Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Quick Post-Paper Obsession at Baggie Goose


Gorgeous NYE Table at Baggie Goose

Baggie Goose is one of my favorite stores in Asheville. They have the best products and a huge assortment of gifts ranging from silly cocktail napkins to every possible invitation ever printed. My entire Wedding Weekend invitations came from there, Save the Dates, Rehearsal Dinner, Ceremony and they have impeccable customer service. They have recently moved to the Biltmore Park shopping area (I wish we had this luxury when I was growing up!) and have opened a new store in conjunction with Blossom!

I popped in there (AKA had my son with me and he was desperately trying to shoplift the snail pizza cutter) and grabbed these few items.....

How gorgeous are these Postcards???


These are from Meghan McCrary on Etsy and I LOVE them!

Go check out her shop...she has gorgeous things!


 And last but not least...these cute cards for the boys to send thank you notes!

Check out Baggie Goose if you head to Asheville! It is in a great shopping center and on your way to the J.Crew Clearance Center!

xoxo
Happy NYE!


Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Christmas ideas for those with Alzheimer's


My typical shopping excursion for my Mom used to consist of a trip to Talbots, Gardener's Cottage in Asheville, Kate Spade and maybe J.Crew. 
But with her onset of Alzheimer's we are learning that we need to simplify simplify simplify. So her over abundance of clothing and jewelry does not help her make decisions in the morning and are both no longer good gift ideas.

This year I think the best gifts are ones that can bring her peace and happiness...

Here are the gifts my Mom will be getting under the tree!

Art
Angel Wings by Mary Kent Hearon from the Heart Knot.
My mom loves angel paintings. She has a few in her bedroom and quotes about angels throughout the house. She grew up a devout Catholic so I think the idea that someone is looking after her makes her feel safe. I LOVE this painting (the gold on the left) and almost want to buy the silver to hang as a pair! The best thing about this is Mary Kent is a Rockbrook Girl like myself. Shop local!!

Angel Painting by Sarah Boswell Holmes
Sarah is a friend of a friend and also paints Angels! Message me if you would like her contact info!

Acrylic Organizers

I'm going to spend the day after Christmas revamping her make-up. Mom had pink eye shadow under her eyes over Thanksgiving and while she was a good sport and giggled at her mistake I think eye shadow is not a necessity at this point. I want to have a section for face/eyes/lips. Just 1 lotion, 1 wrinkle cream, 1 concealer, 1 mascara and 1 lipstick. I have a handy dandy label maker I'll use with photos of each part of the face to help identify the product and this can rest on her dressing table

Music
Mom still loves to listen to music and soothing peaceful music is her favorite right now. She does still love some good ole rock and roll.




Pampering

I really really wish Asheville had a Blowdry bar. 
I hate doing my own hair and with her arthritis in her fingers it is just too cumbersome for mom to do her own. I bought her a package of two blow-drys from her favorite hairstylist. Dad is getting her a massage at the Biltmore Spa. Both things she needs!!!!

Magazines
Mom doesn't get to read anymore but she definitely likes to look at all the photos in magazines! The more pictures the better!

You can also shop from the Alzheimer's Association to give gifts that benefit the cause! And here is a good list of other good ideas for those with dementia.



Merry Christmas to you and yours!

xoxo
Katharine

Friday, December 6, 2013

Merry Christmas to Us!!



Our good friends have been asking us to go on a trip with them for awhile. This isn't just any trip. It is a very magical amazing trip. (No, not acid).
This most recent time they asked us there happened to be a sale and we figured what the heck. We only have one kid right now (still debating on the 2nd) and instead of spending money on house stuff we decided this trip would be our Christmas present to each other. Because lets face it..... a vacation together is way better than the front door we gave each other two years ago. 

So...starting Friday at 1pm we will leave F in the care of his maternal grandparents for the first time ever and head to the Tennessee Mountains. Don't worry...Boudreaux has the best house/dog sitters around!

Merry Christmas!


 
I will do my best to stay OFF my phone while I am there so expect a full report when we return. Until then read Three Pixie Lane's review here. (Our weather will be nothing like hers but I am totally content staying indoors by the fire and drinking bourbon while it monsoons)


xoxoxoxo

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Chocolate Chip Nutella Sea Salt Cookies


I should title this the best damn cookies with the worst cooking instructions but here we go...

My friend Margaret made these for our supper club and we devoured them. I think there were only two left over and as soon as the last taillights were seen headed out of our neighborhood Max and I played the Hunger Games to fight over them.

Lucky for you (and me) this recipe is so easy a Katharine could do it.

Grocery Store List:
1 Package of Pillsbury Pre-cut Big Size Cookies
Nutella
Coarse Sea Salt (Sea salt is buy one get one at the Harry Peter right now)
Additional items:
Wine
skim milk for cookies
a pack of pastel mentos to eat while you work the following day
Oh...they have Little Debbie Christmas Trees...keep walking
a huge diet coke to drink after the cookie swap party you took the cookies to since you will be hungover

Directions

1. Get a pan. Spread out those cookies. (That's what he said)

2. Flatten cookies a little. Not a mammogram smush but a stepped on a roach with a croc smush.

3. Put dollops of nutella in the smushed cookie.

4. Pinch cookie back up to cover nutella. Don't mix the cookie and nutella too much. I pinched mine kind of like a hershey kiss. That melted.

