As the lucky crow flies...

This year, I found it particularly difficult to take down the fall decorations. The trees are still full of colorful leaves, and the mums remain fresh and lovely. However, with only 25 days until Christmas and work-related travel scheduled before then, Kissy and I began decorating the inside of the house today. The interior is nearly finished; one tree is up but not yet decorated, and there's another tree to set up and decorate, which can be completed next weekend. Kissy and

For our family, Thanksgiving revolves around friends. Our relatives live far away, so we do occasionally travel to celebrate a second Thanksgiving with them. However, we consistently spend almost every Thanksgiving with two couples who have become like family. While other friends have joined us for the meal, these friends who feel like family are always there. Each year, I begin with a duplicate of the previous year's holiday planning spreadsheet. It includes five tabs: "Than

Whenever I upload pictures of my tables on Facebook or share my blog, friends frequently inquire, "Where do you keep all your dishes?" The simple answer is -- EVERYWHERE! I wish I could say I have a "dish room," but I don't. Instead, I have a Pinterest board dedicated to dream china storage. Ah, life goals. Our home has a lot of built-in cabinetry, and I make full use of every inch. After my "dish-saster," all my shelves have been reinforced, thanks to my youngest son's carpe