hoping for this evening soon

Christmas Flicks

These movies bring so much Christmas cheer! If you haven't seen one; just go buy it. You will love them all... that's a promise.



Throw a log on the fire. Make some hot cocoa. Snuggle up and settle in...

just grateful

Thanksgiving, I love what this holiday does… makes us reflect and be grateful. The virtue of gratefulness is something I desperately want to continue to grow in. I feel certain that humility and gratefulness must go hand in hand. Here is a beginners list of things I am grateful for:
Yes… I believe I am going to continue this list with a cup of coffee and my journal later today. In honor of Thanksgiving I wanted to share a recipe with you that I got from my friend, Mary (which she got from her friend Cynthia). Good things get passed on.


Wishing so much love for you and yours this Thanksgiving,
kp

"And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful."
Colossians 3:15

Tonight

The Spazmatics play tonight in Dallas at the Loft.

it's gonna be a late night! Happy weekend to all...kp

The Grocery Game

What is The Grocery Game?
The Grocery Game is a website that can save you hundreds of dollars on your grocery bill each month. Log in, spend a few minutes with a pair of scissors, and you're off to win The Grocery Game!

When you play, you'll get a weekly list (called Teri's List) of the lowest-priced products at your supermarket matched with manufacturers' coupons and weekly specials -- advertised and unadvertised. The Grocery Game does all the hard work and research, and presents it to you in a straightforward format.

I just joined about a week ago and will keep you posted about my copious savings (crossed fingers)!

The new tunes that are filling my head

Her name is Kat Edmonson

go ahead...give a listen...

Noka

Who doesn’t love a good piece of chocolate? We drink it, smell it, gift it and eat it. For Noah and Katrina Merrem, chocolate is a craft. These Chocolatiers created the brand, Noka, from both of their first names. They have several different retailers, but locally Neiman Marcus is a good spot to go in search for this coveted cocoa. Only in chocolate do I feel the more bitter the better, and I am partial to these dark chocolates. They also create customized orders.

Wine and chocolate is the new wine and cheese. Let’s have a party.

King of the Jungle

The real highlight of Halloween has to be babies getting their picture taken in the pumpkin patch.

Hope your Halloween was happy. Mine was delightful. My night was spent at home in the company of a good friend...who could ask for anything more?

Craving Cachao

Maybe it is this dreary weather or the crisp air, but something today has me craving a Panini and take away cappuccino from a fine little eatery that my beau introduced me to about three and a half years ago in London town. The owner’s name is Jennie and her family’s shop is located in Primrose Hill, which might be might be my favorite hill of all the hills. This is partially because on the few coveted days that London’s skies are clear, the sights are breathtaking, complete with views of the Eye (giant Ferris wheel) and the city skyline. The other reason is because I finished reading the last Harry Potter on that hill. Chris recorded at a hidden studio that Coldplay recorded in and that is how he originally stumbled onto this delightful nook. A nook it is. . . it is tiny and spills out onto the sidewalk, which is great for people watching and reading the paper. It couples as a very fun gift shop full of silly treasures. This place, accompanied with Jennie’s sweet hospitality, makes Cachao an absolute must every time we bop across the pond. If you go, tell her we said, "Howdy, from her fans in Texas!"



Cachao
140 Regent's Park Road
NW1 8XL
020 7483 4411
Mon - Sat 11:30 - 20:00
Sun 11:30 - 19:00
Known for: light Sandwiches, Strong espresso, Chocolate for sure, plus wonderful pancakes, great bagels, ice cream & gifts

*Take the Chalk Farm Underground, the Northern Line and be prepared to do some walking. Cachao is on Regents Park which leads you to Primrose Hill. Primrose Hill is nestled between Camden Town and Regents Park.

I suppose I will have to settle for a cup of London tea, kp

Icing and Aprons

Greetings from a girl who is nothing less than pumped about the holiday season that is quickly approaching! A friend from high school, Ashley del Rio, has opened her doors officially as Icing and Aprons.


She makes delicious cupcakes, cakes and cake balls. Basically any form of cake for any occasion. You might be looking at her work thinking, "There is no way it taste that good if it looks that cute." But I am here to tell you that it DOES and it IS! We have used her for a few different occasions and have always been so pleased by her tasty delicacies! Here are some of the cupcakes she made for a rehearsal dinner we had at my mom's house a couple of weeks ago.



Ashley is a sweet hearted gal that I only knew as an acquaintance in high school but have had the pleasure of getting to know more in our new adult life. Mostly, I admire the courage she possesses. It is easy to day dream all the live long day. You might even take the next step and realize your dream, but it is with sacrifice and faith that we push through all the reasons we are doomed to fail and actually turn the realized dream into actuality. She has done just that... with sweet success I would say. I pray that Lord would continue to grow her mission and business as she is spreading love, joy and icing to all who would receive it.




