Hundred-Acre Wood

The warm sunny breezes from Tuesday have given way to a chillier, blustery sort of day.  This is the wind that makes the willows weep. This is a day that makes me feel like I'm in the Hundred-Acre Wood and that most of my plans for the day should be replaced with a cup of hot chai and a snuggle session with Oliver and a few good board books.  This is the time of year where most of the leaves have fallen and decor has shifted from ghosts saying "boo" to turkeys reminding us to "give thanks".  Soon thoughts will shift once more to garland strung on banisters, evergreen and hollyberry scented candles and peppermint flavored whipped cream on steaming cups of hot cocoa.

I've tried to plan better for Christmas this year.  Instead of jamming all of our shopping into one Saturday in December where good intentions turn into arguments fueled by frustration because there are still "five more people on our list and we're running out of time just pick something!!", I'm trying to spread out the shopping.  I've tried hard to listen, really listen, throughout this year in hopes that I can pick out the perfect gift instead of "just picking something".  Being at home has also given way to me getting my craft on and so a lot of my gifts this year will be handmade.  Not handmade by an elf in Santa's workshop with a wooden hammer but my me in my craft room/playroom/den/spare bedroom with my glue gun. Here is what I finished up today.  Who knows who it might be going to?! That person, who just might be reading right now, will just have to wait until Christmas! Exciting I know!!

I have a confession to make.  I broke a rule.  I have this set of rules that I live by, most corresponding to seasons and holidays.  Among these rules are watching You've Got Mail every fall, Family Man every Christmas, you have to have a jello cake decorated like the American flag every Fourth of July and so on and so forth. The rule that I broke is sacred to me, it's serious business.  Every fall I vow that I will not under any circumstance do it, but this year I did.  Last weekend I walked down the block in Chicago from my sister's apartment, I opened the door and was overcome by the nutty scent of roasted coffee, I walked up to the counter and I ordered a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha.

My rule is that I have to wait until the day after Thanksgiving before I start indulging in Christmasy coffee drinks.  I might as well have put up my Christmas tree in August and started listening to Christmas music in October.  But...it was worth every chocolatey minty sip.