Hello sweet friends, November is officially here! Sweet Guy and I have spent the last several months touring universities, visiting specific departments, and filling out the beast known as FAFSA. He has crafted amazing essays, collected all the details for his extensive volunteerism, awards, transcripts and more. We met the early action Nov. 1 deadline for SMU, TCU, and UNT. Now, we WAIT! Break out the relieved sparkling cider it’s a Saturday Smiles The Party Closet.
Finding Love In The Forest
This past week, in case you missed it, was National Cat Day. While I often talk about my two doxie dearhearts I am a cat lover too. I have had four cats in my life. In high school was Baby, a black stray. In my young adulthood brother and sister Persians, Jenni and Joey, shared my space. My last cat was a gray Persian, Jitterbug. This story of Love At First Site brought a sweet tear to my eye. You’ll enjoy it too even if you aren’t a cat lover.
Green With Envy
Could every room in your house be just one color? After seeing A Charming Green Monochromatic Cottage I could truly get on board.
It’s Still Fall
Longtime readers know that I am pro fall through Thanksgiving in my decor. The week after Turkey Day is a flurry of activity to get our four trees up and decorated. It’s just how I roll. If you are similar you too will love this recent fall home tour.
Saturday Smiles The Party Closet
I do, however, believe in prepping early for the holidays. This next week I will be ironing linens, polishing silver, and checking my stock of candles and paper goods. I love the idea of storing everything together and found some really neat ideas in The Party Closet post.
A Prep Pledge
My daughter has come home for a few days and we actually went out yesterday to begin Christmas shopping. (GROAN!!! I agree.) But my work schedule for the next few weeks is absolutely crazy. The Art of Doing Stuff has made a chart for November to do a little each day so you can be ready for BOTH holidays by December 1st.
A Small Respite
Mr. Decor has been my sweetheart for over 23 years now. On rare occasions, I have mentioned that I was a divorced mom of one when I met him. Anyone who has been through a divorce, particularly when there is a child involved, knows the anguish that is felt. Even though I divorced my daughter’s father, I never divorced her grandparents. Over the years, I regularly wrote letters, sent photos, and made bi-monthly phonecalls. Grandma and Grandpa Sherman even stayed overnight at our home on a few occasions. Earlier this week my dear daughter’s grandmother, Lavanna Tressa Sherman, passed away at the age of 93. She was a lovely woman who I will dearly miss. She had a December birthday and loved Christmas. This week I will be taking time away crafting up the annual DTA Giving Ornaments in her honor.
Today I am headed off to a very cold Georgian themed picnic.
Stay warm and smiling my friends,
Laura
You have touched me with the love of your “mother-in-law”. I never had a grandma and to keep that relationship going, even after a divorce is very special. It says a lot about YOU!
If I were to paint just one color in my house (I’ve thought about this several s time over the years) , it would be green… not just any green but a soft pale green. It goes with every season!
Hugs!
It seems impossible that Ian is old enough to be going to College. You will be empty nesters. That is a whole new ball game. I love the idea of a party closet, that is sort of what I have in my “dish room”. It holds all my napkins, candles and extra dishes and serving pieces. I love having that space.
Laura~
After my recent divorce by Dr B, HIS bio children begged me to remain in their family. They consider me Gramma even tho Nana is the real bio gramma! I know, sounds complicated, but when spouses join forces for the sake of their beloved grands, it makes their world so much better! M and i called ourselves wives in law as we most always were sitting together at events involving the grands!
Dr b can no longer fly due to health restrictions.. so he pays for them to come here in the summer..when he is too busy working, i spend quality time with the grands.. when he learned of this he threw a tantrum saying angrily..”I divorced her! she is no longer in our lives!” to which the Son said..sorry Dad,,WE didn’t divorce her..she will always be our children’s gramma!..
I’m going out for a week at Christmas! That’s my present from me ..to me!
ps..the divorce was in our 10th year of marriage, he began cheating with a co worker with unsavory reputation..and got caught..and immediately filed for divorce..She is the same age as his daughter which is 25 yrs younger than him!
needless to say the children have not forgiven their father for the way he treated me.. he wants them to love and honor her a they did me..but fails to understand their hard feelings towards her..i earned their love and respect by being a second mom..one who could be counted on for anything…just like their own mother!!
I’ve said it before, these Saturday posts lift me, Laura.
What an exciting time to be looking at colleges. Are all of these in Texas?
So glad you had time to shop with your Fashionista girl! I love shopping with my daughters but lately our schedules are never in sync. 🙂
Jane
Oh, I will look forward to the Georgian themed picnic photos! and I know what you mean about divorced people and their in-laws. Relationships develop, and love and caring and bravo for you, keeping the connection. I’m so sorry for your lovely girl’s loss — and yours.
I wish my party closet looked that neat. Almost every event begins with cleaning out the party closet to find the stuff! But like you, I don’t do Christmas before TG — but on the Friday after, I am one mean powerhouse! I won’t get it all done in a day or maybe even a weekend, but everyone will look at it and think I have!
I love your post. You really touched me with the love of cats. I have not been a big cat lover until now! Drusilla has come into our lives and taken over our home. Bless you for keeping in touch with the grandparents. My son was divorced and there went the kids— so sad. I love and miss them.
Nonie
I am so sorry to hear about your daughter’s grandmother’s passing, Laura. I too kept in contact with my first fiancé’s parents after he died. I took the kids to visit Belle Fickel at her home in a lovely retiree’s community surrounding a large lake when they were young. I always felt that they were her grandchildren, too. 🙂
A lovely post and I do love the idea of a pretty storage closet. A white big box cabinet we brought with us from California and our former garage now houses a bunch of my decorating pieces ~ a perfect way to hold all those candleabras, candlesticks and more.
Have a lovely week and stay warm! The leaves are madly falling with this first real cold snap and winds tonight…
Hugs from where it’s warm and toasty inside,
Barb 🙂