A Small Christmas Tour

Our house is smaller, so our decorations are downscaled a bit. But that's okay because I got it all up before Thanksgiving and we had an early Christmas with the in-laws. I'm getting ready to take it down, but before I do, here's a little tour.

We had a fake tree from Target, but one section of lights crapped out last year. I just made-do and strung some lights across it. It was good enough. So this year I started to put it up, but when I checked the lights, all but *one* little strip at the bottom of the tree were out!

So, I the next morning I went to ... (duh, duh, duuuuuh) Mallwart. Yes, I did. I was on a serious budget and I needed something right then. I browsed the trees online at Mallwart, Target, and Hob Lob. Mallwart had a cute flocked tree for cheap, so there you go. I hate that store. Hate it. But in these times, I'm sorry, but budget wins out.

And it's a pretty gorgeous tree, I must say.

And guess what? There one damn spot where the lights crapped out! One evening the Hubby noticed they were exceptionally bright, and when we turned it on the next morning, they were dead. You get what you pay for, and that's what I get for shopping at Mallwart. Next year that spot will go to the back (provided no other lights go out), and then we will get something else after that. Jeez.

(There's a little preview up there of the kitchen. There are these weird folding doors with sheer fabric panels. Those ugly babies will be out of here as soon as the tree is down. That cabinet behind the chairs is gone, and there is a whole wall of new cabinets in its place.)

This is the bookcase on the other side of the wall unit. That "believe" is all red, glittery goodness. I bought the flag at The Elephant's Trunk Flea Market the fall before we left Connecticut. It might be hard to see, but the round silver tray is collaged with a picture of my sweet grandmother in her garden, photo by my cousin Jon.

This is the bookcase below the TV. Those little silver cups are (I think) antique ice cream or sherbet dishes from someplace called Snow's. It has the name on them in a font that has snow on top of each letter. They are so cute. I coveted them at my favorite store, Taken for Granite, but they were a little pricey. I went back a little after Christmas and they were in the sale shed for 50% off!

My poor husband got worked to death over the Christmas break. We had a whole kitchen's worth of new cabinets from Ikea that we never used. Out of those cabinets I got pantry storage in the laundry room, an 11' wall of kitchen storage, a craft room, and a workshop for Hubby. Over the break, he built all that (except the laundry room one) and we made the family room/teen cave in the basement.

I'll post pics as soon as I can. They might be a little crummy as I broke my camera and have had to use my phone. Phooey!

Update: I called WalMart yesterday and went around and around with an assistant manager who said I couldn't return the tree, not even for a store credit, because it was a seasonal item and I didn't have the receipt. I argued that while that is true, it is still defective and didn't even last through the season it was intended for! And once I plugged the tree in and everything was fine, why would I have kept the receipt? Because I should have expected the lights would die on it so soon?! I offered to bring the tree in and plug it in for him so he could see I wasn't just "renting" it for Christmas and then trying to return it.

So last night I wrote a nasty-gram to WalMart on their site, and got a call today from a different assistant manager than the one I spoke to yesterday. She said to bring the tree in tomorrow and she is going to give me a store credit for the full price. I would rather get my money back so I could get a tree elsewhere next year, but that's okay. I know that if I returned anything there without a receipt that's what I would get in return. So, I'll use this to get another tree next year, and I will keep the receipt FOREVER! So, the squeaky wheel gets the grease -- or the persistently complaining customer gets the store credit. :-) Just wanted to give credit where credit was due.

Summer's End

It's hard to believe that this summer is over. It has been a big one with lots of change, all good. We spent out first summer in our new home, in a different state, learning about our new town and all the great things to do around here. I have been visiting our local farmer's markets (I can reach at least four within 30 minutes).

I did a lot of canning this summer. I wish I had time to do more, but I ran out of time and storage space! I can plan ahead for next summer. ("Can plan ahead." Get it? See what I did there? Canning?) I bought some beautiful peppers and made some pepper jelly from them. I had no idea what color these peppers would make all mixed together, but see for yourself.




It looks like honey, doesn't it?


I also made some jalapeño jelly, and both of these are going to be so yummy either on cream cheese with crackers or baked with sliced summer sausage.

We closed on our new house in September, so I have started painting! I bought a can of bright white trim paint the day before we closed. For some reason, the previous owners decided to paint every stick of wood in this house grey -- the trim, the doors, the cabinets. Everything. One thing I took from living in Savannah is the beauty of bright white trim. It makes everything look so fresh. I think it's modern and traditional all at the same time. I'm going to have lots of "before & afters" for you!

