Yes, I could throw the treats out and start my exercise routine early, but no. Just no. That is the bad thing about being a good cook. Your butt shows it. In the words of my husband, "Never trust a skinny chef!" Besides, if I start my healthy lifestyle now, how can I make any cool resolutions to break in a few days? I'll just stick to tradition and wait until January 1st like the rest of the world!
*Beef brisket cooked slowly in a red wine tomato broth with root vegetables.
Most yummy meal of the holiday!
Like many of you, I enjoy decorating this time of year. There is nothing more lovely than the house decked and the smell of good cooking in the air. But now that Santa has come and gone, it is time to de-Christmas. I have a strict holiday schedule to which we adhere. October 1st, and all my Halloween/Fall items come out. The spooky items come down the day after Halloween, although I leave the Autumn decorations up until Thanksgiving day. Thanksgiving decorations come out the day after Halloween. Christmas tree and decorations come out on Thanksgiving night. While I love my house decorated, it must come down the day after Christmas. Not that I'm a super neat freak or anything, but I must have a clean house for the new year.
Here are some fun tips to make your new year bright and your house less boring:
- After we take down the Christmas decorations, we change the location of where we put our normal decorating items (candles, wreaths, vases, what-nots, plants, etc).
- Rearrange your living room. If you rearrange and change your decorating, it feels like you're in a new house.
- Do you have a spare bedding set? If so, switch them out so you don't get tired of the same bedding. Plus it will extend the life of it.
- Update your dining room table. I keep mine decorated with plates, napkins, tablecloth, etc all year long. I change it out at least four times a year. I find that it changes the look of my house and keeps me less bored. Since I'm home all day, we don't want me to get bored.
The possibilities are endless!
*My Spring table setting. I know, I need to iron the tablecloth! I found that old vase in my garage and made a new flower arrangement with the silk flowers I had and some moss I was holding onto. I bought the linens at Kohls last year when they clearanced their home goods. Great savings!
- Put a decoration on your door that promotes the season. I have one for Autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Spring. I need to make a new wreath that is wintery, but not Christmasy. Right now, my Spring wreath must suffice.
You may wonder why we spend so much time on decorating the house. Well, your house is where you spend a great deal of your time. I think it's worth it to make the effort to transform it into a happy, warm, aesthetically pleasing place. No one wants to sit in a house that doesn't make them happy!
Whatever you do to mark the passage of one year to the next, I hope you make this next year your very best one yet. Much love from my family to yours!
Fondly,
Amanda Z
Domesticology
Now that looks good!!
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