Lucy's Lounge at Tutti Chic

2008 Here We Come!!!

Warmest New Years Blessings to All of our family & friends(especially my wonderful blog friends!)! Whether you are out partying or staying home to enjoy ringing in the New Year quietly, enjoy the fresh beginnings of a brand new year!!! xo

Christmas Eve Italian Style....

It's all over!!! Can you believe it??!! It came & went so fast my head is spinning! I feel a little down now that the holiday has passed~kind of the big letdown after you have been anticipating something for a bit & then it's over! I'm sure we all feel the same way about it. As promised, my house still looks like a big bomb dropped right in the middle of it after the chaos of opening presents, eating ( & eating & more eating!) lots of family & friends passing thru on Christmas Eve & Christmas  dinner. I tried to take some shots in between serving dishes at our  Christmas Eve sitdown dinner for 35 this year (that's not including the friends that stopped by for a drink or a  bite!) We were really comfortable (thanks to my hubby who takes orders from me all day long setting up!!) This man is going straight to heaven!LOL!!! He is the calm to my storm always. He balances me in so many ways.  I'm the emotional, crazy Italian & he is the very calm,very patient even keeled Irish guy I married. LOL! I don't think I thank him enough for all he does for us so THANK YOU honey for all you do & for keeping me sane when I'm on my way to insane!!!LOL! I pride myself on being able to have 100 things going at once & my hand in every single one of them but I wouldn't be able to pull off Christmas Eve without my hubby at my side helping! Here are some shots of  the beginning of our fun filled night~I totally forgot to take pictures of the food!!!!!!! I had so many more great pictures of family & friends but they came out so blurry because of a weird camera setting, I couldn't post them~here's the best of the bunch! While we do a lot of laughing, catching up, eating & drinking we are also mindful of the peacefulness & holiness that Christmas brings to each & every one of us. It was a lovely Christmas Eve & a lovely Christmas day for all~Hope each & every one of you had the same!

My brother the "KITCHEN NAZI!" did a wonderful job cooking!

My nephew Michael & his beautiful girlfriend Robin

My Kathryn's friends that stop by every Christmas Eve

My brothers & my sister & ME!

The man who DOES IT ALL~My WAY better half!

My grandson just found out that there is STILL a "kids table!"~so NOT happy!

My handsome son Tommy & his adorable, sweet girlfriend kathy

My sister Buzzy(Mary Elizabeth) & brother Christopher

Poppee (my dad) & his girl Michaela(my neice)

My favorite uncle (Fred) & Buzzy

okay...I'm missing a mother here because the only pictures I have of her are holding little emily & my brother wouldn't let me put her picture up on the web!He is such a nervous dad! Sorry mom! Here's a picture of some of the guys instead.

The Girls

The kitchen nazi Arthur & his son Mike & nephew Tommy(I think the boys have had a few drinks!)

Uncle Chris & his Posse

Gabby is so shy!

By now you may all know my sweet brother Christopher who has downs syndrome. I have posted about him before & will post about him being in the newspaper soon!. He is the smartest one of the bunch & always has us in stitches. Here he is waiting for my mom to bring him his brooks brothers outfit(Oh yes... he is a fashion statement always!) in one of gabby's robes!!!!!!!!!!! We call him "HEF" because he always has on someones bathrobe!LOL!

Me & My Bro

The end of the night & I'm still standing although my feet are killing me!

The guys on Chrismtas Day~ready for another feast!

Peace & Love To You & Yours~xo

Christmas Wishes.......

I have been a very bad blogger this past week, trying to finish up last minute Christmas shopping, wrapping & cooking,  going to Christmas luncheons & nightime parties & all the other day to day stuff we busy women do!!! Wheeww~I'm tired already!!  We are having our HUGE traditional Italian Christmas Eve feast & I've already got the living room set up with a table that runs the length of our big room & will be ready to set it tomorrow night.  I love to set the table for this big feast & make everything look cozy & christmasy. We are expecting up to 40 people & there is so much eating & commotion & craziness that by Christmas I need a vacation!! (which will be coming up in a few weeks! can't wait!) It's a sit down dinner & I'll never change that~even though my brother & I don't sit down the whole time!!! LOL!!!  He becomes the "KITCHEN NAZI" & orders people around like a general & rules the kitchen! He is an awesome cook (most in my family are) & he is in charge! Our parents have done this for years & it's time for us to pick up the torch & give them a break!  We do the traditional Italian fish fest so you better like seafood & pasta if you are eating here, although, I have always made a big ham or roast for the little ones who don't quite have the palate for fish yet!! This is such a tradition and such a good time for my family & friends that it is by far our favorite Holiday! Soooo much food it's decadant This will be my little neice Emily's first Christmas Eve & I am so looking forward to her being here with us & joining in the tradition! Poor little one may be a bit shell shocked with all the commotion that goes on though! LOL!!!! I thought I'd leave you all some Christmas shots of our home while it is pretty & decorated & cozy because after Monday night my home will look like a bomb went off in it! LOL! I wish all of you a WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS filled with lots of good food, family & dear friends, and a New Year full of Health & Happiness!!!!!! Be safe driving to your destinations & enjoy this blessed Holiday!!!! XO

 

Rosie & Vito are guarding the kitchen counter & wish ALL who enter a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Snow & French Toast....

