"Clean Up"?.....yes?....no?

Good Morning Friends, Hmmm?.....Monday after Christmas. Are you enjoying all your holiday decorations, or are you ready to tuck them away till next year??...This is always such a debate at our house. When I was a child, my mother decorated our home maybe a week before Christmas, so we thoroughly enjoyed all our "home's holiday decorations" till New Year's Day. However, since living in Southern California, I get the urge to "clean up" a bit sooner!...And after reading many of your posts this morning, am feeling like sooner is the way to go!

But then again?....We awoke to a cloudy & very cool morning today, so all the "red baubles" & "Christmas finery" are till appearing quite charming, so I believe they all can calm down for another day. I have decided to enjoy all their loveliness for a bit longer. Maybe tomorrow?...maybe the end of the week?....Who knows?...but today I am off to light a fire & have some tea & marvel over each & every bit of "holiday" adorning our home.

Wishing you a delightfully lazy holiday week!!...Now go get cozy!.....Love, Heidi XO

"Christmas & Pink Saturday"......

Hello Ladies of "Pink Saturday"......There is no doubt that you all have been enjoying your Christmas festivities.....just as we have here at our house!......The day began early with the opening of stockings & gifts, followed by relaxing, & a few of us indulging in an "afternoon nap".....We later welcomed extended family members for a simple dinner/dessert, along with more than a few glasses of almond champagne!......Everyone stayed well into the evening, enjoying great conversation & a warm fire. During this Christmas day I was reminded once again how very fortunate our family is....This has been a challenging year for us, but through it all, we have created an even stronger family bond than ever before.....Everyone appreciates each other & our time together.....and this night was no exception....A relaxed & truly happy holiday surrounded by the people I love most.....

Thank you Beverly at "How Sweet The Sound"for the opportunity to share our lives with each other every Saturday!.....I consider you all my extended family & cherish your friendships. May this holiday week be one to remember.......Love, Heidi XO

"Christmas Eve".......

Dear Friends, Here at our house most of our holiday tasks are accomplished...well "most" of them! :)......Still a few cookies to bake & "delicious delectibles" to prepare...but all in all we are ready for Christmas!.....

I was sitting watching T.V. last night, enveloped with the cozy prettiness of our tiny living room!....It just seemed to "sparkle"!.....And in our kitchen, all the baking had created the loveliest of aromas drifting through the house!.....

Today, we are off to a mid-afternoon lunch at the Hotel del Coronado, & will also be checking out their amazing lobby Christmas tree which we go see each & every year!...It is huge & simply magical!......And then back home for an evening with a warm fire & Christmas movies!

I know you all have special little "goings-on's planned too....A day of moments that you will remember always!.... Christmas Eve is here.....let's now just drift along in the enchantment of this season......Wishing you all the Merriest of Christmases!....I love you all!.....Heidi XO

"Our Christmas Tree".....

This year I am truly enjoying our Christmas tree. It is 7 feet tall & a bit skinny, not the huge tree of years past, however it is possibly the most charming tree we have ever had!.....Every year we decorate our tree with old-fashioned glass ornaments & this year is not an exception. Our collection of ornaments are simply "clustered" on every branch, creating a tree that appears encrusted with "glittery enchantment".....I just LOVE it!.....I added the first quilt I ever hand-quilted as a "tree skirt", which lends a very homemade touch to our tree! I believe our cat "Mouse" may appreciate it almost as much as I do!.....She loves to snuggle under it's branches & fall asleep!

Some of the ornaments I have had for years like this little Santa/pinecone one!....& this long "pink" ornament was given to me by my girls when they were just old enough to be allowed to shop a little on their own. They were so proud of this beautiful "bauble"!....thinking it quite chic!

Another favorite is this incredible vintage inspired ornament, all wrapped in gold mesh tinsel!.....So very sweeet!...Mixing all the colors & styles creates such a personal tree, one that is truly our own. Each time I walk past it during the day, I have to take a minute to gaze & smile, remembering the story behind each ornament......I love that our tree evokes memories of years past.... & am quite sure that this year's tree will be the subject of future remembrances....Enjoy these lovely days leading to Christmas!......Your friend, Heidi XO

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other."......Burton Hills

"The Best Gift"......

During this holiday season, while we are all busy with our families, our government is busy too. Obama & the Democrats are swiftly & very quietly trying to push through their "government healthcare plan"..... hoping to get a bill passed before the politicians take off for their winter break.

I say "swiftly" because very few of these elected officials have ever even read this 2000 page program?...yet they desperately want to get this bill passed before the citizens of this country realize what is happening!..a bill that they will drastically effect us all, but not one of them will ever participate in?.....

And I say "silently" since these very same politicians, including President Obama "promised" to have "televised hearings" so all of us citizens could choose to watch so we would supposedly be informed. What happened there?!.....

In my opinion, our health care system is not perfect, but is certainly superior to any healthcare program anywhere else in the world. The Democrats & Obama would have you thinking it was the worst system ever created!.... & the only way we could improve it is to have it government run!...Are they serious? ...If that is the case, then why do sick people from all over this world flock to America to be treated, when their own country's socialized health systems do not meet their needs?

This very well could be the most serious issue facing this country!...Wake up people!!....It certainly will effect all of us adults, but the citizens who will truly be effected are the children of this country. What are we doing to them?...& to their future?......

The photo above is of my grandson, Andrew. I can only imagine how passing this "government health care bill" could change his life.....I read statistics the other day of the life expectancy of cancer survivors in countries with socialized medicine versus the U.S.....the U.S. was much higher, just as it was with many other life threatened diseases. If this bill passes will our grandchildren have shorter lives because of what we allowed our government to push through "swiftly & silently"??.....

I am asking each of you to take a few minutes between wrapping your gifts & baking cookies, to really think about what we could be doing to the future generations of this great country....to the "Andrew's" in your lives.....Maybe the "best gift" would be speaking up, contacting your representatives & voicing your opinion before it is too late!.....Afterall,... our children & grandchildren deserve the "gift of exceptional healthcare" now & in the future....a system they are free to choose, not one decided for them by our government......

Wishing You All the Merriest of PINK SATURDAYS.....

Welcome to our 3rd "Christmas themed" PINK SATURDAY!.....This week our hostess, Beverly at "How Sweet The Sound" has asked us to share one of our Christmas traditions. I think we all have many traditions that we learned as children & have now carried with us when creating our own families.....In our case, the traditions are rather small, but still special.....For example, no stocking has ever been properly filled without including one perfect "tangerine" ( leaves attached, if possible!).... as well as a tiny gold mesh bag filled with chocolate coins!....Santa made sure we had both every single year, & he has continued this tradition with our children & grandchild too.
Another tradition,... is like many of you, we always open one gift on Christmas Eve, that gift being our new Christmas "nighties"!!...Some years home-sewn & other years store bought, but none-the-less, always special!
So as in each year before & I assume for each Christmas from now on, we will continue these "tiny traditions". Precious "connections to the past,...to the present & the future"......Merry Christmas!......Heidi XO