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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tomorrow...Ugh, Here We Go

Tomorrow Henry starts daycare and I would be lying if I told you I was completely okay with that. I have been dreading this day for a while now. It is not that I don't want to go back to work; if you work for yourself you know "maternity leave" is a fictional event. Henry and I have been working basically since he was born.

This juggling act- having a newborn and working- has worked basically by taking him everywhere with me when our parents weren't in town to watch over him. We have amazing parents but when they are not here he has been content to nap at client's homes, showrooms, etc. Well except for the fit he pitched last week at a house (talk about feeling unprofessional, thank goodness for amazing clients as well).

Above pulling fabric with his Mom, below waiting patiently at the receiving warehouse for furniture to be loaded. (the guys at the warehouse are great with him, a plus in my book)

In some ways I am looking forward to having a routine and this not being a sight seen one too many times in my car...

Also, I am sure Henry gets tired of running errands all the time (note the expression)....

And while I may not be winning any mother-of-the-year awards anytime soon I have loved all this time spent together. We have a schedule that works for us and it is nice to be working along and catch a glimpse of that face.

Tomorrow though change is coming. I know it will be fine if I can just get past the first few days. I LOVE my job and that makes it so much easier. The place he is going came highly recommended by several friends and that is comforting. It is just the thought of someone else feeding him and holding him and playing with him all day gives me a lump in my throat the size of Texas. So for those of you who have been through this and have any advice I would love to hear it. Talking to other mothers has been wonderful so far and made me feel so much better. I have a feeling I am going to need some help tomorrow....

Link Party No.76 and Giveaway Winner!

The link party is back! Wait! Before we can begin with this week's link party, I need to announce the winner for the TRH Thanksgiving giveaway.

Those prizes lovingly picked and made by me goes to...

{Kaitlyn} Lady of the House

Congratulations!! Please contact me with your shipping info, so I can send them to you before the post office get to busy for all the Christmas packages. :)

So, what have you been working on? Do you have anything new up in your sleeve?
This is the perfect place to share your awesome creations, link up and have fun!

1. Please post something YOU made. It doesn't matter if it is crochet, quilt, clothing, anything would be fine. I want to see it! If you use someone's idea or patterns please give them the rightful credit.

2. Link to your specific post, that way it is easier for everybody to find and read it.

3. Please grab the "Tea Rose Home" grab button, and link back from your post. If you can mention the party in your post or place the button on your side bar, that would be great! I want more people to have a chance to come and show off their creation.

<center><a href="http://tearosehome.blogspot.com"><img border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462799092490427250" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 126px; height: 160px;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHA1Y3e8436nZvEAbFSLbjc96IlUlfua-zm3HLrEk8wOcmDu7rtB5aUbeM7KHX-A3lxmUNWmy0NtsfO-IXrRZ1GUEKB68Eib49R0FPw0jq81WBxGYcLCIkv_yT_UGQyCysfRkz7wH3S08/s200/GrabButtonLinkParty.jpg" /></a></center>

I'm almost there

I've successfully ironed on 24 numbers onto Oscar's Advent Bags. I was fully inspired by Kai Ethier for House & Home Magazine who did these. And, it only took me a full YEAR to do it. I'm not kidding you, I actually started this last year. But I suck at iron on transfers, maybe trying to peel them back too soon, and 1/2 of the project was a disaster. With December 1st creeping on me way too quickly, I managed to perfect my skills at ironing on, letting them cool off and peeling back. Like my numbers? Because freebies are fun, click here to download my design of 1 - 24 so you can do your own. Now I just have to figure out 1. what to fill them with and 2. where to hang them. :)

Red Sox Hire Valentine

From Boston.com:

The Boston Red Sox have picked Bobby Valentine to be their next manager and the sides were working to complete a contract, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made. Several media outlets in Boston, citing anonymous sources, reported earlier in the evening that Valentine would be the team's new manager.

An announcement could come by Thursday.

"He's got it. I just spoke to him a little while ago," Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, who managed Valentine in the minors with the Los Angeles Dodgers, said in a telephone interview with the AP.

