Whew!

It was a whirl of a weekend, with a tacky Christmas party on Friday night, my family's annual chili party on Saturday night, and a mother daughter holiday tea on Sunday.

I got into the tacky spirit, involving a beret, poinsettia scarf, and long plaid skirt.  I also upped my tacky factor by imbibing too much wine.  I blame the deceptively large plastic cups which the drinks were served in.  And the fact that the waist of my 1970's junior's plaid skirt was so tight that eating wasn't much of an option.  I dig the skirt though- take off the vest and mock cotton turtleneck?  It could be a winner.  However, I will have it altered to allow food consumption, I believe.

Saturday night the same bartender worked my family's party, so I stuck to sparkling water- what's that saying about closing the barn door after the horse is loose?  I forgot to take a single picture at the party, but I have gobs of recipes for appetizers perfect for your holiday get totterers to share with y'all this week.

Sunday I was so thrilled to take Miss Priss to her first holiday mother daughter tea.  We were a bit late, due to nap time, and mainly watched the big girls decorate cookies, but Dell Harper loved it.  I guess she was ready to socialize after all two nights being left home with a babysitter!

So now I am slogging along, trying to get my work done without having a complete freak out regarding the state of my office and the amount of work which will go into preparing for my departure (just not going to think about it until after Christmas, I'll deal with it then- repeated throughout the day under my breath).

A Confession Regarding Taylor Swift

I really, really, really like Taylor Swift's clothes.

I also think that "Never Ever Ever Ever" nonsense is absolutely ridiculous.  Although, way to go, Tay-Tay, for funneling that fantasy every girl has throughout middle school and high school, of becoming a famous pop star and singing revenge songs to all the boys who have wronged you.  Good job on that one.  Take that, John Mayer and Jake Gyllenhaal.

These revenge songs have had the added bonus of being extremely financially lucrative, allowing Miss Swift to buy a bunch of coats that I really want.  Above is a mere sampling.

She also has a bunch of red dresses used to (not-so-creatively) promote her album titled Red.  Perhaps I should explain to Taylor that my signature color is red, full skirted dresses are my favorite, and I really must have these.

 I'll take these black and white numbers as well.

Normally, I would not think I have the ability to pull off this much yellow.  However, T-Swizzle and I have very similar coloring, so maybe it would work.  In fact, I just took a picture of her most recent hair color into the salon, as my winter dark blonde goal (my google searches on T-Swift might point to the stalkerish as of late).



Ah, and then the red skinnies, Breton shirts. Love it.  Then the polka dots and cigarette pants?  I die.  So, I guess it's time to get song writing.  Too bad mine of late would be more along the lines of  "We Are Never, Ever, Ever, Ever Going to Find a Babysitter for Next Saturday Night"

So relatable.  It's going to be earn me lots of pretty coats, I just know it.

Party Pooper

So, I was so excited about AK and Dixon's engagement party Saturday night.  I just love a good party- especially one on the dressier side.  I had a red wool dress, with darling gold buttons, all ready to roll, and I had gotten a new hairdo on Friday. 

We had a dinner out with another couple on Friday, but I had been feeling off all day.  I just couldn't get warm, but attributed it to the fact that I got forgotten about while letting a conditioning treatment soak in at the salon, so sat for 15 minutes in a t-shirt, smock, and wet hair.  I drank ginger ale to quell my nausea, took a hot bath to relieve my achy bones, and ignored the pain on the right side of my chest.  I took a megadose of Aleve and drank a margarita to kill the feverish aches.

In summary, I acted the fool.

After making our through dinner, I got home and confessed to the babysitter (my mom), that I was chilled to the bone, and thought I might have mastitis.  She immediately felt my forehead, pronounced me hot, and told me to call my doctor.  Antibiotics were called in, Morgan ran to the 24 hour pharmacy for me, and I crawled into bed, and hoped for the best.

Saturday?  I was knocked flat on my ass.  I have a whole new sympathy for y'all who have suffered through this.  I am still unclear as to why I was struck after 10.5 months of nursing, but it is just AWFUL!  I did not make the party, but sent Morgan on his merry way, only to receive a phone call a few minutes later.

Not just an engagement party.  It was a surprise wedding celebration!  The bride and groom were greeting everyone at the door in their wedding togs. 

I could have just spit.  Instead, I made a frozen pizza, downed multitudes of antibiotics, and had a major pity party.

