Testing The Waters

On every street in every neighborhood discarded Christmas tree's litter the sidewalks. Just a couple weeks before these same tree's stood in living rooms and were adorned with lights, tinsel and ornaments. Oh how the mighty have fallen! Stripped of their baubles and abandoned they now serve as harsh reminders that the holiday's are in fact over. NOW WHAT? After taking down all the decorations I looked around my home and for some reason it appeared larger in size. Why? I asked myself. I mean I knew it was the same square footage but why did it look and feel larger to me? Yes, the Christmas decorations have been taken down and the space that was once filled with Holiday adornments now seem stark and bare - which can create a more spacious feel - but I think its more than that. I think my home feels larger because it is still glowing with the Holiday Spirit. This season we entertained in our home, we hosted Thanksgiving and a couple Christmas parties as well. We ...

As a country we are all still trying to process the shooting at Sandy Hook - understanding the why of it all is beyond comprehension.  At any time of year Sandy Hook would be unbearable but the fact that it happened during Christmas makes it even more gut wrenching. The image of families with gifts under the trees for their beautiful little angels, gifts that will never be opened... breaks my heart.  I am no stranger to dealing with death, both my parents died by the time I was six.  The holes that their deaths left in my life have never been filled,  my mourning still continues to this day although it changes, it transitions with each year that passes but it is still ever present.  Photo of my parents - they were going to their Engagement party TAKEN TOO SOON Sandy Hook made me think about my Dad's death beca use he died as a result of a  senseless act of violence, he  was killed with a single gunshot wound to his h ead. When...