We are so excited about this coming Friday's Flea Market! It is certainly sizing up to be our very best yet! To start things off, we will be hosting the always lovely Polly from our old favorite Chestnut Lane who will be setting up a pop-up cafe right here at the Willows! We will set up a bistro table and it will be just like a real little French Flea Market!

Of course, we will have some of our always fabulous vendors including Lisa Nicodemus selling star ornaments, Carla Bowers selling paper wreaths, Jackie B. selling jewelry, Ricki selling stationary and "party in a box", Coventry Frames selling quote frames, B. Belle Couture selling baby accessories, Joshua By Oak selling printed pillows, Janis Hughes selling jewelry, the ladies from Library selling this and that and Martha will be here (this one we are really excited about) selling her amazing Rum Cakes (you will probably want to buy one for a friend and one just for you!). And, if you are still searching for that perfect holiday outfit, all apparel will be 20% off to assist you in finding just what you have been looking for! You are not going to want to miss this month's flea market! And, as always, we will have coffee and donuts, so come enjoy the morning and get into the holiday spirit from 10 - 2 this Friday!

Another little goody we are adding on to this month's flea market, will be some fabulous wreath-making! For just $25 you can sit down and be instructed in how to make your very own holiday wreath with the help from the ladies of the Willows and take it home to enjoy all season long! Supplies are limited, so be sure to get there early to make a wreath you will want to hang back up every Christmas to come!

And, while you are here, feel free to set anything you love aside and send your husband back that evening to enjoy Men's Night Out with lots of delicious food and beer and some shopping just for you. Jewel-Ya and Dos Fannies will be here selling their jewelry and all the lovely ladies of the Willows will be able to help your husband get you that perfect gift (and wrap it up splendidly, as well!).

Hope to see you all this Friday!

image source

Do you remember when you first found out the 'truth' about Santa Claus? I was probably one of the last of my friends to actually succumb to the reality. I can remember being on the large soccer field at my elementary school in California and arguing passionately with the other kids about the existence of Santa Claus. I tried to explain to everyone how I had seen this television program where they discussed the Santa sitings that had occurred at the north pole. Why didn't they believe me? I mean I had concrete evidence. I was absolutely convinced that the other kids had it ALL wrong. Which was fine because I knew that if you didn't believe, then you certainly were not going to end up on the 'nice' list, and that was fine because perhaps Santa would just drop off all those non-believers presents at my house.

My brother and I used to wake up really early in the morning on Christmas. He would come and lay in my bed with me while we waited until the clock said 6:00AM (which was when we could go into my parents room). We would lay there quietly, starring at each minute go by on the clock and try to fall asleep. We never could fall asleep because our hearts were racing with the thoughts of Santa actually coming to our house. And I swore I heard jingle bells on the roof.

I don't remember the exact moment when I found out, but I can distinctly remember the very first Christmas where I knew the 'truth'. I just sort of felt sad, like the magic and excitement had been taken away. It was almost like I was mourning the loss for this person I once knew. Now, don't get me wrong, Christmas has always been an amazing holiday in my family, but things just didn't feel the same that first year, something was missing. Of course as the years passed, the holiday took on an entirely different meaning.

So what has me thinking about the magic of Christmas? Well, this is the first year that my kids are really, really into the idea of Santa Claus.......especially my 3.5 year old, Savannah Rose. Yesterday we had a big discussion about the naughty and nice list and many other aspects of Santa Claus. So far I have received all kinds of questions from her:

~Is Santa still up on our roof?
~Where does Santa live?
~What kind of clothes do the elves wear?
~How long does it take to get to the north pole?
~Is it always snowing at the north pole?
~Can I go to the north pole?
~Why can't I go to the north pole?
~Can I ride in Santa's sleigh?
~Who takes care of Santa's reindeer?
~Do you think Mrs. Finkler (her preschool teacher) will be on the naughty or nice list?

