Friday, December 12, 2014

Are You Ready?

Tree decorated......check

Gifts bought.........check

Gifts wrapped.......nope

Cards bought........check

Cards sent.............nope

Let's see.  What else needs to be done before Christmas?  We only have one full week left, you know.  Are you ready?  Do you get stressed out or do you just do what you can and forget the rest?  I tend to fall into the latter category.  Christmas should be a joyful time, not stressful.  The most important things always get done.   


I have always loved an old-fashioned Christmas.  The tree is filled with ornaments (and sometimes a kitty) we've collected over the years and have meaning to us.  The ornament with the cardinal in the first photo was one that belonged to my sweet grandmother and I think of her each year it is hung on the tree and how she, even tho she lived alone for many years, always decorated a small, tabletop tree and put out her gumdrop tree and Nativity scene each Christmas.  I am so happy to still have an ornament that belonged to her!   

  

We love to take a drive around the neighboring towns and look at the decorated yards and houses each Christmas.  When our children were little, that is what we did while Santa always came by the house when we were gone.  Mom, of course, always forgot something and had to go back into the house before we headed out for our drive to put out Santa's gifts.   


While shopping the other day, I spotted a kiosk in the mall that had calendars by the dozens and stopped by to ask if they might have a Susan Branch calendar.  They did and I happily took one home with me.   Do you buy yourself something while shopping for others?   I also spotted this little tree while shopping that looked pretty indestructible for the table.  You know, when Mom is away the kitties will play!  The tree is metal and I put flameless tealights in the candle holders.

I met my daughter after she got off work last night for a little shopping and we stopped for supper at the Golden Corral.  We hadn't eaten there in a while and, believe me, I didn't need to eat so much!   But it was good and what fun to see the Cotton Candy!  It was even more fun to eat it.  ;-)  Daughter found herself a new coat and I was pretty good and only bought a set of Pfaltzgraff Christmas dishes at the resale shop that was marked way down.  I think I'll give them to her for her new home, even though it won't be ready to move into by Christmas.  Work there has slowed down a bit...we've decided to take a long Christmas break.  

Our son just called to say he was back in KC from a few days business trip to sunny California.  I wish he could have brought some sunshine back with him!  We haven't seen the sun but once in many, many days.  While others may be wishing for snow for Christmas, I'm wanting sunshine! 

Happy Friday to you!
xo Cheryl

37 comments:

  1. Our Christmas has always been simple and stress-free. Good food, time with family.

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  2. Oh you are doing well with getting ready I am far behind.Enjoy this time with your family. Hug B

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  3. glad you're not pressuring yourself to achieve everything all at once. :)

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  4. Heaven I g Cheryl, looking beautiful, love the tree and the bird ornies. I have to wrap yet, finished shopping though.Blessings Francine.

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  5. Hi Cheryl. I think you're a little farther ahead in preparations for Christmas than I am. I still have shopping to do even after spending hours in town today. Your decorations looks sweet. I was thinking of Susan Branch and her beautiful calendars today but didn't see any at the calendar store. I'll keep looking. Have a great weekend.
    Pam

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  6. I loved reading this one. Your Christmas decorations and activities photo's are lovely. My check list looks just like yours. I thought I was ahead with everything and now I look at the wrapping and no Christmas cards finished yet; and I might need to think about being more stressed. I must learn to let it all go and enjoy all the precious moments of this wonderful Christmas Season. I am sure the Savior doesn't like the way we celebrate his birthday sometimes. #heisthegift. Have a wonderful Christmas and blessings and hugs for all!

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  7. I love your pretty ornaments, and your grandmother's is a great treasure to put out every year. You still have time to mail those cards!

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  8. Your grandmother's ornament is beautiful! I bet that's your favorite one. It is so wonderful that you have it. I love your cat peeking around the tree, and the beautiful blue lit tree! Your idea of the metal tree and the flameless candle is super!! Can I ask where you got the tree, I would love to buy one! We did not put ours up because of the cats.

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  9. Your post today looks like an old fashioned Christmas....I love it! I've purchased the Christmas gifts, but nothing is wrapped...Lots to do around here!! You are doing well...I never even purchased my cards this year!! Oh wow...it's coming fast!!

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  10. I would like to have everything perfect for Christmas,but reality is,that will likely never happen,so I try to focus on the real reason for the season.

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  11. I never seem to get caught up. Time definitely is much too quick for me to catch. I think my pace is simply set on slow and I will never be caught up. Christmas will be beautiful regardless. xo xo Catherine

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  12. You seem to be well under way and everything is looking beautiful. I will be spending Christmas on the Isle of Wight with my daughter an family so have not made much of an effort here. Having returned from Africa and seeing how little people have makes me a little uncomfortable about people here spending so much money and a lot of them getting into debt because of it. Have a lovely weekend.

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  13. sounds like you are ready to me. we love Golden Corral but don't go often becuase of the over eating factor. i had forgotten about gum drop trees, mother always had a couple of them... they lasted all season because i did not like the gum drops. i love that lighted tree, great shot of it...

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  14. Love your Susan Branch Calendar!! I have one just like it ready to hang in January!

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  15. Oh- I just wrote a long comment and deleted it somehow. UGH! Anyway-sounds like you are on track for the Holidays. Love the lights tour-we always did that with the kids, too. And yes- I always buy my own calendar! Have a great weekend- hitting post before I delete again by accident!

