What a great week!

What a wonderful week! We have enjoyed a week of hard work, fun with friends and family, shopping, eating, more eating, more eating...you get the idea. The week started out with warm temperatures, so I got to enjoy three days of tennis with some ladies I work with. Romeo even joined us one afternoon when one of our doubles partners didn't show up. That was fun! The girls had several play dates and a sleep over party with the Huster girls. I got to catch up on some entertaining. We had the Husters, Hambys, and Kings to our home this week for dinner. On Tuesday, I took out some paint to do some quick touch ups on my kitchen cabinets. Long story short...my cabinets had yellowed so much that I ended up spending the whole day painting the ENTIRE kitchen instead of just the scratches. Wednesday, we started our Christmas decorating. Also, I started baking at 9:00 for Thanksgiving lunch, and didn't turn my oven off until 6:00 that evening. I would work on a dessert and then join the girls to decorate the tree. I think I had too many irons in the fire because I was a disaster at putting on the ornaments. As the girls admired all their handmade ornaments from years past, I was breaking everything I could get my hands on. First to go was Sophie's Christopher Radko ornament that Mimi gave her last year. She went into hysterics. I proceeded to break two more mercury glass ornaments before Sophie told me to get away before I ruined the whole tree. So, Reagan and Sophie finished putting on the ornaments. Later, I added the bows and berries. I think it turned out nicely. It's always fun reminiscing about the different ornaments that grace the tree. My favorites are the ones that my girls have made.

After a couple days, I put the finishing touches on the house.
My ever growing Nutcracker collection.

The family room complete with a plate for Santa's cookies.

I put my cardinal tree on the porch this year instead of the foyer. It has withstood one good storm already this week, so hopefully it'll make it till Christmas, that is if Lily doesn't eat the birds first.

The table is set for Christmas dinner. Just need some live greenery.

Finally, I got the outdoor spotlights working. I felt like Clark Griswald trying to get it right. Note to self: Never buy another pre-lit tree. Once those lights go out, you never find the bad bulb. I finally gave up and wrapped the porch trees with more lights. Notice Lily sitting by the front door.