I’m not going to make any excuse for being away from the blog except to say: hubby got a wonderful new job, new job was far away, hubby moved several states away while we tried to sell the house. Then there was NOT selling the house, waiting month after month, the worst New England winter EVER, still NOT selling the house month after month, getting an offer that fell through AFTER our house was packed and on the moving truck, cat running away and missing for 4 days, driving to our new home, getting kids in school to finish the school year, finding new doctors for little girl, summer break, FINALLY selling the old house, new health issues for little girl, starting school, boy in 6th grade (so a new school), and closing on new house soon.

Phew!

So a lot has happened. A lot that I feel inspired to write about so I will. I also had a kind friend say that she thought I should get back to it, especially since I have so much to talk about. And hubby likes the way I write too and was encouraging.

The blog is called Children, Cooking, Miracles. There will still be some of each, plus a lot of home stuff as we start to make our new house our own home. I’m sure there will also be some crafty bits and sewing. I have been making some new clothes for the girl, I have some things planned for me, and of course, Christmas is coming! (As I duck the rotten tomatoes you’re throwing!)

So basically, it will all be the same, just more frequent. I hope.

I hardly know what to do with January.

I guess that says it all! January. January. I don't start off the month with a big, champagne-filled fete -- I have little children, one of whom thinks that 3:30 is party time, so I gotta get my sleep while the gettin's good! This year, I went to bed on New Year's Eve at about 11:15. C decided he was going to stay up, but I heard him go to bed about 5 minutes after I did. Party animals, I tell ya!

I spent New Year's Day putting away Christmas. There has a been some discussion in the blogosphere about "keeper-uppers" and "putter-awayers." I'm normally a keeper-upper, but this year it just made me sad. I had such anticipation of Christmas and preparing for K coming home. But after he was gone, it just reminded me that our visit and the magic and anticipation was over. I so look forward to taking it all out in our new home next year. This was the best Christmas ever, but next year will break the record for Best of All Christmases Ever, Ever, EVAH!

January is such a long month, a long month with no holiday in it. Just at the beginning. I'm not much of a Valentine's Day decorator, but I put up a little heart garland on the mantle just to have something pretty and sparkly since everything else is a little bare. I am keeping the house kinda sparse so that buyers can see themselves here. (C'mon, Buyers!!!) But, yeah, January. Nothing big to decorate for, sew for, craft for, decorate for. I guess that's why all the home organization stuff comes out this month. Might as well pass those long winter days by weeding through your crap! I admit that is a good use for January. Guess I had better get to it.

First I really want to sew a cape for P out this fabric. Cute, right?! Or maybe a little coat like Jane's! That coat in that fabric? Ohhhh..... Does buying more fabric count as organization?

Christmas Tour

Welcome to our home! I really dolled it up this year since K will be visiting for the first time in three months, and also so that it looks homey and warm for potential buyers. I hope you enjoy seeing our decorations!








Every year I get the kids a new ornament. C gets Santas.


And P gets some sort of fairy.

Molly loves it when the tree goes up because she can snuggle up to the baseboard and hide out.












It has been so cold here! As it should be, of course, but this is more like January cold than December cold! I love New England and I do love the cold, except for taking the little one out in it. I have been enjoying our fireplace very much. It puts out quite a lot of heat for a fireplace that's not meant for heating, and I'm happy to go through oil a little slower than usual.

Holiday Shop Gorgeousness

Oh, this is THE most swoonwothy shop. It is, yes, my favorite store and, no, it's not Anthropologie! Gasp! This is Taken for Granite, the prettiest little store in a converted old gas station in the Stony Creek section of Branford, Connecticut. (The pink/orange granite from Stony Creek was used to build the Brooklyn Bridge.) It is on the Long Island Sound shore so there is a definite sea theme, but at Christmas the store comes alive with the most amazing glittery, sparkle-y, vintage displays. Here, just look!





















And here is the centerpiece of the whole holiday display! She is maybe 8 or 9 feet tall with a wire form skirt, lit from within, and covered with magnolia leaves, frosty floral bits, and ornaments. It was so spectacular that I gasped when I walked in!

Tuna Casserole

Food. I love it. I love making it, eating, talking about it, planning the next meal as I'm still eating the current one. The women in my family love to cook, bake, and can and preserve. They have all the family recipes, all that good comfort food.

One of my favorites is tuna casserole. Now, I loved it even with the inclusion of the contents of the red and white can, but Shauna and Daniel's version has none of that! My husband hates tuna casserole. Hates. Won't eat anything with canned tuna. At all. No way. So I save making tuna casserole for when he's away. Since he's working out of state ... it's tuna time!




Yeah, those are potato chips on top, Baby!


Now that's the seal of approval! (Although you can see that he ate all around the mushrooms.) It was soooo good that C told his Daddy that he just had to try it. And he agreed that he might. I'm gonna hold him to it!