'Tis the Season...

To experience and successfully drive through the first ice storm of the year. To register for wedding gifts. Multiple places. And be surprised every time at just how long it takes (though what could one expect during a very busy shopping time?).

To hear from Bernie Dunlap, President of Wofford College, how he convinced his Tryon neighbors to get him out of his mountain driveway with a SnoCat because he had to get to Wofford to watch the Terriers beat the Gamecocks and then see them do just that on the basketball court in a thrilling victory. First time since 1939.

To eat dessert- lots and lots of dessert. The best a tie between those at our dear friend Ms. Ruby's house (Richard is pictured with her incredible chocolate cake, Elvis cake, and sweet potato pie) and the yummy cranberry and pear bread pudding at the Hare in the Hound in Landrum.

To hop from family and friends' homes to extend Christmas greeting in person- six on Christmas Eve and Christmas and to remember again how good it is to be at home. To discover super fun Christmas lights right off I-26. 360 Foster Road in Inman, SC. Thank goodness for the Garmin.

To have Christmas Eve lunch at McAlister's. And thoroughly enjoy it.

To become slightly obsessed with Straight No Chaser's version of the 12 Days of Christmas. Would love to see Clemson's Tigeroar perform this arrangement.



To not send Christmas cards out until today, December 28th, even this late only send a very few that doubled as thank-you notes. To be perfectly content to cheer on the Tigers in the Music City bowl with family in Ohio by a warm fire and watch the snow through the window instead of sitting in the snow in Nashville. After a busy week of running from one thing to another, to be reminded of the reason for the season during the candlelight Christmas Eve service. To be oh-so-thankful to go through this Christmas season knowing that it will be my last as a single gal.

And to celebrate that engagement with a holiday party for local family and friends! Couldn't pick just one picture to include, so I put together a slideshow. It was the perfect way to see so many people who are special to us, and the time with them passed to soon!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Richard has been home since Friday evening- he barely escaped the DC blizzard, and we were SO thankful for that!- and we have gone non-stop since his arrival, registering at different places and trying to get wedding plans coordinated. In the midst of all that though, our parents threw us the most wonderful engagement/Christmas party last night. Richard's parents usually have a Christmas party at their house, and this year invited my parents to join in on the hosting and just added the engagement celebration component too! We invited our dear hometown friends and friends from school in the area for the holidays and ended up with the most fun mix of people there, many of whom we had not seen in quite some time!

I have wonderful pictures that I will post soon, but wanted to link to a few on Sarah's blog for a sneak peek. She continues to be my blogging inspiration, and we always love spending time with her and her hubby!

http://smithsintheboro.blogspot.com/2009/12/congratulations-beth-and-richard.html

scenes from the season

Last night I hosted the Clemson Women's Alumni Council Ornament Exchange at my house, and I thought I'd post pictures I took during and after the party. For the last three Christmases that Hannah has been my roommate, we have had an elaborate North Pole village, multiple themed trees, and a garland and ornament-lined mantle. Everything always looked beautiful and was perfectly done, and I simply served as a direction-taking elf in the decorating process. Now that Hannah has a lovely house of her own, Suzanne and I were left to be creative with just a few Christmas decorations to our names.

Since I knew the Clemson ladies were coming over (and to show myself I could do it without Hannah!), I tried to infuse as much Christmas cheer possible in our home. Suzanne bought our 6-foot tree at the Wal-Mart, and I filled in with decorations from Target, Hobby Lobby and Carolina Pottery, along with some fresh flowers from Fresh Market. My dear, dear friend Rebecca made the most gorgeous magnolia wreath to go over the sofa (we told her she should sell them next year) that served as the pièce de résistance. The end result was not quite as elaborate as Miss Hannah's, but not too shabby! I won't be there at all over Christmas to enjoy the decoratons but hoped you kind blog readers (if you are still out there- it's been a while!) could enjoy them virtually!

Southern Living at Home holiday door bucket and garland on stairs

pretty lit garland

pretty Clemson ladies- aforementioned Hannah is 3rd from left,

wreath-making Rebecca on far right next to Hannah

wreaths with candy cane ribbon were in both kitchen windows

(house is a rental- not my wall paper choice!)

decorated tree-

notice fun engagement gift from Candy in back right corner with my new initials!

mantle with very colorful ornament trees

so nice to have a clean, decorated house- even if just for a night! ;)