Perfection Pending

By Meredith Ethington

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Christmas Humor Motherhood Parenting Perfection Uncategorized

Reality VS. Pinterest-A Holiday Home Tour of Sorts

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Recently, I started a part-time job. I’m loving it. And, it has to do with blogging. Get this…I work for another blogger! It’s really fun, and she is such a sweet person and has like 5 million more followers than me or something. So, I’ve learned a lot too! In the process though, I’ve also been looking at a lot of crafts, DIY projects, and holiday home tours. I can now say that looking at pinterest is part of my job. “Yeah, honey. I’m working.” wink wink.

So, when you spend a lot of time looking at pretty and perfect things all day, you can start to feel a little bit loser-ish. I’ve even been tempted at this insanely busy time of year to go to Michael’s and purchase items for crafts!! Ahem, I don’t do crafts, remember? Except for this time. And, this one. But, still, everyone makes it all look so simple! Sure, I can make a reindeer statue out of styrofoam. Really, I can.

One thing I’ve noticed right now is the trend toward holiday home tours. I love them. I’m one of those weird people that if you leave your blinds open with the lights on at night, I can’t help but look in. Creepy!! So, a holiday home tour to peek inside someone’s house is right up my alley. But, these homes are AMAZING. Don’t have a clue what I’m talking about? Search for holiday home tour on Pinterest. You’ll catch on quick. But, the amazingness of some of these homes might leave some of you feeling inadequate. If so, then this post is for you!

So, I thought I would do a little Perfection Pending holiday home tour. I’m going to title it, “I have 3 small children 7, 4, and 2 living here…what more can you expect?” K, so the title needs a little work, but anyway, you get the idea. And, get ready for some low quality photos too. Excited!?

Reality vs. Pinterest. A holiday home tour that will help you lower your holiday decorating expectations

Let’s start with our lights on our Christmas tree. Lovingly Hastily hung by my husband with care at 11 pm at night when I said I was too tired to help.P1050073

Next, I’ll take you to another fun corner of the house where I shove all the stuffed animals that make annoying noises. I hope the kids won’t notice them and drive me to insanity. There are only so many times you can hear jingle bells by a penguin puppet’s animated voice.

P1050081

From there, I’ll show you how we hung our stockings this year. We have an awesome wrap around fireplace, but no mantel, so they were hung on our fireplace screen. Talk about creative!

P1050078

There’s the gingerbread house we made. P1050075Candy has been eaten, and the roof is now missing, but you can use your imagination for that.

P1050074We’re really good at keeping track of how many days are left until Christmas, too.

P1050090I found this little treasure on my window sill in my bedroom. Oops! We’re missing two wheels. I guarantee you we’ll never see those again. But, we’ll still bring out this train from my husband’s childhood every year anyway. That’s how we roll. Or don’t, I should say.

P1050077Let’s not forget this wreath I threw in my kitchen window because I didn’t know where else to put it. Looks good with the other “decor” of fresh basil, pacifiers, tylenol, and hand sanitizer.

P1050082And, we definitely can’t forget the snowman nativity that got shoved into the cabinet of the end table. Sorry, baby Jesus. I think that’s you upside down in the back….

And, of course, the ornaments….P1050085 Cheerios may or may not have been eaten off of this one.

P1050088The snowman that used to say, “Ho, Ho”

P1050089And, the baby that isn’t mine.

I do love my nativity though. Although, I do wish my stocking hangers had a place to you know…hang stockings.P1050080

And, this banner I won on Emily Thomas Writes makes me “believe” that one day I’ll have a picture perfect home. Even if it’s not in this lifetime. There’s that annoying cute little elf.

P1050076But, my absolute favorite part, for real…..when I see my tree from the outside of my house. It truly does make me happy. Even if the bottom is a little heavy on the lights and looks like it’s about to catch fire…..

P1050091Have a realistic holiday season. It will make us all feel better.

 


30 Comments

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Comments

  1. Lindsey says

    December 11, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    Can I just say I love you even more now? This made me laugh so hard and I needed that today.

    Reply
    • Lindsey says

      December 11, 2013 at 3:05 pm

      PS Can I just say I love that you have a frame for baby’s first Christmas with someone else’s kid. Bwahahaha.

      Reply
  2. Claudia Schmidt says

    December 11, 2013 at 4:49 pm

    Love this post, much more like my house than like all the beautiful, “perfect” Pinterest posts I’ve been seeing. When you have kids and a job, Christmas is never as picture perfect as the magazines. Thanks for a reality check 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 11, 2013 at 5:24 pm

      Thanks for the kind comment! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Amber says

    December 11, 2013 at 5:58 pm

    I love your decorations! They remind me a lot of ours. I think you did the same gingerbread house too!

