The United Kingdom

Painting by Olivia Nucci

“This world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair. Beauty, like truth, brings joy to the human heart… unites generations and enables them to be one in admiration.” (Blessed Pope Paul VI)

Upon my return from the United Kingdom, I have so many memories and snapshots I could share with you for days on end. I would like to share my initial thoughts upon my return. This is my second trip to the UK. My first trip was over 21 years ago. If I am truly being honest I will say that my memory has faded since that first trip a bit. Mama is getting a wee bit older my friends!

I do have very fond memories of particular events, landmarks, fine dinners and time with Steve, my amazingly beautiful middle child, Isabella Louise and many friends we traveled with but one keen memory has always stood out among the others. I remember how fondly I felt about the people in Scotland. So much so that 20 years ago, Steve and I asked the CEO of  Tom James Company if we could move to Scotland and work there. The weather is quite rainy and a bit chilly most of the time but the people, oh the people are so warm, friendly and beautiful from the inside out. They all seem to have these permanant rosy cheeks and a twinkle in their eyes as if they have a secret they are keeping but are almost begging you to ask what it is because they are just dying to bring you into it! Their main love language seems to be acts of service as they want to take "proper" care of you, feed you, fill you up with a warm spot of tea and then bundle you up warm and tight before sending you on your way. It is so beautiful and reminds me of what our world really should look like. We should want to care for and take others in, even complete strangers. Our generations should be united and woven together like a quilt. An amazingly vibrant quilt with stitches of all different shapes and sizes weaving together the most beautiful fabric from each end of the earth and stitches added by every person you meet. A quilt in constant movement so beautiful that it mimicks that of a prima ballerina performing her very first solo. Can you imagine? Each person you encounter, even for one fleeting minute, is part of your quilt and you theirs. You place a stitch in their quilt and they place a stitch in yours. Maybe it is one stitch, maybe it is thousands of stitches. And then all of these life quilts link together to become one everchanging, everlasting magnificent quilt.

I am so thankful for the beautiful stitches that the lovely people of Scotland have sewn in my quilt this past week. I now carry their beauty with me forever.

Painting by Olivia Nucci

Isabella Louise

Super Bowl Party Food

So all mamas know that the Super Bowl

is really just a day to try out all of those amazing, 

cheese filled and low calorie appetizers we 

have been stalking on Pinterest! 

Right?

Yes Mama Nuch is right!

So I am going to make it real easy for you.

These three treats will be the hit of the party 

I kid you not!

Just pick up some really great chips and

do not forget the Big Scoop FRITOS!

Put on a fancy pair of sweats so you can 

eat all day long if you so please.

Thank me later

or not! 

Go HERE!

Go HERE!

Go HERE!

Mary Did You Know?

Can you only imagine how Mary must have felt

anticipating the birth of her son?

I can't wrap my head around it really.

I remember awaiting the birth of my first child, Jake.

I was excited, anxious, tired, nervous, and happy.

Yes I was carrying and growing the most precious gift

I could ever imagine inside of me but my son

is not Jesus. My child would not be the son of God.

It really is too much for our brains to comprehend.

Knowing the God picked her to carry His precious 

son and our savior. It really is something to behold.

So as today marks the last Sunday in advent, I want to reflect

on our Mother Mary. I want to honor her and praise her for

her willingness to accept the unknown and to trust in God.

What a brave and courageous woman. What a completely 

unconditional mother to Jesus and to all of us.

My heart is full of gratitude for you beautiful Mary.

My heart is full of love for you.

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen

Charcuterie Board 101

No we did not invent the charcuterie 

board but we sure do own it!

We love making up these fun and yummy boards

whenever we are all together. My kids especially

love taking turns whipping up creative new items 

to slap on the board just to get a reaction! 

It really could not be easier and yet it looks so impressive!

Pick up some special cheese and crackers and then add

anything from fruit, nuts, olives, breads, mustards, salami, 

olive oils, fresh sea salt, veggies, pate or pickles.

We like to serve it before dinner with a 

glass of wine or sparkling water.

It gives me a littel extra time in the kitchen before 

I am bombarded with HANGRY people 

standing over me forging for food.

If you don't have a board use a tray or a big bowl.

There are NO rules and NO recipe to follow.

Just have fun!

My girls are oh so proud!

Good mama training for sure!

OH I almost forgot!

Don't worry about how to pronounce charcuterie.

I NEVER ever get it right!

Happy Boarding!

We put these puppies on the board too!

Go HERE for this amazing 

Sausage & Cheese Crescent recipe!

One more board to check out!

Kid-Friendly Meal - Mac and Cheeseburger

Dish it out!

