Choco Nails Madonna Honor Peach Zoom Thanks
Seven, seven, seven posts in one! :-P
Chocolate Review:
So, I've eaten halfway through my Godiva splurge. The Açaí Berry piece (dark chocolate ganache layered with açaí, rose, and berry ganache) in the Top Chef: Just Desserts box was a REVELATION! If they sold it as an individual piece, I'd buy 20. The rose flavor is amazing. The Passion Fruit piece (white chocolate and passion fruit ganache) tasted like an incredible custard. The Green Tea piece (matcha tea mousse center in a white chocolate shell) was the only "eh". It was too subtle for me. I like BOLD flavor. I also thought the Chocolate Mendiant (dark chocolate ganache between two dark chocolate disks, topped with bits of organic dried apricot, tart cherry, and sea salt) wouldn't be all that special, but I was wrong. Those little toppings packed a perfect punch! I've only tried two of my Bakery Dessert truffles, and while I'm not as bowled over by them, I did pick the two most boring to try first: spicy Carrot Cake "frosted" in milk chocolate and rolled in chopped pecans (was too thick on the shell & not spicy enough inside) & the Southern-style Red Velvet Cake in white chocolate with a heart of sweet chocolate ganache. That one made me laugh, b/c it's just regular chocolate dyed red - not exactly a flavor revolution. :-P I'm still most excited, though, for the white chocolate Tiramisu, an "ethereal blend" of mascarpone & espresso ganache and the Strawberry Tarte "swirling sweet berries and tart rhubarb through vanilla mousse, enrobed in milk chocolate."
Mommy/Daughter Manis:
I weaseled in time today to go get my nails done, b/c I was so excited to try the OPI Axxium mani. Unfortunately, they didn't have all the (esp. holiday!) OPI colors, so I ended up getting a Shellac mani, instead, so I could get a metallic ("Red Baroness") shade. (It's a long-lasting UV-cured mani, as well.) I LOOOOVE the product so far - the high gloss is awesome, and I can't tell you how amazing it is to NOT WORRY about nicking them! They really are completely dry after 2 min under the UV light. ...But my poor girl was *just* learning how to do this, and she really did not do a good job. There are some bumps & messy edges; she told me not to feel bad about coming back to get them redone (she didn't have time today before they closed) but I honestly don't know if I'll have time Saturday... They look fine from a far; is it worth it to go back? On the flipside, they aren't perfect, & I *did* pay... I dunno... What would you do? Help me...
I let Annelise get hers painted while we were there. She got the most to.die.for color: the new OPI Holiday fuchsia (& silver, gold & green) glitter "Show It & Glow It!" - there has never been a more perfect expression of the both of us in one bottle! :-D
Madonna & Child or Angel?
Every year I stamp our Christmas cards with the Madonna & Child stamp. I'm kind of obsessed. Down South, those things go like hotcakes. You often have to buy by Thanksgiving to be sure they're in stock. (I went to THREE P.O.s when we lived in Georgia one year to get enough!) I'm sorry, but snowmen & reindeer over a picture of Baby Jesus when we're celebrating His birth? It just one of my "things". I don't take the secular choice during a sacred holiday, if there is one. The annual Madonna & Child stamp NEVER runs out up north, though, (oooo - goes back to my Southern Christian Culture post!) so I haven't rushed out, yet; but I was curious to see which classical art piece had been chosen, so I went online. Ummm, it's the same as last year. :-/
The new stamp for this year is an angel:
Now I LOVE angels, & they're scared...but I still find myself disappointed and having trouble deciding which to choose. Help me, again! Angel? Madonna? Angel? Madonna? (And now I have Madonna's "Angel" song running through my head! :-P Ah, the 80's...point me to the skating rink!)
Honored to be Asked:Y'all, I am so excited. We've been asked to be one of the families who comes up, does a reading, & lights the Advent candle at church one week! We picked week 3, December 12th. (Only b/c I'm singing Dec. 5 & 19 and didn't want the service to seem like the Susie Stage Show. :-P) Growing up, I always thought it was SUCH an honor to be a candle-lighting family, and I am ridiculously excited we've been asked this year!!! I could burst! :-D
I'm also so honored, b/c someone who was scheduled to sing this Sunday has bronchitis, so they called *me* to come fill in. Thankful for an unexpected chance to sing at rehearsal last night & on Sunday morning!
