The Christmas Clean out

I get crazy wild hairs in my you know what sometimes. I decided (just a few short weeks before Christmas) that our attic and guest room closet needed to be cleaned out. I have an incredible knack for timing.

Everything that we dont have a place for gets tossed into either the attic or closet. I think I've attempted a clean out before but this time it was for real! Probably because I realized that we wouldn't be able to get the big Christmas tree out of the attic unless we cleaned out some things. AND since Santa will soon be here, we needed to get rid of some old toys.


Lantis went out of town for a week before Thanksgiving and I decided the closet would be my chore. It was packed with cocktail and dressy dresses that call for special occasions and several of my old pageant dresses and lots of my old school projects and boards. (I have an interior design degree for those who dont know and in school we were required to do projects, drawings and color boards that take up way too much space...and took up way too much of my social time back then) So....most of that stuff had to go.

I cleared out the closet and then the attic. I took re-sale-able things to a consignment shop, I made a big Hannah Home pile (which still needs to be picked up) and I made a trash pile (which is still waiting on L to dispose of). I also have a few things still sitting in wait in either the attic or closet that need to be put on craigslist or in our next yard sale. Now the closet and attic are in much better shape and Lantis came home to a much less cluttered home. :)

In addition to the clean out I also was able to get most of the Christmas decor up while Lantis was gone, so he not only came home to a cleaner house, but a decorated one. Funny that when he's gone I get tons accomplished...just saying...

Over the four day weekend we just had I guess the cleaning spirit came over Lantis as well and he started cleaning out the garage! It looks cleaner than it ever has! The tools are all put away and on shelves or in cabinets. The riding toys are all neatly arranged, the old HVAC tools have been sent on to a new owner (YAY!), the golf/hunting/and tailgating stuff has all been neatly put away, and the Costco area (the shelves where I keep our bulk food, paper products, and cleaning supplies) has been neatly organized--so much so that it freed up a couple of extra shelves for Hudsons smaller outdoor toys.

We still have a lot that we probably don't need and could get rid of. I still have a few more boxes and things to sort through but I think I've done as much as I'm going to do before the end of the year. This will suffice for now.

Its amazing what 5 years in a home and a baby will do to your storage areas.

Now...we're redecorating the living room. I know. This was a very sudden project. I have wanted new tables in the living room for awhile and Lantis said if we could sell them we could start over. Lo and behold, I mentioned to a friend that I wanted to sell them and they wanted to buy them! We just delivered all of our occasional tables--coffee table, end tables, and console table--to our friends over the weekend. Currently we have no tables or surfaces in our living room so I hope no one comes in and expects to have somewhere to set down their drink. :) I have no idea what I'm going to get to replace those things. I did buy a new rug, I'm moving some of our artwork and paintings around to make things feel new, the stereo is holding up a lamp, installed a new TV and I'm shopping for tables. That's as far as we've come so far. I will keep you updated on project clean out and redecorate. I'll post pics when I'm finished!

Oh Christmas Tree

I really wish the lights had been on in this pic...

Thankful for my little helper

This past weekend was Thankgiving holiday. I wish I could tell you about all the fabulous things that we did, but that would be a lie. Other than a couple of family gatherings, a couple hours of Christmas shopping on Black Friday and photo shoots we stayed at home all weekend. We had a little lazy time, a little movie time, a little kitchen cooking time and a some cleaning/organizing time.

See...a couple of weeks ago I started a cleaning out and organizing project which will have to be a post all on its own because its that ridiculous. We trudged through a few to-dos on my list and I felt like we got a lot accomplished.

Sunday morning Hudson helped me make homemade biscuits or bippits as he says. You've heard me say before and I'll say it again: HE LOVES TO HELP!!!!!! He gets crazy with his desire to be involved. Even when I tell him I'm doing something that he can't help with, he starts literally climbing the cabinets to get up and watch and TRY to help. It dawned on me that he would probably LOVE flouring, rolling, and cutting out biscuits so we dove in--elbow deep in flour. And he loved it! I threw the bippits in the oven and left out a handful of dough for him to play with while they were baking. He made snakes, turtles and balls with his dough. He almost didn't want to stop playing with it long enough to enjoy the wonderful warm fruits of his labor.

Anyway, this is a good example of our Hudson-centered weekend. I am so thankful for him. He lights up my life and brings true joy into every moment. We love that boy so much and he absolutely steals my heart every day. I know you other moms can relate!! Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Fur-real

I have a new love affair with fur. Yes, fur. I never thought I'd wish for another fur coat after my infamous white rabbit fur coat I owned as a young girl (that I wore until the sleeves were up to my elbows) but friends, it has happened. I think it all started a few weeks ago with Rachel Zoe. She is constantly in fur, animal prints, and ridiculously obnoxious and huge faux fur collars. (Faux fur of course since PETA likes to throw paint on celebrities in real animal fur) Then I saw Kate Hudson wearing a vintage fur coat very similar to this one. How cute would this be with jeans, boots, and a casual shirt?

I am loving this little Cruella Deville number for a dressy occassion...

Oh friends, I DIE FOR THIS ONE...I'm digging her hat too!

Hello grey coat that I would wear even in July because you are so gorgeous.

Fork for me, knife for you

Hudson is Mr Helpy Helperson. He wants to be a part of everything we're doing. There are so many times that I find myself getting frustrated with him because he wants to be right in the middle of what I'm trying to accomplish. Whether its cooking, laundry, cleaning, you name it, he wants to help! When its just not feasible for him to help me, he ends up acting out and then ends up in time out. I get so mad at myself for not accommodating his desire to be included.