Remember Ashley's treats for your next event... because you want an excuse to eat something she has whipped up; I promise!

xo,
kp

Little Feet

This is our nephew and lil’ buddy, Luke. I can’t get over him these days. He is growing and changing right before our eyes. Hope he brings the same joy to you as he does to me, just by looking at him. He is the MAN!

So grateful for this most excellent addition to the Hooper family.



"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

Haven in Paris

Haven: a safe and secure place
Paris: where a piece of my heart lives

Put it together: “A safe and secure place where a piece of my heart lives.”

Need I say more? Paris means so much to me, largely attributed to the season of life that brought me there and the much needed respite, play and beauty that it gifted me. I will never get over the glimpses of God’s handiwork there: the Seine, the art, the lingering lunches and breathtaking gardens. Paris feels like a best friend. The kind of friend that even if you haven’t talked to them in a really long time, you know that you are going to effortlessly pick back up, right where you left off. I have strong affections for Paris and the little French life I got to have. I know I will go back… I just know it.

This little rental service is what sparked my nostalgia for crepes, coca light and a language that isn’t my own. It is called Haven in Paris.


Wednesday is a great day for a macation (make believe vacation).

Casa de Reyes

Texas summers go hand in hand with the lake! Last weekend we had a blast hanging out with some of my old college buddies at the Reyes' lake house. The boys wake boarded. The girls lounged by the pool catching up. We played a heated game of Cranium. Scott continued to whip up delicacies from the grill. We ate. We ate again. And then we ate some more. I think I am still full.

It was really sweet time. The tender thing about picking up friends from different seasons of life is that when you reunite, it kind of takes you back. I felt instantly youthful and ready to play the second we got out of the car. Not to say these friendships don’t become integrated parts of what all of our today’s hold, but they just make one appreciative of days past.


A big gracias to the Reyes/Wilmoth’s for being such thoughtful and generous hosts, as always. Love and adore those people.

Magnetic Rope

I think these hanging magnetic ropes are endlessly fun. They could be used to display fun mail (weddings, baby announcements, invitations etc…), perhaps they could boast your to-do list in a friendly way? The possibilities are endless. Ohhh… I have a good one – what if they were filled with little love notes or words of encouragement for you and your roommates?

I think I'll go to Boston; I think I'll start a new life

We took the Amtrak train from Penn Station to Boston South side and I believe train travel to be my most favorite kind of travel. Some of the highlights were as follows:

1) Eating at Bricco’s (lobster ravioli) yum yum

2) Eating at Giacomo’s (tiny hole in the wall Italian where the owner/server yells your order from your table to the kitchen in the back)

3) Eating at Navy Yard Bistro

4) Whale Watching the Boston Harbor Cruises; this was truly magical. We could hear them singing and we saw copious kinds: hump backs, minke whales, finback whales, and white sided dolphins

5) Long walks

6) Chris and I got stuck in a horrible storm while walking through Cambridge so we took cover in a pub, sampled the local brew and played darts for hours. Naturally Chris made friends with every person there.

7) Harvard is really pretty.

Boston, thanks for the great time.

NY ... F-U-N

Chris had a meeting with his publisher in the big apple so I packed my walking shoes(heels and cab fare) and headed NE with my man. The best part was spending time aimlessly wandering around getting lost in the busy streets and scenes. Chris and I got to talk and play and just enjoy one another. That is the definition of happy in my book. Some highlights were eating, hanging out indulging in late night conversation with the Vassars and meeting some of Chris’ work people. My new favorite street in NY is Perry street. It is the greenest street I have ever seen in the city and the local pub was ideal for people watching. Sidewalk table, a good brew and millions of people walking by provided hours of entertainment. We maybe got a new hobby discovered on Bleeker street, old vinyl’s. Why did we ever let go of the pastime that is, putting a good record on and listening from start to finish? We are bringing it back. We got to dine at Mas (farmhouse) and enjoy the special exhibit at the Met, Models as Muse. The visuals were incredible. In effort to hide from the rain we stumbled into a nice café called St. Ambroeus for the most delicious gelato and cappuccino! We got to worship at Apostles church which resulted in a lot of honest conversation about what are the things God has prompted us to do that we have been complacent about getting around to. It also just made us so grateful that we can travel somewhere and find a group of believers that treat you like invited relatives; we were received with warm affection. We packed lunches every day and spent good time in Central Park. I think my favorite place we ate though was a tiny Italian restaurant that was DELICOUS! It is called Trattoria Toscano, and the owner’s name is Franco. It has a window store front that opens into the street where a talented guitarist played subtly and beautifully. The food was exceptional and the service matched that of a five star restaurant. The owner is proud and should be. The hospitality and ambiance (and the lemoncello) were a real treat. If you are traveling to this great city any time soon, dining here is a must.


