The only modification I made was the addition of a bright pink color embellished with a little bling, because what small pooch is complete without it?

Want to make your own?  Sock Dog directions

Growing up, my mother often tried out new casserole and soup recipes that she would test on the family. (Actually, sometimes I think they were recipes, and other times they were leftovers from the fridge thrown into a pot.) Nonetheless, I grew up delighting my taste buds to recipes that wafted through the house as they simmered from the stove top.

It wasn’t until recently when I was combing through my recipe box that I came across mom’s Hamburger Soup recipe. It’s kind of a “throw everything in a pot” recipe, but it certainly warms my soul on a cool winter evening with its mixture of hamburger, veggies and potatoes. The hubby even gave it two thumbs up when I made it for him the first time.

Hamburger Soup
2 pounds ground beef, browned
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped potatoes
1 cup chopped cabbage
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
¼ cup rice
3 teaspoons salt
¼ cup vinegar
Combine all the ingredients into a crockpot. Add about 1 cup water to the mixture – more if you like it more broth-based. Cook for at least four hours on low.

While I’m thankful I get to spend Thanksgiving with my family this year, it’s also a day where I need to give thanks for all the blessings that I’ve been given. The past six months have shown me that prayers do come true, both in life and in love.

Six months ago, my husband and I started on a new path down life’s journey. We both left our jobs in the newspaper industry after more than 11 years and found ourselves excited for life’s new adventures. I found my dream job working in communications, public relations and event planning. For the first time in a while, I find myself excited to get up every morning to see what the day will bring. I’m anxious for what the future entails and for the new opportunities it will bring into my life.

As I was finding my new way, my husband started down a path completely unknown to him. Since January, he’s been hitting the books in preparation for nursing school next year – a new career that has him excited about helping others. He took a certified nurse aide course throughout the summer, as I watched with glee when he talked about helping nursing home residents. Then, just two weeks ago, he started working at a local hospital, observing first-hand the act of caring for patients. While he still has a couple of years to go toward his nursing degree, the hospital training is exactly what was ordered. He’s full of passion and excitement for each new day.
I’m so encourage by his appetite for a new career that I can’t help but smile. I’m thankful for his endless love and his ability to stand by me through thick and thin.

I’m thankful for a loving family that has supported us throughout the past few years – even as times got tough. But no matter how many calls I made, they were always there to listen.

Thank you to each and every one of you who helped us this year, whether it was through a cheerful call, a hug or a prayer. While the road may still have some bumps for us, we’re certainly on our way.