Merry Christmas...and put down the solo cup.

As we are nearing the magical day...I know many of you will be attending family get togethers', dinners, parties and such while others may be hosting. For the love of all things merry and bright, please don't bust out the solo cups. Use glasses and plates and maybe even a table cloth...do it up-make it memorable! I just heard on NPR how materialism makes people anxious and depressed while experiences make lasting positive impressions. Make some memories!

 Speaking of impressions...I had the pleasure of attending an amazing party last Saturday. Jason and Nathan have been catering events at their beautifully restored home here in this little tiny town for awhile, but this party was just super duper extraordinarily fantastic! Their tree was huge and dressed in peacock feathers, there were candles and decorations everywhere and the food, oh the glorious food!! There was chicken, beef, ham and shrimp. Potatoes and puddings and veggies and fruit!! I was in heaven and I can honestly tell you-they are THE best hosts ever! I've been to parties in Hollywood, Get togethers in Malibu, Congressional dinners in D.C and I can tell you-no one comes close to my friends right here in Washington Court House, Ohio. This sounds like a commercial...but I'm just hoping to convince you that you can have a fabulous party too-regardless of where you live!

I know this post is "off" the beaten path when it comes to home renovations and such but it's the holidays and I also wanted to give you a couple tips on cheap ways to host and decorate. So...here goes. Check your local thrift stores. I bought a thirty piece set of china-not froo-froo, just really nice and simple for 30 dollars. I'm talking thirty plates, thirty dessert plates, thirty tea cups and saucers, etc., etc. Then I went over to the handy dandy dollar store and picked up some glasses. If you are over 30 and you're still using plastic cups you've collected from football games, McDonald promotions, etc.-it's time to part with them. I love you, but it's time. If you need centerpieces you can make them for next to nothing. Use live greenery, and whatever else you have laying around and viola...you've got yourself a fancy table! This little lady cost me about 50 cents, 30 for the vase (goodwill) and the little red stuff...a couple cents.

One of the best things about moving back to your hometown is seeing family that you haven't seen in awhile. I always tried to make it to the reunions but sometimes it just wasn't in the cards. This year I hosted both my mother and father's sides of the family for Christmas.


 I did this for two reason. I wanted to see everyone and I also wanted a deadline for getting the house ready. The last thing I did was stain the hallway floors on the second floor.







 I did a thing called pickling-it's a white wash that I love but was almost the death of me. I first did our bedroom floors...sanding and stripping a hundred years of grime and paint off the wood, then per my usual, I applied a clear coat of sealer-mistake, bad mistake.  My beautiful white floors turned yellow!! I found out later that when "pickling" you have to let them cure for 4 weeks before putting down polyurethane. I had to go back and re-sand and stain the floors.  My bad, won't happen again...and these hallways will not see poly for another couple weeks.

Ok...it's Christmas Eve...so I'm going to quit writing start getting ready for the festivities. No party here tonight...going to my mom's, it's tradition and it's only a ten minute drive-beats the 4 hour plane ride!!! Merry Christmas!