    Reply
  4. Rachel Wagner says

    December 11, 2013 at 7:24 pm

    This is pretty hilarious. I especially like the baby photo that isn’t yours. So funny. I think that we are all chasing the Christmases of our childhood as adults and it isn’t possible.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 11, 2013 at 10:12 pm

      Thanks Rachel!!

      Reply
  5. zeudytigre says

    December 12, 2013 at 1:18 am

    This made me smile – great post 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 12, 2013 at 8:45 am

      Thanks!

      Reply
  6. Kelly says

    December 12, 2013 at 8:14 am

    The ornament with the baby that isn’t yours. Classic. Half of the lights on my mantel are out, and I just haven’t had the motivation to try to fix them or get new ones. It is what it is 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 12, 2013 at 8:46 am

      Exactly. We can only do so much right? Getting my 83 Christmas cards sent out this year was a higher priority than making sure that the baby picture in the ornament was changed….

      Reply
  7. monk monk says

    December 12, 2013 at 12:43 pm

    I love this so much

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 12, 2013 at 1:49 pm

      Thanks!! How are you??

      Reply
  8. Sarah @ Bombshell Bling says

    December 12, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    I love this! Thanks for being real!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 12, 2013 at 2:02 pm

      Thanks for stopping by!! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Frantic Mama says

    December 13, 2013 at 9:19 am

    Hahahaha. I hope you “Have a realistic Christmas!” too! Especially love the Cheerios ornaments and the half-decorated Santa. This is SO much like every house with little kids. Not exactly what Pottery Barn depicts :).

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 13, 2013 at 10:45 am

      Thanks Julia! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Kerry says

    December 15, 2013 at 11:17 am

    This is awesome!! I think my favorite is your keeping track of the days til Christmas. haha!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 16, 2013 at 9:53 am

      Yep. And since I wrote this post, we still haven’t added anymore cotton balls. :/

      Reply
  11. Lindsey @ sisterstosons.com says

    December 16, 2013 at 6:48 pm

    This post cracks me up! In the same boat with 3 kids…. people who do real holiday tours must lock their kids up!

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 16, 2013 at 8:04 pm

      Yes! Maybe that’s the key!! 😉

      Reply
  12. Suzanne @AndMyHouse says

    December 20, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    You are so right! I have yet to send out Christmas cards… 🙁

    Reply
  13. Morgan Molitor says

    December 22, 2013 at 10:10 am

    This is hilarious!! Love it.

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      December 27, 2013 at 6:48 pm

      Thank you! And, thanks for stopping by!! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Brittany says

    October 19, 2014 at 10:48 pm

    I love it, Meredith! You’re so cool. How are things these days? Sounds like you’re enjoying the job. I miss you! Is that weird since I haven’t actually met you?

    Brittany

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      October 20, 2014 at 2:41 pm

      Things are good…busy, but good. No, it’s not weird! I totally feel close to blogging friends. 🙂

      Reply
  15. Kay says

    November 16, 2016 at 8:05 am

    My most real Christmas was when my son was right after my baby started walking. The Christmas tree looked hilarious. The top half was crowded with lights and ornaments because I put ALL of them up there. That’s right. The entire bottom half of our tree was completely bare because I was so afraid he would either eat the ornaments, break them, or chew on the lights and shock himself. Every friend that came by just laughed at me but I didn’t care. My kid was safe and I could go to the bathroom with peace of mind! ?

    Reply
    • Meredith says

      November 16, 2016 at 9:16 am

      Haha. yes, I remember those days!

      Reply
  16. cracTpot says

    November 24, 2016 at 3:30 am

    Love the way you roll…or don’t roll. Whole Christmas memories are so much more important than broken Christmas ornaments. Enjoy all that the season has to offer. Merry realistic Christmas to you and yours

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Holidays With Toddlers: Fantasy Vs. Reality - Perfection Pending says:
    December 16, 2017 at 9:01 pm

    […] of all, to survive, set your expectations low–Actually, don’t even have any expectations and you’ll stay […]

    Reply

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Welcome! I’m Meredith.

Mom. Writer. Diet Coke connoisseur. Born and raised Texan. Lover of real talk and laughter with a hint of sarcasm mixed in.

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Meredith Ethington

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I already miss so much. The gummy smiles of babes without any teeth. The squeaky voices of 2 year olds. The babbling of a baby that’s just trying so hard to say mama. The grammar mistakes my kids make when they’re talking that I don’t have the heart to correct because I love it too much. 

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