Multi-Tasking!

As I'm sure the rest of the Christmas celebrating folks can relate to, 'tis the season to multi-task. Along with our painting projects, our insulating the basement, our day-to-day lives in Elk Park, NC, there has come this gargantuan task of preparing for the celebration of the Christmas holiday! I, for one, am a BIG celebrator of the joy and happiness of the holiday spirit, so I definitely prepare and celebrate!

As you can see, Christian and I fully decorated while he was here, so we are certain the spirit of Christmas will live in this house while we go to Atlanta to celebrate the days of Christmas with the boys! Whatever decorations we could not find in the "box room" are certainly not going to be missed!

Our packages are wrapped (I finished the last of it today~ YEAH!!!!!) and the mailings are finished. So, we can now return to the dizzying tasks we were ignoring. (you know, washing clothes, dishes, etc!) However, I still have quite a bit of holiday baking to do and we are entertaining for our first time since the move on Saturday night. Our first Christmas dinner in this house! Just hoping Paul will feel better and be able to enjoy his coveted triffle! He, of course, now has the crud that has so generously shared itself amongst us all.

Paul insulated the kitchen floor over the weekend (thank goodness it's so much warmer!) and was fully dust coated upon completion! We were lucky to have found a carpet business that was getting rid of "off cuts" and remnants. So, being the thrifty homeowners we have now become, we jumped upon that opportunity! It is proving to make wonderful insulation for our humble, albeit drafty abode! Only 2,000 sq. ft. to go!!!!

I finished doing the faux wash in the kitchen. It warmed up the room nicely (feels like a kitchen now!) and sort of looks like the background to an old world map! The above picture casts a pinkish tint that it doesn't actually have ~ I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. Nice when a plan actually comes together!

We attended a Holiday Celebration at Dirk's house (Paul's boss) and met yet another slew of people. Eventually, we'll have a collection of people we can talk about ... for now it's mostly y'all! HA! Just kidding! We are still mostly tickled with our daily run ins with the locals and share all the little nuances of mountain life. It's actually been in the upper 60s here for several days! We have been very fortunate to have been warm for several days running! I know the cooler air is headed our way, but I'm so thankful to Mother Nature for having the heart to break us in slowly. I think our adjustment period might be coming to a screeching halt, but at least the Christmas shopping is done and I won't freeze going to and fro. :-) I'm hoping for safe traveling weather. We're going to Atlanta on Christmas Eve so we can have Christmas with the grandboys. Hopefully, the roads will remain clear going AND coming home! One never knows around here!

Hey, we also saw the new James Bond movie this weekend. A MUCH better flick than I had anticipated ... and so much better than the ones previously. I don't even like James Bond movies, but I somehow enjoyed this one. Could have been the blued eyed man that took over the 007 role. He was quite enjoyable. And for you men folk, there are some absolutely luscious ladies to watch. I know Charlotte's Web is probably the real movie to see, but I haven't seen it yet, so can't recommend it! ;-)

As of mid January I am going to be the ballet teacher at Carolina Cheer and Dance Company in Newland, NC. (The town with 2 stop lights) The gal who owns it is not from here either, and no one on staff is local. Should be interesting watching us break "them" all in! They haven't had a ballet program to date, so it'll be a new and exciting endeavor. I'm very excited about it, and excited to go back to work. I've had enough of being a renovator full time! Do y'all remember Ralph on Green Acres? Well, that's who I feel like most of the time! I'll be glad to get back to tights and leotards and plies and tendus. And for those of you who think I just began speaking another language, I did! It's french ... no worries. :-)

Well, will sign off and go check on the now sick Mr. Paul. He's probably ready to play x-box ... and if he's not, well, we'll know he's not feeling well at all. Y'all take good care and be careful out there running around with holiday spirit! Remember this, you mustn't try to be in the same place at the same time as another. There will most assuredly be impact! Cheers to all! Paul and Cheri