Shipwrecked two days before Christmas!

Funny how just when you think you are sailing right along, something comes along and reminds you how very off course you are.  In my case the something I am referring to was a tremendously strong wind storm.  Well, that's the wordly version of the something that came along.  I know in my heart there was a greater something behind it all, but I will get back to that in a bit.

Remember my pretty little Nautical Christmas tree on the porch?

Well here's how it looks now after my husband picked it back up off the porch floor...

...where it landed after a terrible storm blew through here on Friday.  Notice anything?  

That's right, where's all the ornaments?  Well they scattered and shattered all over the porch.

But my wonderful sailor man lovingly picked them all up and cleaned up the broken mess and bagged them up for me.  He left them on the table so I could determine if they were going back up or not.

On the front porch my welcome sign was blown off the stand and right out of the frame.  Don't worry, it's fixable with a little hot glue.  A few of the wreaths on the dormer windows outside blew off too but luckily were found on our walkway.

On the inside, my dining room is another shipwreck in itself.  There are presents and wrapping paper piled high waiting to be wrapped.  I am in a serious time crunch because I am working a mandatory 6 days a week, even today will make 7 days in a row now. Yet here I am typing out a post on my blog.   Why?

Because I want you to know that despite the mess on my porches and in my home I am blessed!

    I have a job where we work hard everyday.  I have coworkers who push each other along through the mess of all the ship wrecks we encounter daily.  We support each other with understanding about those coworkers who's work ethics are not similar to our own.  We support each other in regards to those amazing customers who go from being a sweet little old lady to a nasty fire breathing dragon in a matter of minutes over a 20 percent coupon that they thought they could use that does not apply.

I am blessed because I have a husband who supports my time away from home.  He helps to keep things going during these hectic times where everything is not picture perfect.  His mindset is not that I am superwoman and can do it all and work too.  His mindset is that I am working and therefore need more help around the house.

I am blessed because I know and believe in the true meaning of Christmas.  I have not been able to attend church at all lately due to my work schedule.  In fact it's been quite a few years now since we have regularly attended church.  When I do get a Sunday off I tend to use it literally as a day of rest which for me means sleeping in and trying to catch up on a few winks.  I am so tired yall!  I feel terribly guilty about this.  I really do.  I feel disconnected from others who go to church.    I feel as if the rest of the world must think I am believer who is shipwrecked.  

But then a storm comes along, no wait, let me reword this.   God comes along and reminds me that Christmas is not in all the trappings of the season.  It is not even in the regular attendance of church.  It is in the heart!  I know that I am justifying here but you see I have too.  Because if I don't the guilt will eat me up.  But the guilt that I feel is tempered with the fact that despite my circumstances God has surrounded me with Godly people.   They are not the ones who sit along side of me in the pews whom I rarely ever see outside of church, or who don't even speak to me outside of church when I do see them.  They are the ones who I live along side of daily. 

 It is the husband who helps me out at home to keep me on track and working.  He knows I love my work, even though I hate the hours away from home.  He knows we could use the extra money with a child in college.  But mostly he knows I need to be out in the real world among others, helping and listening and being a part of another's life.

It is the coworkers who are of faith that struggle with the same dilemmas as I.  Some who seem to juggle it all so much better then me and are an example of Godly living in the world.  I am blessed by those who could also use a little more support with their faith.  I hope that I can bring some of that support and shine a light for them that we are all still growing as Christians while we are still here on earth.  

Even those beautiful perfectly put together Christians (with the holy and haughty bad attitudes) whom we encounter on a daily basis at this time of year easily remind me how blessed I really am.  Surely God did not create Christmas as an excuse to treat those who really are working for you so badly.  Yes, seeing such a hardened heart in others can be a blessing for those who feel like they are falling short.

The fact is we are all "shipwrecked" folks!

Each and every one of us.

But we don't have to stay that way, because there was one who was sent to save us.  He did not come to save only the well to do, and the perfect, or even just those who try and do everything right who can meet the demands of church life.  He came to save us all!

The gift was for all of us who choose to believe.  The promise was that the gift would be offered for all!  Does your Christian life reflect this?  I sure hope mine does.

Thank you God for all the storms!  I hear you!

Thank you for setting my heart right again just in time for Christmas.

Now, what to do about the tree on the porch?

IDK!

May God bless each of you as well.  

Merry Christmas Friends! 

Christmas in the Dining Room

Whew!  Baby, it's cold outside!  Just in time for Christmas too.  Yay!  I just realized I haven't shown you all my tree in the dining room this year.  Soooo, since it's getting late and I need to rush out the door I thought I'd show you some photos without alot of chatter.

I've been playing with Picasa and thought this looked kinda snowy and nostalgic.

I have a silver gold and ivory tree in the dining room.  This year I drenched it a little extra with the white opaque tinsel.

My dining room tree was started to highlight all of my lenox ornaments that I have collected since my husband and I were first married.

This is my newest ornament this year.  I got them from work at Stein Mart.  They are very heavy and are stainless silver with lot's of bling!  

This was an old ornament I rolled in glue and glitter to revive it years ago.

I love my tree in the corner here.  It's wonderful to dine by when the family is all gathered around celebrating Christmas dinner.  I highly recommend a tree in the dining room if you haven't done one yet.  It's a great feeling!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas yall!

