Holiday and New Year ramblings . . .

Happy New Year!

I hope this note finds that you had a wonderful holiday filled with happiness, family, and friends!

We enjoyed a slower paced holiday and decided not to travel this year, which was a welcome break from to GO-GO-GO that happens in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas.

I'm so grateful that we were able to host our Annual Holiday Waffle Breakfast before the Littles, my husband, and I fell sick with colds that lasted through the Holiday. (BOoooO!)

~ our waffle toppings bar! ~ 

Although we fell ill with nasty head and chest colds through the Winter break, I still LOVED the down-time spent with my husband, kids, and family!

We played lots of board games, made tons of crafts!, watched a few movies, enjoyed lots of hot cocoa and wassail, and I BAKED (a little).

~ cranberry orange biscotti for visitors ~

~ chocolate peppermint cupcakes for the 1st & 2nd Graders ~

~whole-wheat blueberry streusel muffins ~

I'm also grateful that we felt well enough to ring in the New Year with our annual cookie decorating  . . . and even a little swimming at our friends' pool.

Since we didn't feel well enough in December to decorate Holiday themed cookies, I baked WINTER themed cookies for a New Year's cookie decorating party . . . gingerbread boys & girls, mittens, and 7-inch sugar cookie snowflakes.  Everyone had lots of fun! My heart couldn't have felt happier!

~ Charley's snowflake!~

I didn't take too many photos of our HOME during the Holidays. I was quite active on Instagram though, so please come by if you'd like to see our HOME holiday decor and happenings.

We spent a quiet evening at home for New Year's Eve.

I made the Littles each their own favorite dinner . . . and then my husband and I enjoyed a quiet, candle-lit dinner before retiring early. We cozied up for a little TV after the Littles went to bed . . . it was a little piece of heaven.

We watched a documentary on Netflix called HAPPY. Have you seen it, too?

A few days after watching HAPPY, we came across two recorded episodes of Oprah's Super Soul Sunday on our DVR featuring the Professor/Researcher who taught a "HAPPINESS" (Positive Psychology) class on the Harvard campus. The episodes/message was so inspiring that we watched both in one sitting. The Super Soul episodes were a perfect follow-up to the Netflix documentary, as it expanded on the highlights of the documentary . . . giving the viewer a full picture of HAPPINESS.

I'm so happy that we ended 2015 on a positive note  . . . and filled our thoughts with beautiful and inspirational stories.

I'm excited to be back . . . and I look forward to sharing more recipes and inspiration from my HOME to yours!

Cheers to a HAPPY and FAITH-filled New Year!

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

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