Merry and Bright

I really felt like I was keeping ahead of the holiday deadlines this year.  I started Christmas shopping several months ago, we decorated a few days earlier, I got my cards ordered and addressed in a timely fashion, yet here we are cramming everything in and feeling rushed and stressed once again.  There is just so much to do and I never can say no to anyone or anything.  Especially if it's something I think Evangeline will enjoy.  I really do love the holidays, but it definitely not restful. 

 

Here we are after breakfast with Santa....

 

 

Last weekend Peggy's house was on the Historical Society's Christmas House Walk.  Since I was one of the helpers at Peggy's I got to go on the walk a day early with all of the people involved with the walk.  There were 5 houses on the house walk and they were all gorgeous.  One of the houses was built in the 1850's.  It was a squeeze to those people in that house.  Another one of the houses was a foreclosed home that was renovated.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  It's so nice when people take old homes and bring them back to life.  Peggy's house was stunning if I do say so myself.  Her house is so cozy and she has such an eye for decorating.   

 

Here is painting Kyle did when he was at Eastern.  I adore it.  I made sure to point it out to everyone I knew that walked through the house. 

 

These two little elves had the job of carrying everyone's shoes to the porch as the crowd entered.  Little Evangeline joined us later (she had to nap). 

We had a very unexpected snow day last Monday.  I was shocked.  It was cancelled more due to the ice rather than snow accumulation I guess.  E.B. and I just huddled up in the house all day.  We strung some popcorn and cranberries to hang by a mess of blue jays that have taken up residence in a bush outside our house.  I very nervously ventured out to hang the chain.  I was on edge and jumpy the whole time due to my very justifiable fear of Blue Jays.  I still have vivid memories of that fateful day in my childhood....I was innocently planting petunias in my little garden patch when I was aggressively attacked by Blue Jays.  They were swooping down and trying to pull out my hair until my Mommy came running to my aid.  I do not trust Blue Jays.