French Press Friday

Christmas, Simplified

As I sit sipping my coffee this mornig, my mind wanders to Christmas preparations and decorating.  Last night I was at church helping the ladies group get trees up and all the decorations out.  I wish I could say it was a wonderful experience.  I wish I could say we had music playing and everyone was in the holiday spirit.  But it was just a chore that needed to be done.  Question:  How many ladies does it take to hang garland from the balcony?  Answer: Only two, but about half a dozen stand below shouting directions.  Please don't get me wrong.  We all worked well together, we chatted happily and the church is beautiful, but it wasn't, um,...a Christmasey experience, know what I mean?  Kind of felt like Charlie Brown wondering what had happened to the Christmas spirit.

So I contemplate all of that and the Christmas decorating that needs to be done at my own home.  And the word that stands out in my mind is "needs".  So I allow myself to wander down a new path of thought. 

What if...

       ...I don't get out all those boxes full of Christmas decorations?
       ...I don't scatter Christmas memorabilia all over our home?
       ...I just use candles?
       ...I only pull out the stockings?
                    And our Advent wreath?
                            And our Nativity?
       ...I suggest just decorating the tree?

And do you know what?  I feel relief.  I feel joy and anticipation returning.  I think to myself, "So this is Christmas, simplified?"  I can do this.  I think I will do this.  I think I will spend less time adding to our clutter and more time baking, making gifts, sending cards, listening to music, watching classic Christmas movies.  And cuddling on the couch with Hubby.  These things bring me joy. 

I encourage you to find your "Christmas, simplified" this year.  Go for making memories and enjoying traditions of the past.  Enjoy Advent!  Anticipate the coming of our Savior and the salvation that means for us.  Find your joy.  Check your personal headaches of the season at the door.  They aren't worth it.

French Press Friday

I have decided....

Those are always exciting words, aren't they?  They conjure up thoughts of positive change, ambition, goal-setting and the anticipation of something new on the horizon.  Well, I have decided something.  No, I'm not giving up my French Press!  Am I crazy?!  But brace yourselves, because this decision is by no means ambitious or even very anitcipatory.  No, I have decided that...

my new set of dishes will be white or an off-white!

Not the model of amibition you were looking for, huh?  Hm.  I know.

Right now our dishes are of the melamine variety because we wanted the boys to be able to set and clear the table, and load the dishwasher without breaking the dishes.  Novel idea, huh?  Too many of our old dishes were broken accidentally so I went to Target and picked up some inexpensive melamine ones.  They are attractive and they work for us right now, which is perfect.  But a few years down the road when we graduate to "real" dishes once again, I'm getting white.  They will be so versatile and I can pair so many other things with them.  I went window shopping for some coffee mugs I might use.  Thought I'd share my findings.


Cute for summertime use, huh?  Having coffee or tea with a friend?







I love the print and colors on this set.







                  I like the green color and the pottery look of this one.





Nice for a winter table!








This one if Fiestaware.  I like the shape of it and all the versatility in color Fiestaware offers.






I'm sure they won't let me break up the set (!) but I love the polka dots!  Cute for Valentine's Day, maybe.





The crochet pattern on this one is beautiful!







So many beautiful dishes out there and so little time to window shop them all.  *sigh*  Hope you enjoyed this little browse through my world of dish-love.  What are some of your favorite ways to dress up your table?

(All mugs and dish sets found at Pier1.com and Kohls.com)

First day of Autumn

I love fall.  The cooling off from a hot summer, the smells of harvest and of the earth being tilled, the tastes of delicious soups, breads and other oven baked goodness...it's all so wonderful!

We spent our first day of Autumn out of doors, doing yard work.  The boys didn't even seem to mind helping out.  I think we were all ready for some manual labor in the cool autumn air.

A little trimming followed by a lot of clean up.

 

 

Even our good ol' girl enjoyed the nice day.  At 13 years old, she was almost puppy-like!


I picked up this craft at Hobby Lobby the other day.  You scratch the black off to reveal pretty fall colors...

AND I've got gingersnap cookie dough in the fridge!  So later this evening we'll have an autumn party with leaf shaped cookies and apple cider.  We'll work on our craft and hang the finished products from a small trimmed branch I rescued from the yard.  I'll stick it in a pitcher or vase and we can enjoy it as fall decoration in our home.

I'll say it again.  I love fall!  Don't you?