I knew this would happen ...

I finally began the completely UNinspiring task of UNdecorating our house today! In most year's past, this is what I accomplish every New Year's Day. And then after everything is all put away, I watch The Sound of Music ... because it's a great story ... and the scenery is breathtaking (I've always wanted to go to Austria!), Julie Andrews's voice is beautiful ... and Christopher Plumber's eyes ... whew! But this year, Mr. Jones and I were at a New Year's Eve party and didn't return home until almost two o'clock in the morning ~ AND our little grandchildren were still in town visiting again on January 2 ... I certainly didn't want to take all the pretty things down until the children had gone!

When I decorated our living room Christmas tree, I could NOT find my Willow Tree nativity ornament anywhere ... I looked and looked! I love this ornament, not only because it is beautiful and goes perfectly with our tree, but because it was given to me by my dear friend, Judi, who I worked with for years and years! I was really annoyed because not only was I missing this ornament, but I couldn't find my two beautiful angels that were given to me by another dear friend, Janice Marie! WHERE COULD THEY BE?!!

It turns out that both missing treasures were together UNDERNEATH a bag of pine cones in a discarded popcorn tin I was using for storage. I remember now that I put the pine cones there when I was tearing stuff down last year and plopped these two special gifts with them ... but neglected to label this tin. I took one peek in this tin weeks ago, saw the bag of pine cones, decided NOT to use them on the tree this year and never lifted up the bag to discover what lay underneath. I knew this would happen! I knew I would find these beautiful gifts when I was UNdecorating ... sigh. I really really wanted these displayed this year.

I made some small progress this afternoon. I took apart our small family tree and put all of the dining room decorations away. And I hauled all of the boxes out from under the stairway and brought them upstairs to the living room where TOMORROW I intend to UNdecorate everything else ... a laborious activity, but it must be done! I have already watched The Sound of Music ... a few nights ago with Mr. Jones ... I know this was completely out of the natural order of things, but I did it anyway.