5. Bake as directed. The wrapper says 13-15. I did 11.

6. While Cookies are still warm sprinkle on the sea salt. I probably went a little overboard on the sea salt but some of it falls off.


7. Pour a big glass of milk (or bourbon) and enjoy your cookies while watching the Walking Dead half season Finale. WTF!!!

8. Wake up the next morning mad at yourself for eating a dinner of carbs. (Especially when you are going on a trip with 3 taller skinnier hot chicks)

9. Realize life is short and eat the leftovers for breakfast.

10. Open Coke. Start working.

xoxo
Fat Kat

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Memory Care in Asheville



My parents and I are spending tomorrow at the Memory Care Center that is within Givens Estates in Asheville. My parents are very very lucky to live in such a great city with these amazing resources.


Taken from the Memory Care site: 
Our team, physicians and care managers, spend extended time diagnosing and assessing caregiver needs and establishing a comprehensive plan of care for an individual with memory loss. In addition, we are devoted to maintaining the accessibility of our staff to our caregivers to provide effective care management. Families are encouraged to contact us to provide practical assistance with daily problems that arise throughout the course of caring for a loved one with dementia.
The population of older adults with memory disorders and their caregivers is often one that falls through the cracks of the traditional medical system and thus is vastly underserved. The traditional medical model does not fully recognize the benefits of services designed to allow families to keep people with dementia at home as long as possible. Since most organizations must rely on the immediate intake of revenue, the cost-saving benefits of keeping a person in their home environment often go unappreciated, not to mention the higher quality of family life that can be achieved.
MemoryCare™ is the only organization of its kind in Western North Carolina. The staff and Board are dedicated to ensuring the financial sustainability of the organization, so that people with memory disorders and their caregivers have a place to go for help. We desire to keep our services affordable and available to all.

This is a huge appointment for us! We have been waiting 10 months and I'm so excited for my family to have this type of support network.

What we will be doing tomorrow is listed below. Say a prayer for us as it will be an intensely emotional but wonderful day! 
The clinic is consultative and designed to work in concert with primary care physicians. The initial evaluation is extensive and done with family members and other important caregivers present. The clinical portion of the evaluation involves history taking, cognitive testing, and physical examination. The family/caregiver portion of the evaluation involves history taking, education, problem-solving, and direction to necessary resources.
You can donate here to Memory Care's Mission.
MemoryCare™ is a non-profit charitable corporation, established to meet the rapidly growing need for appropriate assessment, treatment, and support for memory-impaired individuals and their families. We are located in Asheville, North Carolina.
Memory impairment affects close to half of the population over 85 and is one of the most common reasons for dependency in late life.
Expert management can make a significant difference to a memory impaired individual, and equip a caregiver with the physical and psychological resources they need.
The program's mission is three-fold:
  • To provide specialized medical care to older adults with memory loss
  • To support caregivers with education, counseling, and improved access to services
  • To provide community education

And remember....

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Thanksgiving-You Can Blame the Calendar This Year.

I have always stuck to the principle that you wait for the Christmas Explosion until after Thanksgiving. I adore our Thanksgiving tradition of 30+ inebriated related fools in a cabin in Arden. The food is to die for, the company is the best and the setting is out of this world. See?...


This isn't even everybody! 





*I would never skip over this awesome holiday for the commercialized bonanza that is Christmas. I am a little bittersweet that I will be missing our traditional Boylan-Cowart-Myer-Fuchs-DeBlasio Mountain Thanksgiving this year but I can't complain too much as we are headed to Florida! 

I typically do not stray from my strict regimen of family holidays but we haven't spent a holiday with my brother in a long long time so we are overdue! Plus they throw quite the party down there and F is in LOVE with his cousins and we do not see enough of them!

*So here is my issue...

1. I have never hosted Thanksgiving. I don't even make a dish for it. We buy the oil. That should show you how many good cooks there are in our group since The Fuchers only bring oil. It is hard to get revved up about Thanksgiving decor and Cornucopias if I don't do a thing. (My Aunt does it all as far as decor goes and let me tell you something..she does it right.)


2. Thanksgiving is late as mathematically possible. It can fall between the 22nd and the 28th and we are right smack up against the end of the month. I won't even be in North Carolina the last 5 days of November. 

3. We have another trip planned the first weekend of December. Would I normally leave on such a busy month? NEVER...but I swear I have a really good reason for it.

4. I do ALL our Christmas decorating. I beg for help with the tree but its useless. Last year my Dad so kindly put the lights on our tree but that is only because I was in the ICU.

5. I throw an annual Ornament Swap party and between work being slammed and a crazy toddler I will only have a few days to get ready.

So with all these reasons(excuses) I am making an exception for 2013 and hauling the Christmas Stuff down this weekend. Don't hate me. I wouldn't normally do this but let me tell you something. Its a HUGE PAIN IN THE ASS TO DECORATE YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE.

That's me. (Bitch please)
A fun pain in the ass, but still a pain in the ass. I put on Love Actually and booze and spread Christmas cheer all over our humble abode but it is a LOT OF WORK. And if I am going to spend all this time turning my home into a Winter Wonderland...shouldn't I leave it up for more than 3 weeks?

So..... I'm sorry Turkey Day but this year I need to get a jump start on things.

Any Moms out there feel the same?

xoxo
Elf from Hell