When Things Don't Go As Expected

I had an entire long weekend to plan and prepare, and yet - here I am - already running behind for this week. Which is why this should have been my Monday post, but instead, you're reading it on a Tuesday. 

It seems to happen to me a lot lately. I get distracted so easily. Or I just completely lose my train of thought and end up doing something that wasn't part of my original plan or to-do list. It's a whole thing. 

Speaking of things that don't go as expected.  Our Thanksgiving was smaller than expected.  The weekend before our daughter thought she was getting a nasty cold or a sinus infection.  On Monday she tested positive for Covid. And then, the grand kid started displaying some possible symptoms. So, she and her family weren't able to come for dinner on Thanksgiving. 

The grandkid was able to get an appointment for a test yesterday and he was positive.  So, even though he is already feeling better, he has to stay home from school this week.  His mom on the other hand has felt pretty terrible for an entire week.  Headache, congestion, no sense of smell or taste, exhaustion.  But fortunately, no fever, and her breathing has been ok.  Hopefully, she starts feeling much better soon.

We decorated the house for Christmas over the weekend.  Finally!  If it had been entirely up to me, the tree would have gone up the day after my birthday earlier this month. Sadly, the Man of the House and our son kept fighting me on that. So, I waited not so patiently until Thanksgiving had passed. 

Have you decorated for the holidays yet?

Christmas House

Christmas is only ONE WEEK away, y'all!!  One teeny tiny little week!  The way this entire month has been going - that time is going to fly right by.  I thought I'd share a few pictures of  the holiday decorating I have done around the house.  Sorry they're not the best quality photos, but I just walked through the house with my phone and snapped  some quick pictures.

As you enter through the front door, you'll be greeted in the foyer by the smell of cinnamon from my wax burner.  This year I took the trees that usually stand on the porch, decorated them with some small ornaments and gold bows and placed them on the storage bench with a small wooden tray filled with scented pine cones and a candle   I'm very pleased with the effect!

The living room is where the Christmas tree lives.  I didn't go TOO overboard with the mantle this year.  (or... maybe I did)

For the dining area, I picked up an inexpensive little lighted tree decorated with some small candy ornaments to jazz up the coffee bar (I still want a pencil tree for this room one of these years!)

One of the (very few) benefits of not having a little one in the home any longer is that now I can set a tablescape and it stays there!  I kept things simple this year, but I think it's something I'll add to and work on in future years.

Have you gone all out with your holiday decorations this year?  I'd love to see your pictures!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Merry Christmas!!  Sure, I'm a few days early - but why not...

I haven't done much blogging this Christmas season, it was pretty busy for a while there. So, now that things are winding down, I thought I would take a moment to share a few of my favorite Christmas pretties around my home.

(I apologize for the fuzzy pictures, I walked around snapping a few shots with my tablet this morning.  Not the best lighting or camera)
 

My cute "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" snowmen and this pretty sign great you as you come in the front door.  Along with these sweet little pillows I got for a steal at Target last year on the storage bench.

The mantel might be my very favorite part of all my holiday decor.

Except for the tree, of course!

There's a little tree just for the grandbaby which decorates the coffee station in the dining room

And even the hall bathroom gets a little holiday love.

Do you enjoy decorating the whole house for the Christmas season, like me?  Or are you more into 'just the basics' for your holiday decor?

Merry Christmas!!

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It's Ok

Today I am linking up with Neely at "A Complete Waste of Makeup" for It's OK Thursday.

It's OK that my sink is full of dirty dishes this morning.

It's OK that I am full of plans and ideas - and low on energy

It's OK that I'm sitting in my pajamas and bathrobe in front of the computer at 10am

It's OK that there is an undressed Christmas tree still sitting in my living room

It's OK that I can't think of a single thing to blog about today... and that even all those previously started drafts sitting there are not inspiring me.

It's OK to realize I missed some nail polish around the edges... 2 days after I removed it!

It's OK that watching TV commercials makes me want sushi and donuts.

Mrs Grinch's Small Heart Grew Three Sizes That Day

All you Christmas Elf type bloggy friends can relax.  Mrs Grinch and family have a tree.

Yes, I realize it's not decorated yet.  That is on the calendar for Wednesday night. 

Don't Worry - it was not obtained by shoving it up the chimney of some poor unsuspecting Who down in Who-ville.

They call me - Mrs. Grinch

I am having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year.  I'm just not feeling it.

Maybe it's because the weather has been so warm.

Maybe it's because my sisters won't be visiting this year until after Christmas.

Or maybe it's because our house is still in the throes of the living room renovation and not looking very Christmas-y at all yet.

I am starting to stress about whether enough of it is going to be done in time to make our home at least reasonably settled for Christmas.  It feels like there is still a lot of work to be done. 

And because of the renovations to the living room, the rest of the house is starting to look like something deserving of it's own episode of "Hoarders".  (Is that a sofa under all that stuff in the dining room?  Why, yet it is!)

I had to inform the family last night that based on the way the schedule to get things done is looking, there may not be a tree this year. 

That's right... sing it with me....  "You're a mean one, Mrs Grinch"

I'm really not trying to be a Scrooge.  It's just that we can't pull a tree in right now.  The baseboards and trim have to be done first.  The curtain hardware and the curtains themselves need to hung.  Having the tree in would just complicate the entire process.

And I can't imagine going through all the work and difficulty of getting and putting up a tree for just  a few days.  (Go ahead, sing another verse... I'll sit here quietly until you're done)

As you can imagine, I'm not incredibly popular around here right now. 

I sincerely hope I'm proved wrong and things are at a point by next weekend where putting up the tree can happen. And if it doesn't... well, we all know how the Grinch's story ended... even without all the wrappings.

Please Also Read: Mrs. Grinch's Small Heart Grew Three Sizes That Day