bed time

My bed time is usually some time between 10 and 11.
With no work or school to get us up we have been sleeping in. Unfortunately now I am having trouble getting to bed before 2:30. Even as a little girl I was a night owl.

How about you? When left with no schedule to follow to you like to wake up with the sun or sleep in?

(It is 2:23 so I am going to try to go to sleep now)

a merry christmas

We had a wonderful white Christmas here in Nashville. My son made a video of the last 24 hours. I thought some of you might enjoy a little peek into our Christmas.

wishes

I am going to sign off for a few days. I wish all of you a time of joy and peace.

I didn't get around to sending out cards but if I did they would be from this talented artist.

elf

I know that I am a little late but I saw this move for the first time tonight. I loved it! Sitting by a fire watching a movie as a family, all nine of us, knowing that there is no school tomorrow ...it doesn't get a lot better than that.

the nutcracker

This weekend we will be watching my favorite ballerina dance in the Nutcracker.
She is also my daughter and she is a bon bon. There is nothing like watching the art of ballet to put me in the Holiday Spirit.

How about you? Is the Nutcracker part of your Holiday traditions.

toys

I am thrilled to be guest blogging over at Lilac and Grey today. Please stop by and see my favorite toys for the Holidays. (As a mother of 7 I have a lot of experience in the field)

Hope you are all having a joyful Friday!

xokc

friends and family

I am not sure if any of my family reads my blog but you are my friends. So if you would like to enjoy 35% off any of our goodies just enter the code: "thirtyfive" at check out. This will end tomorrow 9pm central.

Please feel free to share this with your blog's friends.

I hope your lists are getting smaller and your days merrier!

motif magazine

We were so excited to be in the new motif magazine. (the gingham elephant) All of you vintage fans will be in love!

PS: You can win one of our dresses over here.

party boxes

http://dsharp.bigcartel.com/product/letterpress-yule-log

little elves

I am not doing very well on my personal list. But at the office we are right on schedule.

I did have to hire some extra help.

A little something for our favorite trunk show hostesses and stores etc.

first snow

It only takes a little snow to make us happy here in Nashville.
We are not guaranteed one every winter.
It makes it hard to find Jack.
It is nice to have a hill in your back yard.




All the pics were taken by my hubby.

christmas clip art

I am loving this vintage clip art wreath from The Graphics Fairy. Now I just need to figure out how to use it.

Goodwill for me

Yesterday late in the afternoon I headed to one of my favorite thrift stores, the goodwill outlet. It is not for the faint of heart. It is a step down from your average goodwill but everything is sold by weight and is at least half of what it is at a regular good will.
I picked through loads of boxes to find as many old ornaments as I could find. Could you ever have too many? My daughter grabbed most of the blues and reds to go with her union jack vibe room.
I was thrilled with my leftovers.

Got these two plastic candy canes.

The bottle brush trees (from an earlier goodwill excursion) love to sit around our table. I love the added sparkle from our vintage ornaments just right for Sunday morning breakfast.

Happy Birthday Caroline

At the office we love a reason to have a party. Today we had a party to celebrate Caroline's Birthday.
I found two boxes of bottle brush trees at Goodwill that made the table look very festive.
Of course we use our napkins.
I had been wanting to try this recipe and this was the perfect event. We all loved it. It is my new favorite winter salad. (Roasted Butternut Squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette from the Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.) I served it with some of my home made whole wheat bread and mimosas.

a little more Christmas

I am not very good at keeping them alive but at 99 cents each I couldn't help leaving home depot with out 6 poinsettias.
I love my faux holly garland that I have had for years.
This is what NOEL looks like with 7 children. (The "E" is in the large to be glued pile)
I have never meet a bottle brush tree that I didn't like. I am going to be adding some to the store in the next few days.
With decorations finished I can concentrate on a few goodies for my little ones. If only their lists didn't keep changing.

It's begining

We always get our trees and decorate the day after thanksgiving.
I love getting all of the goodies down from the attic. Little touches here and there.
Most of my ornaments are from my favorite thrift stores.
I have a thing for tinsel trees.
Some of my favorite were made by my very talented children. These were made by my 17,15,13 and 11 years olds when they were respectively in Miss Donna's 4 year old class.
All photos by me.

I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. We have two friends staying with us. One I haven't seen for 16 years. It should be fun.

thanksgiving

I thought you might like to see a couple pictures from our thanksgiving. It was just us and my mother in law. My girls were in charge of decorating the table.
And they insisted that we get dressed up. (I was very happy in my jeans.) Charlotte is wearing the dress she had me make her for her graduation. It is our Gigi dress (much shorter).
We only eat in the dining room twice a year so it feels very special. If you have little ones stop blinking because they that's how long it takes for them to grow up.