Anyway, I went to work this week, but am still feeling like I have the flu, albeit without a fever, so I am going to get checked out again today.  Ladies, if you have had mastitis- let me know- how long does this plague last?  Anything else I should know?

So, many congratulations to the happy couple!  I can't wait to see y'all once you return form the mini-moon, and I am recovered.  Luckily, I have three parties this weekend, so my party-pooping won't last too long!

Taking it Too Far

• So, as mentioned yesterday, I like old things that are a little worn.  However, I looked in the mirror yesterday at work, and noticed my positively ancient cashmere sweater was absolutely riddled with holes.  I thought there was just one (acceptable) when I left the house.  6  holes?  Unacceptable.

• I can't stop eating homemade Chex Mix.  Why is it so much more exciting than the store-bought kind?  I only like the chex, cheerios, pecans and sesame sticks items.  One year I made it myself and left out the peanuts, pretzels, etc., in order to avoid picking around those.  It was not nearly as satisfying.  Weeding through my least favorites components apparently increases my enjoyment.

• So, Dell Harper has finally broken me.  I started having all this pain in my thumbs.  At first, i chalked it up to sympathy pain for my Mama, who just had both of her thumbs replaced.  Then, I started to worry, so I consulted Dr. Google.  The diagnosis?  "Mommy Thumb".  I shit you not.  That link is a Wall Street Journal article, not some Baby Center forum mumbo jumbo.  I am trying to pick up my 23 pound sack of sugar in a way that puts less stress on my wrist, and carry her less, but I think a cortisone shot or splint is in my future.  Lordamercy.

Old vs. New

So, lately I have had a redecorating itch.  I want to cast off all my furnishings and have new, crisp, clean ones in their stead.

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Neutral and soothing.  By design.

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Stylish and on trend.

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Furniture that is planned, as opposed to randomly amassed from hand-me-downs and side-of-the-road-antique store finds.

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Something out of the pages of a magazine like these beautiful rooms.

Then I went to a party last Sunday.  A gorgeous home, yet one that was a bit of a mish mash.  Fine art, good antiques, oriental rugs.  Warm and welcoming, but not decorated per se.  Stacks of books and framed photographs scattered everywhere.  Much like the house I've grown up in, and my other favorite homes in town.  Kitchens large enough to all crowd into, but smaller than some of the ocean liner islands you see in more updated houses.  A patina of years of living in and among the same accoutrements.

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It felt wonderful.  I loved the lack of pretension, the comfort of being somewhere so lived in- the glimpse of the people who lived there.  Luckily for my marriage and bank account, I suddenly felt okay with my traditional furnishing and antiques, book, and all the pattern and color in my home.

So, I will attempt to turn my head at fast furnishings that catch my eye, and eschew trends- instead I should appreciate the beauty in what is a classic English Country style, not what's in (without skewing old lady, country, or shabby chic, obvi).

How do you lean- new, soothing and clean?  Old, cozy and cluttered?  Patterns or solid neutrals?

Mish-Mash

• I am very excited for Prince William and Princess Kate- royal baby, hurrah!

• We have a very busy December- I was laughing with the nanny we need to just book her for every weekend night of December. 

• Dell Harper and I cheered on the Dawgs Saturday.  She mirrored my enthusiasm when Georgia played well, but was drove me crazy when I was trying to concentrate.  She felt that my eyes and arms needed to be on her at all times.  I was of the opinion that my eyes needed to be on the tv and my arms needed to be cradling a cold drink.  Luckily, Hubs and my parents came to the rescue, allowing me to concentrate and imbibe.  What a heart breaker.  Good luck, Notre Dame.  You will need it.

• Did I tell y'all I quit the Junior League?  This happened when I was on maternity leave, and a wee bit hormonal.  I got all kinds of ticked off with various fiscal management issues, the inefficiencies of the way the board handles committees and duties, and the amount of time wasted in the dad-gum meetings!  I talk to friends in other cities, and it seems to be a problem specific to my town's Junior League.  At least 10 of my friends have also quit, so I was not alone in my feelings.  I have not missed it at all, so I think I made the right decision!

• We're gearing up for my family's annual chili party- just sent out the invites. Miss Priss made the cut this year, although she will not be attending- she will be at our house in her jammies instead.

• Finally, in completely unrelated news, have I told y'all about how terribly awful our local paper's restaurant critic is?  Just terrible!  I can't stop hate reading, and getting all fired up.  It would probably be better for my stress levels if I just stopped reading, but I just can't help myself!  Here's a recent review of the airport Hilton restaurant for your perusal.

