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Decorating For The Holidays

December 5, 2023 By Mandy 10 Comments

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Happy December!  I let a whole week get away from me without blogging.  Truth be told, it was probably a good thing for you, dear reader!  I don’t know if it’s my age and hormones or just the general blahs, but last week was not good.  I can’t pinpoint any particular thing that made it terrible.  It just felt terrible.  So, I had to take a week and sit and stew in my feelings until I felt better. But, I’m back.  So, I’ll catch you up on what’s been going on around here.

Decorating For The Holidays

We managed to get the tree up last weekend and started decorating for the holidays!  Hubby pulled everything out of the storage closet and set the tree up for me to fluff out and decorate.  However, when we plugged the tree in, we remembered an entire strip of lights that didn’t work, and we had to buy a strand to fill in last year.  The strand was missing, so hubby ran out and bought a new one.  Then, as we were unpacking more stuff, we found the lights we saved from last year.  So, we made a small, unnecessary purchase.  Oh well!  After we got the tree up, we weren’t in the mood to keep decorating, so we stopped.  But then we rallied somehow that night and got it done.  I moved it to a new spot on one side of our TV this year.  I think it’s working out OK so far.

2023 Christmas tree

It has Jake’s stamp of approval!

cat asleep under Christmas tree

On The Road Again

Hubby and I made our every three-month endocrinologist appointment last Monday.  It’s a two-hour drive from where we live, so it takes up the better part of a whole day.  We both got OK reports, except I now have a vitamin B deficiency, so I have to take a shot for that once a month.  Hubby had to start another medication.  We will go back in February to see where things are.

Greetings From The Philippines

My next-door neighbor recently returned from an extended trip to the Philippines to visit her family.  Her daughter and the Teen attend the same school, so I bring her home daily.  She had to go back to work immediately after returning (she’s a travel nurse), but her hubby caught me outside and gave me this awesome tote with a clock, a tee shirt, and some chocolate and dried mangoes from the Phillippines!  I thought it was so sweet of her to remember me while she was on her trip!

Cebu tote bag

Cebu Philippines

More Christmas Stuff

I finally got started on Christmas cards today.  I got ten done, so that’s a good start.  I have started a tiny bit of shopping entirely online.  The Teen is still pretty mum on what he wants, but I found him a few things I think he will like.  I’ve already got hubby covered.  Still deciding on my Mama…I need to ask her if she has any specific requests.  We will be doing Christmas with Mama’s side of the family this Saturday, and I only have to have gifts for three of my cousin’s kids, and I have those covered.  We will go out to eat before we return to my Mama’s house for dessert and the kids to open presents, so I won’t have to cook anything, but I will bring a pie to her house.  So, this gathering should be pretty easy.

So, I feel like this was pretty boring post, haha!  But, besides the daily routine, that’s all that has been happening. What’s been going on with you?  Are you decorating for the holidays?  Are you finished with holiday shopping?  Not doing either of them?  Hey, that’s OK, too!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: christmas

Comments

  1. Bless says

    December 18, 2023 at 3:00 am

    Your tree is lovely and Jake obviously approves! I find that there is a bit of a down period the end of a holiday, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Perhaps because we are tired from the preparations before the event, or because things are different from previous years, maybe a loved one is not there due to illness or death, or, perhaps it is a general let down after the excitement of the holiday. It’s good that you took some time off to allow yourself to recover from that.
    I’ve got all the shopping for gifts done, but, I still have to finish making a couple of other gifts. And I haven’t decorated the tree yet or put up the Winter Village. I guess I’ll be doing that this week.

    Reply
  2. Marilyn says

    December 5, 2023 at 5:22 pm

    So kind of your neighbor to think of you! In the midst of all the beauty, the holidays can be hard too and it’s okay to sit in your emotions. I am glad you took some time with that and are going forward with each day. I have an unlit artificial tree. Last year, all of the lights went out so I had to re-string all new lights this year. One of the new strands went out within 24 hours, so lights seem to always be a hit or miss during holiday time. Your tree does look very pretty and festive!

    Reply
    • Mandy says

      December 6, 2023 at 9:08 pm

      Thank you, Marilyn! Yes, the lights can be super frustrating. I think this tree made it six years before we had issues, so I guess that’s not too bad. Haha!

      Reply
  3. Aritha says

    December 5, 2023 at 2:15 pm

    Oh, how wonderful that you end your blog this way. We indeed don’t decorate and do nothing special for Christmas. You guys do. And others too. The blogs are full of it. So funny.

    I do have winter houses, but a few lights are so bright that I want to color them in with felt-tip pen before placing them. And one has a button for music; then a little skater skates on a pond. 🏡✨

    Did you notice yourself having a vitamin B deficiency?

    Reply
    • Mandy says

      December 6, 2023 at 9:11 pm

      Hey Aritha! I imagine that USA Christmas’ must look pretty wild to ya;ll, huh? Haha! I’ll bet your winter houses are beautiful! They sound amazing! I never noticed myself having a vitamin B deficiency. I’ve been a lot colder lately, so maybe that’s a symptom? I wouldn’t have known if it weren’t for the blood tests my doctor did.

      Reply
  4. Cheryl Kimbley says

    December 5, 2023 at 2:14 pm

    The tree is pretty and the kitty is gorgeous! I have been on a power clean mode – so not a lot of decorating.
    Have a great week

    Reply
  5. Mari says

    December 5, 2023 at 9:50 am

    Some weeks are like that – thankful for a new one!
    Your tree looks great! We also had to add a new strand of lights.
    I haven’t started on cards and need to get at that too.
    Your neighbor was sweet to remember you!

    Reply
    • Mandy says

      December 5, 2023 at 12:33 pm

      Thanks, Mari! Yes, we do have some great neighbors! I’m so thankful for them. I worked on cards again today. Almost done!

      Reply
  6. Live and Learn-Toss and Turn says

    December 5, 2023 at 6:29 am

    It sounds like you took some important time for yourself. Sometimes, we just have to feel our feelings before we can move on. Your Christmas tree is so pretty. We hope to get ours up this week.

    Reply
    • Mandy says

      December 5, 2023 at 12:34 pm

      Thank you so much! I do hope you will share pics when you get yours up! Here’s hoping this week is better!

      Reply

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