See ya again soon!

My First Nautical Christmas Tree

Hey Yall! Did you catch of glimpse of my newest tree on the last post?  I guess you could say this year I've decided to test the waters a bit with a new "to us" Christmas tree.

I've had a very small tree I've put on the screened porch for a few years now but this year I decided to put the slightly larger tree that I use upstairs on the porch.  I also decided it was high time I started a nautical theme.  I always see such cute nautical ornaments while on vacation and never get any because I've never thought they would look right on my trees.  

Well, all that has changed now that I've finally given myself permission to add a new tree to my collection.  And what better place to put a nautical tree then on my screen porch.

I decided to try this one out here to see how well it would tuck right in beside the hammock.  This is sort of a test to see if I want to get a larger tree.  I think it's passed the test with flying colors.  I love it!

Of course a nautical tree just had to be blue right?  This is the first time I've done a tree with mostly blues.  It's really been kind of fun!

I bought a few new things but used a few things I already had as well.  These blue branches I used for the topper and throughout the tree came from Michael's.   I got them at 60% off.  I bet I'll find more of these after Christmas too.

The mermaid ornaments I already had.  I will have to get more of those now for sure!  Do you recognize the white anchor.  It's the napkin rings I made 2 years ago.  LOL!   The ships wheel, fish, and other small wood nautical ornaments all came from the wooden crafts section at Michael's. They were all already painted too and all I had to do was hot glue the ribbons on to hang them with.  Woohoo!

These balls where from Michaels and I knew I had to get them because they looked like fish scales to me.  The little wooden boats I already had as well.

 I decided to tuck my Sailing Santa right underneath.  I think he will make a nice tree topper on a bigger tree, don't you?  Hmmm??? Oh well, maybe next year!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great day friends!

The Glow of Christmas

Tonight the lights.... burn sweetly!

Even though a few strands are testing our patience,

Our home for the most part is ready for Christmas!

A strand on the dormer window on the left is giving us a fit.

But....my den is finished, cleaned and decorated.

The kitchen is full of merriment!

The dining room is all a glow in splendor of silver and gold.

And the back porch is floating in a sea of light.

That's what happening at my house in the land of 

The Decorative Dreamer.

Your all invited back for a closer look at a few more rooms decorated and detailed later next week. Thanks for stopping by!

My Holiday Kitchen 2012

Hey!  Welcome back!  As I promised it's Christmas time in the kitchen today.  

Last year was the first year I went with a large tree in the kitchen.  I have to say I just love it!  The Candyland theme is back too.  Hey, when it works why change it right?  I am hoping to add a few more items from work to the tree this year because we actually had a whole Candyland theme in our Christmas merchandise this year.  I've got my eye on several ornaments but am waiting on just the right sale.  Waiting and hoping they will still be available and not sold already that is.  LOL!

My cute little elves are back.  They were purchased from Hobby Lobby last year and I have seen that they also have them again this year.  I used an inexpensive fleece throw purchased from Walmart for only $2.98 for my tree skirt.  I think it's a wonderful substitute don't you?

The tree topper that I used last year came back up again. I decided to move one of the elves up higher into the bow this time to give it a little more whimsy.

On the island I have brought out my Candyland Santa purchased from Kohls after Christmas last year.  He is surrounded by a few gingerbread men and my Christopher Radko Christmas tree cookie jar that I've had for quite a while now.  

Look closely at the chandelier.  Do you see my old elves hanging with the berries up there?  

I have had these guys ever since I was a child.  They are so fun and just make me smile every time I see them.  

Even my oven gets a little decorating too.  Hehe!

The bar got just a few tweaks since you've seen it recently.  I added holiday napkins and brought out Mr. Jingles.  He is actually a bottle topper purchased many years ago from a Christmas Around the World party.  Then a bowl full of peanuts and I was done!

The bakers rack was moved from the corner of the kitchen where the tree is to a spot over by the coat rack.  Since it's in a very prominent location it got a little Christmas makeover too.

However I just couldn't bring myself to totally convert it over to Christmas.  So.... I left a few things that were already on it and decorated around them.  In other words, the roosters stayed!  Cock-a-doodle-do!!!

I tried to go with a more country look here since the roosters stayed.  Luckily for me, I already had several Christmas items that lent them selves to this look.

I was pretty thrilled to see this was a perfect spot to add my dishes for Santa.  We have put this set out every year since my children my toddlers.  And yes, we have actually put out milk and cookies for Santa each year too.  You have to have proof of eaten cookies and milk that has been drunk for for inquisitive children you know.  Now days they get a kick out of eating the cookies themselves and leaving a few bites on the plate before going to bed.  LOL!   We have trained them well and I know they will make great Santa's one day.

Speaking of these days, this old Mr. and Mrs. Claus are some of my favorites, unfortunately they really do reflect how I feel lately.  Haha!

Well, that's a wrap!  

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of my holiday kitchen.

I have quite a kooky schedule this week and I am so happy I am able to get several things done. I'm also very happy to be able to share it with you too.  A little bit here and little bit there and eventually you'll get there.  Now on to the dining room!

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you are having a great day too!