Cozy :: Hot Cocoa with Homemade Marshmallows

Despite all the things going on in my life right now, I'm finding time to decorate for Christmas.  Last year we didn't even put up a Christmas tree which is really unusual for me because I love to turn my house into a cozy cottage for the holidays.

This year, the week after Thanksgiving, we went to get a tree.  I walked into the outdoor section of our big H-E-B Plus and they had trees hanging in rows from the rafters!  I picked out the very first  Fraser Fir I saw and it took all of five minutes to have the store employee cut it down and put it on a cart.  It wasn't too big or too small, it was just right (although a little lopsided) so we bought it, wheeled it out to the pick-up truck and put it in the bed.  It was the fastest, most pleasant, easiest tree-buying experience, ever.

My advent candelabra isn't fancy, I think it's made of plastic and I found it at Goodwill but it looks very cute on the martini bar that separates the kitchen from our dining area.  I always line the bar with garland and multi-colored lights.  It's a good place to put my little collection of Santa's, too.

My Aunt Johnnie is our hero and miracle woman this Christmas season because she left her home and family in Kansas to spend two weeks staying at the Fisher House on Lackland AFB so the doctors could harvest her cells for my Mom's allogeneic bone marrow transplant.  Mom is doing very well and has yet to have any major side effects from the transplant.  We are all keeping a close eye on her and last year my mom taught me a Christmas Novena prayer which I have been reciting for her when I light my Advent candles.

Before she left to go back home, Johnnie and I spent some time together at the Fisher House and as I was leaving she sent me off with homemade marshmallows, cookies, and hot cocoa.  Today I made a cup of the cocoa and plopped a marshmallow on top!  Yum!  While I was taking the photos of my hot chocolate, I put on "Fireplace For Your Home".  It's a video of a crackling fireplace I found on Netflix.  It's funny!  There are two episodes, one with just a crackling fireplace and a second with the crackling fire and accompanying Christmas music.  I prefer episode two.

My coffee set is handmade in Japan.  I have a set of four, each with a tray, little creamer cup, twist handle spoon and mug.  The set has painted butterflies, gray stoneware glaze, and is made of ceramic with a stamped seal on the bottom.  I don't know what the label on the box says so if you are reading this blog post and happen to know how to read Japanese, please message me or leave a comment with a translation to English because I'd love to know what the label says about the coffee set.

 

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold.  In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother.  Amen.