Serve it up!

Line em up!

Suppers ready, 

come and get it!

I'm not gonna lie to another mama.

This is not a healthy, kid-friendly meal all

wrapped up with an organic, gluten free bow.

It is a survival meal.

One of those meals that requires no

fancy ingredients and no brainpower.

It is a kiddie crowd pleaser and it tastes 

like a cheeseburger!

Yep, I said a cheeseburger!

You've got your protein and carbs.

Serve it with a big old sip cup of milk

and you are good to go!

Add a side of fruit in a cup and you are golden!

How do you like these special bowls?

I found these beauties while Goodwill hunting and 

I snatched them up for 49 cents a piece.

My Granny had these same bowls!

They literally make everything taste better.

And yes I am a hoarder. I am not proud of it but

it does make me really giddy to pull out 

these old toddler utensils!

Oh the days are long gone where these tools

were washed multiple times a day but

I get to dust them off when B and Finn come to play!

I am still a grandma wannabe but that's ok for now.

Here is the easy recipe!

Mac and Cheeseburger

1 box of Annie's macaroni and cheese

1 pound of Laura's Lean Beef

1/2 cup of chopped onion (use white if you need to hide it)

1 tsp of garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup of ketchup

1/4 cup of yellow mustard

Make the macaroni and cheese according to the directions on the box.

Cook the hamburger with the onions and garlic powder until it is good and browned. Drain any fat from the pan. Add salt, pepper, ketchup and mustard and let it simmer on low for about 5 minutes.

Add the prepared macaroni and cheese to the hamburger and mix well. That's it! Taste it and see if you need a little more ketchup and or mustard. I sometimes add a little more for a bigger kick but I like my cheeseburgers dripping in sauce so that is just me being messy. 

Serve it up and call in the troops! Set a bowl of sliced dill pickles on the table and double dare the

children to add it to their bowl! Easy, fast and not super healthy but good for a mama's brain after a long summer day! Enjoy!

Here is another kid-friendly recipe!

Potato Chip Chicken Tenders!

Go HERE to get it!

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

I believe that God has bestowed each us with the gifts 

needed to do His work. Each person is unique as is our gifts.

He allows us the free will to do as we wish with our lives.

Sometimes we answer His calls and other times we may 

choose to take a pass for whatever reason. He will quietly present opportunities to us throughout our lives. Sometimes those opportunities come with just the perfect timing and other times it can be the most inconvenient and awkward timing possible but He still comes asking 

quietly and softly never begging nor demanding. 

It is always our choice, our will, and our decision.

As we go forward marching though this sometimes very crazy, and often scary world may we try to remember the simple and beautiful words form Mother Teresa below.

And in the back of your mind listen to that voice that tugs at you from time to time asking you, 

never begging you to take the opportunity to give 

extraordinary love in the most ordinary ways.

Do ordinary things with extraordinary love. 
                                          ~Mother Teresa

What I can do you cannot.

What you can do I cannot.

But together we can do something 

beautiful for God.

                                            ~Mother Teresa

Holiness is not the luxury of the few,

it is a simple duty, for you and for me.

                                             ~Mother Teresa

God has created us to love and be loved,

and this is the beginning of prayer, to

know that He loves me, that I have 

been created for greater things.

                                              ~Mother Teresa

The child is the beauty of God present in the world.

The greatest gift to a family.

                                              ~Mother Teresa

To learn more about the beautiful life and work 

of Mother Teresa please visit the site below.

 Ⓒ Missionaries of Charity

Dorm Room Decor

I found this little wooden nugget at Goodwill.

I bought it for $3.99!

I found an old rag and a leftover bottle 

of white acrylic paint in my craft cabinet.

I just rubbed the white paint on 

in a messy kind of way. 

This was easy for me as it required 

no talent whatsoever!

That's it!

DONE!

Very easy and very cute little shelf to stash in 

Baby Girl # 2's dorm room!

Here it is with some PINK thingamgiggies!

I know you are saying, "Wow, that is so cute!"

And you are also saying, "Mama Holli is just so clever!"

Now this is a great little bit of history!

The gorgeous brooch belonged to my husband's great grandmother!

The hanky we bought in Italy on our honeymoon.

The cute little rose dish was part of my china tea set

when I was a little girl. It was given to me by my Granny and Popeye.

The BEST part of the post!

Here is the sweet baby girl #2 who now has this

treasure in her dorm room far away from home in Texas!

How stinking cute is she!!!

I miss you Mooshka!

Spring Has Sprung!

I truly do love to see the season change.

It is the one thing that we can know will come to pass.

