As the name of my blog indicates, I spend a lot of time thinking about home. Of course, my Heavenly Home is the one that is eternal, so that’s where I need to lay up my treasures, and that’s the one I’m striving for. But in the meantime, I have been given this tiny piece of the here-and-now—this home on the edge of town, this family, this neighborhood—in which to serve Him. And, though this is in the earthly realm, I want the things that happen here to be investments in the Heavenly realm.




Wednesday, December 21, 2011

House Tour: Behind The Scenes

Many of you left such kind words when you visited the Old-Fashioned Farmhouse Christmas, and I am so happy that you enjoyed the tour! 

But I thought that you might want to take a peek at what went on behind the scenes. 

I must say that online house tours are perfect for procrastinators (like me). 

If it were a live tour, then I'd have to be ready at the appointed hour--house totally clean and organized, cookies already baked and artfully arranged, Ron and I dressed in our holiday best greeting you cheerfully at the front door. 

But for an online tour, the rules are different.  (Whew!)  You can move a bit of clutter out of camera range.  You don't have to bake at all.  You can take pictures while wearing your jammies.  And no one arrives at your house until you say so.  (If you're not ready when the hostess opens the Linky Party, you just don't link.) 

So on the day (yes, THE day...remember, I'm a procrastinator) of Melissa's Christmas Tour of Homes at The Inspired Room, I go into the living room to turn on my new pre-lit Christmas tree...and it wasn't pre-lit or any other kind of lit.  No. lights. at. all. 

I call Ron at work and tell him that today is the day of the house tour and what can I do with this tree that doesn't light.  For some reason, he doesn't think that I am weird, and calmly does some absentee trouble shooting.  I decide to turn the situation over to clear-headed Kati (who has had her own tour of her Christmas-y crafty bedroom ready to go for days), and she and Ron have several phone conferences.

Meanwhile, I snap pics all around, avoiding one certain dark-ish corner of the house.

Here is dear Kati, hard at work learning some mechanical and electrical skills...   



There were a few many bloopers, like this one with pajama-clad Bekah running into the room and some table clutter visible in the background...

...and this one where my lack of photography skill was "glaringly" obvious.



And then there was Pinky, who seemed to be everywhere.  (There is really just one Pinky.)



When I had finally finished taking pictures and went about the business of doing my hair, I cut a gash in my finger with a tube of  hair gel.  Really.  I couldn't make this up.

But at the end of the day, the tree was alight, the post was up, and my finger had (mostly) stopped bleeding. 

Surely next year I'll get ready earlier.  Right? 

(I think I hear the laughter of my loved ones...)

7 comments:

  1. I can totally relate!

    Thanks for your comment about our trip to NYC. I didn't get any photos of the American Girl store, my camera is a mess, and the rest of them were in a different part of the city at that point!

    Deanna

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  2. This sounds like what goes on here when doing a photo shoot, Cheryl! I love the Christmas tree with the glare. Oh! the things we girls do for blogland, we must care for each other pretty much ~smilie~ as I do you.

    Enjoyed your Sunday snapshots! Did I tell you dh and I are for adoption, ! It looks like so much fun at your home!
    Merry Christmas Cheryl,
    love,
    Sue

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  3. Glad to hear about this (and glad it turned out so well)! Every photo I do has the clutter cropped out....but hey, that's what blogs are for, to remind us of the good and happy parts -- (I'm talking to myself here). Your cat's photo omnipresence makes me laugh :) Merry Christmas!

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  4. Just the sort of day I could have. Your kitty must be a young'un. Mine is older and mostly under the tree 24/7 these days. Lovely tree, lovely home, lovely sense of humor even though I'm sure that the gash to the finger hurt something fierce. Merry on!

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  5. Oh, Cheryl, you made my day! :-D

    Kim :-)

    (Who often shoves debris out of the way to take photos for her blog.)

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  6. Cheryl I always enjoy your post. Thanks for sharing your day and home with us! This year our pre-lit tree would not light all over just in spots so after a couple of hours of Bryan and I changing bulbs I decided that the lights must come off and I put two strings of lights on and then some days later finally got on to decorating it which I am pleased to say Aaron did almost all by himself!! He loves to decorate the tree and is very good at it. Merry Christmas my friend to you and your family! My life is Blessed because you are in it!!:)

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  7. Cheryl, I LOVE this post. You are so "real". I think all of us can relate to the kind of day you were having, and to the "benefits" of online sharing vs. having anyone actually seeing what is going on behind the scenes. I always love your pictures! Each one is a little gift because it gives us a look into your beautiful world. I feel so honored to have seen your Christmas decorations with my very own eyes!

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