After this adventure we took the train to Boston for my work. I will post that adventure soon. To be continued…

Joss is a trip...

Not to be confused with her brother Trip (pictured below).

After baby brother departed to dream world, Joss and I decided to make chocolate chip cookies. Joss just turned two and I can't get enough of her person. She is so funny. She kept sticking her finger in the batter and when i would catch her I would say, "Joss-e, not yet..." to which she would repeat back, "Joss-e not yet." She would then scrape the stolen dough from her finger back into the bowl, grinning. Though, I hardly blame her. Here is a montage of our baking adventure.


Which leads me to my concluding thought... MAKING MESSES IS GOOD CLEAN FUN. I saved the best picture for last. My sweet hubby called from NY and Joss took the phone and started talking to him. Apparently girls start multitasking earlier than we thought.



Hope this adds a little happy to your weekend, KP

Happy Bastille Day

This is a blog entry from one of my favorites, Snippet & Ink. The picture montage embodies French fun so perfectly that I really wanted to share it with you. My sweet coworker Leslie had a "Happy Bastille Day" note with a hand-crafted French flag on my desk upon my arrival. How is that for a great way to start the day?


What are some of our favorite French things:
1) French fries (pomme frites)
2) French Kissing (oo lala)
3) French the language
Here is a picture of the Bastille tower after Italy beat France during the World Cup of 2006. It was one of two times while I lived there that I actually feared for my life. The Place de la Bastille is a square in Paris, where the Bastille prison stood until the 'Storming of the Bastille' which led to its destruction during the French Revolution; no bit of remains.


The square straddles the 4th, 11th and 12th arrondissements of Paris. The square and its surrounding areas are called Bastille; it is also the name of the metro stop there. The July Column (Colonne de Juillet) commemorates the events of the July Revolution(1830) and stands at the center of the square.

And what would Paris be without a little eiffel tower?



Au revoir, KP

The Great Outdoors

Summer is irreplaceable. We all somehow feel a little lighter, a bit of relief before the chaos that ensues once fall commences. I really enjoyed these outdoor living spaces. The first image from Smith & Hawken feels so “late night” friendly. Can’t you just see all your friends lounging in lake clothes, some guy strumming on his guitar, others turned towards each other having a private conversation and maybe a rowdy card game happening on the table? Clearly, I can. I think there is something really, dare I say… sexy, about a sophisticated outdoor living space. The perfect spot for falling in love and deep conversation that lingers into the wee hours of the morning. It is the best host for a much needed girl's night full of overdue catching up. And the last image is from Coastal Living. Baths generally always sound like a good idea to me, but take the bath outside and well, why don’t we all have one of these (with a quality fence of course.)







The only contribution to our great outdoors we’ve made so far is an antique rocking chair that my granny gave us. I adore it. As for the lounge area and bath tub, something to work towards I suppose.
*keep on hand: nice smelling bug repellent, citronella candles, lightning bugs and maybe a chilled pinot grigio.

some red, white & blue thoughts

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of the nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

-Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931-2005

My hubby and I had long chats in the car this weekend about America. I am not foolish enough to think that the American dream is really a dream for all people in all socioeconomic classes; however, I do think that people fall through the cracks regardless of whether your jersey has a donkey or an elephant on it. Furthermore, in terms of many social needs that are country legitimately is inundated with, I want the church and all of humanity (myself included) to adopt a new responsibility for the homeless and hurting on a personal level, not merely making it a higher government issue. I believe that union workers, social security and many other helpful hands from the government served great purposes and were born out of vision and love when they were introduced. When a child stumbles, falling down, and a mom helps pick them back up, eventually it is in the best interest of the child for them to be set back down to brave walking alone again. I know we are in a mess right now and the government must intercede and help do damage control, but will they be able to loosen that grip when things look more stable? I am not so sure. It doesn’t seem like the reigns were pulled back very well in the past and it only created less responsibility for the American people and more collateral damage in the aftermath. I have more questions and thoughts than real answers.

Praying for our leaders and for all of us.

thoughts?

lime time

Summer seems to go hand in hand with hues of green to me. I think of limeade from Sonic, fresh cut grass and watermelons for sale in this tiny wood shack located in my hometown. Today is absolutely beautiful! While I am not trekking across Italy like some of my American friends, I will be spending part of the day outside. Close enough.


Hoping for Happy Weekends for EVERYone... KP

play because it is good for your soul

Is it strange that I kind of want one of these? Happy Wednesday!


Summer is a callin’,
KP

NYC must go see

I have already been contemplating when and how I would manage to sneak away for a little New York get-away, and then I came across the new summer exhibit at the Met. This new discovery has officially put these plans into urgent mode.


The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion, the spring 2009 exhibition organized by The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, explores the reciprocal relationship between high fashion and evolving ideals of beauty, focusing on iconic fashion models in the latter half of the 20th century and their roles in projecting, and sometimes inspiring, the fashion of their respective eras. The exhibition is on view at the Metropolitan from May 6 through August 9, 2009.

