Goodbye, 2009.

I don't like to be too emotional...hah..that is lie!  I get sappy about the silliest things; like not finding the other half to my favorite pair of socks right before I want to take off on a hike.  So, here it is, a great excuse to be sappy a bit today.  Reflecting not only on the past year, but the past decade.  What have I accomplished? Hmm..lets see, shall we?
Fell in love...check.
Purchased a new couch to replace the sad old love seat...check.
Began to understand more Polish than I thought I ever would...check. (My boyfriend is Polish and very cute:)
Fell in love, again...with a mastador puppy...check.  (Who is now our 1 year old, Maggie.)
Camped, canoed, hiked and climed almost every weekend...check.
Visited my sister in Memphis, Tennessee...check.
My sister visited me in Iowa City, Iowa...check.
Watched "Romi and Michelle's Highschool Reunion" with my sister...check.  (Actually, she watched it while I fell aslepp after 10 minutes.)
Gambled for the first (and probably last time) in a casino with guess, who....MY SISTER!...check. (I won too.)
Baked countless hours making pastires, baked goodies, yummy treats....check.

What a busy year, I am quite exhausted, actually.  I wasn't going to write much today, on this last day of 2009. That is until my Mom called me from Hungary to let me know I have not posted anything since Dec. 17th. How dare I, right?

So, here it goes, to my Mommi, granny Manna, my sister Kata (and her family in Memphis) my brother Ocsi (and his family in England) our friends and loved ones all over Europe and here in the US, and all of my followers, customers, Cream Puff Groupies....HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR! I wish you all health, happiness and love and the promise of seeing each other soon either in Europe or here in the US.

The Shop.

I love being at the store. It is in a picture perfect small town; hometown of President Herbert Hoover.  The place is what my Mom would call "oh, so cute!" (Especially considering one of her all time favorite movies is "Funny Farm" even though she does not speak a lot of English. I guess everyone can appreciate Chevy Chase and the squirrel.)

I took some of these pictures of the shop, so my friends and family can picture what I am talking about when I begin telling my sister for example, where I set up a new cake stand. By the way, although my sister doesn't know it yet, I am on a mission to have her and her family move up to Iowa, so her and I can run the little shop together. After all, two funny, baking Hungarians is always better than one!  :)

The shop...

Pastries.  Come to my belly...

Lots of vintage gifts.

Handmade cards, wrapping papers. I am addicted!

The red cabinet on the side is filled with soy soaps and candles. My favorite scent is Lemongrass & Sage and Silent Night.

The pastires up close and personal. The selection changes daily and I think I am running out of space!

Stary night.