Chatting with Savannah about all these different questions has brought back a sense of magic and wonder that I can feel in our house. I can remember the excited feeling I once had thinking about Santa Claus and I guess our own kids have a way of bringing that back out in us. The innocence of a child is a beautiful thing and I feel so blessed to be able to experience the complete magic and wonder surrounding Christmas with my children. Yes, someday they too will find out the 'truth', but those years and years of excitement are certainly worth it!

Do you remember when you found out the 'truth' about Santa?

Hello everyone,

I am back with a few little touches of festive whites that I have been putting around our home to get it ready for the holidays.I am using my son's point and shoot camera for these pics but the good news is I have a new camera on the way and I can't wait to get it!

I added some greenery from around the garden to an old chamber set that my father gave to me years ago.I love the little feather trees too

A little church from TJMAXX.

A music box that my daughter gave to me.

A heavy cement cherub sits on our banister. I have added greenery and lights to it and a candle for the cherub to hold-but only for the picture for safety reasons.

You might have noticed that I love angels.

This is a wooden angel that also came from TJMAXX.

Just a peek at some of the little festive touches that are appearing around our home for the holiday season.

It is so mild here that you would not think that it is almost December. The snow that we had last week is long gone and when I step at onto the balcony at night to see the stars you could be fooled into thinking it is spring!

Thank you for visiting me,

Carolyn

Rumor: Yanks Interested in Kyle Drabek

From Bob Elliot:

The New York Yankees are interested in right-hander Kyle Drabek, who made 14 starts in the Jays rotation and the next 15 at triple-A Las Vegas. The Yanks have CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes and A.J. Burnett in the rotation. They are reported to have re-signed right-hander Freddy Garcia. Yankees people are asking Jays scouts questions and as well as Phillies people, who had Drabek in the minors: Why the control problems after never having any? Why did the Jays take his cutter away? Can he be fixed?

Drabek, Baseball America's 25th best prospect in 2010 and 29th best in 2011, has been a pretty big disappointment since going over to Toronto in the Roy Halladay deal a couple years ago.

He did have a solid first season in the minors for the Jays and even won 2010 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year. He then started the 2011 season on the Jays staff, but after 14 starts he was 4-5 with a 5.70 ERA he was sent down the minors. His struggles continued at Triple-A Las Vegas where he went 5-4 with a 7.44 ERA. Eventually he would get called up in September for a few relief appearances and finished the 2011 MLB season with a 6.06 ERA.

Still, with all the struggles he had last year the kid isn't even 24 yet, and as you all know, one bad season doesn't mean a young pitcher is done. It's also worth noting that interest from the Yankees doesn't mean the Jays are ready to give up on the guy they got for Roy Halladay. So for now I'd say this is just another meaningless winter rumor.

Let It Snow...

I have been trying to get some pictures of my indoor Christmas decorating so far, but it has been dark and gloomy in the house. Yesterday it rained all day. Today it is snowing, which is pretty, but doesn't help with the picture taking.

So, the best I could do, was get a little close up of part of my mantel. A sneak peek...because Pamela from My Front Porch To Yours, is having a Holiday Mantel Linky Party on December 5th, and I will show my entire mantel then.

Welcome Home,

Penny

Every year I make a wreath to hang on our front door in the first week of December. Last year it was mainly holly, the year before box with apples and silver balls. This year I'm looking for ideas for a simple and natural looking wreath.

Actually our main entrance is a sort of double door, so a large wreath hung centrally is tricky. Maybe I'll go for two symmetrical and identical smaller versions.

What do you think of these ideas, found all over the net and stashed away, please forgive the lack of credits, I seem to have lost the links!

I love these ideas from the French Marie Claire magazine. Lots of wreaths used on the same wall, or a big one decorated with lichis!!

What do you like to put on your front door to welcome Christmas guests?

I'm sure you could give me some good ideas

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This Thursday is the Etsy night at West Elm [Blogged about here] that my shop was invited to participate in. I'm a big fan of Etsy and I'm a big fan of West Elm so the combo is pretty fantastic in my mind. As I gear up for the night, I'm making a list of some West Elm picks I want to grab while there. xo Linds