I... Must... Finish... This... Movie.

Everybody has them. For me it is more than one. They are movies that if you start watching you must finish. Even if you have seen it twenty times. Even if you have missed the first hour, if you see it is on you must watch. It doesn't matter if it is going to end at one o'clock in the morning and you have to be up at five. It must be finished. I have several that fit in this category. You've Got Mail with Meg Ryan, A League of Their Own, cutesy films really, but by far the most grand is Gone With the Wind. It dazzles. It mesmerizes. I must simply get to the end with that grand staircase and hear Rhett say "Frankly, Scarlett...".

This, unfortunately, is not always beneficial. I always seem to come upon it on a Thursday night at 10:30 with three hours left to go and I have to work the next day, but it is no matter. There is something special about "happening" upon Gone With the Wind. A feeling of unexpected surprise. "Oooh, I love that movie" It is not just the senses filled experiences of the movie but a sense of fate, of destiny.

Thanks to my father I know have four disc commemortive DVD set, but I am not sure it will cure of me of the compelling desire to watch it when I see it listed alluringly in the TV listings. Oh well, " I can't think about that right now. I will think about that tomorrow." ; )

Dreaming (no it really happened) of a white Christmas

A white Christmas. Yes, it really happened here in Texas. I have lived here for 17 years and my husband his whole life and neither of us have ever seen a white Christmas. We have had a white Thanksgiving and a white Valentines day, but never Christmas. It was really beautiful and welcome. I am sure it ruined many a plans as it ruined ours. We did not want to risk the drive to Dallas to celebrate Christmas Eve but there was something magical about our little family being warm and snug in our home. The kids tucked into bed with their jammies and the husband and I sitting by our fireplace watching the snow fall outside. We also got on our coats and hats and went outside slipping in sliding on our neighbors icy driveway and making tracks through fresh snow. Owen earlier in the afternoon was taught the art of the snowball and catching snow flakes on his tongue. It just really felt like the Christmas of my childhood ( I grew up in Indiana) for one magical evening. Most of it melted the next day and chances are it will be back to 70 degrees in a week but it was a memory that will last and be fondly remembered.

Our yard looking so peaceful and serene with the snow.

The tradition with my husband's family is we get together on Christmas Eve and have an "appetizer"meal . Everyone brings various appetizers and we just snack and spend time together and give the kids their gifts. Since my husband and I could not join everyone due to the icy roads we had our own little appetizer dinner and spent time together with our boys. My veggie Christmas tree came out quite cute.

Christmas Around the corner!!

I really can't believe Christmas is almost here and even though my husband and have most of the shopping for the kids out of the way I still so much to do. I need to make the gifts for my son's teachers and preschool classmates . I completely forgot to bring gifts for Owen's Sunday school teachers this morning and it was the last class until after the new year. I felt like such a slacker mom!).

And to add more spice to the bowl of punch that is the holiday season, it is the last week of school before the break and high-schoolers smelling a breeze of freedom are a little restless, as am I. The week is even more exciting because my students are turning in their research projects that they have spent the last four weeks on and are worth a gazillion points towards their grade. I having a student teacher this year is handing their entire lot of 1oo+ projects over to him with a very cheery "Merry Christmas". So that will be one less cookie on my plate (actually more a piece of mince meat or fruitcake both which have never received rave reviews from my pallete.) Although I have no doubt their will be a few pleasant surprises among those essays as some of my students picked some very interesting research topics but they will be much more enjoyable to read without having to worry about that critical red pen.

To me one of the most enjoyable parts of Christmas is decorating the house. Sitting watching the fire by the glow of the tree with all the whimsical decorations really lifts the spirit.


Here is our card display. Usually it is packed with Christmas cards but friends and family are probably just like me, procrastinating! I haven't gotten mine out yet either. I love the vintage reading card I got a few weeks ago.
My other vintage flash card tucked in my vintage toast rack along with the adorable photo of my mother and aunt.
My dining buffet. I love, love, love, grapevine decorations. I must add a new one each year. The sleigh was the new one this year. You can't tell in the picture but the sides are woven grapevine. Love my new banner as well. Tarnished and Tattered, the seller on etsy, has some others for sale as well!
A close up of my favorite vintage Christmas post card. I think the post mark is 1922!
My vintage Christmas cards on display!!