I feel like I've overhauled my house today! I returned home early from my parents on the premise that I needed some time to get my Christmas taken down and have just a few days to relax before school started back. Well, I spent the first two days at home slowly bringing the Christmas stuff to central location, but mostly sitting on my couch watching movies and diving into a new book. So, today was do or die basically...I had to get that Christmas stuff taken down!
Now, I love Christmas and I love getting all the decorations out and having my home be full of Christmas spirit. I also like the way my home feels after all the Christmas decorations are put back in their boxes and my normal stuff is once again in place. I've sat and just stared at the end table and lamp that are back in their rightful place. All I can think is...ahhh. I guess it all boils down to being ready to face the new year officially. I do still have a little pile of Christmas things stacked in the spare bedroom, but it will have to sit that way until I can get to Walmart and buy another one of those huge plastic boxes. Last year, I had room to grow in the decoration department, but this year I guess I got too much new stuff! Anyway, things are so close to being back to normal that I feel safe in saying that Christmas is down for another year.
Today I also sat down and got all of my thank-you cards written. Warning...soap box rant fixing to begin! From the time I was old enough to write, my mom made me write thank-yous for every birthday, Christmas, or any other gift getting occasion. Thank-yous are also appropriate after any act of unexpected kindness. It has just been ingrained in my personality that thank-yous are a must...especially after Christmas. Now, if you're not a thank you writer please don't feel like I'm judging you or anything like that. I'm not. I'm just saying that for me personally I'd feel awful letting a gesture of kindness go unthanked. Okay, maybe there was a smidge of guilt thrown in there! There were many to write, but they are finished and ready to be mailed out on Monday.
There isn't much of my weekend left, but I intend to enjoy every last minute of it. I might scrounge around in the DVD cabinet or dive into my new "grown-up" read, Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult. I think it was made into a movie and I've seen the movie. I've had to force myself not to skip to the back (I'm notorious for reading the back of the book first!) and see if I'm right. So far it isn't bad, but unfortunately familiar. We'll see how it goes.
By the way...I've updated my photo spot on my sidebar with some new pictures. A couple are even from this Christmas! I'm sort of critical about the pictures and usually crop the heck out of them but I figured I'd just go with it. So, go check them out!
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Clean Sweep
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10 comments:
I guess you can add another thing to those we have in common - thank you notes! I think I always appreciate getting them, so I better be sending them! ha! Handwritten cards are such a thing of the past (unfortunately) that I think it means more to receive one. Kuddo's to you girly!
Do you like Nicholas Sparks books? I just started Dear John & it's pretty good so far!
Dear Steff -
thank you so much for your post today. it did remind me how irritated i get when people don't say thank you for a gift, OR even write a card.
thanks again for the post, i'll use it every day!
love, valerie
Lori: I don't want to discount the verbal or emailed thank yous, but like you said, a handwritten note just means so much. And that list of our similarities is getting so long!
Valerie: Oh, I didn't want you to feel irritated! But I feel the exact same way. :)
Thanks for the post on cleaning and getting all the Xmas stuff put away - I made sure after reading that that hubby and I got busy on ours!! Thanks!! Our place looks much better now. And about thank you cards, you are totally right - I need to be much better on sending them than I am. I am not on top of them like you are. Thanks for the reminder - oh! Also love the pic in front of your tree in the pink shirt.
Becky: I hope people don't feel like I'm pointing fingers. I'm not!!! Thanks for the compliment!
I agree. I've always been taught to do a thank you card and I do one for each and every person who gives a gift. I also do them for each and every Girl Scout and I have 16 of them!
I don't like people who don't at least do a thank you e-card. I mean, how difficult is it? Take the time people, take the time!
Love the new pics. Cute as a button! Love the pic with you and the kitty!
Jacquie
Ooo!! Guess you've read my resolution to make sure I make AND send cards!
And for the cleaning. Ick. I have to do that too. seriously. We're supposed to sell the house before summer and I have to do a MAJOR overhaul!
Last year, after we took the Christmas decorations down, we went to Pier One and got a bunch of stuff to spiff up the living room, on clearance! I was looking around this year, wishing I could do the same, and I hit upon what I want to add. I need two big plants - and by big, I mean taller than me.
I find putting everything up from Christmas helps me take inventory of what I need, and decide what I want to put back out and what I want to either put away for a while or put in a yard sale.
I agree, we were always taught that thank-you letters were just plain the courteous thing to do. I usually haul out the paint and glitter and stickers so the kids can decorate their letters. But I haven't sent mine yet! For shame! We'll all write them this weekend. Dex is cute!
Love the new pics!! I do the same things with thank-yous too. ALways every birthday, Christmas (especially my parents) and you can bet after I get married they will be in the mail within a couple of days. I already took the time off to do it!!!
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