Phew!! And poinsettias...

This past weekend was definitely a reversion back to college all-nighters at our house.  (And not the good kind, the working-all-night-last-minute-on-a-paper-kind)...  We had an event for charity at our house to get ready for & of course the kids (and us!) got sick and wanted our attention 100% of the time.  We literally had to attempt to get every hair into place at the house - in every room- before the event and sleep just could not happen. My voice still hasn't fully returned.

{Even Mr.Asparagus Fern got some Christmas balls}

...And I think I need to clean my camera lense...

It was time to get all of those "little" projects finished like replacing light fixtures and painting and of course CLEANING hardcore...  which is always a little sad because I know the moment we come home with our kids it will be trashed again.  There were literally times when I just sat down and stared, not knowing what to do next considering maybe giving up.  ha    riiiiiiight

Anyway, along with getting the house ready, we decorated it for Christmas.  This year I was given two big beautiful poinsettia plants so I used them around the house in arrangements everywhere.  In the living room, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms.  I was amazed by how far the two plants stretched.  They did the whole house!  I think I remember seeing this idea in last year's Better Homes & Gardens December issue and loving it.  It was an awesome way to get a massive amoutn of holiday flowers and arrangements without spending a ton.   

{poinsettia arrangements from Domino mag via hwtm blog}

In our house, we went with white poinsettias because red doesn't work very well in here.  It's really interesting that poinsettias' petals are actually leaves that have changed colors and not petals.  According to the Mexican legend, poinsettias were just a humble weed until one night when a poor little girl named Pepita had nothing to give to the baby Jesus in the Nativity scene at her Church.  She decided to pick a bouquet of the weeds but was still embarrassed and upset she had nothing to give but weeds.  When she presented her gift to the baby Jesys her lowly "weeds" bloomed into beautiful big red flowers right in front of everyone,according to the legend, and it became known as a "Christmas miracle."

{our mantle}

According to Vonda J. Sine's article on poinsettias, "This beautiful Mexican plant is such a symbol of Christmas that an act of the U.S. Congress named December 12 Poinsettia Day, Holiday Insights reports.  This special day honors Joel Roberts Poinsett, who as the first ambassador to Mexico introduced the poinsettia to the United States. He raised the plants on his Greenville, South Carolina plantation and gave them to friends as gifts."

{a silver basket hiding beneath the blooms on a side table}

{antique creamer on the mantle}

{vintage trophy on the mantle}

...Anyway, the weekend went off without a hitch- thanks to some amazing friends & neighbors- and we're here to tell the tale. 

Also, if you've emailed a question to me recently and haven't heard back, please shoot me another email.  I'm having a really difficult time right now balancing family work and the blog, and blog-related queries often have to take a backseat because there simply aren't enough hours in the day.  Also, in the back of the Better Homes & Gardens Magazine you can find sources for everything in my home.  I gave them the information myself so it's correct but I know some of the items like the caged lanterns often go on backorder/ aren't always available.  Thanks so much for understanding!!

 

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