So...yesterday it was closets, and today the project was a little bigger: the annual undecoration.

Does anyone else dislike this task? Our family's distaste for putting the decorations away is usually evident each year when we get out the decorations and see the sorry state in which we left them. This year was particularly bad, as many ornaments were broken, sets of things were packed with little regard to companion pieces, and some things were just plain missing, found later in odd corners of the house. Not a happy way to start the holidays!

Well, '07 will be different. Today's task was done with much care and accompanied by lots of "freshening" that made the chores lengthy but pleasant. Nearly all hands were on deck as we worked from 10 until 4. And tonight, the house has been returned to its non-holiday state and a huge stack of Rubbermaid buckets is ready to go to the garage. (Minus candles, which I again made the mistake of storing out there this year...they were a total loss, of course: this IS south Texas!)

The only other thing on my "to do" list that got accomplished today was a photo order. While Johanna was here for Christmas, she took Shelley out and shot a couple of hundred beautiful pictures. You've probably never seen Johanna's work, but it's just magnificent. And how in the world am I supposed to choose a reasonable number when she is SOOOO good? Three hours later, I'm down to seventy or so...