December Sunburns

The last couple of years, I've been fortunate to have the most seasonally appropriate backdrop to our outdoor photos - a beautiful pure white dusting of snow. 

Not this year, people. Not in these photos. 

Outside the temperatures are hovering near 60. 

I played tennis today. Outside. In a t-shirt. 

It's the first week of December!?!

Adjusting to the weather isn't the only transition going on around here, we are also learning to adjust to our new house. 

On Sunday, while basking in the sun, I studied the front of the house trying to decide how we wanted to decorate it this year. Meanwhile, John was exploring the depths of the attic trying to locate all those pesky unpacked Christmas decoration boxes we quickly stashed during the move. 

Later while we were both outside throwing around yet more ideas, our neighbor pulled in her driveway, packed up her outside Thanksgiving decorations and transitioned to her Christmas decor in all of about 15 minutes.

Yes, I suppose that's the benefit of living in the same house for 20 some odd years - everything has been decided. Her wreaths are perfectly proportioned for her windows, her bows big and beautiful, no nails were pounded into the exterior windows, no loud profanities were heard as the wreaths dropped out the window for the 3rd time in a row. 

Yes, her home is beautiful. And it only took 15 minutes. 

Part of me is very jealous.

And part of me isn't. 

Because everything for us right now is new... and frustrating... and exciting. It will soon be our first Christmas in our new home down South. 

3 hours later, we were still hanging wreaths, tying bows and trying to get the reindeer to stand up. The wreaths fell out and through and down the windows time and time again. And yes, I may have screamed out in frustration more than once. {Especially when Tessa continued to laugh!} And no, not all our decorations transitioned from the old Chicago house to the new Charlotte house. But that's ok. 

Because this house is a different house. Life in the South is different. Christmas on our own will be different. But, we are adjusting and learning to love it. December sunburns and all. 

until next time,