Country Farmhouse Christmas

We have spent the past few days in the country, outside of Peoria (Jon's hometown is Brimfield, a small town just outside Peoria).  We have been sharing a beautifully restored/updated farmhouse with Jon's mom and stepdad.  It is really a great place; I'll try to link in photos if Judy, Jon's mom, has time to show me how tomorrow (I'll have to remember to ask, because she is really computer savvy!  She sends us electronic greetings for every holiday that are so clever and beautiful.). 

We had been debating about whether to drive to Florida for Christmas or not because Jon doesn't get to see his mom nearly as much as I get to see my parents.  The situation worked out very well, though, when he located this great farmhouse on a home vacation rental site.  It has only been in use as a vacation rental a very short time (beginning of November) and so is still in its "new" stage.  The people who bought it live in California, but grew up across the street and always loved this house.  When it went up for sale recently, they bought it and updated the things that needed it (the two bathrooms have new fixtures, tile, etc.) and restored the things that needed it (the hardwood floors are gorgeous).  It is very nicely furnished:  the rugs are beautiful and thick, most of the beds are super comfy with that memory foam on them, warm and cozy bed linens, including thick and soft blankets under pretty quilts.

We have really been enjoying all the family that have been to visit and dine with us here.  Judy has been baking and cooking non-stop since she and Win arrived last Tuesday night from Florida.  She is an excellent cook and baker and we have eaten quite a bit of delicious food.  Quite a bit!  I'm so thankful that we didn't need to make that drive to Florida after all and that we came here instead.  It is really quiet and peaceful out here, and when there was a fresh snowfall last Thursday, it was just magical.  I don't love snow; in fact, I want to live someplace that rarely to never sees snow, but I must say that I do really love when the snow is coming down, so gently, in big flakes (which are really clumps of snowflakes stuck together), especially when landing on evergreen trees, which surround this house.  No matter which window you looked out on that day, it was just pastoral.  It made me feel very much like we had just moved here when the house was built, over 100 years ago, and that we were very far from "civilization."  I don't normally like that feeling of isolation, but it was actually nice for those two days.

I am not someone who can stay cooped up for a very long time, however, so today, Dartagnan and I headed out to take back the gloves I bought him for Christmas because they are not the pair he really wanted.  We ended up buying him a winter coat to replace the one that has been lost, a pair of dress shoes (his first pair since our wedding three years ago), and some t-shirts (everything was on sale!).  I went to lunch with him at Longhorn and my carnivore had an order of chili cheese fries, a 9 oz. steak, and root beer float.  The loaded baked potato and mac n cheese side dishes were too much for him to finish, so we brought them back here with my baked sweet potato (yum!).  I had a strawberry pecan salad, and we shared their warm, fresh bread.  It was so good!  After lunch, we headed out to the other mall (started at Grand Prairie and ended at Northwoods), and got a few more things.  One of the funny things that happened was that I purchased perfume at Macy's and when I unwrapped it to show Jon tonight, found that it was not the scent I intended to buy:  I wanted Eau Tranquility by Clarins and instead got something very similar, but not that.  It turns out that I really love this new scent too, so I'm keeping it.  That was a good "mishap!"

Well, I am absolutely wiped due to all the walking today, which felt so good to get out and move around more, so I'm headed to bed.  Getting up early tomorrow morning to make fruited oatmeal in the rice cooker and have to get the towels out of the dryer in the basement to fold and put away.