oh my, oh my!

Okay you guys--I know I was there at market to select it all, but I assure you, it's as though I've never seen it before! It's all so beautiful! I tell you, no one does Christmas like Midwest--Seasons of Cannon Falls, Two's Company and TAG.

A team of dedicated friends and I started the process at 1 p.m. on Sunday. As usual, the biggest consumption of our time has been placing price tags on all of these beautiful items. It's, by far, the least fun job, but oh so necessary. The only benefit of this time suck, from this proprietor's perspective, is hearing all of the comments about the good pricing on such unique items. Sure, there is the obvious benefit of consumers being able to find pricing, but it really helps to hear that your inventory is fairly, competitively priced.

There is the usual amount of silliness and fun that surrounds this type of activity. We're having fun and getting into the holiday spirit. Christmas Cd's are playing; white lights are illuminating everything and then some; pine bows and berries are bedecking the proverbial halls .

This is all coming together, as I mentioned earlier, thanks to my dear friends (sure, some of them are the "paid" variety, aka "employees") Hodgepodge is becoming a holiday inspiration for all. Everyone takes on their own tasks: the windows, a tree, price tags (the precious price tags!), a dining table and arranging the extra ornaments and accessories for ease of selection.

So why do these dear people take time away from their families and schedules to help me accomplish this yearly task? I can assure you it's not the constant up and down on the ladders, the searching for an available outlet--or extension cord to reach it. It's not the precise placement of price tags. It's not the insidious Styrofoam peanuts. Although they each claim to have their own reasons for assisting, I'm convinced that the main reason I get so much help decorating Hodgepodge for the holidays is the opportunity to have first dibs on the selection of ornaments.

I don't care why they do it--I just care that they care!

So "THANK YOU!" Thanks to Kendall (my sister), Jennifer, Kate, (a surprise appearance by) Michele, Tonya, Taylor, and (the newest member of our family), Patty; oh, and Meagan (hope I spelled that right)--a friend of Michele's. You guys are gems and give me much to be thankful for all year long, but especially at this time of year! I am so very blessed!

I'm going to go ahead and post this--I'll add photos later.

I hope to see you on Wednesday--if you can't make it this week, please stop by for our Open House on Sunday, Nov 18th.

Thanks for your indulgence!
~Paige