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  16. It is wonderful to bring out all of those old ornaments. The memories!!
    Don't all Christmas trees have kitties?

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  17. Cheryl, I laughed at the cat decoration. Too funny. I love the cardinals. I want to go see some lights too. Maybe my husband will take me tomorrow evening. I miss riding around with my mom...when we were young she would take a couple times. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

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  18. I saw that cat! Very cute! Are you behind all that cotton candy? Sounds as if you're a little further down the road than I. Well done!

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  19. Family ornaments are the best but those kitty ear ones were adorable. . I think you have done a bunch and am glad you took some time to just enjoy.

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  20. Oh I love the first ornament. Such sweet memories! I'm like you, I do what I can and try not to sweat the small stuff. smile... I found a SB calendar at the Mall one year. Otherwise I buy one from her on-line store!

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  21. Pretty ornaments, Cheryl! Cute kitty hiding in the tree. I still have a little shopping left to do and wrapping.. We used to go to Golden Corral a lot. The cotton candy looks good too. Yum! Have a happy weekend!

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  22. Well, it sounds like you are almost there! I plan to put my time to good use this week and next weekend....I seem to be a down-to-the-minute kind of girl. These are great photos!

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  23. Sounds like you have your Christmas planning done and are enjoying the days leading up to it. That cotton candy looks good. And i had to chuckle about the kitty in the tree. We have one here too.

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  24. I would love to find one of Susan B.s calendars! It's hard to mark everything off the list....I keep working on it until the last minute! Happy holidays!

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  25. I'm lovin' your kitty ears in the tree! I'm still shopping, wrapping and we still have to take our family Christmas photo for our Christmas cards and mail them and do all my baking. And yes, I have bought myself gifts while shopping for others. :) Beautiful photos! Happy Holidays!

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  26. I never get everything done. I stress over it and then just give up.. :)

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  27. I love old fashioned trees, too.
    I have all my shopping done but for 4 fellas (they always give me trouble) but will finish it up this coming week.
    My cookies are baked, 2 cakes in freezer..menu planned for C'eve....I am pretty much finished and am sure glad.:)

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  28. Glad you enjoyed shopping and dinner with your daughter! We used to drive around with my mom when I was little to see all the Christmas decorations too. Such a sweet memory. I hope you have a wonderful holiday!!!

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  29. A few more days and I might be ready. You are organized! Yes it will all get done...or the most important stuff will! I would love to see the sun too:)

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  30. Ready, or not, here it comes **smile**.
    Christmas will be here before we know it.

    Glad you are taking a break, and enjoying the gifts of the season.

    Warm wishes
    ~K.

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  31. I really like your old-fashioned tree and think it's great that you have one of your grandmother's ornaments!

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  32. i really think is is wild how every year i think i will start celebrate Christmas when i feel i want too ... so this year i even started decorating before Thanksgiving ... but i still feel like the big day is coming to quickly. it is so wild. and i am not sure why i feel that way. just like i never have enough time to let it sink all in?? i listen to music when i want too .. i try to stay away from store to play it constantly ... i really think it should be a personal preference as to if some one wants to listen to them or not? what about the folks who don't wish to listen to them at all? me ... i prefer certain songs over others. but i think the real reason for the season is forgotten often... i try to keep it close to my heart ... & share with the ones who wish to listen. & i love understanding their religion or beliefs too. it is fun learning. i enjoy it big big time! ( :

    i love the shot of your tree with the kitty cat ears in the tree. i wonder how that works?? ha. ha!!

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  33. Hi Cheryl!

    My checklist looks pretty much like yours - gift wrapping is my least favorite Christmas chore! I will send out a few cards tomorrow, and finish up with gifts the next day . . . almost there! Your Christmas cat is adorable, along with all the other lovelies!

    Hugs,
    Barb

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  34. A lovely post, Cheryl, and the closeups of some of the decos and cat in the tree were fun to see. One of my first holiday tasks, though not one I consider as such, is to start writing and sending holiday greetings and I am still sending them (it's ongoing during the season). We have put up and decorated a small tree as well as the holiday village (first time in several years)' bought the grandkids gifts yesterday and will wrap today as it's a rainy day and good for indoor stuff. Yes, sometimes do buy something small for myself during the holidays and this year its films for our holiday movie collection.

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  35. I do what I can do and enjoy the ride . . .
    I will say, every day is filled to the brim!
    (I am looking forward to long winter days and lots of books!)

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  36. Hello There, I enjoyed your post today. I'd forgotten about gumdrop trees--but love them... Love your kitty in the tree. And your ornaments/decorations are fantastic.

    Sorry I haven’t been around much lately. I do try to read blogs—but just haven’t commented very much lately like I usually try to do. Please don’t give up on me. Hopefully my life will be back to ‘normal’— whatever that is (ha), sometime in January.

    I did get a cortisone shot in my knee —which has helped with the pain somewhat. In January, I will most likely have meniscus tear surgery…. BUT—in the meantime, I plan to have a fantastic Christmas —and hopefully get to see my kids/grands… God is Good.

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  37. I agree that Christmas should be an enjoyable time - not a stressful time. Enjoyed your photos and your holiday activities.

    Judy

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