say goodbye..

to Christmas! Unfortunately, with Thanksgiving coming so late this year and our 2+ week vacation we didn't get to spend a lot of time at home with our beautiful Christmas decorations and now they must come down. Here are a few pictures of our home at Christmas. I probably should have done this a while ago but let's stretch Christmas out a little more. These are a few of my favorites.



This is a nativity we got when we went to Kenya in May of 2007.



My snowman candle on the coffee table. I love him.



We got this nativity in Santa Fe the summer of 2006.



And this nativity is hand carved out of an old wooden spool of thread. Amazing. The man who carved it is Tom Blunt.



This is my new super spikey garland that cut my finger a couple times while I was putting it up.



And last, my Willow Tree nativity. Notice a trend here..I collect nativities. There are more that we didn't put out this year b/c we don't have the space where we live.

Usually the Christmas decoration tear down comes on New Years Day, but this year with all of our travel it came down yesterday. We got home yesterday and I immediately started tackling the decorations. Then came the cleaning. Next, it's the organizing. I'm about to implement Organization Party 2009. And I'm starting with my closet. John will be SO happy to read this. I may even be vulnerable enough to share before and after pictures.

Last night we had a nice relaxing evening. It was our first evening home in 2+ weeks (if you don't count New Years Eve which I do not because we got home at midnight from driving all day, crashed in bed, did laundry and left again. I don't count it.) But I'm getting distracted. Anyway, last night after all the decorations were put away, the house was clean, John watched Star Wars Episodes 1 and 2 on tv and I started reading Ana's Story and it is compelling. I have a feeling I will finish it before Wednesday.

Tonight John and I went to go see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. If you have not seen it yet..GO. It is probably the weirdest, yet the greatest movie I have ever seen. It was just fabulous. It was the perfect way to top off our Christmas vacation.

Back to work tomorrow. Maybe I'll get snowed in..

maybe not.