Sundays Random musings and a mini house update!

Hi there! Hope your weekend is going well. Ours has been a busy one, busier truth be told than I would have liked. I had visions of me staying in my pjs all weekend long, just chilling. So did not happen. We had people working all over the place yesterday, then we went into the city for a birthday party last night and today my darling husband has invited our friends over, whose house we go to every single year for the Superbowl. Now I totally understand his not wanting to leave our house, having just moved, I feel the same way but having to suddenly prepare a Superbowl spread kind of caught me off guard as I have been so busy all week so engrossed in unpacking and settling in. 
He also invited two of our other friends over (brothers) so we will be a total of nine. I decided I am doing an appetizer party, who needs dinner when you can have a bevy of wonderful, delectable tapas type foods? Anyone else with me on this?  So I am preparing some things and buying others,  my three favorites are my pesto/feta dip served with warmed crostinis, my empenadas and my baked brie, then I am buying sliders, pigs in a blanket, a Parmesan artichoke dip, am doing a big tray of Italian cheeses and sausages with breads, and another dish with guacamole, humus and salsa and tortillas. Then finally I am picking up a tray of sushi from a nearby Japanese restaurant that is excellent. With luck, there will be some leftovers for Monday! The idea being if I serve enough it is sure to yield a nice arrangement of leftovers.
One of my best friends stopped over the other day and gave me the most beautiful miniature (about 2 feet tall) white azalea plant and knowing me well, had it planted in a gorgeous blue and white container. It looks amazing no matter where I put it! It looks so pretty on the console in my family room, proof that blue and white really does work anywhere! She also generously gave me a beautiful coffee table book,Versailles, which has so many incredible images, recommended for anyone in love with France like I am.  I had to share a few pictures. So what about you? Are you excited about the Superbowl or are you like me, and its all about the food? Would love to hear what you are up to! 

If you are thinking at this point "gee how many pictures is she going to take of the same thing" I got it out of my system, not to worry...when I love something I get a little carried away!

And another one of my oldest and dearest friends stopped by with this beautiful little Wedgewood bud vase. So delicate and sweet. Can't wait to add a pretty rose to it.

And finally we uncovered just the tower part of the floors (after being so sick of seeing them covered for the last 6 months)!! So nice to see the floors again!

Here's the newest iron chandelier for breakfast room, we are putting it up hopefully tomorrow or Tues. Fingers crossed it looks great!

Remember the vanity I was unsure about for powder room, well we found a new home for it..and I love it here.

Looks a little bare, but wtih lighting, sconces and accessories, its perfect. 

Well, I am off to the market to beat the pre Superbowl frenzy fighting for food like its the Apocalypse or something. Wishing you a fun day whatever you might be doing! Go Giants! (I had to say it)

Dust is settling and moving update.....

Before I begin this post, I want to thank the 50 or so of you who so kindly and generously gave so much amazing information on London. Wendy and I are both so grateful and now I am craving a trip there myself. Needless to say several already told me they are bookmarking this post as I already have. You are the best! Fodors has nothing on you!

Hi, well suffice to say I am feeling a little calmer today than I was this time last week. I cannot believe we have been in the house 10 days! It has been exhausting, exciting beyond description and exhilarating all at the same time. Moving is no laughing matter and the last time I did a big move where I fully unpacked was 10 years ago and lets just say theres a big difference between 30 something and 40 something:) But I do believe the worst, most exhausting and hardest part is over and I will admit its been fun opening up boxes and rediscovering so many of my pretty little treasures (treasures to me). 
At this point I am putting things away and know that they will be rearranged all over again in the future. After all that is part of the fun, don't you think? I remember after being in our old house even after 7 or 8 years, I was still always fiddling around, adding to, moving things around. So here's some of the latest, not a tremendous difference from last weeks post but little things here and there, a real hodge podge of things happening around here....

Though I am petrified of heights, had to share this cool view from 2nd floor down to basement

Teddy adjusting to his new digs, took a few days!! Thanks to many of you who asked about how he was doing!

Finally he is happy.......

I love the sun that streams through in the late morning

Feeling right at home....and that window is perfect because he can see right through!

Remember the hardware for island? Well here it is completed, love it

Family room is a room we are enjoying immensely!

Got the antique mirror and panel applied above opening (hard to see the ant. mirror in this pic)

2 chairs flanking doors in my room

My favorite chest, this picture shows the color better for those who asked.....

Beautiful desk and chair from France

Floors all done

Small landing

More boxes arriving......WARNING for anyone not into china,silver,etc...this might be incredibly boring to those of you not obsessed with this stuff :)

Loved getting reacquainted with all my goodies and collectibles!

Love these glasses, but upset that I so far haven't found them all!

My beautiful antique Limoges

Love this service too!

And of course always had a weakness for beautfiful silver pieces......

And my pair of crystal dolphin bowls

My silver ice bucket from my wedding!

One of my favorite gallery trays (yes thats Dayquil on the tray) forgot to take it off, was about to take it for the cold I have been fighting:) 

Love the detailing on this exquisite soup ladle, I bought at an antiques store in Vermont

Love this beautiful little covered dome dish for things like asparagus or veges

Isn't this cherub dish beautiful?

Love and missed my Dolphin crystal bowls

Love this silver angel compote dish, its quite old

The Limoges to my left were the very first set of Limoges that I bought!

My good luck "charm", my wedding cake topper from 26 years ago! Its goes wherever we go!

Love my coffee and tea pots in silver

Remember these little beauties that I found at the antique store?

This is a beautiful service from Nippon

Lots of polishing in the future!

And at the end of another long day of unpacking, a dear friend brought over these scrumptious cupcakes from a favorite bakery and the most beautiful housewarming gift, this stunning William Yeoward domed cake plate!! Love it......

Clearly it has many new "family members" to get acquainted with and plenty of company:)

Love it!! Will be cherished for many years to come......

We are using the family room a lot, its such a comfortable and cozy room

I am sorry for including so many pictures of the china, crystal, etc...clearly you can see I love that stuff! For anyone like me, hopefully you enjoyed it and sorry for boring anyone else. Its just so exciting for me to see these things after being in hiding for 4 years!! Much more to come soon I promise! Enjoy your day....