Comparison

I have been on the blog trail this week

looking through all the beautiful homes on a

holiday house walk

it can inspire you or deflate you

a little green with envy at some

then I went on instagram and read these words

Comparison is the thief of joy...during this time of year when you see so many gorgeous homes decorated beautifully from top to bottom, it's easy to fall into the comparison trap and feel 'less' or not 'as good' etc. It just happened to me...But it's so important for us to keep the focus on why it is we adorn our homes in the first place. It's something that during the chaos of boxes and lights and pine needles and gift wrap and good store deals gets too easily lost. We have been given Christmas to spread the good news and to sprinkle love, kindness and compassion to those around us...it is my hope for you and me to keep this front and center as we enter the holiday season. xoxo

Wow ~ she nailed it ~ she really did

the person that said it was Lucy from Craftberry Bush

she touched on it again in her blog post as she was part of the holiday house walk

I have not been following her feed for a long time

but that night I was so glad I did

you see I decorated the house last weekend

all but the mantle and centerpieces are done

and we will only go out on Sunday for the tree

my house will never be one to participate in a house walk

but it is home ~ the little trinkets I placed out on Saturday

spark a memory and bring me joy

and you know ~ that is what Christmas is all about

so year after year

I will put basically the same things in the same spots

I will put my tree up 2 weeks before Christmas

I will bake cookies ~ the ones we love

and only seem to make this time of year

I will buy my Mom cherry chocolates

because my Dad used to buy her one every year

and I love carrying on that tradition for her

I will wrap the gifts and curl the ribbon

listening to Elvis Christmas music

because I love it so

when I take these ornaments out of the box

and place them in this big vase I will remember that they hung

on the big tree at the farm

and be grateful that my Aunt gave them to me

this year we will make new memories

there will be an empty chair

we will miss my father in law like crazy

but we will be blessed because we will be together

Happy weekend.

Friday Potpourri

Whoot Whoot

we are doing the Friday dance this morning

while I was off last week I took some pictures of my decorations

which looking back through the last couple of years

I tend to do the same things over and over

tried and true

or stuck in a rut

this is new this year

and I brought some greenery in from the yard

I think it need a splash of red

what do you think?

this is still one of my favourite things

choosing which ornaments go where

I make it into bigger job than it needs to be ~ I am sure

cranberries ~ pine cones ~ greenery

they all say Christmas to me

I even found these in the bottom of a box this year

and pulled them out

they are old as the hills and my Grandmother gave them to me 

and they are made out of soap!

got this picture of my furry boy the other night

all decked out in his Christmas finery

I think he looks handsome

we had a great date night

work is crazy busy

and I am so thankful for Friday this week

we brought the tree in last night

so I will put the lights on it tonight

so we can trim it over the week-end

I have a bit more baking

and wrapping to do

a party to attend tomorrow night

and Sunday is mine

mine mine mine

Hope your week was a good one

and that the week-end treats you kind

xo

Friday Potpourri

Fa la la la la

via

taking the week off for the last bit of my vacation

was one of the best decisions I have made this year

I have done so much and don't feel like the weeks

leading up to Christmas will go by in a blurr

via

 Monday was baking day ~ 4 kinds of cookies

I still have a couple of things to make

but they are quick and easy things that can be done

in an evening

via

via

via

 the house is fully decorated ~ not that I did a lot this year

but things look festive ~ pics to come...

via

this week-end we will go out and get the tree

so we can bring it in next week

and I will putter away at the lights and we can decorate it

when we want

via

via

via

 I have not done any wrapping yet 

but I love putting on the lights and the music

and spending an evening wrapping ~ curling ribbon ~ signing tags

all with love

via

 I thought my cookie baking was done until Barb posted these on Wednesday

so I have added them to my list

check out the recipe over here

via

 tonight I am picking up my girls after school

and we are headed to the mall

once I have their wishes filled ~ my shopping is basically complete

cards and parcels are in the mail

and despite my dear husband passing on his cold to me

on Wednesday ~ I am feeling a little under the weather

but we will soldier on

Hoping that you weekend is filled with

festive fun!

Friday Potpourri

As we flip our calenders tomorrow

December will be there

and some of us will smile ~ seeing week-ends full of

family and friends

gatherings and preparations

via

while others will panic

counting down ~ trying to figure out

how on earth they will everything get done

cards and wrapping

baking and decorating

entertaining and travelling

via

please sit back and remember

that the holidays are not about the stuff

it's about the feeling

it's about the love and joy on the kid's faces

of all the twinkling lights

and being surrounded by the ones you love

via

I have a sense of peace and calm

yes ~ my shopping is almost done

and I am on vacation as of 6:00 tonight

via

so I have a bit more time than I usually do

I hope to finish my decorating over the week-end

and next week I will do my baking 

and finish my shopping

and drop my cards and parcels in the mail

via

I feel I am ahead of the game

there will still be lots to do

but hopefully I will not stress out

but rather enjoy the calm and feeling

of having things done.

via

I am getting things checked off my lists

and that my friends ~ feels good.

Wishing you a week-end full of laughter

and smiles.

xo

Festive Friday

It's Friday
and I am once again doing the
"Happy Dance"


I adore week-ends
I love sitting over morning coffee
catching up on TV shows
watching movies
and maybe even getting creative
and getting stuff done


This week-end will be a busy one again
I am hoping to get everything done
before next week-end
so I can curl up
and watch some much loved
Christmas movies


I have found some
festive photo's on line
that I just need to share...

an all natural centerpiece
I bet it smells as yummy as it looks

pine cone perfection

candy cane confections

these little bottle brush trees are the best
they remind of the ones that Mom used to have


&
Happy Hanukkah
to all who celebrate

xo

pictures were found here and here and here

Fa La La La La

Wow ~ what a busy week-end
but so much was accomplished
I want to pat myself on the back

Saturday was a go go go day
~bottled wine
~grocery shopped
~made manicotti for supper
~got our tree
~changed the bed
~decorated the house


I soooo needed a nap ~ but it was not in the cards
and speaking of cards
I do have to get those in the mail this week
eek!

Sunday was a slower pace
but busy just the same

we woke up and saw this out the window...
so pretty and it was our first snowfall
pretty good for us
and it makes it feel so much more like Christmas

*~*~*

I had my Mom here all week-end
she had surgery last week
and is on the road to healing
but I did not want her to be alone
so I scooped her up on Saturday
and brought her here
that way I could feed her
and keep an eye on her

she had a nursemaid though...

this one never left her side
we were like ghosts to her
for 2 solid days
the only time she paid any attention to me
was at meal times
she was too funny...

Happy Monday!
xo

Forgive the pictures
I have been playing with Picasa!