centerpiece for Thanksgiving

If you’ve read this blog for more than five minutes you might have discovered a few things about me.

1. I adore red lipstick.  It’s perfect for the last-minute Wal-mart trip.  You know.  The one where you weren’t planning on running into anyone and then you discover your entire town is there.

2. I love the third-day hair disguise known as the messy bun.

3. I wear yoga pants daily to create the impression that I’m athletic and I’m about to attend a cycling class at any minute.

4. I hold the completely unpopular opinion that stirrup pants were amazing.

Overall, I’m kind of happy with my messy bun, yoga pant wearing, third-day hair embracing, red lipstick self.

Me, myself and I would totally be friends.

But in sad, self-discovery news, I recently came to the unfortunate realization….

…that I have this mildly annoying habit.

thanksgiving

I hum to myself.

All. The. Time.

I mean….of course….I don’t think it’s that bad.

But I’m me.  I’m the hummer, not the one being inadvertently hummed at and I never even notice that I’m doing it.

Do you have a habit like that?  One minute you’re decorating a table and the next minute you’re humming all the verses and the chorus from “Let It Go” from Frozen….

….and you never even noticed you hummed a note.

thanksgiving cutting board

I never know what I’m going to be humming next.

A song just pops into my head.  Like this one by Katy Perry:

“I got the eye of a tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire.

“Cause I am a champion

And you’re gonna hear me roar

‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar

Louder, louder than a lion

‘Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar.

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

You’re gonna hear me roar.”

An anthem for the ages.

go your own way plate thanksgiving

Or sometimes it’s the Brady Bunch:

“Till the one day when the lady met this fellow

And they knew it was much more than a hunch.

And this group must somehow form a family

That’s the way we all became the Brady Bunch

The Brady Bunch

The Brady Bunch

That’s the way we became the Brady Bunch”

Totally old school.

limes thanksgiving centerpiece

My humming playlist includes Amazing Grace, Journey, Toby Mac, George Strait….random Christmas carols from Scotty McCreery and that song off that vintage Coke Commercial, as in“I’d like to teach the world to sing.”

I can’t help it.

When I’m happy or busy or making something or concentrating or thinking, I hum.

Which is 97.99% of the time.

thanksgiving table

The other day I was searching through old Thanksgiving posts and planning out how I was decorating my Thanksgiving table in my new/old dining room this year.

It was one of those perfect days.

You know.

When the sun is shining through the windows and it’s just a little bit crisp and cool and you have to pull out a sweater and make a cup of hot chocolate and watch the leaves falling right outside your window.

And you want to pinch yourself because you are so happy.

colorful centerpiece

I mean, seriously.

I literally can’t EVEN.

This will be our first Thanksgiving back in the dining room where it all began and all the Thanksgiving ideas on the planet are swirling around in my head.

Should I add tiny acorns to each place setting?

Should I fill log vases with hydrangea and magnolia and add bright flowers to the mix?

Should I use my grandmother’s china?

Should I shop the vegetable aisle and fill the center vases with something non-thanksgiving like limes?

life whispers listen closely plate

I sat there planning, hoping and dreaming of all the thanksgivings that were and all the thanksgivings that are to come, when all of a sudden….

….I heard it.

Humming. 

And it wasn’t coming from me.

I turned around and watched as one of the twins walked by carrying a stack of books and papers and a roll of wrapping paper…

…humming to herself as she walked through the kitchen.

The next generation of hummers had arrived.

I literally laughed out loud at the passing of the baton….and thought to myself….

….”You go little hummer girl.” 🙂

Good thing my incredible, amazing, awesome friend, Melissa just published a book to help with all my Thanksgiving dreaming.

It’s called Simple Gatherings.

It’s full of beautiful pictures and helpful hints and clever ideas for entertaining.

And that’s amazing.

And awesome.

And super inspiring.

But that’s not what made me pick it up over and over and over again.

What I needed most and found in the pages of this book?

The reminder that events don’t have to be overwhelming.

The celebration of the joy in the everyday.

The emphasis on simple.

This Thanksgiving you’ll find me in my new/old home, sitting at my new/old table, looking out my new/old windows surrounded by family and friends.

My messy bun will be bobbing, my face will be smiling, my eyes will be giggling….

…and my heart will be humming. 🙂

PS  You can order Melissa’s book here.