One chore I've given him lately that he has totally embraced, (and gives me a few minutes to deal with things on the stove) is setting the table. He takes such pride in whatever job he is doing. I really should video it because its quite comical. He places everything on the floor, takes inventory and then places everything in front of a chair. First plates, then utensils, then napkins. Here are a few pics I snapped with my phone while he was working so diligently at making our table a place for our family to gather.

step one: plates, step two: utensils

note that he's standing on a napkin while placing utensils

ready for tacos--Hudson style

I love the way he places our forks perpendicular to the plates. Its truly heartwarming to sit down to a table that those sweet little hands have helped make.

Samson and a Happy Horseman

We had a cowboy catastrophe last night. The lone ranger's horse was broken in half. Of course, such things tend to occur, when bent forcefully over one's knee....just saying. Maybe I should have named him Samson.

The broken horse.

Luckily we in the Hollis house believe in the power of tape--duct, scotch, electrical and the like. For now, this little buckaroo is back on the saddle.

The happy horseman.

Sunday Fun Day Phone Pics-Edition 3-on Monday

so much to comment on here, but I'll just say: nice bike...and wings

Bear Bear makes a great pillow.

Bear Bear also makes a great time out companion. I do not allow Bear in time out, but he was somehow sneaked into the corner without my knowledge.

Has anyone heard of a recent gorilla escape from the zoo?

I wish I could sleep like this.

we voted!

Hudson measuring the coffee table for me. Long story, but I'm selling these tables to get a new...something. I dont want a table. I am thinking a trunk or drum, or something off the wall. I'll keep you updated on the coffee table replacement search.

Thank goodness we have a handy man around this house.

Since I'm always incredibly lazy on Sundays, I've failed to keep up with my Sunday Fun Day Phone Pics. So...here it is on Monday instead. Enjoy!

Pumpkin. Monster. Lion. Racoon.

I guess its a sign that Hudson is slightly indecisive when we've changed Halloween costume ideas 4 times in 4 weeks. I can't imagine where he gets that.

I started thinking about a costume back in oh...May or June. I asked Hudson what we would like to dress up in for Halloween and he said a "punkin"! Everything looked very big boy-ish or very little boy-ish.

Then Jamie posted on her facebook that she was selling her boys' little monster costumes from last year. They are adorable (both the costumes and the boys that wore them!)! So I thought I'd hit the jack pot. Then we were never able to make our schedules match up (aka: I am so busy I can't find 10 minutes in my scchedule to stop and meet her on the way home from work). So on to the next idea...

I again asked Hudson what he wanted to be for Halloween because Mommy really needed to buy something. He said " A lion! ROOAAARRRR!!!". There's no reasonably priced lion costume out there that looks decent. On to idea number four...

I gave him time to forget about the lion idea and asked again what he wanted to be and he said a "RaccOON!" There was a recent episode at my in laws' house with a raccoon, so we think raccoons are cool now. For two more weeks he consistently said he wanted to be a raccoon, so I knew I had to deliver. If I'd shown up with a lion, monster or any other costume it would have been a huge bust and would have resulted in the melt down of the century and worst mom award for me.  Now where to find a raccoon?

My mom who happens to be the worlds most creative grandmother in the world, that's where! Mom created a little hat, tail, and mask that was a big success.

Since Lantis and I were out of town all weekend so believe it or not we actually haven't seen him in his raccoon gear and didn't get to take him trick or treating, but dont feel bad for him. He was with the grandparents, my sister, and his cousins all weekend and I assure you that he had more fun with them than he ever would have with us. I think they crashed every fall festival in St Clair County and did plenty of trick or treating. I am so thankful for my precious family and my precious little raccoon.

When we take Hudson out this week to our friends' houses to trick or treat you know I'll get plenty of good pics. For now, here is a pic from my mom's phone:

Hallowdega

We needed a little bit of fun and I think we should be more careful what we ask for! We had too much fun this weekend.

We attended a costume party at  The Hamer's lake house. What fun that was!! Most everyone participated and dressed up. We had great food, fun and music .

All the crazies that dressed up! :)

Bret Michaels and his groupie. :) I know my hand looks deformed. Just look away.

Jason Courson and the band serenaded us into the night.

Heidi and Jonathon absolutely cracked me up! Great costumes.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday we attended the NASCAR race at Talladega. Again, SO MUCH FUN! We got hooked up with some hot pit passes so we were able to get up close and personal with everyone.  Saturday night Denny Hamlin's rental car was left over at the Hamer's house and somehow Lantis and I ended up driving it back to the track on Sunday. Luckily he left his rental paper work in the car. Otherwise no one would have believed that it was Denny's vehicle and we wouldn't have even made it past the first gate much less to the motorcoach!

The fortunate remainder of Denny's rental car paperwork which got us through the gates.

Hangin' outside the motorcoach getting ready for the race to start.

Brian's car tools and stuff in the garage.

Denny's pit

waiting on driver introductions

Jeff workin the crowd

Us and Montoya. Lantis is obsessed with anything/anyone spanish.

Lantis and his crush, Jamie Little.

Us on pit road.

Me and Jeff

Me and Jimmie

Race time!

watching a pit stop. So cool!

Becky driving the golf cart with a hi-jacked "tow" sign from Denny.

National anthem with Gordon and his crew.

Inside Jeff's hauler.