Whelp, that was a lovely mish mash of semi-coherent thoughts.  Sometimes I feel like an absolute looney tune, because I forget that my friends the read the blog.  I'll mention something that they already know about, and I can't for the life of me figure out how they know about whatever tidbit I'm discussing.  Oh, right, because I put it on the world wide web.  I swear, I get more spacey with every day that passes.

The Look for Less- Holiday Tables

So I was perusing the stack of catalogs that come in the mail daily this time of year (my joy at this exceeds no bounds- I adore going to the mailbox to be rewarded with magazines, cards, invitations and catalogs), and these festive placemats from Ballard Designs caught my eye-

They reminded me of this lovely table I spotted on Pinterest-

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Anyway, we're having Christmas Eve dinner at our house this year (Mama, have we dicussed this?  We'd be too rushed at your house trying to get Dell Harper to bed, plus you overcooked the tenderloin last year, hee).  When I spotted these at World Market, I was just thrilled-

Ten dollars cheaper than the Suzanne Kasler ones, and just as cute- I'm pretty excited to set my table now.

Wish List- Home Edition

Dear Santa,

I would really appreciate a Hickory Chair Jackson Skirted Wing Chair.

It's just what my living room needs.  In fact, let's make it a double?

While we're on the living room, I'd like to switch out my current coffee table (which has been exiled to the dining room for play space for nanny and 2 babies) for this fun little number from World Market.

And let's not neglect the dining room.  I think the off-center random light fixture that I completely ignore should be replaced with this lovely lantern from Shades of Light.

It's on sale, too!  What a stocking stuffer!

If you can't tell, the redecorating bug has bit me hard.  I am craving some changes around the house.  Poor Hubs better watch out- this is normally around the time when I start hauling in projects that sit in our carport for years.  Let's hope Santa delivers instead!

The Haps

I was so thrilled to pop down to Atlanta Monday and meet this adorable little one- I can't believe I'm holding Anne's son!  Such a cuddle bug.  I am, of course, plotting Dell Harper's wedding to him already.

In other news I am using the L'Oreal BB Cream, and LOVE it.  My skin has been looking dewy and clear lately.  I am attributing it to the magic of BB cream.  I love not putting on foundation, and it evens out my skin.

I am  bummed out about this, but we are not getting a tree this year.  Miss Priss is pulling up on anything and everything, and with her nanny watching two babies, it's just too much of a hazard.

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So, send me pictures of mini-trees.  I have to have something sparkly and twinkly!

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So it will have to be a Charlie Brown tree for us this year.  I am planning on keeping my other decor simple, natural and crisp.

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Y'all might remember how funny I am about holiday decor- tree, wreath, garland, nativity and done!  I get overwhelmed with the holidays- Christmas creeping closer to Halloween each year.  It really makes me sad, because it ruins Thanksgiving for me, as well as Christmas.  I want to decorate myself in autumnal hues until December, when I want velvet, glitter, and jewel tones!  Retailers- quit pushing  Christmas forward.  I will still buy stuff.  I promise!

Okay, random rant over.  Have y'alll used a BB Cream?  Tell me about your glorious, ornament-laden, enormous Christmas trees, and let me drool with envy!

Buttered Bread

 I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving with your families!  We certainly did, and actually managed to get a halfway decent family photo.  Miss Priss loved all the food, and burned off all the calories she consumed.  Constant motion.  Standing up, crawling, moving and grooving.

It's amazing how much she has changed in the last six months.

My lap is growing smaller!  I loved looking back at these pictures from our family trip in May.  I thought she was so big then.  Now she looks postively minature compared to her current self!

Ha!  Can you tell how she has taken to solids?  Look at that fat little face!  She looks so teeny in the pictures from the beach in May.

She is definitely more fun to be around with her crawling, toys, pulling up, and constant activity.  She was thrilled with new toys for the Beach Barn from her grandparents. 

And of course, they were pretty excited to see her.  Dell Harper had lots of stuff to show her Granddaddy and GiGi- a new tooth, pulling up, and clapping on cue.  She also added a new word to her repertoire.

"Gra-Da-Dee"

I swear on my mother's grave. My child said Granddaddy on two separate occasions, to my father.  She can't get out a mama, but she can say Granddaddy?

Law, that child knows where her bread is buttered, I swear.