PPS  Also, click here for a fun giveaway event she’s hosting on her blog, The Inspired Room.

Want to know how to decorate your home for free?
Click here to get my FIVE BEST secrets.

Comments

  1. Image for Janette Deans Janette Deans

    I just love reading your post, always of interest and totally honest....Last night I ordered your book, I have been wanting to read it since you first mentioned, anyway, I decided it was high time for a little gift 'to self'...haha...can't wait for it to arrive....wherever you spend your Thanksgiving, it will be special I am certain of it, hum away sweet lady...xx

  2. Image for Ricki Jill Treleaven Ricki Jill Treleaven

    Such a cute post, and I also think that stirrup pants should make a comeback! ;P I recently bought some leg warmers... I received your book, and I will post about it in a couple of weeks. I'm behind on my reading....it seems like I'm always behind at the first of the month for some reason....

    1. Image for PJ PJ

      My local shop has adorable leg warmers, but I am at as a loss as to how to wear them. Ricki, can you offer some advice please? Thank you!

  3. Image for Becky Becky

    Oh, Karianne, yes, I'm a hummer. Mine go to is song to hum is; here they come walking down the street, get the funniest looks from everyone they meet........ Try it sometime. Also, I like stirrup pants. I wish I'd kept mine every time I try to stuff my jeans in my boots. :)

  4. Image for Carrie Carrie

    Oh My Golly Goodness!!! 1) I love third day hair...it's THE BEST 2) Stirrups were made for people with short legs ~ like YOU and ME 3) Spontaneous athletic urges can strike whenever or never...but it is always better to be prepared 4) YOU rock red lipstick. I rock one the color of a cappuchino~ it's my go to shade. 5) I'm a serial singer...because when I hum too much, my lips go numb. HA HA 6) Thank you for the introduction to a new book~ heading over to purchase it immediately. Above all, it's "National Kindness Day" and you live it everyday~ without even realizing it! :) so go forth, scatter joy and share that beautiful red-lip stick smile!!!

  5. Image for Cindy Richter Cindy Richter

    This was the first thing I read when I stumbled into my office and opened up my email. It's just what I needed. I'm tired but smiled and smiled. I'm a hummer but it's more like girl get a tune or something because that's super annoying and off key. I am so excited to see what you do with your new/old fantabulous house. Your family sounds so close and so fun that I think you should just put a camera in the corner and let us all tune in to see how a m a z i n g everyone is. Like stalkers but not stalkers because you gave us permission. ;)

  6. Image for Teddee Grace Teddee Grace

    Both of my parents whistled, sang and hummed while they worked. I think it was primarily because in that era in a rural environment there was limited stimulus and entertainment from other sources and today we're overwhelmed with input. I really have to be happy to find myself doing the same and the other day I tried (thinking of rigging up something for Halloween whereby passersby in my apartment building hallway can push a button and find Frank Sinatra singing Witchcraft!) and, although I had grown up singing in various choirs and choruses and was even in Sweet Adelines in my 30s, I found my voice is getting really creaky! Out of practice. Thanks for the reminder, keep it up and I'm glad you're passing on the habit!

  7. Image for Michelle Michelle

    I'm not a hummer. But I do want to break out in song -- with words -- when I hear it blasting on the intercom at where ever I happen to be shopping. I have enough self-awareness, however, to stop myself. But it's difficult. It takes all I've got not to do so. You're welcome. My bad habits, I'm afraid, are not so pleasant as that. I'm a story-teller. Ask me a question and be prepared to hear a story. Yeah, I see the eye-rolling sometimes and have even had some people start talking to someone else in the middle of one of my stories. Does that stop me? Nope. The other bad habit I have is sarcasm. Between the two, that just had to be the one that my kids inherited. *sigh* On a side-note, however, your Thanksgiving is going to be amazing. What else could it be?! :-)

  8. Image for June Gerstner June Gerstner

    KariAnne: I love your ideas and my mind has been thinking lately about starting my Christmas bows this week (a new design I saw last year) But I need to know where you got those dishes with the thought provoking sayings. I HAVE to have a set!.

  9. Image for Linda Linda

    Look forward to your post each day. Something always seems to resonate with me. Can’t wait to see what you do with your new/old home!

