Catch-Up

I’ve been gone so long from blogging. I have that feeling that you get when you’ve not seen or talked to a friend in a really extended amount of time. And there’s a hesitation about reaching out. But then I think about my really good friends . . . they’re the ones I can reconnect with, we pick up instantly where we left off, and there’s no guilt, shame or blame. And so, with that as my guide, here I am. I may have lost some of you, tired of coming back and seeing over and over again the December 21 post. But for those of you who haven’t given up and are happy to reconnect, here’s to you, really good friend.

Here are some straggling images from the Christmas break. (Most, if not all of these, were originally posted to Instagram.)

Over the holiday break, I catalogued my collection of decorating books.

Sometimes when I'm at a bookstore or the library, I forget what I have.

So images like these on my phone (and this isn't even all

my decorating book!) serve as a great point of reference.

I wish I'd been more creative this year for Christmas gifts for the neighbors.

But my good-ol'-standby poppy seed cake is just so doggone easy and super good. 

One of those cakes you can eat  for dessert AND breakfast.

Harleigh graduated magna cum laude from Georgia Southern University on December 12.

So proud of her!

(It looks like I cut out an image of just her head and put it on another picture of just a body.

What what???)

Ever since we've lived in our humble little Chateau Gahan (since 1999), 

I've dreamed of putting up Christmas lights, especially icicle lights. 

But without a man around the house, the effort

has always seemed too daunting.

Well, 2014 was the year of the lights.

I drove home from work one evening, and this greeted me.

I came to a halt in the driveway, literally gasped out loud, 

and took it all in, with tears streaming down my face. 

A gift from my dear daughter, no doubt.

She had gone to Ace Hardware with measurements in hand, 

and turned to the red vests to help her figure

out how many strings to get, how to hang them from the gutters,

and how to handle hooking them up to an electricity source.

She got up on a ladder and got them all strung.

She then had the idea to hang lights along the top of the 4 windows you see above the roof level.

She got on the roof (if she weren't 22, I'd have spanked her hearing this!), 

got scared, and luckily had her phone on her, so she called Mr. Clif next door and he came over 

and helped her down. Then he loaned a better electrical cord and a timer!

THE BEST CHRISTMAS GIFT EVER.

Most nights when I was home, I'd stand at the open front door and wait for 6:00 to hit

so that I could see them light up. It never got old.

While down in Statesboro for graduation, we ate at a Cracker Barrel.

All their Christmas stuff was on sale. 

I scored this light-up plastic, life-size baby deer.

And this large ceramic tree with lights.

Money well spent.

Our boy.

Christmas morning at Chateau Gahan.

It really wasn't cold enough to warrant a fire, but

for pete's sake, it's Christmas!

This was our second year in a row getting matching pajamas.

Harleigh told me last year that she always thought that was a cute tradition,

and she'd wish we'd done it when she was a little girl.

It's never too late to start traditions.

(And one more nod to a parent's "wish I would have's.")

This year Harleigh wanted scottie dogs.

The search proved successful at Kohl's.

For gift wrapping, I usually use a variety of papers, ribbons and baubles.

But this year I found this beautiful kraft paper with pine cones and greenery, and I 

decided to dress all my gifts alike.

I ripped red and white seersucker for ribbon, and used vintage

postcards for the gift tags.

I'm in the process of redoing all six Sunday School classrooms at church.

Over the holiday break, I managed to complete one.

They're all underwater/ocean themes.

This one is a "find the hidden" object picture.

Since it didn't take up the entire wall, I painted the empty sides a glossy deep blue,

and then added little water bubbles.

One down, five to go!