Very Verdant: Is It Christmas Yet?

Usually, I am singing Christmas music in July and setting up the Christmas tree mid-November, but this year the Christmas cheer came a little late. The weather has been extremely warm and with a home business, a new college student, a high school senior, and homeschooling, I have been more than a little preoccupied.

Luckily, the "Bah Humbugs" were remedied. My sweet husband whisked me away for a few days of rest. We visited Stone Mountain . The shows were not Branson quality but they were fun.

It was nice to be outdoors for a day, trouncing around from one site to the next. There was Christmas music piping in throughout the park and the cool, crisp air gave us just the right amount of chill...I mean cheer. I always enjoy the familiar artisan feel in these types of parks. I love the down home cooking, the victorian era buildings and the artisan shops.

As the sun went down the Christmas lights began to glow brightly. Our noses and fingers were frosty cold and red from the chill air but in just a few short hours, Christmas had arrived.

On day 2 of our visit to Atlanta, we just wondered around Ikea. I was so proud of myself for not taking home most everything in the store. Of course, this time I did not have time to make a list. Mark did all the planning. I was just along for the ride. It was so nice, because there was no pressure and no schedule. Just the two of us spending time together.

Before leaving Atlanta, we walked from our hotel room down to the World of Coca-Cola museum. It was foggy out and there was a constant drizzle, so the indoor attraction was just what we needed.

Besides, who knows how to say Christmas better than Coke?

There were giant Christmas ornaments scattered all throughout the grounds between the museum and the Georgia Aquarium. My favorite was this Christmas ball with Merry Christmas written in languages from around the world. The decorations indoors were bright and modern - a stark contrast to the down home, country feel of our visit to Stone Mountain a couple days before.

Now, Christmas is only a short 6 days away. Pandora is spreading Christmas cheer all through the house. The smell of cookies wafts in the air. The children and I are making and wrapping the last of the Christmas presents. It really is such a magical time of year.