  10. Image for Jenifer Jenifer

    Good Morning! My mom is a hummer! I don't think a day has ever gone by that she doesn't hum. She can not sing to save her life so her musical ability is limited to humming! I am a whistler. I do it when I'm happy and busy with a fun activity! My husband always laughs when he catches me whistling - he should probably be glad that I'm not singing! When is your actual move date? You seem very calm about it!

  11. Image for Toei Toei

    This is such a simple little thing, but I love how you repeated the phrase, "You know". I'm rereading the Anne of Green Gables series, and a character in the second and third books. Paul Irving repeats that phrase a lot - especially to Anne - "You know, teacher." This made me think of that, right off the bat. Several characters do something similar: Rachael Lynde's "That's what" at the end of a sentence; Davy Keith's "I want to know" at the end of every question he asks. It makes them so endearing. ❤️ So today, not only did you share your charming dining room - and yes, you should add flowers to log vases, Love that - you also took me again to Avonlea... You know. 😀 Sad to see you leave the farm, but excited to have a whole "new" house to see you transform. 'Twil be beautiful, I'm sure!

  12. Image for Cindy Brown Cindy Brown

    Well, count me in as the second person who loved stirrup pants and long tunics over them! Had a favorite dusty rose color with a cream knit long sweater tunic with embroidered rose color flowers with sage green leaves - LOVED THAT OUTFIT!!! I don't sing or hum but I do find that I talk to myself a lot! And out loud!!! In stores!!! At home I carry on a full conversation with myself when I am putzing around decorating or changing something up! Probably better since my singing voice could be painful to those listening in! Good luck back in TX! I know the heartbreak of leaving KY as I had to do that many years ago. Cindy

  13. Image for Jen Schmidt Jen Schmidt

    Seriously, it's taken me YEARS TO GET FROZEN OUT OF MY MIND and now, you of all people, bring it back. I'll never be able to shake it. I'll be singing it until I see you again at Becoming. Regardless, I Love you anyhow, girl. :) xoxoxoxox

  14. Image for Katherines Corner Katherines Corner

    Keep humming with a happy heart, I love it! My Mother hums, my hubby sings when he's happy., I sing in the car, can I sing well, nope. But, that doesn't stop me from belting out just about every song on my classic radio station ( songs from 60' and 70's) . Thanksgiving will be amazing no matter where you are. Smooches and hugs

  15. Image for Nan, Odessa, DE Nan, Odessa, DE

    waiting for your new home adventures!!!! how long does your hair need to be for a messy bun? where do we buy your yoga pants? keep on humming!

  16. Image for LIsa Fagan LIsa Fagan

    Love you centerpiece featured in this entry. I plan to copy it for my fall table! Where did you get those cool tree trunk vases! Thanks...and I look forward to your new adventure! I had to do the same thing last year and although it was very hard to leave a home and friends I loved, I am very happy to be back my childhood home. Best of luck in this transition! Lisa

  17. Image for Beverly Beverly

    KariAnne, your florals and table are works of art! You are so inspirational. May I ask if there is a source for the plates with quotes on them...I am a dish hoarder... In a sense... one of my weaknesses.

  18. Image for Linda Linda

    I chuckled with self-identification when I read this. I, too, am a hummer. Always have been: as I putter around the house, when I am shopping in the malls; as I walk the aisle of the grocery store. (I am probably very innocently annoying many around me.) The most interesting thing to me, though, is that this gene has seemed to jump right over our two daughters.. However, much to my pleasure, our grandbabes have this very same gene! Sitting together on the sunporch, suddenly, while playing with their little kitchen set or the other Little Tykes toys that I so carefully saved all these years, I will hear them start to hum. They don't even have a specific tune at their ages, but they still hum just to join their nana as I sit there humming away watching them play. Sweetness! Best to you and your family in this new chapter of your lives. You will all rock it to perfection.

  19. Image for Nancy Nancy

    OMG...i LOVE this. Beautiful pics and a great story. That's all a girl could ask for from a blogger. I have a not so endearing habit...I snap my gum. My mother is a gum snapper. I've banished my gum chewing to lonely car rides....but when my mom and I are riding together. It's a virtual snap fest. N

  20. Image for Marisa Franca @ All Our Way Marisa Franca @ All Our Way

    I'd love to listen to you hum! We need more hummers in this world. A humming person is a happy person. I talk to myself. I've had some interesting conversations -- usually berating myself for something dumb that I've done. I think I'll try humming. . . softly. I may get better results with my projects. Guess what I'm humming?! I'll give you a hint -- it has to do with new + attitude. Yep that really puts a zip in my step as I hum. Big hugs!!

