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You know what they say… five Santas are always better than one!  Merry Christmas to you, and you, and you!  And please disregard the swolleness of my face.  Apparently my face hates mornings.

I had a list a mile long of things to accomplish before Christmas, and a quick trip to New York would kick off the holiday spirit.  But after our trip to New York City I was abruptly woken up the next morning and immediately felt like air was taken from my lungs.  Life separated itself from my heart and poured out my weepy eyes, into my blankets.  I can’t do this.  I can’t do this.  I can’t do this.  PLEASE not now.  I must have repeated it twenty times.  I listened to the desperate message he left me, and continued to wail uncontrollably.  It was happening.  It was progressing.  It felt like I’ve been slowly walking through this difficult journey, but in that moment, my life changed instantly.  And then I did something I haven’t done in a long time; I prayed.  He had a very serious health scare and was rushed to the E.R., followed up by time in the ICU.  Most of my days have been by his side and suddenly all the other things in my life didn’t seems so important anymore.  But after a very long and frustrating ordeal he is out now and doing better.

My Christmas wish this year was to spend Christmas together, as a family and thankfully my wish was granted.  Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” – Maya Angelou

We had planned it out, I wanted to leave the city after sunset so we could look back and see the skyline.  Earlier we had hailed a cab for dinner and I happened to ask him the best place to see the skyline before we left town.  He gave us directions, street names and all, and told us it wouldn’t disappoint.  Later that evening we said goodbye to the Big Apple and headed into the Lincoln Tunnel.  I got lost a few times, and then suddenly started seeing landmarks for what we were supposed to look for.  We could see little glimpses of the city through the buildings, but then as we rounded the curve I witnessed the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.  And at that moment?  It took my breath away.

After months of planning, he still didn’t know what was going on, only that we were spending the day in Annapolis.  We decided that I would break the news to him when he got there, you know, so he couldn’t make a run roll for it beforehand.  Mom and I waited in the parking lot, and then around the corner came Amanda’s car.  They got out and rolled him over to me.  HI DAD! and after looking around at the marina he was all what are we doing here?  I took a big gulp and VERY! EXCITEDLY! SAID! WE’RE GOING SAILING!  And it’s going to be so much fun!  With one eye closed, fearing the response, I paused and waited to hear what he was going to say.  Oh.  Ok.  He said.  I had started to go over the list of reasons why he shouldn’t skip it in my head, and they were just making their way to my tongue when my brain processed what he had just said.  Wait, did you just say ok?!  And just like that, Dad was going sailing.

And a huge special thank you to Michael Eller and Tyler Davis who came along for the afternoon, to document this most special day.  This film is so dear to my heart, especially right now, and will be cherished for all of my living days.

Sail Away from Monachetti on Vimeo.

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Before Thanksgiving my mom asked me what I was going to do to contribute on Thanksgiving.  Ummm I told her.  Ummm.  I know!  I can roll the crescent rolls!  That takes some major skills and I’m a total pro at it.  You see, you definitely don’t want me helping out in the kitchen during some sort of major food production.  It could get ugly, and then we’re all sitting there trying to figure out exactly how plastic wrap got in those brownies in the first place.  True story.  So.  After volunteering my crescent roll rolling skills, I also told her that I could set the table, too!  And then I’m pretty sure right there on the other side of the internet, staring at her computer, she rolled her eyes.

Because, I just don’t set the table.  I SET. THE. TABLE.  I turn into Commander in Chief of Table Settings.

It turns into a major production, full of paint and fabric swatches and all the matching/mismatching dinner plates I can get my little hands on.  But this year I vowed to keep it simple, something not overtly Thanksgiving-ish with a Cornucopia, or pumpkins, but focusing on what really mattered:  a table full of family and friends who I am thankful for.

Using a tiny Kraft cheese wooden box I had gotten off of ebay a few years ago for the base of the floral arrangement, I filled it over the top with a monochromatic mix of white flowers and berry elements for texture.

The white flowers are made up of white hydrangeas, organic white long stem roses, and these beautiful white parrot tulips.

And to give the arrangement a little color and texture I added in some Eucalyptus Popolus berries and leaves.

In keeping with the white, brown, silver theme, the white flowers matched perfectly with the white plates and white table cloth underneath the brown burlap table cloth.

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