[ trimming the tree ]

WITH ALL THE snow we got on Friday, it really got me into the Christmas spirit! Time to put up the tree!

A couple of years ago we bought a big 9' pre-lit tree which saves a lot of time when you don't have to untangle strings of lights. The downside is that it's so heavy we can barely lift it and we've never managed to get it to fit back into its box so it's stored in various chunks in the basement. So it's always a bit of a wrestling match to get it up the stairs with the bins of decorations. whew!

Putting up the tree is by far my favourite part of the holiday prep. For years I've been picking up an ornament anytime we travel, as well as finding a couple of really special ones each year. Unwrapping each one brings back so many lovely memories.

And speaking of all that snow, in addition to the foot we got on Friday, we woke up to another 6-8 inches! No wonder I was thinking Christmas! More decorating to come...

lisa

[ from none to LOTS! ]

A DAY OF snow squalls, whiteouts and about a foot of snow! Looks like winter has arrived! Have a great weekend!

lisa

[ sweet things ]

THOUGH OUR Canadian Thanksgiving has come and gone, there will be a lot of you celebrating with family and friends these next few days. Wishing you all a lovely Thanksgiving filled with good food, good times and lots of sweet things!

lisa

[gap interiors]

[ mismatched seating ]

IT'S THANKSGIVING week for my US friends and many will be gathering family around the table to enjoy a wonderful turkey dinner. Whenever our family gets together on these holidays, we scramble to find enough chairs so that we can all squeeze together around the table. Whenever I see dining rooms with a mix of chair styles, it makes me think of those happy holidays. I find the look so charming, whether planned as part of the look of the room or just a temporary solution to a big gathering.

lisa

[me and alice blog; dreamy whites blog; belle maison blog; cote ouest mag; 

hgtv; coastal living]

[ need a time-out? ]

I LOVE THE idea of having your own little spot to enjoy a cup of tea and where you can accessorize it to be a bit pretty and girly, even if the rest of your house isn't. Wouldn't one of these spaces be a perfect spot for a time-out?

lisa

[via chic coles blog; better homes and gardens; rikshaw design]

[ a sigh of relief ]

JUST OVER a week ago we woke up to an email telling us that everything back home wasn't ok. Nothing can compare to that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you are overseas, worried and you just want to be with your family. After about 24 hours of travelling, we were finally back in our hometown and after a fairly stressful week, I'm so relieved to say that thanks to medical miracles and lots of prayers, it looks like everything is going to be ok.

Thanks so much for all of your loving comments and emails - your thoughts and prayers have meant so much to me and I feel truly blessed to have such wonderful friends like you.... And if you have parents living nearby, give them a big hug today.

lisa

[ the unexpected ]

I'LL BE TAKING a little break while we attend to a family matter. It's times like these when it's hard to be so far from home. See you soon.

lisa

[ getting around ]

ONE OF THE things I love about travelling is seeing the various ways people get around in foreign countries. Of course Italy is always known for its Vespas, but we encountered all types of transportation during our Rome visit.

Our method of choice was walking but we did rent one of the bikes for 2 through the Borghese Gardens which was a lot of fun (though I kept trying to steer with my steering wheel even though it wasn't even connected to the wheels!)

lisa

[ a piece of history ]

ROME IS by far the most amazing city I've ever visited - the incredible history is almost difficult to wrap your brain around. The beautiful details are everywhere you look. Today's post is all about some of the historic places you really must visit while you're there. I literally took hundreds of photos so scaling down to one blog post was a challenge! Enjoy...

lisa