Peach Pie's Montessori School Picture:
(She looks older than 4, too, doesn't she?! She also looks like she just ducked in for a second to let him get the shot before she jumps up & rushes off to go play. :-P)
Zumba Week 2:
I went back this morning. I didn't feel like I was going to die even once. Out of breath? Completely. Side cramp? Yep. But I didn't feel like I was going to pass out or wonder if I should have someone come pick me up afterwards. ;-)
Tiny Thanks:
Will has half days today & tomorrow, b/c of parent-teacher conferences. Half day = no lunch at school = I don't have to pack his lunch tonight = a seemingly-tiny-but-real relief. One less thing, you know? :-)
Chocolate Review:
So, I've eaten halfway through my Godiva splurge. The Açaí Berry piece (dark chocolate ganache layered with açaí, rose, and berry ganache) in the Top Chef: Just Desserts box was a REVELATION! If they sold it as an individual piece, I'd buy 20. The rose flavor is amazing. The Passion Fruit piece (white chocolate and passion fruit ganache) tasted like an incredible custard. The Green Tea piece (matcha tea mousse center in a white chocolate shell) was the only "eh". It was too subtle for me. I like BOLD flavor. I also thought the Chocolate Mendiant (dark chocolate ganache between two dark chocolate disks, topped with bits of organic dried apricot, tart cherry, and sea salt) wouldn't be all that special, but I was wrong. Those little toppings packed a perfect punch! I've only tried two of my Bakery Dessert truffles, and while I'm not as bowled over by them, I did pick the two most boring to try first: spicy Carrot Cake "frosted" in milk chocolate and rolled in chopped pecans (was too thick on the shell & not spicy enough inside) & the Southern-style Red Velvet Cake in white chocolate with a heart of sweet chocolate ganache. That one made me laugh, b/c it's just regular chocolate dyed red - not exactly a flavor revolution. :-P I'm still most excited, though, for the white chocolate Tiramisu, an "ethereal blend" of mascarpone & espresso ganache and the Strawberry Tarte "swirling sweet berries and tart rhubarb through vanilla mousse, enrobed in milk chocolate."
Mommy/Daughter Manis:
I weaseled in time today to go get my nails done, b/c I was so excited to try the OPI Axxium mani. Unfortunately, they didn't have all the (esp. holiday!) OPI colors, so I ended up getting a Shellac mani, instead, so I could get a metallic ("Red Baroness") shade. (It's a long-lasting UV-cured mani, as well.) I LOOOOVE the product so far - the high gloss is awesome, and I can't tell you how amazing it is to NOT WORRY about nicking them! They really are completely dry after 2 min under the UV light. ...But my poor girl was *just* learning how to do this, and she really did not do a good job. There are some bumps & messy edges; she told me not to feel bad about coming back to get them redone (she didn't have time today before they closed) but I honestly don't know if I'll have time Saturday... They look fine from a far; is it worth it to go back? On the flipside, they aren't perfect, & I *did* pay... I dunno... What would you do? Help me...
I let Annelise get hers painted while we were there. She got the most to.die.for color: the new OPI Holiday fuchsia (& silver, gold & green) glitter "Show It & Glow It!" - there has never been a more perfect expression of the both of us in one bottle! :-D
Madonna & Child or Angel?
Every year I stamp our Christmas cards with the Madonna & Child stamp. I'm kind of obsessed. Down South, those things go like hotcakes. You often have to buy by Thanksgiving to be sure they're in stock. (I went to THREE P.O.s when we lived in Georgia one year to get enough!) I'm sorry, but snowmen & reindeer over a picture of Baby Jesus when we're celebrating His birth? It just one of my "things". I don't take the secular choice during a sacred holiday, if there is one. The annual Madonna & Child stamp NEVER runs out up north, though, (oooo - goes back to my Southern Christian Culture post!) so I haven't rushed out, yet; but I was curious to see which classical art piece had been chosen, so I went online. Ummm, it's the same as last year. :-/
Honored to be Asked:Y'all, I am so excited. We've been asked to be one of the families who comes up, does a reading, & lights the Advent candle at church one week! We picked week 3, December 12th. (Only b/c I'm singing Dec. 5 & 19 and didn't want the service to seem like the Susie Stage Show. :-P) Growing up, I always thought it was SUCH an honor to be a candle-lighting family, and I am ridiculously excited we've been asked this year!!! I could burst! :-D
I'm also so honored, b/c someone who was scheduled to sing this Sunday has bronchitis, so they called *me* to come fill in. Thankful for an unexpected chance to sing at rehearsal last night & on Sunday morning!
Peach Pie's Montessori School Picture:
Zumba Week 2:
I went back this morning. I didn't feel like I was going to die even once. Out of breath? Completely. Side cramp? Yep. But I didn't feel like I was going to pass out or wonder if I should have someone come pick me up afterwards. ;-)
Tiny Thanks:
Will has half days today & tomorrow, b/c of parent-teacher conferences. Half day = no lunch at school = I don't have to pack his lunch tonight = a seemingly-tiny-but-real relief. One less thing, you know? :-)
my thoughts: go back and get your nails fixed :-) if you can fit it in and go with the madonna & child stamp - angels are sacred but not the focus of the christmas story (granted, very important in the story but not the focus) - that is my humble opinion :-)
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