New Love

Oh my goodness, I love my new cellphone. I have had the standard flip phone forever- I always have the basic everything while my husband has the newest and best technology always. Tables have turned and I've got the cool accessory now! His blackberry is ok, but not as awesome as my iphone. My flip phone broke right before Christmas (so convenient) and I usually end up buying my own Christmas gifts (to get what I want) anyway, so...I love it, recommend it and even though I had hardly ANY reception in Pine Mountain GA...well, how often am I really in Pine Mountain?

On a side note, I saw It's Complicated today and can I hire Nancy Myers' set designer for my new house? Come on!

2010 - Bring it on!

Christmas is over. Presents opened. Trash fills the garage. Guests have left. Leftover cookies, nuts and candy now disposed of in the garbage. I love getting ready for Christmas but hate (HATE!) having to clean it all up. And to add to the stress we are about to put our house on the real estate market. So as many usually purge old toys, etc. we have to eliminate even more clutter so our house looks more desireable to that perspective buyer. Of course right when you decide to sell your home, you really realize how much you love it! This is the house we brought our kids home from the hospital, where we made those first memories with our children, where we shared so many good times...but unfortunately the house that is far from Dad's job, club and most importantly, not in the most desirable school district. I just hope whoever buys our house will love it as much as we have. Here is a photo of what is looks like covered in snow (last year).

Simply Havin' a Wonderful Christmas Time

It's here! The week of Christmas. It takes forever to get here it seems - especially when I'm asked daily by my kids if it is tomorrow. Let's see...

Christmas cards addressed, stamped and mailed- check!
Visit with Santa - check!
House decorated - check!
Kids out of school - check!
Callaway Gardens Fantasy in Lights - check!
Christmas with the McArthurs - check!
All gifts wrapped and under tree - check!

Nine dozen cookies baked and packaged - check! Oh yes, tomorrow is the 5th Annual Christmas Cookie Exchange I've hosted for ladies on my street- I'm so excited to see everyone and their kids. Thankfully I've arranged for my housekeeper to arrive about an hour after to tidy up before the Davis's arrive on Tuesday. As if we weren't busy enough, we close on our Willow Knoll house tomorrow at 3 p.m. It's strange to think we will own 2 houses in the same county for awhile. Anyway, just wanted to wish everyone (or the 1-2 people who actually read this blog) a very Merry Christmas! Many changes headed our way in the new year- very excited about it all!

an early toast to changes

Wow. Ok. So some of you know that we tried to sell our house last year and move to what we thought was our dream house in Sandy Springs. The real estate market during that time (after we negotiated the contract) TANKED and we (thankfully) didn't sell our Vinings Estates house- so things always happen for a reason- and they do. We are so so so glad that it didn't work out, we stayed where we did and everything ended up like it should be. Since then, our name came up on the Atlanta Country Club (ACC) waiting list so we took the plunge and joined the club. We all enjoyed the pool over the summer and of course Kyle continues to enjoy playing golf out there as much as possible. ACC just happens to be in one of the top school districts in the state (Sope Creek/Dickerson/Walton) and the thought of Holy Innocents' tuition for 2 kids for 13 years makes us want to choke. We've been watching the housing market over there for about a year and have made a couple of offers on a couple of teardown properties. One has worked out and pretty much sealed us building a new home in that neighborhood next year. We are going to be leasing the property back to the current owners through June - after that - construction will probably begin! We've pretty much have a houseplan; we definately have our builder. I am so nervous about building a new house- nervous excited- I know it is going to be a labor of love and hopefully a home for our family for a long, long time. We are going to miss Smyrna so much but will only be a hop skip and a jump away (from West Cobb to East Cobb)! So if you see decorating stuff on my blog from here on out, this is why!

Around the house

I like getting the house ready for Christmas, but I love it more when it is done and we can sit back and enjoy. Here are just a few photos around our house of nothing in particular but things that I find lovely...

Full Circle

I started taking ballet lessons when I was five from one of Macon's finest- Ms. Jean Weaver. She was THAT ballet teacher, we were scared of her but she was the most beautiful older lady that we'd ever seen (she still is by the way). Part of being in her inner circle meant that you pretty much had a sure shot of securing a coveted role in the Macon Nutcracker. I spent years fulfilling various roles- from a toy soldier, angel, young lady at the party in the opening scene, snowflake...you get the picture. Just hearing the music makes my insides smile and I have dreamed of the day where I could share this experience with my own daughter. This year (this Sunday!) I am taking Caroline to see the Georgia Ballet's Nutcracker in Marietta. Just the two of us and we will be sitting front row center (yeah I know the Fox is the BEST, but front row just doesn't happen at the Fox). I hope to not only start a new tradition but to give her the love of Clara and her magical journey.