This is the scene today looking outside my office window! MORE SNOW & some freezing rain mixed in for some added drama! LOL!  My pretty topiaries (two in each window box across the front of the house) are weathering the snow & rain well & make for such a pretty picture looking out the window today! A candle is burning in each window & it makes for a cozy scene while we are all tucked away in our warm home with a fire blazing.  Made up a batch of cinnamon french toast & warm crispy bacon this morning~smells sooo good! My husband is more concerned about the BIG game today at Gillette stadium( 5 miles up the road) with the Jets & the Patriots  playing than he is about maybe how he may be getting to work in the morning?! LOL!!! It's all he has been talking about all morning as he takes shifts keeping the snow & ice from accumulating on the driveway!  Most of the patriots players live nearby & it's so common to see them attending a basketball game for one of their kids or just around town.  My grandson Cole just happened to have small football(smart thinking huh?) while trick or treating at one of the players homes & he was kind enough to sign it!  So with the snow & the rain, it will certainly be interesting & tense for us watching!  Lots of our friends have season tickets & will be braving this awful storm! AGHHH! Hope you & yours are tucked in cozy if you are anywhere where the weather is bad! For those of my friends that are in the sun & you know who you are lol! enjoy your WARM Sunday!!!!!  I just booked our flights for Florida in January & February~I can feel the sun on my skin already! xo

GO PATRIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let It Snow......

We are in for a lot of snow here in New England today! I just peeked out & it's coming down hard & fast! Schools are getting out early & hopefully my hubby is headed home from Boston early. I'm waiting for my adorable mom to start calling to make sure everyone is either home or heading home safe & sound. My oldest just went off to work & I'm a wreck until I get a phone call that she is at her destination & will be there for the night. The other two kids are at work & don't have far to drive home. I have to go out to get gabby when she is dismissed(she thinks she is walking home in this stuff but I will be there ready to scoop her up!) & then we have to pick up Uncle Chris (my adorable  little brother who has downs syndrome) at work(which is just around the corner) & then we are coming home to get cozy!!  I am hosting a luncheon tomorrow afternoon so I am coming home to cook & bake! Just watch the snow will be terrible & I will have to eat all this yummy food(I can feel my jeans getting tighter just thinking about people not showing up! aghhhhh!) Hopefully I can hold off until the rest of the family gets home & digs in!LOL!!

Just a few shots of the front entrance getting covered with snow! Makes Christmas so much nicer! After Christmas I don't want anymore!LOL!  Found the most fabulous lime green bows at a fabulous shop called Grasmere in Barrington RI. Just went simple this year~ a bow & some silver accents. My planters are all filled with greens & my two small topiaries in black urns have been sprinkled with an irredescent tinsel. This entrance just glows at night!

Wish us luck with the snow please? LOL! They are talking 10-12"~Just enough to cancel school & the fun things  we have planned! Oh well~We'll make the best of it, light a fire & be thankful for the white stuff at Christmas!

Slowly but surely......

I don't know why but, my Christmas decorating which is usually done by now is coming along slowly this year! So busy (like the rest of the world) & going in a million different directions it seems. I have been spending lots of time shopping for vintage pretties for my site & keep finding lovely shops to visit. I think that's the problem here!LOL! Anyway, the weather is cold, icy & dismal this morning so I'm staying in & nesting & also packaging up the last of the items I need to get out to customers. Here's just a few shots of the DONE decorating! I'll keep them coming as I finish. Lots of silver & white this year with mercury glass touches everywhere. It's so soothing~Have a great day!xo

Picked these fab painted skates up at a new antiques mall I found over the weekend!

Lovely vintage french postcards I picked up this weekend

Where does the time go........

Hardly any time to blog lately with christmas festivities to get ready for & lots of website work to do but.... just had to share a moment I had this morning with you all! It hit me like a brick! I was in my office unpacking pretty vintage finds & taking shots of them for my site when I happened to glance over to a corner of my desk & spot two pictures of my grandaughter gabby sitting side by side! One when she is just a baby & the other just recently taken for her 7th grade school picture. You know when you are going full speed into your day & something just stops you dead in your tracks?! That was what happened to me as I looked at both pictures! Where has the time gone & when did this little girl become a young lady? I haven't even had time to frame the 7th grade photo properly. It's just kind of sitting on another frame waiting to be properly put inside of it. I guess I didn't even think about it & just propped it up there & went on my merry way. I had a moment this morning when I almost started to cry thinking that it was yesterday that I was buying little floppy hats & outfits at the gap that she so loved to wear!!! Shopping is a different story now-I think she thinks I'm the geekiest thing alive when we go together!!! LOL! The changes in my grandson are not so noticeable. He is eight & still looks like he did when he was six-still a little boy. Gabby on the other hand has grown up so much & now looks every bit the 7th grader!!! She has had some difficult things to deal with this past year or so, but is very well adjusted & happy.  She's a bit fresh sometimes, but hey what do you want with a 13 year old?!  She is an adored daughter, sister, grandaughter, great-grandaughter, neice & cousin, is an honor roll student & a cheerleader & a good friend to her wonderful little group of friends!! (I am so pleased with the choices she has made in the "friends" dept.)  ALL kind, lovely girls! I guess I just wanted to share this moment that really struck me today~ Kids grow up, I'm getting older (although I really don't feel it-really!)  & time marches on.  I'm going to hug my gabby tight when she gets home  today from school & tell her I wish I could freeze the time so she would stay this age forever.....(I may be re-thinking this if 13 gets tough for the adults here! LOL!) have a great day!xo