PREPARATIONS

My days recently have been mostly "hurry up and wait." D+M's family flies in on Monday morning and on Wednesday the family gathers in Eureka. J+M's family drives in from Omaha (can't wait to cuddle baby Levi), and LFW's family arrives from New Orleans, Michigan, and Colorado. GiGi's cottage will be bursting at the seams and overflowing. Between now and then there's a bunch of grocery shopping, some more cookie baking (molasses cookies and shortbread already in the freezer), and a bit of rearranging of the guest bedrooms.

The Huge Project is closer to being done--draperies arrive and will be hung on Monday afternoon. The two lovely lounge chairs require some adjustments by the upholsterer, but for now we're just happy they're in-place providing much needed seating in the great room. Not sure if the custom throw pillows are coming on Monday, but I've decided that any accessorizing can wait until the little girls are back in Florida. I don't have my mojo together, and there's just less to worry about by keeping things simple.

CA has been working more than he'd like, and found out yesterday that this will continue until midway through January. He's just happy to have a defined schedule for now. This very, very part-time work has escalated more than anyone expected. He's such a trooper.