Currently December

Hip Hip Hooray for December!  I'm linking up with Farley for this month's currently- check it out!

Need some explanation?

1.  We moved in on September 7.  We had no mail until October 12.  We still don't have a place to store the mail that comes in the door.  All the mail ends up in a pile until someone decides to open it, several days later.  Clearly, we need a better system.

2. You know the movie with Danny DeVito and Matthew Broderick, where they have a Christmas decoration competition?  I can sense that starting to happen with my husband and the guy across the street.  His house looks like it belongs in Better Homes and Gardens.  We need to step up our game!

3. So, my amazing father-in-law renovated our downstairs for us.  It looks beautiful!  Today we brought our couch (that was upstairs until reno was over) downstairs, so now our upstairs living room is empty.  Houzz, here I come!

4.  Now that we have a gorgeous family room to hang out in, I am itching to use our fireplace. Except I've never had one before, so I know nothing about them.  Apparently some wood is better than others.  Is there a fireplace for dummies book?

5. See 3 and 4.  Reno = dust.  I can deal with clutter but I cannot deal with dust.  I will gladly pay whatever is needed for someone to come and un-dust my house.

6. I love Christmas Eve.  My nanny makes crisps, which are similar to zeppoles, but without the sugar.  For non-Italians, they are fried balls of dough that are amazing and addicting.  Anyway! On Christmas Eve everyone brings a gift (sometimes $25, this year is more- oh boy!!) and puts it in a pile.  We draw numbers and whoever goes first picks a gift, then number two has the chance to steal or pick.  If number two steals, number one gets to pick again.  You would think we hate each other from all the screaming going on in my aunt's basement...but we are actually a very loving, very loud, very happy Italian family!

Happy December!