Nesting

Despite the fact that I am 100% NOT pregnant, I’m in a nesting mood. Yesterday I spent the afternoon rearranging my den. I think I moved my sofa four times before settling on a new location that works. I had it in my mind that after so much moving of furniture, NOTHING would end up back in its original spot. I like the new arrangement, and if I get around to getting my camera out, I might show you some pictures. The problem is that I still need to have a chair reupholstered, have new pillows made for the sofa, and window treatments, too. I think I’m going to have to bite the bullet and consult a professional, because I don’t want to get it wrong. I just don’t trust my own taste enough. So, we’ll see what happens there. Merry Christmas to me, right?

Continuing in my domestic fury, I have spent the better part of today cooking. I managed to make Ina Garten’s (you know, The Barefoot Contessa) tomato basil soup, as well as a white bean and chicken chili. (Please note that if you decide to make this soup, make sure you use the proper amount of crushed red pepper, and don’t just dump like, a tablespoon of it in accidentally. I’m just going to mention that it will make your soup very spicy. Even if you try really hard to take out the excess pepper flakes.)

The soup is for my lunches the rest of the week,and the chili is for dinner tonight. For all of us, not just the grown ups. I have declared this a No Kid Food house, as of this week. I am just so over cooking dinner for the kids at 5:30 and then cooking for us at 8pm. So, now the kids are offered the same things we’re having. If they like it, great. If not, too bad. It seems like a tough approach, but honestly, I never got a separate dinner, and I'm happy to report that I’m a pretty adventurous eater. The best part of this new plan is that I’m forced to get our dinners prepared in the afternoons, when Davis is napping, so that hungry, tired kids can eat when they need to, and the adults can eat later. It’s a good system, freeing up some time for me in the evenings, which I like.

Okay, so. Soup and chili are made, kitchen is (mostly) clean. Now I just need to start decorating for Christmas. Last year, something really big and extraordinary happened. I did the unthinkable and bought a pre-lit Christmas tree. Oh, it was such a glorious day. I had fought the urge for years and years, and then finally, I just got fed up with strapping the tree to the top of the car, stringing up all the lights (well, okay, the Husband did these things, but still). We got an amazing deal on a 9’ faux Frazier Fir, and I love, love, love it. It is so nice to know that this year, all we have to do is haul Frazier down from the attic, assemble his 3 pieces, and add ornaments. It really is a huge relief.

One more thing. I somehow got suckered in to hosting appetizers for a neighboorhood progressive dinner this Friday night. I have a babysitter coming to the house to watch the kids while we entertain and then progress to the other houses. Now I just need to come up with a few good h’ours d’ourves, and maybe a festive holiday cocktail.  (Pomegranate Martinis?) For some reason, h’ours ‘dourves are my weak point in cooking, and I just don’t know what do have. There will be a main dish and a dessert and the later houses, so I don’t want to totally fill everyone up. I’m really thinking I’ll just go to Costco and see what already-prepared deliciousness I can pass off as my own. Any ideas from you guys?