With each season brings new life and hope.

We can start anew even in the smallest of ways.

Plant some seeds.

Pick up a new book.

Start a long awaited project.

Visit an old friend.

Try a new recipe.

Help someone in need.

Share a smile.

Just as the birds come back to their homes after 

migrating from the cold we too can come back home.

This spring I will walk more.

When I walk I will listen and look around me.

I will take it all in.

I love to pray when I walk alone especially 

when I am walking in the mountains.

I feel so blessed to live in Colorado and 

be able to witness God's handiwork.

I never want to take this for granted.

One of my favorite prayers is one that my 

Granny always prayed.

In this prayer it announces.....

I fly unto thee

We may always fly to our mother Mary.

She will always greet us with open arms and wrap us in her

complete and unconditional love.

The Memorare

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. 

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come,before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate,despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. 

Amen.

How will you start anew this spring?

I would love to know!

Shut Your Ears

 

I would like to offer some beautiful advice during 
what has played out to be a very

 turbulent time in our country as of late.

I have chosen to follow the advice of this 
intelligent and insightful young lady.

She just happens to be my daughter! 

She is the baby of the family by birth order 
but wise beyond her years.

She has a magical way of loving and 
serving others on a daily basis.

She loves unconditionally, wholeheartedly and completely.

She is my Mooshka and I could not possibly love her more.

So sip your tea and soak these words of wisdom into your heart and mind.

I choose to shut my ears a bit these days, and I’d hope you would too.

I choose to shut my ears a bit these days. There is a lot going on, a lot to feel, to decide, to side with, to criticize. And what does it all amount to? A lot of negativity and a bit of sadness, maybe even a touch of fear. It’s heartbreaking to see people feeling forced to state opinions that they deep down don’t know if they are qualified to make. So I choose to shut my ears a bit these days, but note that my eyes are still open. I’m not looking away from the mayhem around me but I’m also not listening to it. I’m not choosing ignorance by refusing to listen but I am also not choosing blind obedience. All of the words flying out of the mouths of others can pollute a head that deserves to be free, to be free of criticism and instead be spacious, making room for creativity and growth.

All of those words can be screamed so loud that they drown out the words that used to fly off the shelf rather than slinking off the web. The words that would leap from pages and spark life to a story, give life to an image. But now, these days those words on those pages belong to dusted shelves that remain stagnant rather than flying, their wings have been clipped at the price of refreshing our feed and click-clacking on our keys. The scary people of our storybooks have become the people who hide behind screens that shout words and opinions louder than the songs in the choir.

People are rallying behind causes they didn’t know they should believe in but only assume they are supposed to believe in, they kept their ears open too long and everything else was drowned out but the sound of screams, negative screams. So I look on, I see it all, I see it all fall, but I keep my ears shut. I let the negativity drown amidst other things and be careful that it doesn’t drown my own thoughts. Because all too quickly if you keep your ears open the thoughts of others can infiltrate that pretty little mind of yours. So keep your ears shut I beg so that your thoughts can remain yours and yours only while you look on. You will see it all, you may see it fall, but the ideas that spring up in your head, the thoughts the rise from the ashes, you can promise to be your own, and not a product of the screams but rather a response. By looking instead of listening your thoughts can spark change just like the words on the pages used to. I choose to shut my ears a bit these days, and I’d hope you would too.  Isabella Nucci

If you would like to read more from this amazing and beautiful author of this article please go here!

Mama's Guacamole

This Texas Mama loves her some good tortilla chips.
What she loves more is a good batch of fresh 
guacamole!
guac!
avocado mash!
avocado mush!
= YUM!
However you mash this combo up it will 
always come up tasting delicious!
This is an easy, fresh and delicious recipe.

2 avocados
juice of 1 lime
sea salt to taste
2 Tbls finely chopped onion
1/2 Cup chopped cilantro

In your favorite bowl, mash up 2 ripe avocados.
Mix in all the other ingredients.
Add one avocado pit to the dip, cover and chill 
for about 30 minutes before serving.

I love my Guac all by itself or with some 
really good tortilla chips.
Serve it up with your tacos, fajitas, sandwich, burrito,
salad, and or grilled protein. You can not go wrong
serving it up with any of the above.
Share your favorite guacamole sidekick with me!
Adios Mamas! 

Don't mind me. I'm just in my kitchen
doing my guacamole dance!
Next up......
the SALSA!



Go HERE!



or HERE!

Mama Holli's Avocado Chicken Salad Is Amazing!

Well the Mamas have asked

and

they shall receive!

This recipe is most definitely 

a frequent flyer at our house!

