A Christmas Decorating Dilemma

 

Debby Ray of My Favorite Things sent me this. Too funny!

 

 I can't believe it has come to this.

 

The decision had to be made.

 

After years and years of decorating for Christmas to the nines, it is just NOT going to happen this year.

 

No bottle brush jars and beaded tree on the parlor table. No more vintage red tree decked out in Victorian style. No more window seat nativity scene and village (there's a small peak of both in the background).

 

 

No more snowman tree (with a cool new tree this year).

 

No more hubby's tree (with a cool new tree this year!).

 

   No more decorating the dining room bench.

 

 

        And especially no main tree in the living room!

 

 

So why, you ask?

 

Because of him....Cyrus the Terrible!

 

 

I know he doesn't look terrible but he already took down the window treatment from the bay window over my couch. He knocked over my antique brass lamp and broke it. How many more disasters can my heart take?

 

It is so hard to be mad at him for long, because, like a baby, he is so sweet when he is sleeping.

 

 

 

I could try this.....

 

source

 But I may try this instead....

source

 

or this...

source



We have double pocket doors in the living room that the tree usually stands in front of. It would still have to be high enough because Cyrus can jump pretty high.

 

Not crazy about those ideas though.

 

Putting all common sense aside, I am still on the fence about getting a main tree, even with the window treatment and lamp disasters in the same room the tree would go! I really, really, really want one but I just don't want to get it all up and then regret it and then have to take it all down.

 

The decision has to be made soon! Instead of beating the crazy crowds for Black Friday,

we are usually out in the woods picking out a tree. It is supposed to be in the 60's on Friday, not snow as usual!

 

 

There are all kinds of tips online to keep a kitty away, like orange peels on the base, or dryer sheets. Neither one sounds appealing to me to have laying around.

 

Next year should be fine because both kitties will be 1 1/2 years old. But for now I don't think having two 4 month old kitties and a Christmas tree will work!!

 

Can anyone help me decide? Do you have horror stories of cats and Christmas trees that would steer me away from the idea? Or maybe you had no problem with cats and trees....convince me that way!

 

Any suggestions or help would be great!

 

AnnMarie xoxo

Many blessings to you and your family for this Thanksgiving Day!

I am linking up with these great blog parties:

Roses of Inspiration
Wake Up Wednesday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Best of the Weekend
Pink Saturday

Highlights of Fall

It feels like Fall is over. The mornings and nights are chilly. It is dark at 5 p.m. The wind is very chilly and strong so there are no leaves left on the trees. There have been snow clouds in the sky!

 

But did you know that it is Fall until December 21st? The astronomical Fall in the Northern Hemisphere is September 23rd - December 21st.

In the Northeast, we have winter way before December 21st and are usually hoping for more snow by then to have a white Christmas.

We did have snowfall one day this Fall so far....

but it was gone by that evening.


As I was thinking back over Fall this year some things stuck out in my mind.

There were the many Pumpkin Spice products that hit the shelves in everything from the typical coffee to Pumpkin Spice Butter to Pumpkin Spice marshmallows. I was wowed by the display at Trader Joe's.

 

 

I always decorate with a few pumpkins on my porch. I found these three very unique ones and love how they look together on my paint splattered stool.

 

 

Speaking of pumpkins, my son mentioned that he wanted to carve one this year. He never has and he is 17. This year I said why not? Looks pretty good for a first try.

 

 

Driving home one day I was taken by the scene in front of me....kinda eerie with the clouds and the lighting that day.

 

 

I stopped at a cute country store in Chesire, NY and was amazed and happy to find this Pottery Barn pillow cover for $5! It goes perfectly in my colors of Fall dining room.

 

 

 

Driving around the town of Canandaigua, NY, I came upon two blocks that are lined with these HUGE trees. They are light tan and look like they have been scraped with a vegetable peeler. Notice the car at the bottom of the picture.

 

 



 

 I go by this pretty pastoral scene of sheep grazing a lot but never took a picture of it. It looks like a rural pasture far out in the countryside. It is actually on a busy road in a residential area of the next town over.

