Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Catching Up

Well goodness, it's been a while. I've been busy with so many things, reorganizing the house for one. Shifting Earl's old office to the new space means a shift in almost every other room in the house in one way or another. Add to that the organizing and nesting frenzy I always feel as soon as I am shut up in the house for the winter and I've been a busy girl!
Christmas comes early for us this year, my daughter and her husband from PA will be here for Thanksgiving, (oh I am SO excited!) but not Christmas, :( so we will be celebrating both holidays with them this weekend. To that end, I have been adding some Christmas decorations to the house a little at a time. A little Christmas cheer doesn't get in the way of our Thanksgiving at all! It just makes the house more festive. We will have 16 around the table this year, a good full house of family.
 I have hung the star candle holders in the dining room windows. I have had these for so many years and they are one of those decorations that I love.  I light them nearly every dark evening of winter.  Victoria even informed me that she wanted the same star shaped hanging lights for her new home this year. It warmed this mom's heart to hear it:>)
 No real tree yet, it's far too early for it to survive until Christmas, so I set a small artificial tree out for some light and warmth.  I haven't even decorated it yet, but the lights are so pretty at night, and even during the day. We have had such dark, dismal weather this week, I have been glad that I had some Christmas lights to turn on! I also hung my favorite snapshot series of the girls, taken several years ago.  I shooed them outside after a fresh snowfall and they hammed it up so adorably.
 The shelves in the living room have been topped with greenery and some pheasant feathers I had hanging around. I think it manages to look Christmasy and perfectly appropriate for Thanksgiving at the same time. I'll add some Christmas bling later.  On another note, I finally broke down and bought some battery operated candles. I haven't tried them until now because I was afraid they would look fake.  I am thrilled with how real they look and the fact that I can put them places that real candles can't go, such as wood bookshelves. I will absolutely be getting more!
The small tree next to our bed, this year it goes in a white enamel double boiler I found at a garage sale.  I love how it looks in it's odd little container.  I have so much more decorating to do, but just bringing out the lights and having some little touches here and there will make it feel like Christmas when the kids are here for the weekend. 
If you are in America, I know you are all looking forward to Thanksgiving this week too.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful weekend with family and friends!