I have PVNS: 'Tis the season...

I truly enjoyed having this weekend to myself... to do things here at my apartment to get ready for Christmas. Yesterday after getting home, walking the beach, and getting groceries, I went Christmas shopping... and got a lot of what I wanted. This morning I got up and did some more shopping and am very close to being done... me? Almost done, before December 1. Yup. Crazy! I do have some details to finish on a couple of gifts and need to get some things for my nephews... but so close! So after shopping... I did some other crazy things... I wrapped presents! YIKES! And it didn't stop there.

I wanted to decorate, more... and I did something I haven't done since 2007... I opened up my boxes of Christmas decorations... not just the new stuff I have been buying, in some ways to avoid unpacking the memories and sentimentality along with the decorations...

So.. here's what I got done today... I have more to do... what is not shown in the pictures are the messy boxes in the middle of the floor... but things are shaping up...

Here is the Santa paddle Mom painted... above the ceramic tree she made years and years ago... I think this may be the one she had done for my grandmother, but I could be wrong... it could be the one she used... I think Sis has the other...but not sure...

This is the bookshelf in my living room... Of course most things accent the painting!

This is the landing of my stairs... Mom's Santa slate... I admit, opening it, looking at it, holding it... brought tears to my eyes... I miss her, every day... and bringing out so many of the things she has painted, makes me miss her even more.... but missing her, as I said to a friend today, is a good thing... because it means that we had a relationship that was an integral part of my life... and it was... is... to be honest... while she isn't here... so much of her is still around... and I still cherish my bond with her...

The hutch... this is not done yet... but it's at least presentable... oops... didn't crop well enough.. you can see some of the mess/boxes I was unpacking! Don't look!

These are the shelves... I think finished... or close to it...

I do want to point out.. that none of my decorations are gifts... that is a conscious decision on my part... while I have enjoyed shopping for people this year... it really is not about gifts... at least materialistic...

Here is one of the Christmas bulbs hanging from my banister...

Here is the rest of the banister... the lighting is a little funny... I used a flash... but you get the idea... there is some teal tinsel wrapped in around the lights... teal seems to be a theme of my holiday decorating this year... (Tree skirt is teal... the beads I will hang on the tree are teal.....)

And as I was decorating, the cats were not too far away. ... Sheldon settled in on the steps... looks like he is waiting to order a beer at a bar... such an odd cat... but the most affectionate you may come across!

Oh... Almost forgot. This ornament... is on the shelves... I picked it up in honor of Jill... who has a thing for owls... who, who, who did I mention? Jill!

A close up of the ceramic tree...

My real tree... on my back porch... I will get help putting it in its stand... hopefully by the end of the week!

Another close up... of another of Mom's Santas... I didn't realize, until I was unpacking... I have acquired three of these... not sure I will put them all out... but... I am sure I could find places for them.

Oh yeah... and then there is the girl who is still in contemplation mode, about doing 100 days in a row of activity... and lost track of the day... until about 7:30 pm when she realized she had been doing a lot and had not walked... so... she went outside... walked, in well lit areas, for a half an hour... it was cold. I hate the cold. But the moon was out, along with some stars... and it was peaceful. I am trying to embrace the cold this year... even bought myself a Christmas present... snow shoes... yup... gonna be active this winter... even if it means freezing... though it has been hard to warm up since getting back inside.. brrrrr...

Ahh... went through the pictures on my phone tonight... hadn't done that in a while... and this was a pic I took yesterday, using my phone... and there is something about it that I like... so, thought I would share.