I have to say, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. On Saturday I did try to do a bit of sewing on the Thanksgiving table topper that will not be finished by Thanksgiving. Those little 3 inch Churn Dash blocks are pretty cute though. Sewing is going to have to take a back seat to all the other tasks that are on my list this coming week. For some reason, it was as if a light was switched and all of a sudden I am in full Christmas Panic Mode. Over the weekend I started my Christmas shopping and also worked on the annual 12-month photo calendar of Eva that I give as an annual family gift. We also managed to do our Thanksgiving grocery shopping. It seemed as if every minute was packed with some essential task or other.
We have been doing a bit of decorating. This is our upstairs tree, which you can see from our foyer and main living area. It is pretty quick to decorate, as the primary decor are some largish Mark Roberts fairies we have collected over the years. Eva and I got that together in an hour or so.
My husband, the optimist, kept bringing in a number of boxes of other holiday decor, thinking we would slap that together in no time flat as well. Hah. I am pretty impressive at what I can accomplish when necessary, but this is ridiculous.
As I write this on Sunday night, those boxes are all still sitting, half unpacked, in the foyer outside our library/den front room. Friends, this place is a mess. I have a few things unpacked, but it all looks so haphazard I just want to put it all away again and start over. Some major editing needs to happen this year. Honest to Pete, we do not have to put it ALL out, right?
And then…and then, I got a notion that the cupboards in my laundry room where I store my candles needed a good clearing out. Now, this notion is well-founded. This is a task that is long overdue and which needs doing desperately. But seriously, not right now. I must have been trying to hide away from all the decorating my husband was urging me to do. I am not kidding, he had a little red wagon he would put holiday decor boxes from the garage in, and would then roll into the house cheerfully saying "Here's another one!"
As you can see, I removed about a dozen candles from the cupboards and got distracted by something else (probably my husband bringing yet another box of holiday decor into the house) and abandoned the project.
Things are in a state of complete chaos right now. I am thinking I just need to go to bed and repeat Scarlett O'Hara's mantra "Tomorrow is another day".
24 responses to “Keeping It Real”
This is so funny, and exactly what happens to me. Although the last few years I have pared down and cut back on what I display for the holidays, so that helps. Good luck with everything! Happy Thanksgiving!
This is so funny, and exactly what happens to me. Although the last few years I have pared down and cut back on what I display for the holidays, so that helps. Good luck with everything! Happy Thanksgiving!
This is so funny, and exactly what happens to me. Although the last few years I have pared down and cut back on what I display for the holidays, so that helps. Good luck with everything! Happy Thanksgiving!
Your tree looks lovely. We do put a lot of pressure on ourselves, don’t we?
Your tree looks lovely. We do put a lot of pressure on ourselves, don’t we?
Your tree looks lovely. We do put a lot of pressure on ourselves, don’t we?
…and you know what, Scarlett was right. Right at the beginning of the crazy season, I left home for a week in Costa Rica where it was hot and humid every single day. Going out of country makes you forget everything else. On my return, some neighbors have pumpkins out front and the house next door is seriously lit up for Christmas. My kiddos won’t return home until a week before Christmas. So, manana may be my mantra, for a little while anyway. Your house will be lovely, I’m sure.
…and you know what, Scarlett was right. Right at the beginning of the crazy season, I left home for a week in Costa Rica where it was hot and humid every single day. Going out of country makes you forget everything else. On my return, some neighbors have pumpkins out front and the house next door is seriously lit up for Christmas. My kiddos won’t return home until a week before Christmas. So, manana may be my mantra, for a little while anyway. Your house will be lovely, I’m sure.
…and you know what, Scarlett was right. Right at the beginning of the crazy season, I left home for a week in Costa Rica where it was hot and humid every single day. Going out of country makes you forget everything else. On my return, some neighbors have pumpkins out front and the house next door is seriously lit up for Christmas. My kiddos won’t return home until a week before Christmas. So, manana may be my mantra, for a little while anyway. Your house will be lovely, I’m sure.
The past couple of years we’ve had two young dogs who couldn’t be trusted with Christmas decorations. That forced us to limit what we put out. They’re 2 ½ now but we’re still going to be minimalist in our decorating. We had to give ourselves permission to not stress about it & nobody is worse off because of it!
The past couple of years we’ve had two young dogs who couldn’t be trusted with Christmas decorations. That forced us to limit what we put out. They’re 2 ½ now but we’re still going to be minimalist in our decorating. We had to give ourselves permission to not stress about it & nobody is worse off because of it!
The past couple of years we’ve had two young dogs who couldn’t be trusted with Christmas decorations. That forced us to limit what we put out. They’re 2 ½ now but we’re still going to be minimalist in our decorating. We had to give ourselves permission to not stress about it & nobody is worse off because of it!
lol at hubby finding more and more decorations to bring in! ;p have to say, that upstairs tree looks really lovely.
lol at hubby finding more and more decorations to bring in! ;p have to say, that upstairs tree looks really lovely.
lol at hubby finding more and more decorations to bring in! ;p have to say, that upstairs tree looks really lovely.
I thought I had quite a few candles, but, WOW, you really do. We’re cutting back this year on how many decorations get put out. We have limited space and we have a grandchild now that is interested in checking out every thing so another reason to limit it.
Have fun finishing your decorating!
I thought I had quite a few candles, but, WOW, you really do. We’re cutting back this year on how many decorations get put out. We have limited space and we have a grandchild now that is interested in checking out every thing so another reason to limit it.
Have fun finishing your decorating!
I thought I had quite a few candles, but, WOW, you really do. We’re cutting back this year on how many decorations get put out. We have limited space and we have a grandchild now that is interested in checking out every thing so another reason to limit it.
Have fun finishing your decorating!
I just came home with a smaller tree. 🙂 I am thinking it is time to limit my decorating too…although I do love it when the house is so festive! LOL
I just came home with a smaller tree. 🙂 I am thinking it is time to limit my decorating too…although I do love it when the house is so festive! LOL
I just came home with a smaller tree. 🙂 I am thinking it is time to limit my decorating too…although I do love it when the house is so festive! LOL
I had a good laugh with my coffee this morning imagining your husband rolling in his wagon filled with yet more bins of decorations! At least you have your great assistant, Eva, to give you a hand. Your upstairs tree is beautiful. Over the years, I have realized that enjoying the time preparing for a celebration is more important than worrying and stressing and doing too much.
I had a good laugh with my coffee this morning imagining your husband rolling in his wagon filled with yet more bins of decorations! At least you have your great assistant, Eva, to give you a hand. Your upstairs tree is beautiful. Over the years, I have realized that enjoying the time preparing for a celebration is more important than worrying and stressing and doing too much.
I had a good laugh with my coffee this morning imagining your husband rolling in his wagon filled with yet more bins of decorations! At least you have your great assistant, Eva, to give you a hand. Your upstairs tree is beautiful. Over the years, I have realized that enjoying the time preparing for a celebration is more important than worrying and stressing and doing too much.