Girlfriends, a mashed potato bar (huge hit!), cupcakes, popcorn, and a favorite Christmas movie. A tiny treat bag for our guests. We've enjoyed having parties here, so many great memories over the years... tonight was a simple and perfect farewell.
(My favorite topping was mushrooms and onion sauteed with rosemary...oh yeah.)
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The day we bring home our tree each year is never just about getting the tree. It somehow turns into a day of noticing, a day of cute cafes, a day of the little indulgences. A day we look forward to and a day we encourage to linger well into the night.
An eggnog cupcake, a red velvet cupcake, a chocolate peppermint cupcake. Yummy coffee drinks all around.
An evening of chamomile tea while tree trimming - because really - after so many cupcakes, our traditional hot cocoa stirred with a candy cane would have been too much (says Mama).
Christmas music, a burning fire, a day to remember... as it should be.
This holiday season, I hope to notice every shining drop of family, spirit, and peace. Three things I find myself particularly seeking these days.
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What a weekend we had in the northeast! Today we have snowy halloween preparations to finish up, a little more snow to clear, and an apple pie to bake.
Locals - we have power if you need anything. Ours went out for only an hour or so on Saturday, but we now have hot showers, a warm meal, and heat to offer if you're in need. They are saying it could be a week until all power is restored.
There is quite a bit of damage in the area; the outages, damage, etc. is being reported as reminiscent of Irene. In our own yard we had three huge limbs come down. One took out the clothesline, another crushed my entire veggie garden. At least there will be more sunlight in the garden now.
Tomorrow I'll be back with final grocery challenge numbers, it's looking good!
Happy Halloween, everyone... stay safe and warm!
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December is nearly upon us, what a festive time of year it is. I feel like slipping into a posting style this month of a photo or two, and just a few words each day. Keeping things simple seems like a good way to stay present to the magic and beauty of it all.
So please don't mind if things seem less wordy around here... I'm here, just quietly soaking it all in.
Here's to a month of peaceful, simple, and comforting posts.
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I'm going to be fiddling with my blog design over the next several days... please excuse things looking funky and out of place on the sidebars for now. All will be fixed up soon. I wanted to expand my photo size a bit, and let me tell you, this is a huge exercise in letting go. There is no way I could ever go back and resize photos from over 700 posts! Deep breath, Virgo girl... embrace the imbalance.
{Watching the Senior Class Video, a gift from their teacher}
We hosted a gathering of friends in our home on Sunday evening. It was a wonderful time that left me with two thoughts I wanted to jot down here this morning.
First, having a party on a Sunday evening is the way to go. We started at 4:00, and everyone was on their way around 8:00. Here is why it works so well - everyone can make it!
People don't seem to have many obligations on Sunday evenings. Sports games for the kiddos do not occur on Sunday nights, usually. Anyone who is away for the weekend is coming back into town late on Sunday, being a work/school night and all.
And, if you're a big wimp like me, you will get to bed at a reasonable hour as it isn't a party into the wee hours kind of night.
See how perfect?
The second thing I realized, was that having a gathering the weekend before Thanksgiving was a wonderful way to s t r e t c h the holiday season just a bit, which I love the idea of!
It inspired me to add a little sparkle to my home for the holidays, and I found myself cleaning into those forgotten corners that seem to only get attention when guests are coming. Now I won't feel frazzled and rushed to tackle such things in December.
{The party was a reunion of sorts, in honor of Emily's graduating class of 2010. Her elementary school offered a unique experience for families - we all traveled from pre-school through sixth grade together, always in the same classroom... always the same kids, always the same parents and siblings (with some new siblings along the way!).The bond is deep and we love to gather as whole families, not just the children. All of the kids are in different schools from one another now, but the way they pick up right where they left off is remarkable. It is hard to put into words really, and honestly, the kids have no idea yet how unique their situation was all those years. I imagine they'll get it someday though, and I do hope they feel as blessed by the experience as all of us parents do feel.}
We will certainly be making this pre-Thanksgiving, gathering of friends, a new tradition in our home. What a perfect way to start the season.
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