Friday, December 16, 2011

Season of Frenzy -- Shopping, Friends and Ideas!

We're counting down and of course, more behind than ever, but doing my best not to stress about it!

Rick helped me decorate my big tree -- pix to come. But here's a helpful hint. If you have a cat (especially a curious one), consider anchoring your tree with big boxes of kitty litter on each leg. The extra 25 pounds will protect the tree from falling and you won't have to buy kitty litter for a bit!

On the home front -- playing with a bit more easy decorating. (I may have a lot of trees up, but they are small and had lights on when they came up from the basement, so there are few ornaments on most of them!) I liked tossing silver balls into my shells from Myrtle Beach.

And I loved rediscovering this sweet Santa couple from my past when splunking in the basement last week. The paint is peeling -- no, just dropping off in powdery bits! (Lead, I'm sure.) I've not had them out for a long while.

But as you can see from the photo below, they are definitely golden oldies and it's nice to have them there with me this year, reminding me of mom and dad.

I've been shopping -- locally when I can. Here's a photo from Vets, Too. Vets is a hardware store in Lansing, and the gift shop next door has some lovely things year round. Most of the photos in this post are from there.

Summer Schriner (of Grace in Lansing, where we visited a week or so ago) cites The 3/50 Project as a great tool for people to take action by. The concept is for financially able residents to spend $50 at three different locally owned brick and mortar shops in their city. According to the 3/50 website

For every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home. (Schriner quoted from Lansing Capital Gains).

Makes sense to me.

Time with friends. In my last post we visited the adorable Sweetie-Licious bakery in DeWitt, where I enjoyed tea with my friend Judy.

A few days later, a group of us got together for lunch. It's hard to get a group of nine all in one place at the same time and we didn't do it that day, either. Those of us who were there laughed, celebrated each others' triumphs, offered support for the challenges and had a divine time. Which, of course, is what the holidays are all about.


Rhonda, Jeanie, Holly, Kate and Jane

So, on this Saturday before Christmas, game on! Time to check inventory, wrap for mailing, do some shopping and work on getting our cards.

Rick will take a break from the bike today -- later we'll get his tree so we can decorate it tomorrow!

There are presents to be wrapped -- and I want to take photos at the museum's Christmas exhibit this weekend, too!

So, I'd best put on my big girl boots, start softening butter for this weekend's baking marathon and start taking inventory.

Christmas is coming and this woman is on a mission!

16 comments:

Deb said...

Loved this post, Jeanie. That dog in the b&w pic looks exactly like our Kane. Enjoyed that. Sounds like you have a fun-filled weekend. I have some baking and wrapping left and that's that. Enjoy your time and stay happy.

Joanne Huffman said...

Somehow, it seems harder to get everything together this Christmas (I did get half my cards out). Love your photos - maybe they'll inspire me to get it all together sooner (I, too, have to wrap and pack for mailing out gifts). At least my baking is done (cookie party last Tuesday).

Jeanie said...

All of your pictures are beautiful but I especially love the nostalgic Santa couple. Those links to the past are priceless.
I am off on a few missions myself today.

Annie Jeffries said...

Love the rhythm of past, present and future here. Sweet black/white of you and the Clauses. Love love love that first picture.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

I love that b/w photo. It gives meaning to all the others. Have a great weekend!

anno said...

Oh, this put me in a good mood. Love the picture of you & your friend, Judy. And the red bike with the red easel won my heart, too. Hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend!

shoreacres said...

Reading your Christmas posts is like reading about the frenzy that precedes a Broadway opening, or the filming of a major motion picture. Lights! Cameras! Action!

It's always such fun to see your photos of all the activity and all the beauty - but I love that childhood black and white. It's the best!

Jennifer Richardson said...

so so beautiful!
your energy amazes me!
kitty litter love to you,
Jen

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

What a wonderful post, Jeanie! I'm so glad you're really in the spirit -- decorating and enjoying time with special friends. All of your pictures are beautiful, but I especially like that childhood photo that shows your child-self so enjoying the holiday -- and who still brings energy and delight to this adult-Jeanie holiday season.

Anonymous said...

The shells and ornaments look divine together ~ Happy Holidays :)

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

As usual, this is a post full of beautiful pictures! This is such a beautiful time of year and you really captured that well!

Good luck getting everything done! My gifts are all bought and wrapped, I have to ship some, but then I will be done, I think. I did a bunch of baking this weekend, and made a lasagna for Christmas eve, so I feel somewhat ready. now I just want it to be Friday so I can go home, but my mom probably wants this week to crawl by as she has so much to do! ;)

beth said...

this year everyone in our family, extended included, is buying local....i love that !!

and do cats climb christmas trees ? can you tell i'm a dog person :)

xo

Arti said...

Another lovely Christmas post, Jeanie! Every single pic here can make a beautiful Christmas card... love that nostalgic B&W. Thanks for sharing with us your prep. and activities of the Season. There are always fresh and joyful images to be found here.

Sally Wessely said...

As always, I loved this post. The Santa couple is precious and must be included in the decorations. You should frame the photo of you with them and place it next to them, or hang it on the tree. You darling girl, you have not changed a bit from younger days.

I am so behind I don't know how I will be ready.

Merry Christmas.

Marilyn Miller said...

Good luck with the mission. Laughing at the kittie litter technique. Our tree is on a table this year and so far no problems. I loved seeing you enjoy the season with friends. That is so dear and what really the holidays should be all about. Have a wonderful, delightful Christmas.

Jane said...

Thanks for the reminder about the MSU Christmas exhibit. Think I'll go tomorrow.

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