Merry Christmas!!!!

Yes, I do know that it's January.  Have you ever thought while you were putting away the Christmas tree and decorations, that  you wished you'd had time to do that "one thing" that you wanted to try?  Well, I have.  Every. Single. Year.  I've decided that this year will be different.....I will not look back thinking of all of the Christmas crafts, recipes, and decorations that I wanted to make but never had the time to during the holiday season!  A couple of days ago I was looking over my December issue of Southern Living and realized that I never had the time to open the cover (much less read the entire magazine) during the month preceeding Christmas.

So this coming week I will be gathering all of my December issues of Southern Living, Better Homes and Gardens, Gooseberry Patch Christmas books, and other random "Christmas" issues of various magazines (that have NEVER been thrown out because of that 1 craft, recipe, or decoration that I wanted to make and creating a file of what I plan to do each month of THIS year to prepare for the 2011Christmas Season.

Oh, and there's that rather large tote in the attic full of Christmas crafts and supplies for homemade ornaments....

Happy New Year!

Well, we made it home to Texas for Christmas and were able to see most of our family.  We had a much needed breath of Texas Air.  The New Year was greeted in Knoxville, Tennessee.  We did not have our "traditional" Southern New Year's meal of ham, black-eyed peas, and steamed cabbage, instead we had Chesapeake Bay Cream of Crab Soup from the Fisherman's Inn on Kent Island.


Today we get back to our routines.  Katy has already left for school.  Matt is already at work.  Brandon and I will do the basics of school this week:  Math, Latin, Literature, and writing.  Since we delayed our return from Texas, we have much of the unpacking still to do - although all suitcases have been unpacked and are awaiting their return trip to the attic! 


We will be picking up Remington and Gypsy from their stay at our veterinarian's while we traveled.  I'm quite sure that this afternoon will be spent with the dogs.