I got a new computer yesterday! It is for home and I'm very excited because it is by far the nicest computer I have ever had. I like computers, that must come as a shock to anyone bothering to read this. I am also very proud because I set it up without the help of my wonderful younger brother. In the past he has always come over and set my computer up. I wanted to be independent this time and I'm pretty psyched at the result. Wow, does this new computer move fast too!

I have a label maker and I labeled each cord so that I know what the heck is plugged into the power strip and what is plugged into the back of the computer (without snaking and seeking). I'm so damn happy! I got my internet running without a hitch! Now I just need to get my PDA synced into Outlook and my photo files stored (I have Photoshop on my new computer so I'm eager to organize and get started, then I can print off my backlog and put them in albums for viewing pleasure.

The new computer is pretty cool since we upgraded to a 19 inch digital monitor and the PC itself can be used to view DVDs and TV (once we get our cable video hookup rocking). My husband helped, but I'm thrilled WE did it on our own.

Sometimes it is fun to get new stuff!!!

Also.....

I had to put up my parent's Christmas decorations this year and the task was a billion times easier due to how the decorations were taken down last year. The trick is to take down one area at a time and pack it away labeled by where it goes. So if you have 3 trees you would label the totes or boxes as follows: living room tree, dining room tree, family room tree. My mom was a decorating maniac so she also had front hall, bathroom, and kitchen decoration totes. Another tote for was Christmas only type linens (like hand and kitchen towels). Candles and holly rings were stored with the seasonal candle holders.

By breaking down decorations into totes that are labeled you have the choice of putting them up in stages without having to dig through a big box of lights, or ornaments. A little organization keeps you from having to resort and organize each year. You can always change things -- but if you have old standbys this is a great way to make decorating more of a pleasure than a chore. I did this at my house last year when I took down the decorations and this year it was easy for me to pick and choose what I felt like putting up (I scaled back a bit and it was easy since my stuff was organized by room and area).

Here is another thing to consider: My mom passed away at the end of April. She had organized all of her decorations in the above manner LAST Christmas. My dad hosted the Christmas Eve party he and my mom hosted for about the last 15 years. He had the party and everyone was shocked at how good the house looked. We decorated the way he wanted it -- the same way my mom had. All of the family and guests were comforted by the familiar (with a few variances). We felt my mom there with us. When people asked how we did it. My dad explained how my mom had organized everything and how it made it so much easier for all of us to decorate without her (she had done it by herself 100% every year and enjoyed doing it). Her organization was a gift that made a challenging Christmas more pleasant and less painful.

Going through this made me realize even more how I want my legacy to my kids to be like my mom's. I want them to have the comfort of the familiar and the choice to follow or tweak it. Things will evolve and change, but having the basic outline was such a gift to us. Control journals (I prefer "flight plan") and organized homes are a gift to our families. Labeled totes allow me to decorate for each season and without the drama of finding things that are spread through the house. Tablecloths, towels, pictures, door wreathes, and other seasonal items can be stored together vs. spread through linen closets and such. By organizing my life this way I'm flying through the seasons and enjoy decorating for holidays like Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Independence Day, and Halloween. I can find what I need easily and decorate when the mood strikes me. (I'm not a hostage to it -- I only decorate IF it strikes me!)

Wishing you all many blessings in 2006! Who would have thought the way decorations are put away could be such a blessing?