Assortment

Holiday

 

Hello, loves! How was your holiday weekend?

As I was cleaning the little house on Thanksgiving morning, I had the most anticipatory feeling about the days ahead. There was fresh snow, there were hours laid out like an open road with only fun things planned, there was a bounty of food tucked away, and there were friends and family to love on. It was the best way to begin the holiday.

Because we weren't hosting dinner, and I didn't have anything to rush for, I puttered from room to room with my broom and duster in hand, taking my time, enjoying the process with sounds of big band filling the rooms (The boys weren't sure about big band. They lived.). When housekeeping is often spit-shine and lickety-split, having a bundle of slow minutes in which to polish & straighten felt so decadent.

By early afternoon, I was in the kitchen, making a delicious squash gratin (I'll have to share), and croutons for the caesar salad I was tossing together. A couple hours later, we were off across town, joining friends at their lovely table loaded with amazingly wonderful food (home-smoked turkey, anyone?)

We ended the evening with the game we all love (and laughed again at the funny stories it reminded us of), where the girls whipped the boys once again. Grin.

 

Next day? It was tree-gettin' time!

Black Friday found us all on the mountain, far from the nearest stores; out of reach of any signals. The long afternoon sunlight fingered the trees and lit the open spaces. A wolf loped off in the distance (??!!). 

Up a mountain road, we pulled off, hopped out, and began the search. I suppose I should say that some of us searched. Tiny legs (yes, there was a pair of tiny legs this year!) took tiny trips up and down the packed-snow road, longer legs plunged the snow off-road (because) and angel legs (and wings) appeared anywhere where there was undisturbed powder. 

Nellie was out of her mind with excitement. She wasn't sure what were were looking for, but gracious, this was fun!

After three trees were found, cut, tagged, and loaded, it was hot drinks, cookies, crackers, cheese, salami, and apples on the tailgate. Mere moments on the mountain make you hungry.

 

 

Just before the sun dipped behind the treetops to the west, I rallied my troops and our Nellie girl, and we smiled for that rare picture of all of us together.

It was a good weekend.  

 

Wishing you a lovely week as we say farewell to November and hello to December!

 

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For Candles

 

 

 

 

The vintage brass candle sconces have found their home!

 

Wishing all my American readers a lovely Thanksgiving! We're settling in for snow that's supposed to fall for a day and a half!! It'll be a white Thanksgiving here in the foothills! I'll be making a squash gratin and a salad to bring along to our friends' house across town where the rest of the feast will be. Then, sometime over the weekend, we hope to have friends over our way for games and dessert. 

Have a great weekend, loves. I'll see you back here on Monday. 

 

Have you been looking for a tastefully designed, small house plan that lives large? You may just find what you've been seeking in the newly-released Shelter Collection - four small floor plans designed for gracious living in 900-1400 square feet, the first, second, & third have released, the fourth is coming soon. Peruse the collection here.

 

Hoopin'

 

 I thought they'd grow out of it by now. Thought they'd lose interest among all the rest of what fills up a middle-schooler's life.

I thought wrong.

Judging from the amount of activity over the weekend (and the amount of extra boys coming by to shoot) the mini-hoop, best home accessory ever in the minds of two out of three resident boys, has just as much appeal now as it did at its debut in the little house two winters ago. 

Honestly, I wasn't sure if I was ready for the mini-hoop to come back into the house (every spring, the hoop comes down & is stored away until the snow falls). That's a lot of dribbling, a lot of swishing, a lot of energy swirling around. Picture this: Four or more boys (we've had up to nine), in a competetive, body-slamming, basket-shooting, made-up-game-within-the-game of basketball (it's called Splash City) inside your little house!

Can you imagine? 

The near-constant thrum, thrum of the ball hitting the basket does take a bit of getting used to for some of us. The orange chair gets shoved to the side, the area rugs get skewed, the sofa pillows take to the floor (and Nellie doesn't know what to do). 

But here's the thing: We want boys here. We want our boys here. We want other boys here. And we'd much rather have them here shooting baskets on a tiny hoop that hangs in our living room than sitting in front of a screen (or doing any manner of ill-advised things that can snatch at middle school boys). Yes, we do have a screen upstairs, with a PS3 attached, and a small library of their favorite video games, but screen play is tightly regulated (just ask them about the tightly part), and when game time has run out, it's analog options, boys.

Wholesome play, in a good environment, with (lots of) food nearby - that's our goal. During winter in the little house, that involves a mini-hoop.

I'm glad they haven't outgrown it yet. 

 

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Have you been looking for a tastefully designed, small house plan that lives large? You may just find what you've been seeking in the newly-released Shelter Collection - four small floor plans designed for gracious living in 900-1400 square feet, the first, second, & third have released, the fourth is coming soon. Peruse the collection here.