A quick look back at 2009

With only a few hours left in 2009, I decided to put together a photo collage of some of the more memorable events of 2009 for me.
--New Year's Day 2009, our new porch railings, my painted kitchen cabinets (let's try to forget the 3 months it took me to do this), Halloween, my daughter's 5th grade graduation, my son's First Communion, our new pool, my daughter's braces, we finally made it to Disneyworld--
Overall, it was a great year. It did have some heartache here & there, but we survived it.
As you are getting ready to ring in a new year, I hope that 2010 proves to be a wonderful year for you & yours. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Getting ready for a New Year

I hope that each and every one of you had a Merry Christmas! The photo above shows my dining room table--we had Christmas Eve dinner for 18. I didn't have a very imaginative tablescape this year. I guess all the baking took the creativity right out of me! lol
I'm off from work all week so I've been enjoying my time at home with my husband and kids. I hate to admit it, but I have taken a few decorations down already. I thought it might be nice to dismantle things a little at a time instead of having one giant mess overtake the house. What happens to me anyway? I spend what seems like days and days decorating yet when Christmas is over I can't wait to pack it up and get it out of here. Although this year, I'm not really in a hurry to get everything down yet this is the year that I have to. On Monday, January 4th, we are having our dining room hardwood floor refinished. If I have to have a big mess from all the sanding and such, I refuse to have a mess on top of the Christmas decorations too. So, I've got to get it all down by this weekend any way you look at it. Have you begun the process of "the big take down" yet? Do you find that you are a cleaning maniac this week? I go nuts cleaning after Christmas every year. I don't know what it is that sends me into crazy cleaning mode, but it happens every year without fail.
In case I don't post for the rest of the week, I would like to wish all of you a Happy New Year! Let's hope it's a fabulous year for everyone.
Oh yeah, a note to my scrappy friends: Would you believe I've been scrapping again? The mojo is flowing & I'm not going to stop it. Who would have thought? :)

When will the madness end?

I've been doing lots of baking. So much so that I don't care if I ever see another cookie again! (Hmmm...I wonder if a week from now I'll harbor the same animosity towards cookies?) Anyhoo, I thought that before I get completely overtaken by flour and sugar, it would be best if I wished all of you a Merry Christmas right now. It's quite possible I may not be able to sit at the computer (or really just sit in general) until December 26th! (I'm only partially joking on the sitting part) So here goes--
May all the joy and magic of Christmas be with each and every one of you. Merry Christmas friends!

Snowmen ala Dee Foust

I have fallen in love with Dee Foust's creations! (She makes vintage inspired pieces.) Even though I have an attic filled with Christmas decorations, I couldn't resist and had to have these.


Please say I'm not the only one who continues to buy decorations when they have enough to fill three houses? Please? It's ok if you have to lie to make me feel better, okay?

All around the house

I feel as though I've been missing in action lately, but I suppose it's just all the preparation that goes with this favorite holiday of mine. I'd like to share a few more photos of home. I'm no master of decor & nothing is ever perfect, despite my best intentions, but here goes anyway.
This is what my dining room table looks like. I did a complete change this year & went with silver, gold, white, cream & blue in here, no red or green to be found. Best thing I ever did.
Another of the table centerpiece.
I added a little sparkle to the chandelier.
Sometimes you have to add a little something to the bathroom. It's not easy adding a little holiday sparkle to a 1933 Art Deco style bathroom, but I did my best. (Won't Santa ever grant my "let's gut the bathroom" wish?) I guess I shouldn't be complaining though, because Santa gave me this as an early Christmas gift... I must have been an awfully good girl this year--or maybe Santa just couldn't listen to my incessant chatter about my need for this camera any longer? Hmmm...I guess we'll never know.

Oh the weather outside is frightful!

Yes, we are getting hit with a snowstorm. I can hear the wind howling and the see the snow blowing all around. I don't mind, I love the snow, especially at this time of year. The best part of today though? Snowday!! The schools are closed which means the kids are home and there's no work for me. As if that wasn't fun enough, my husband is off from work today as well. I can see a great day filled with hot cocoa, warm cookies, board games and Christmas movies. Ahhhh, what a wonderful day! I also would like to wrap some gifts and then...I hate to say it...clean the bathrooms. I know, I know, cleaning the bathrooms does not fit into this pretty little picture I've painted, but nonetheless, it needs to be done.
I thought I would leave you with a photo or two of some holiday happiness at home.
I love this Santa on the Moon. My mom & dad bought it for me several years ago.
Blue decorations are new for me this year. With my new furniture, I refused to go with the traditional red & green in this room. I'll share more photos later. Have a great (& toasty warm) day!

Show & Tell Friday

Today I'm participating in Show & Tell Friday over at My Romantic Home. I would like to show you my beautiful watercolor painting. This was a Christmas gift from my husband in 2002.

It's a watercolor painting of our home.
Let me give you a little background:
One day, I was shopping in one of my favorite gift shops--My Sister's Secret. I noticed this beautiful painting on the wall that was a painting of the actual gift shop I was shopping in. I thought it was amazing! The corner of the painting held the artist's business card as well as an approximate price. It was quite expensive and rightfully so considering the work & detail involved.
I went home and remarked about it to my husband, telling him all about it and "if we ever had money to throw away, I would love to have a watercolor painting done of our house." That was it, end of story. I never mentioned it again. Although every time I went to the store, I did stand and stare at it.
Forward to a year later. It was Christmas Eve 2002 and we were celebrating with my family. All the gifts had been opened when suddenly there appeared this unwrapped, large, thin box. Having no idea who it was for or what it was, I looked around the room and noticed everyone was looking at me. My husband was taping me with the video camera, which was unusual, so I realized this box must be for me. I took one peek inside the box and realized what it was. I looked over at my husband, in disbelief and said "you didn't?" I could not believe what I was seeing! Through tears, I pulled the painting out of the box, completely shocked. One look at it and I was hysterically crying. It was beautiful, just stunning, the detail! I couldn't believe he had this commissioned for me, knowing how much I love our old home. I couldn't believe he even remembered and did this all on his own. I just couldn't believe it. It is, to this day, the greatest gift I have ever received and there are no words to express the joy it gives me when I look at it. It is such a treasure. (So much as been changed to the house since 2002, and I love that this painting shows our home in it's original state).)