Merry Christmas from Forever*Cottage

I just loved this image in the December issue of Country Living and thought I would share it with you today.

Tomorrow morning our little family will board an airplane and fly off to Oregon where we will celebrate Christmas with my parents.  I will not be posting until we return in 2011. 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Forever*Cottage Christmas

Well gals, here we are just a few short days away from THE celebration.....and I admit to being a slacker blogger.  Unlike many of you, I have completely failed at documenting the season here at my Forever*Cottage.  I guess I chose to really live in the moment these last couple weeks and not worry so much about the blog post.  But alas, today I bring you "Forever*Cottage Christmas in Pictures 2010".

So there you have it - a little of our activities and our decorations.  We have enjoyed some baking, caroling, special lunches with friends, cookie exchanges, class parties, sleepovers, ice skating, lots of snow and just last night went downtown to a holiday parade!  As much as I have enjoyed it all, I look forward to boarding an airplane and traveling to where my parents live and being "home" for the holidays - where my childhood traditions are quickly becoming my children's traditions. 

May the peace and joy of this Christmas season find you where ever you may be calling home!

i'm a little bit country........

I confess, lately I have been experiencing a bit of an identity crisis. Deep down, I know I am a city girl but I often dream of being a little bit country.....

Driving one of these....a big John Deere!

while wearing these, of course.....{duh!}...

Creating a comfy nest here......

where i would be making all sorts of delicious-ness in here......

while gazing out my window at this view......

Of course, my identity crisis has nothing to do with the fact that this week I had "scheduled" the day and time when tickets for this country boy's {swoon} concert would go on sale on his fan club website {why yes I am a member!}....Turns out I will be dusting off my cowgirl boots on June 11 and pretending to be a little bit country, identity crisis solved.

*all pictures from google images

we have a winner!

winter, {or what i now like to refer to as "Ugg-ly footwear weather"} has arrived early at my minnesota cottage......and i am not too happy about it.  sure all your southern girls look at these pictures and think how 'festive' and 'seasonal' it all looks.....yea, well come back in april when it still looks like this and let me know what you think!

our lake is now safe to walk on and the kids have been making good use of our next door neighbor's backyard ice rink.....momma?  well she's settling in for a long winter's nap.....lots of cooking, wine drinking and indoor home improvement projects....



this is my front porch today, still needs more spruce tips in the urns under the windows and some garland.....hard to get excited about more decorating when it was 0 degrees this morning!  This might be 'good enough' this year.

the winner of the vintage holiday goodies is robin, from happy at home - a fellow minnesota girl!

....giveaway....

yesterday i visited one of my favorite monthly occasional sales.  i could not help but get in the christmas spirit.....it might have been all the vintage holiday decor, the classic carols being played or the christmas cookies that were plentiful {but of course i had none of those!}.....

i bought a bit for me and also decided to buy a bit for you....{er, at least one lucky winner}.....

this giveaway includes, the three holiday inspired vocabulary cards, the three vintage glass ornaments and the little silver trophy bowl they are displayed in....

to enter just leave me a comment telling me your favorite christmas cookie/treat.....

if you blog, tweet or facebook about the giveaway, consider yourself entered twice!

i will close the comments on sunday at midnight and announce the winner on monday.

have a great weekend!