We have dressed our porch and dressed our tree.  Now let’s think about dressing our holiday table…or buffet as I will do on Christmas Eve.  As in most things featured in my blog, I just like to point out ideas and am fully aware that some of these are, shall we say, “perhaps a bit over the top”? I like over the top, but just don’t seem to have time to execute most of these.  As my friend Mary always says, “I have more time than money”, but I don’t seem to have that much time, either. 😉

Fun table arrangements, tablescapes and centerpieces – I use bits and pieces of these for inspiration for my own.  Flowers and greenery, candles and ornaments are the 3 items I use most.

This could be a super simple center piece.  Just add some greens to a hurricane candle you already have on your table.

Cranberries in a glass vase with water and flowers.  Pretty simple and easy to execute.

Loving the snowglobe! They’ve switched off with ornaments and snowglobes.

Loving the sugar-rimmed glasses.  Perhaps to fill with a mimosa?

This may be a bit much for me to pull off for my Christmas Eve party.

so, so cute… putting ornaments on cake stands.

Some bling on the table.

I love, love, love the idea of using a chalk board to write holiday messages.

Because I am the luckiest girl ever, I will be using these flowers for my buffet, which I received from my life-long besties, Carolyn, Kristy, Donna, Shari and Donna.   <3  <3 <3

This would be great to do for New Year’s Eve

Use clear glass plates with copies of clock faces underneath on top of silver chargers for a new year’s eve table setting

1. Place a table cloth on your dining table.
2. Place the dinner plate about half an inch from the edge of the table.
3. To its immediate right, place the knife (blade facing inward)
4. Next to the knife comes the spoon.
5. Soup spoons can be placed right next to the spoon or can be placed
above the plate, horizontally along with the dessert spoon.
6. The drinking glass and wine glass are to be placed to the right of the plate, just above the knife.
7. The forks are to be placed to the left of the plate. First, the salad fork (the smaller one) goes on the outside and  the dinner fork (the bigger one) is placed closets to the plate.
8. The napkin can be placed below the forks or can be made as a napkin rink or bow.
9. Bread plate goes above the forks.
10.  Salad plates go immediately to the left of the forks.

Fun, busy week.  Went to a fabulous dinner at Joe’s Stone Crab, which happens to be one of my all-time favorite restaurants.  Hosted by 3 of my favorite cities, thrown by my very best friend.  I got to sit with Jay and Tom, 2 of my very favorite men, ever…and  see Phyllis and Darlene and Tracy and Robert and Deidre…well, you get the idea. Great night. Great food. Great wine. Great friends.

Me and Darlene…a friendship that started in December, 1991. <3

Me and my neighbor gals, celebrating with our My Favorite Things exchange.  I think I’ll post what we exchanged and can probably do that next week.  Donna is always the “hostess with the mostest” and truly the best cook I know.  My favorite part of the night was hearing C proclaim that “Terry was onto all the trouble with the Bears and Jay Cutler years ago with her blog posts about Jay Cutler Needing a Life Coach”.  Truly, it’s the little things that make me happy!

Murphy Picture of the Day

Murphy likes to go look at Christmas lights.  We take her every night.  When I happen to be out (on the rare occasion), the kids take her.  Our neighbors and friends, the Kazmiers, have a Fantastic light display, coordinated to music.

South Barrington Lights

This is Murphy’s favorite display and she can sit and watch the show for 20 minutes. #morepatientthanhermama

Song of the Day – The Magic of Christmas Day by Celine Dion.  This will forever remind me of Murph, as it’s one of the songs featured at the Kazmier’s light display. Will also always make me cry, which sometimes can be okay. 😉

Oh and God bless us everyone
The good and the bad
The happy; the sad
Oh and God bless us everyone
Here’s to family and friends
It’s good to be here again

Bears Thoughts.  Benching Jay Cutler is the right thing to do.  Phil Emery needs to go.  He’s made bad decisions.  Really bad decisions.  Marc Trestman?  Maybe give him one more year because he did do well last year and as my friend Jay S said…we were 10 seconds from making it to the playoffs.  That being said, he will most likely be fired.  We need a fresh start.  Maybe Mike Singletary could slip into that role?  I hold out hope that the McCaskey’s will soon realize that the Chicago Bears are Chicago’s team, not their team.  George Halas would agree. I still stand by my decision that Jay Cutler does, indeed, need a Life Coach, however, he just may be un-coachable at this point. Is he a lost cause?  I hope not because I do see a Super Bowl in our future.  #optimistic

Here’s to family and friends… and the true meaning of the season, being with those you love and missing those you can’t be with.

xoxo,

T.

I’m as funny as I thought.