Warm Heart, Cozy Home: The Christmas Spirit.......

It seems to get later every season but I finally have gotten a good share of my decorating up and glowing. I guess this means I'll just have to keep them up until Valentine's to get my full enjoyment out of them...wink :) I have always had good intentions on making time for my blogging but the days seem to pass by so quickly..as the saying goes...there is never enough hours in a day...sigh lol Life at my house has taken a drastic change over the last few months. After being basically alone a majority of the daytime hours here with my work and hobbies I am now finding myself never having any quality time just for me. My husband took an early retirement with his job...hence he's become the determined couch potato and as he often tells me...he's livin the dream...oh boy. I"m having a huge curve in getting used to this and keep throwing out bones of maybe job opportunities..new hobbies just to grab a little of the old life back in my greedy little hands..to no avail. I'm determined though and will forge ahead and take one day at a time. My diet is still ongoing. I have lost 22 pounds but the last few weeks or month it feels like I'm on this yoyo. The weekends kill me...they are so right when it is a life change and its all about choices. I'm slowing soaking in all the counseling I've been getting and making baby steps when I need to and trying to become more structured in my weekend eating...during the week I have no problem with eating the required Jenny foods...I just need to stay home more and less dinners out on the weekend..:) The holidays will probably not be that much of a challenge for me as it is not too busy with festivities and I'm not planning on doing all the baking I have usually did. I'll make a few scrumptious sugar highs for my husband to enjoy but for me...I'll stay strong and forge ahead in my journey of becoming more healthy. Exercise is my struggle now that winter has raised its ugly head. I tried walking still outdoors...let's just call it skating and I really don't fancy spending the winter months healing a broken hip...maybe snow shoes?...haha It is all such a mental game we play...the treadmill and I are not friends right now...maybe if I had a buddy. My daughter exercises at 6 in the morning...do I have the motivation for that?...We shall see :)

Well, for now I did snap a few pictures for you to share how the Christmas spirit has made its presence known around here. I hope you enjoy.

Yes my tree is in my grandmother's vintage rocker. I downsized this year and found this adorable little 4 foot tree and only I would think its quaint in its place in that chair.

My little family tree is growing..I will have #10 grandbaby in July I found out over Thanksgiving.

The sign was made by a friend of mine and is made from inserts out of a vintage door. Of course my home is full of nostalgic vintage textiles. They are so festive and are such a part of history.

The blue pitcher was my grandmothers. I am sure it came with a basin but that was not found :( Are picnic baskets really utilized anymore or is that considered nostalgic also...?

The flower centerpiece I picked up at a farmers market in Kansas City while on a trip there. This talented asian woman delicately took apart all of the fresh roses and hydrangeas, reassembled them applying some kind of procedure to them to insure their perfect fresh picked state indefinitely...it was amazing the intensely delicate laborious work she did...everyone is a one of a kind and of course I brought one home with me.

Moving to the dining room......peeking from the living room....

Self explanatory...its a vintage thermos decorated for the holidays adorning a vintage handkerchief.

The built in and dining room has santa's presence known...as does the living room have snow men.

See....Santa

Nothing special but a little red and green adornment vintage style.

I had ferns hanging on my porch last summer, I brought them in to harbor for the winter and of course they had to be sparkled with a little holiday cheer.

Apothecary jars full of delicious holiday sweets.

I love my homemade banners. "Believe"..in the miracle of what Christmas represents.

The Kitchen.....Pedestals of little coffee mugs with candles for holiday ambiance.

Lights everywhere.....

The kitchen nook. The Christmas tree is sitting on my grandma Rhoda's vintage booster chair, all of us grandkids used and her children used.

More ambiance.

Last but not least...my office....

This chair is so inviting.....

This is my computer armoire.

Well...That is it for now...I hope you could gather a little of the Christmas Spirit from my home to yours. I love Christmas. It is my favorite holiday and I am embracing it. Life can be simple...as simple as we wish it to be. I am trying to embrace the many changes in my life and walk in the spirit the holiday brings.