 

 

One of the new treats I tried this Fall. Oreo Candy Corn Bark. It was great!

 

 

My dining room Fall centerpiece is holding up great, being that it is a selection of gourds, pumpkins and a Mexican Hat Squash. I just love the natural look of the Fall vegetables next to the metal basket.

 



 

I happened to look out my parlor window and a flash of reddish pink caught my eye. Looking closer I realized it was two flowers that had bloomed on the branch of a large bush that has no leaves left on it. This tree (can't think of the name right now) blooms in the Spring! Can anyone explain this to me?!

 





And finally to help get us all in the mood for winter and the holidays with all it's festivities, I had to take a picture of this dress on a mannequin at an Arts and Crafts Show I went to recently.

 

For the right party, I'd wear that!!

 

For 5 minutes!

 

How was your Fall? Are you looking forward to winter?

 

AnnMarie xoxo

 

I am linking up with these great blog parties:

 

Home and Garden Thursday

Share Your Cup Thursday

 The Best of the Weekend

Pink Saturday

Amaze Me Monday



 Roses of Inspiration
Wake Up Wednesday

Goin' to Grandma's House

I have such wonderful memories of going to my grandmother's house and her cottage at the Thousand Islands.

This view looks exactly like the one I had as a kid looking out onto
the St. Lawrence River from my grandparent's cottage

We called her Ga because that is all my oldest sister could say as a toddler. We lost her to liver disease when I was 12 but I can still describe her home and cottage (right down to the décor items!)and the things we did there.

I want to make those memories for my grandchildren.

I have a big, old Victorian house with lots of charm and cozy comfort. The kind of house you think of when goin' to grandma's house.

My grandchildren Cassidy, Chloe and JC are here at least once a week, sometimes more. There are routines they have here and familiar things in my home that I hope are creating memories for them for years to come, even though they may not realize it now.

This is the walk up to my front door.....NaNa's house

This is the door that they press their noses up against to see if I am coming yet to answer it.



 

Chloe said "NaNa! Why are you taking a picture of us coming in?!"

They usually go straight to the toy chest, which really doesn't look like one when there are no grandchildren around....

 



But open it up and there's all kinds of kid stuff that needs to get organized!

Usually lunch follows soon after they arrive. Chloe likes to wait and eat lunch at NaNa's. I bought this great, 1950's red Cosco step stool/chair to sell but as soon as Chloe saw it in my kitchen, she claimed it as her own. JC soon joined in with a toddler seat on a dining room chair.

 

After lunch Chloe will go off with her bag of animals and go into my dining room to play. This solid wood truck was a decoration in my son's room when he was little. Chloe likes to put her animals in the windows and the driver seat.

 



 

Making memories.....

 



 

This is the spot they are not supposed to go....behind the chairs in the parlor. Lots of fragile things on the shelves on either side and vintage dolls, NOT to be played with. I know, I know, I am tempting them, but I want my things out where I can see them! They will learn not to touch as my girls and my son did. We have already survived the pulling down of the vintage Victorian lamp from being where we weren't supposed to! 

 



 

And, of course, there will be memories of going to NaNa's to see the new kitties. Cyrus is tolerant of children, Sprite is not. She is not anywhere to be seen when they are over.

 



 



 

There are the seasonal things I like to do with them at my house, like decorating pumpkin cookies before Halloween. I hope they remember that and carry the tradition on to their children.

 



 

For Cassidy, who is 10, there are different memories being made. She already experienced all that the younger kids do now, but now likes to go on the computer when she comes over and play with my ancient flute. She does her homework here and sings silly songs with my husband.

When Chloe is older I hope there will be memories of prancing around in my garden in the summer.

 

Or petting the deer...

Or playing in the little red and yellow car that both Cassidy and Chloe have played in, and JC will this Spring...

Mostly I hope they remember the love and hugs and time they spent with me, my husband, Nonno to them, and my son Michael (he doesn't want to be called Uncle yet!).

There is nothing like having a special Grandma in your life.

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these great blog parties:
Show and Share
Share Your Cup Thursday
Freedom Fridays With All My Bloggy Friends
Best of the Weekend
Pink Saturday