Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Decorating: Broken Ornaments and Coffee Cups

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Yes, the decorating has begun. In fact, I’m almost done. On a whim, husband and I got our Christmas Tree on Wednesday, a few days earlier than usual. Yesterday, the tree was decorated. Not without mishaps: one of my favorite vintage ornaments fell and shattered into tiny shards; Don decided to have some coffee and while pouring it into a mug that had a tiny hairline crack, watched in horror as the mug exploded into pieces and coffee spilled onto everything – including Riley.

Now Riley smells like coffee.

Outside lights are up.
Trees are decorated.
Wreaths are hung.
House is a mess.

After I finish up today, the big bins will be carted back to their home in the shed.

I might even store all the summery porch paraphernalia. This is the longest I have ever let that particular chore go.

The dollhouse has been moved to the living room to make room for the Christmas tree. The decorating elves worked a little magic here, as well.

Don’t forget – next Tuesday’s Holiday edition of Defending the Small House will include a Linky Party. Take some pictures of your holiday home and share them with us!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

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The Good: My Christmas Present came early. On purpose. I’ve been wanting an iPhone for the longest time. I’ll admit it – I envied all my friends who had one.  I’m not a person who needs the newest and best in the tech/electronic world. But the iPhone? That’s another story. I patiently waited until I qualified for an upgrade, which just so happened to coincide with the Christmas season.

I validated this particular Christmas present wish to my husband by saying that (a) I tend to be on the road a lot (how valuable it would be!) (b) I could take cool photos when I didn’t have my camera on hand (for the blog!) (c) it has all sorts of Apps that are lifesavers (and free!) (d) it has much better reception that my other cell phone (it does!) (e) I can get a GPS App (safety when driving alone!)

I took advantage of the new iPhone 4S coming out and got the previous model, the iPhone 4. Much, much less money. I’m totally in love with it. I chose the white version….so pretty!

The Bad: We had very heavy rains yesterday and last night. Our roof started leaking again. It’s either the chimney flashing or some problem with a shingle or two. Hurricane Irene inflicted some sort of damage up there. We’ll have to have someone take a look at it. Cross your fingers that it’s only a minor repair, please?

The Ugly: While dealing with the leaky roof at 1:00 am, I grabbed my pretty cane-back chair (from the studio,) and proceeded to step up on the seat. The chair fell over and I stepped right through the cane. Yep. I was too tired to cry. I think I can patch it with some glue, but it will never look as pretty as it did.

That was my favorite chair. Ever.

I took the photo with the neat Hipstamatic App on the iPhone. This shot provides a little peek into our lives this morning. The lint brush is out because Scout sheds profusely. The box the iPhone came in is still on the coffee table. Those aqua bins are full of Christmas decorations, and Scout is looking toward the stairs because she thinks she heard her dad getting up. False alarm. She’s now back to her floor position.

I’m going on very little sleep but the sun has just come out. That helps.

When Do You Do Your Christmas Decorating?

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Let me say, straight off, this is a photo from last year’s tree. I do not decorate until the second week of December.

Christmas is wonderful, magical, full of meaning. To my mind, the season does not start the day after Thanksgiving. I need a little breathing space. I need to take in the end of November, the early days of December, the fading away of Autumn, before I start decorating. For me, the holiday season loses its magic if decorations have been up for weeks by the time Christmas day rolls around.

I also have a major issue with the way merchandisers and advertisers push the season on us earlier and earlier every year. So, as is often the case with me, I dig in my heels and do the opposite of what they want me to do.

I have a feeling many of us base the starting date of Christmas decorating on what our families did when we were young. My parents didn’t decorate until about mid-December. We kept the decorations up through New Year’s Day. As a kid, I really loved the anticipation, the looking forward to that special day when we decorated our home, because it meant that Christmas was about 2 weeks away.

I do the same. We also buy a real tree every year and I want it to last through the holidays. So, we’ll go out this Friday and get our tree. We’ll let it sit for day, give the branches a chance to settle. then we’ll put on our favorite Christmas music and decorate. I may hang the outdoor lights earlier in the week. Maybe.

When my dad was a kid, his family didn’t decorate their tree until Christmas Eve. I know others who decorate right after Thanksgiving. Some choose not to decorate. Variety is the spice of life!

What do you do? Tell me. Have you already decorated? Do you count the days in November until it’s time to decorate for the holidays? Or do you wait? What is your family tradition?

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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