We will pack it up when 

hiking in the mountains

for an easy lunch. We will serve 

it at parties, slap it in a tortilla or 

gobble it up with some greasy, 

salty homemade tortilla chips!

This Christmas, IF I have 

any turkey leftover, 

I will substitute turkey

 for the chicken and I am sure 

I will not have any complaints!

And IF I do.......

Well they can just wash the dishes!

Little Spoiled Brats!

😜😜😜😜

Mama Holli's Avocado Chicken Salad

1 1/2 to 2 pounds of cooked chicken or turkey

2 medium Poblano pepper -broiled, (place on baking sheet and broil, turning until all sides are blistered and slightly brown) sweated, (place peppers in a sealed plastic bag directly from oven to sweat for 10 minutes) and then chopped up discarding seeds, skin and stem.

(Poblano peppers are not hot especially if you make sure all the seeds are rinsed out)

1 medium jalapeño pepper - finely chopped (if you want you can remove the seeds to take some heat out or just leave this pepper out entirely) I like it HOT!

1  Cup of Cilantro loosely diced - no stems!

1 small purple onion - chopped

The juice of 2 large limes

2 Cups of Cilantro (no need to chop as this is for the dressing)

3/4 Cup of olive oil

1 small clove of garlic 

1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar

1 dash of white sugar

sea salt to taste

3 avocados - medium diced (save avocado pit)

Chicken - Here is the easy part! You can use any cooked chicken and or turkey you like.

I love to take leftover chicken from the grill and mix this together for lunch the following day!

You can even buy a rotisserie chicken at the store if you don't have time. It is entirely up to you!

Either way you will want to start with COOKED chicken or turkey, dice it up and throw it in a bowl.

To the chicken in a good size mixing bowl, add your diced purple onion, diced cooked poblano peppers, diced jalapeño if you choose, and 1 Cup of diced cilantro. Set aside for a minute.

In a blender or a food processor ad 2 cups of cilantro, the juice from the limes, and garlic clove. Pulse to get it good and chopped up. It won't be smooth yet but we will fix that. Add the olive oil and vinegar and continue to blend until it is all mixed together. Taste it and add your sea salt. If you taste a slight bitterness you can add the sugar and that usually does the trick. Pour this yummy dressing over the chicken and toss it around to get it all good and coated.

Last you will gently fold in the avocado. Throw a pit or two in the middle to help it stay fresh, cover and refrigerate to get it good and cold until you are ready to chow! 

Serve on a bed of lettuce, in a tortilla, as a dip with chips or super scoop fritoes (oh that is so good) or on your favorite bread. Any way you serve it up it is a huge hit!

Enjoy!

Mama Holli

Here's another 

Chicken Salad Recipe!

Go HERE

Go HERE for a list of all the yummy recipes!

Handmade Christmas Ornaments

Mama is CRAFTY!

Well KINDA....

I finally found a craft that fits my talent level.

It really is pretty easy and very inexpensive.

I used old grocery paper bags,

old buttons, construction paper,

thread and a hot glue gun.

Cut a long stip from the brown bag

and then fold it like an accordion back and forth.

You can trim the ends in a pattern if you like.

Pull it together in a circle and hot glue 

the ends to secure a circle.

Embellish with a cute button and circle of cardboard.

Tie a ribbon, thread or string at the end to hand it on the tree!

So easy and so simple!

Don't forget to sig and date it on the back!

Look at these free Holiday Printables

from the AMAZING

Graphics Fairy!

My absolute go to for graphics!

Karen is so amazingly generous and talented!

World's Best Sugar Cookies

Every once in awhile a mama will come 

across a cookie recipe 

that knocks her slippers off! 

This Sugar Cookie recipe will do just that!

I do not lie my friends!

I received this recipe from Carol Siedhoff!

I was honored to attend a Christmas gathering at her house

many moons ago. I went nuts over her cookies!

So as I helped dry a few of her dishes after the party had 

ended I made my best attempt to get her to 

share this family heirloom recipe!

And she was so sweet and said she would mail it to me!

Below is the original card she sent to me!

There is never a time that I share these cookies that

someone doesn't beg me for the recipe!

YES

They are that good!

These puppies freeze very well and that makes 

them extra dangerous because I can keep a stash 

hidden in the garage freezer which 

allows easy access when I need a fix!

You can decorate them if you like but honestly

they are so good all by themselves!

Santa LOVES these cookies!

Each year I add an extra one to the plate 

and they just disappear like magic!

Thank you Miss Carol for sharing your recipe!

Thank you Karen aka "Graphics Fairy" 

for sharing these amazing Santa Graphics!