Sunday, January 13, 2013

In review....




Yes, here it is, January twelth, and I am just getting to this post. And, I'm not quite sure what to say about it but, quite obviously, I march to the beat of my very own personal drummer. While enjoying the freshness and clarity of January, I, personally, would love to share a little bit of Christmas in review. If you can't stand one more bite of it all, well... then... er... close one eye or something.

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When I pray in the morning, this is where I sit and this is what I would see - very distracting but happy! 

It is my own tree - a lot of the ornaments are ones that I have been collecting since I was a little girl for when I grew up and had a tree of my very own.








Christmas seemed to just happen to me, this year. It went so fast and so slowly at the very same time. It went too fast because I took on an awful lot of extra projects in December. It went wonderfully slow because I, also, made sure to stop and just focus on spending time with my boys and Tom and family and friends. It was just one of those precious years like that - so many wonderful moments! But, decorating-wise, I feel like I just kind of threw everything together. I think, however, that it turned out very pleasantly to my way of thinking. =]





 
This is the 'family' tree. We put it together the first year when someone gave us a beautiful tree but our ornaments were still buried in boxes - lost. That Christmas was, also, full of sweet memories of making ornaments for our tree - sitting in the bay window cutting out the snowflakes - the boys making the cookie ornaments from start to finish - the melted crayon star and the paper chain that seemed to go on forever and ever and ever!!! All of the ornaments that we've bought on vacations and the kids have made in school and have been given to them are on this tree, too. The boys picked the tree, put it up and decorated it all on their very own, this year, and it was just beautiful!





and here is Chubbs, on Christmas morning in this picture, who just recently ate one of the cookie ornaments as it was waiting to be put away!

(A cookie's a cookie, I guess. =/)










and for those of you who were concerned if Jeffrey ever saw Santa or not....





Now! Onward! =]

xxoo





12 comments:

  1. What a beautiful decorated home you have for christmas Katy !!...love it all...love your doggie....yesterday i made my 3 years blog post anniverary..i i think i use a pictures from your puppy dogs from a while ago i did not now for sure,...but i think i tell you...it is on 31 januari...so please tell me than ...have alovely sunday...love Ria...xxx...

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  2. Hello Katy:
    This all looks truly delightful, dearest Katy. So many things holding such precious memories of family, friends and acquaintances and happy times spent together. It all sounds as if you had the most joyous of times over the holiday period in what seems to us to be the true spirit of Christmas. The house is decorated beautifully. Far from it looking 'thrown together', it all looks wonderfully harmonious, comfortable and stylish. Perfect!


    And, as you move onward into 2013, we wish all of you joy, good health and peace in the New Year!!

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    1. Hello, dear Jane and Lance!

      I think that this is feeding my theory that I just need to stop trying to be clever when I decorate my home. I think that my subconscious knows what it's doing much better than I. In this case, I was in a furious hurry to clean up and get things perfectly together and sparkling ;) for the open house and, for example, I had an empty jar that I needed to put somewhere and I had all the red handled flatware that I still don't know what to do with - et voila! I have even deeper thoughts than these as I've been thinking for quite a while about the creative process and 'letting go' but I don't think that this is exactly the moment or place for that dissertation! heehee. ;) =]

      Yes... 'the spirit of Christmas' is a deep and beautiful thing isn't it? =]

      Thank you for your encouragement and your well wishes! I'll surely take them!

      Love,

      Me xxo

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  3. Well I for one never get tired of Christmas photos. Our Christmas was very quiet and I was feeling kind of sad that we didn't have any extra family around. But then, we went to hubby's family the week after for a funeral and then I remembered that having a bunch of family around is way over-rated! LOL!
    Such lovely trees my friend!
    xo Catherine

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  4. Very purty! When the kids were little we used to make hot chocolate, put on safety goggles and crack up the gingerbread house with small hammers. Dunk house chunks in hot chocolate to enjoy while we took down the tree.

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    1. ....and, you're all still alive, apparently! I've been considering... it's my first ever gingerbread house. How long does it keep? I want to eat it and so do the boys. It's looking seriously 'iffy' at this point, though, and I was just thinking yesterday that, when the time to remove it, sadly, comes, I may just bake a fresh batch of gingerbread cookies and have them with milk, instead. =P

      ;)

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  5. Hi Katy,

    I enjoyed every bit of this post. I was hoping you would post :-)! Your tree looks beautiful and the family tree as well! Both very different, but lovely. It's been fun looking at your pretty rooms and Christmas decorations. I think Americans and Canadians do much more about Christmas than the Dutch.

    I like the table with the big glass jars and the Keep calm and carry on print above it. Your mantelpiece looks beautiful too and that gingerbread house :-)
    Above all your house looks warm and cosy, a real family home! Can't believe the pile of presents....it's huge! Your boys must have been really happy :-)

    Wishing you a lovely new week!

    Love,

    Madelief xox

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    1. Hello dear Madelief! =]

      Thank you for encouraging me to just go on and post it... even still. ;) I think that you're right about more being done - decorating-wise - than the Dutch or... for that matter... perhaps, the french and, even, maaaaybe, the British but, I am sure, it's different for everyone, individually, too. There are some friends of mine who go ALL OUT and it is breathtakingly magic! Ummmm, at the moment though, I'm appreciating that it takes a bit as much work to take it down as put it up. (LingOL! =D) I always wish that I could do more - it's so fun - but, I've had to learn my lesson to just 'let go' - I'm contented with whatever happens. =] Also, one thing that I love is that some of the decorations are just winter decorations and are still up and festive and sparkly - a bit of rejoicing in the season while it's still possible that we may still have 2-3 more months of snow. =/ I've given in to dreaming of spring, though.... happy sigh. =]

      And, oh, my goodness! The pile of presents was for and from friends and extended family too... although, we were, indeed, very blessed! =] Those two photos of the trees with the presents are, actually, from Christmas day and I think that there is, somehow, a special glow on it all. Or, maybe, I've just remembered it that way because I have twinkles in my eyes, still, from it all. It was a super fun day! =]

      and... I'm rambling! I seriously need a cup of tea! =P =]

      xxo

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  6. Oh! ...and, having TWO trees.... poor Tom. He does think it's a bit much but must seriously love me... I think he's somewhat resigned to the two of them. Although, every year, I've noticed that he gets momentarily hopeful that I'll give one up. BUT! It's a stress and a half to have three Tiggers decorating the tree with all of those glass ornaments. I think it's much better this way! and, THIS way, we get special 'decorating-the-tree' cookies, hot chocolate and peppermint sticks TWICE!!! Aren't I so clever?! =]

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  7. I can certainly stand to see more Christmas-don't tell anyone but I still have a couple of small trees up as I love the lights.Guess,I have a hard time letting go.
    We used to have a children's tree and my 'Victorian'tree when our children were younger.
    I really enjoyed my peek into your cosy home. enjoy these winter days and before we know it we will be back out in the garden.

    Take care,
    Carolyn

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  8. Ahh, I notice Santa came to the family tree, not the other! Tee hee hee.:o)

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