Last Year’s Visit

Mum and Karen are on their way here… actually they should be here very soon!  As I look forward to what festive wonderfulness we’ll fill this weekend with, let’s take a look back at what we got into during our visit around this time last year.

On Friday, Mom and I went to the Lucketts Holiday Design House.

After the Design House, we traveled north to hang out with Karen in Philly.

We went to the Christmas Village next to Philly’s City Hall.

And had dinner at a restaurant called Nodding Head, where we had an awesome appetizer platter that included fried mac and cheese, which was delicious!

We spent the night just outside Philly, got up and used the pool, and then headed back into the city.  We went to Macy’s to see the light show…

And to Starbucks for peppermint hot cocoa.

After Mom went back home, I opened my advent calendar to find this little prize, which she got at the Christmas Village.

We had such a great time last year and I’m really looking forward to this year’s visit!

Housewife Humility

Last Tuesday, I did several loads of laundry.  It was late by the time they were done drying, so I put them in a basket and set the basket just inside the master bedroom so I could fold the items the next day.

Tonight, I folded all that laundry and put it away.

Yes, that means they sat there in the basket for a week.  Well, actually, they got dumped out on the bed and then put back in the basket at least once.  And by tonight, lots of things had begun to creep out of the basket onto the surrounding carpet.

I told Casey last night that it was the most shameful moment in my housewife career to look at that pile of CLEAN clothes strewn about the floor.

Tonight, with everything put away, I feel much better.  And hopefully I can redeem myself by not letting it go that long again.  I really need to learn to fold as things come out and put them away immediately.

It will take some work, because putting clothes away is one of my least favorite chores.  But I suppose getting it over with is less painful than being a slacker.

2010 Holiday House

This past Saturday, I went to the Lucketts 2010 Holiday Design House.  Typically I’d visit Lucketts with Mum, but this year her visit didn’t coincide, so I went alone.

I missed her bunches, but I was glad to go and take plenty of pictures to share and gain inspiration from.

I don’t think it was the best Design House I’ve been to at Lucketts, and not just because Mom wasn’t there.  There was just something about it.

It was still far beyond anything I could ever do in my own house and I’m glad for talented people who are able to put such an event together.

After the Design House and a brief walk through the Lucketts General Store, I also stopped in next door to the Beekeeper’s Cottage, which is a place that really knows how to fill a small space with a lot of amazing.

A New Week

As is often the case after returning from a trip to Vermont, last week was a bit of a drag.  I was tired, didn’t sleep well, and overall just wasn’t in the best of spirits.  It didn’t help that I didn’t go to the gym or create much of anything.

This week is going to be much better.  I’ve tidied things after a busy weekend out and about.  I baked some mac and cheese for a church organized charity dinner, as well as a cake for a coworker whose birthday is tomorrow.  I also went to the gym, which really does make things better!

The rest of the week I plan on working on Christmas cards, gifts, and projects.  That is until Thursday night, when Mum and Karen will arrive and we’ll spend the weekend enjoying festive activities- like hot chocolate with peppermint and Christmas lights and the National Tree in DC.  It’s going to be wonderful!

December?

Yesterday morning was rainy and strangely warm for a December 1st.  By afternoon, though, the rainstorm  had passed and a blistery wind had taken over.

It remained cold today and I was glad to be inside, though I wasn’t glad to be doing dictation ALL DAY.  It is probably the part of my job I like the least.  My neck and shoulders even hurt when I finally finished.  I think maybe I should fix the ergonomics of my desk situation before I do another marathon transcript.

Tonight I came home and made a yummy dinner of stuffed shells, watched Top Chef Allstars, and went to Bible study.  Now I’m going to turn on some Christmas tunes and start to deck the halls.

I’ve been super tired this week and I hope infusing some festive wonderfulness into my surroundings will make me more joyful and inspired about, well, about life in general.