Leaf Peeping and Farmhouse Organizing

When we moved to NC in early July, we were in the middle of one of the wettest summers on record. I think that first month we were here, the rain topped 20" for the month. August was pretty wet too, and we had hoped that despite all of the torrential downpours, that the leaves would still be brilliant this fall. Well, sadly, they aren't that spectacular. In fact, the leaves that didn't just fall off while still green are spotted with fungus and mold and the colors are pretty muted this year. 

Having said all of that, leaf peeping even ugly spotted leaves while living in the mountains is still pretty awesome. My mom came up this weekend and we took a short break from house stuff on Saturday afternoon to take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some of the mountains were still really green, while some were completely naked already but there were some patches of color here and there. The views were awesome either way!! 

I am still in the trying to get everything organized and put away phase of this  move and while I'm mostly done, I am waiting until it's all complete before taking pictures. It's been a slow process and I had hoped to be all done by now but life happens. 

I have been busy getting both Etsy shops back up and running, concentrating mostly on my Christmas shop, since it's only 2 months until Christmas. I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by!! I am excited to bring all of my Christmas decorations up from SC in the next few weeks and get busy decking the halls. It will be the first Christmas since 2009 that I've really been able to decorate the way I like. I don't think I did anything in 2010 (separated from the ex and I think he may have put the tree up) and then in 2011, I was living in the small apartment so no decorations. I did put up my white tree last year in my office but that was it. This year? Yeah, I am going all out!! There is room for my white tree, the main room tree, a mantel, a huge front porch with tons of rails. I know the man is going to think I've lost my mind but hey, it's what I do. lol 






 

Vintage Gurley Candles

I found a large glittery Gurley tree this week!!! My first Christmas Gurley of the season. I was so excited to get my paws on that little baggie of vintage goodness. 

It goes great with my other Gurley Christmas candles: 

And a few weeks ago, I had the extreme pleasure of finding an entire baggie of Gurley Thanksgiving candles. I have never ever found even one Thanksgiving Gurley's in all my years of thrifting so this thrilled me -- 3 turkeys and a pilgrim  boy & girl! So excited to add them to my collection. 

And last but not least, the giant jack o lantern I found the other year. I ::heart:: it so much! 

I still haven't decorated for Christmas -- probably won't. Don't feel like digging through my bff's garage for all of the stuff. 

And, I think after the first of the year, I'm moving home to SC. I haven't decided if it will be in January or in April when our lease is up. I am incredibly homesick and so tired of living up here away from  my parents and sister and niece. I will miss the thrifting opportunities here but it's so much more affordable to live there. I never in a billion years thought I'd *want* to move home but the fact is that I want to live somewhere that I can afford to maybe one day own a house, somewhere that's affordable enough that I can go on vacation a couple of times a year, somewhere that doesn't cost $1500/mo just for a stupid apartment with no yard and a lease that allows the landlord and maintenance 24/7 access to your house with no warning and no courteous call beforehand. 

I am praying that the honey can find a job there and will consider moving but if he chooses to stay in MD, I will understand. I just feel like I've given up so much over the years by being a military wife and having lived so far from my family and it's time to think about what will make ME happy. So much weighing on my mind but I think this is what I need to do. It doesn't have to be permanent but I've lived away from my hometown for over 8 years now, five of which I've been stuck here alone in MD so it's time to go home.