Cleaning House

Well we finally got around to taking down all our Christmas stuff this weekend. I start putting everything up the first weekend in November, because there's so much ot it and I figure I might as well get to enjoy the fruits of my labor for a couple months. I always dread taking it down again because it's such a huge undertaking, but at the same time I love getting my house back to its uncluttered state. Of course now we've got three hundred new toys for the weasels added into the mix, so they've still all got to be sorted and put away before we drown in them.

In writing news, I'm happy to announce I've finished the draft of my paranormal romance. Gotta admit, there were times I thought I'd never finish it. It still needs something, something I can't quite put my finger on, but I'm going to send the last bit off to my awesome crit partner and then put it away for a week or two before going back and seeing what I can do with it. From here on out, each pass will only strengthen the plot. Yippee! Love this part.

Got a road trip coming up next weekend, up in the Okanagan Valley of BC, a place famous for its lakes and wineries. It's my favorite uncle's 50th birthday, so hubby and the weasels are coming with me to celebrate with him. He's the one that served in the military (gee, I wonder why I love him so much?) and plays softball. Oh, and he's also a history buff. I lived with him and his wife for seven months while I finished massage therapy school up in Vernon, and got super close to them.

Anyway, before I forget I wanted to post some pics of our place at Christmas. Might as well show off all our hard work, right?



 Front of the house, viewed from the street.




Family room. Trust me, there are decorations everywhere in this house, so I'm only showing you the highlights. You're welcome :)


Mantle in family room.


Here are some things I've painted over the years. What, you didn't know I paint? Well, not so much anymore, but that's how I burned up my free time before I started writing.
The Santa gourds are still some of my fave decorations.




Front hall entryway. My little snowman family and my favorite Santa, who stays out all year in our living room because he's too big an precious to be put in the garage. Everything on him is antique.


Hands down my favorite holiday decoration is this massive arbor in the entryway, framing the entrance to our living room (parlor, since it's a Victorian house). Isn't it something? Because I have to move all the furniture around upstairs to make room for everything, I have to give up my writing spot for a couple months and work out of the parlor. I love sitting there with the fire going while I write when it's Christmastime at our house.


Inside the living room. That trunk I painted is just one of the many hiding spots for our decorations when they get put away.

The tree in our master bedroom, done in blue because it matches my toile duvet cover :)


And, finally, the pile of loot we woke up to on Christmas morning. Santa even left another trail of footprints this year! The weasels were beside themselves, and seeing their excited little faces adds a magic that makes Christmas even more special.

All put away and tidy now, but hey, it'll be coming back out in a little under ten months!