Monday Morning Wrap Up

Good morning. Wow, this Monday came quick. My son is back at school (which he is just thrilled about) and we are back to the routine. Which actually feels nice. We woke up to a light dusting of snow and cold temps so it feels fitting to get some work down around the house. We had company the last few days so getting our Christmas decor packed up.

DASHER

With family in town, we spent some time exploring the area. We always love taking our friends and family to Leiper’s Fork. A quaint town with a handful of shops, including Dasher. It was a holiday market open for the season. They have different vendors with amazing pieces.

TRIPLE CROWN BAKERY

If you visit Downtown Franklin, be sure to head to Triple Crown Bakery (just off Main Street). Their selection of sweets and cakes is amazing and they have tea service. The Paris tea is delicious.

GRAY’S ON MAIN

O Be Joyful and Gray’s on Main are great spots to hit up as well. I have a complete guide to Nashville and the surrounding areas in this post. There is even a one page cheat sheet you can take with you when visiting. I hope it’s helpful.

PACKING UP OUR GARLAND & WREATHS

If you are slowly still packing things away like we are, you might want to grab these bags. I store all of my garlands and wreaths in them (and we have a lot). I was able to put nine garlands in one + the small dining chair wreaths. In the other, I have four of our large wreaths. Then I store these bags on top of our other Christmas bins. It’s worked really well for the past two years.

I also love these clear bags. I put our extra long stair garlands in these. If you prefer the round, this may be a great option.

This year I finally realized it would be smart to bundle each set of garland and tie a note on them for where they go. In the past I just threw them all together. So now I will know which go on the mantel, table, stairs, etc. I hope this little tip helps.

I had a few questions about what garland we have. Here is what we love to use:

• wreaths (I think I have 4 or 5 I love them so much)
• extra long garland for our stairs
• shorter version I use on tables and mantels
• this one is great to mix in and add variation

One of the nights we had company we had been going all day and it was so chilly out. I made this quick and scrumptious soup. Is it the healthiest recipe, nope. But it sure is a crowd pleaser. You can find the recipe here.

I received the sweetest message from a reader saying she made these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Bars and they were devoured. Making another batch for her son and college friends’ ski trip. Love to hear this. You can find the recipe here.

JUST FYI

These are the only no show socks I wear. They are so comfy and stay on your feet. I had to give up the ones that are much smaller and lower on the foot. They just didn’t work for me. These are on sale so I am restocking and grabbing for Riley.

ORGANIZATIONAL STAPLE

I am definitely in the mood to purge and pair down. These are the bins we use in our closets for out of season clothes or keepsakes me have held onto (I have one for each of our children . . . baby clothes, etc.). They have been wonderful in case you are needing to get a bit more organized.

Planning to resume my newsletter this week. If you haven’t already done so, you can sign up here. I share from the heart and keep it short and sweet. It goes out on Thursday evenings. And if you missed this week’s Saturday Shopping, you can find it here. This velvety soft throw was the fan favorite.

As I type this, the snowflakes are coming down. Time to pour another cup of tea and ease into the day. I hope you have a lovely start to your morning.