I especially thought of my friends, Natalie and Melanie. They, too, will be hosting garage sales to go and partake of this Fabulous Met Exhibit.

sweet treat

My man is thoughtful and dear. He has been traveling a great deal lately and sent me the best "I miss you." surprise EVER.


Have you ever been given a cookie bouquet of all your favorite zoo animals? He sent this deluctible and adorable treat to my office two weeks ago. It brightened my day in a way that only he can.

love you hubby, wifey

sleepy rainy friday

I really could have slept in today. Anyone else? The upside... it is Friday fun day.

Daydreaming...

... of summer, swimming pools and sipping lemonade.

songbird

This precious girl goes to Baylor University and is only 20 (I think). She and her song are both equally enchanting and BEAUTIFUL. I am not quite sure how Chris (my husband) found her, but he invited her to open a couple of their shows and I wish she would play every show with them. She will also be playing with Sleeperstar on Friday, May 1st at the House Of Blues in Dallas. I would pay a $100 to listen to Jillian Edwards sing her songs and play her guitar.

Also, Sleeperstar will be playing on the big stage this year at the Taste of Addison. They just added them to the roster, so look for their info to be updated to the events page soon. They will play in the late afternoon sometime on Saturday, May 9th.



This Friday Sleeperstar is playing for a great cause. Come one, come all.



Happy listening,
KP

hardly mellow yellow

A ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds, the color of daffodils and the title of one of my favorite Coldplay songs, Yellow. Summer is just around the corner can you feel it? I can! Happy Friday! I am going on a girl excursion weekend and will post pictures upon my return. So fun.

Relaxation + Red wine = Yes, please.


1st Row: Oscar de la Renta dress
3rd Row: Anthropologie rug, Southern Living Room
4th Row: Kate Spade & Crane invite, flowers from Martha Stewart, Anthropologie Chair

Yes Dress

Bigger isn’t always better, but it certainly is in this case. Do you remember this 1000 layer Versace number SJP dawned? This dress is art. It is MAJOR drama in the best way possible. The palette of sea foam and grays is serious, and yet it is playful like a fairytale. Patricia Field is a GENIOUS and I can only imagine how pleased she was with how this look traslated on screen. If I owned this dress, I might not ever take it off which would eventually be awkward for everyone who knows me.

What a beautiful day...

Detachment

I am reading a book called, The Glorious Pursuit and the last chapter I read was about Detachment...so good:

It is one thing to be surrendered. It is another thing entirely to be detached. Surrender is an act of the will, accepting physical circumstances or situations God has ordained and looking for HIS good purpose in them. Detachment means we stop finding our meaning and security in people, things, positions, money, and power so they no longer lure us into actions we know are unwise or unprofitable.

I don't know if this has ever been spelled out for me before. My sin has mostly felt cyclical and I think that is why. I have a life saturated with surrender but at times void of detachment. Detachment requires me to not merely look at how I am acting out, but to really sit and search my heart for the root... to examine the craving...

When a Christian falls today, 99 percent of the spiritual effort is spent trying to control the "stumbling"—that is, we focus on outer strategies to help us avoid situations in which we sin. A young dating couple will be told never to be alone together; an alcoholic will be warned away from bars or liquor stores. If the heart is bent by the appetite that leads to sin, all the external discipline agreed upon in moments of strength will wilt in the heat of desire.

Iron will—external discipline that creates physical distance but not spiritual deliverance—will be met with only limited success. John on the Cross explains, "We are not discussing the mere lack of things; this lack will not divest the soul if it craves for all these objects. We are dealing with the denudation (stripping of) the soul’s appetites and gratifications. This is what leaves it free and empty of all things, even though it possesses them. Since the things of the world cannot enter the soul, they are not in themselves an encumbrance… rather, it is the will and appetite dwelling within that cause the damage when set on these things."

If you have been fighting sin unsuccessfully, in large part because while you offer up the action, you can’t stop the craving, then you need the virtue of detachment. This virtue begins when we turn our eyes from the created to the Creator.

This is a long and daunting process I think, for our hearts to be in a place where they aren't just ignoring or going without the desires that they are bent towards. What would it be like to no longer even have the craving and more so for those cravings to be turned into something righteous and holy? As long as there are cravings, there will be broken sinful actions and/or spiritual exhaution and possibly resentment. Legitimate needs will be met in illegitimate ways. This resonated with me because the reality that we can talk to each other until we are blue in the face, knowing we are not getting through to the ones we love, felt kind of hopeless. At the end of the day people (all of us) are going to try and alleviate the hunger pains of our cravings. We do what we want. I want to want different things, to have different longings. How do we posture our hearts in a way where God can change our appetite?