  21. Image for Judy Judy

    Hi KariAnne: Here I go with my once a year comment. I am a jeans and t-shirt girl myself, but other than that I could be you. (Or probably you could be me since I'm the elder) but as I sit here reading your post, I am humming "A white sport coat and a pink carnation". Why??? Don't know, that is just what I do. Around the first of October, I start humming Christmas carols. Nothing planned, it just starts! When I was a small girl, helping my aunt make a bed, she asked me to stop: "That incessant humming". I never have and hope you won't either. Your new/old home is so beautiful and I can't wait to see what you are going to do with it..Happy Thursday, Judy

  22. Image for Julie Briones Julie Briones

    Oh my goodness gracious! You are already ROCKING that dining room! It's gorgeous, and I love the darker gray walls! The photos even look different... like a different style that YOU are using... just as beautiful, but different. Am I imagining that?

  23. Image for laura laura

    I like to listen to my Spotify while walking/running on treadmill. And, when certain songs pop up I just hit those notes like no one is on the other side of the door.. on a conference call (husband). And, then I add my air guitar sounds like "ba ba buna ba ba bunna.. sweet home Alabama...." What about when a song gets stuck in your head or when you mishear the lyrics and sing "Cherry Pie, Cherry Pie... instead of "Can't read my, can't read my... poker face... " To this day I have no idea how both my son and I both heard cherry pie... xo xo

  24. Image for Celeste @ Penultimate Home Celeste @ Penultimate Home

    "A day without singing is like...Seriously, I have no idea." That's me. My bad habit is I'm a "sigher". People think I'm mad, or disgusted or sad. Nope nothing's wrong here, just trying to oxygenate.

  25. Image for renee renee

    Love this post! Just have to say this to all the Ladies that love stirrup pants.... I was in Target the other day and I actually found a pair of them hanging on a hanger for sale. I was in a rush so I didn't get to see how much they were or anything else about them. Maybe they are on their way back!!! I did love mine with boots! Karianne, can't wait to see your new home! Blessings!

  26. Image for Denise Cox Denise Cox

    Oh KariAnne you are so darn cute!! I didn't realize you would be back home so soon! I'm so very happy and excited for you and your family. Can't wait for the make-over adventure to begin!! 😄

  27. Image for Jane Keene Jane Keene

    I'm seeing a comeback from some comments here.....stirrup pants! I loved them. I'm 5 ft and always felt much taller in them.😀Love your current house and your old/ new house, too. Can't wait to see how you decorate it. You have to be super excited to be going back "home" again.

  28. Image for Suzy Suzy

    How wonderful that you have passed the humming torch to your daughter. That is the sweetest thing! Humming is quite endearing, especially compared to my little habit - talking to myself. Out loud. Yes, I do. I am looking forward to what you are going to do with the new/old house! I know it will be fabulous! I am ordering the book, Simple Gatherings. It looks great!

  29. Image for june june

    Oh Miss Karianne...you bring so much joy to our world. What a blessing you are. My mom would hummm or sing all the time. Later in life she whistled a lot, I remember my kids telling me when they were younger that I whistle just like their Nana. They never knew my dad as he passed when I was young. Our home was filled with music from his self taught guitar playing to his making the piano keys just purr with tunes. Music is a blessing in every day life. Keep humming dear friend.

  30. Image for Sue Sue

    Humming, I'm use to it too. Not because I hum, because my son-in-law does all the time. Love your table decorations and the photos are so clear and bright with amazing colors.

  31. Image for Nancy Nancy

    Your posts always make me laugh! Be glad that you are a hummer...I am a singer and can't carry a tune...and live in a house that had 4 folks with beautiful voices!!

  32. Image for Suzi Suzi

    So very special that you have your "growing up" house back! Never stop humming.. I am also a hummer and have actually had a store clerk tell me how happy it makes her to hear humming...what a hoot! My Daddy told me he could always tell if I was a bit sad or contemplative because he did not hear me humming or singing around the house. God bless the hummers!😃

  33. Image for Stephanie Brown Stephanie Brown

    Oh my we are sisters! My family laughs at me all the time.. Yep hummer I am too! Your heart seems so happy to be home! So glad God let our paths cross in KY and yes have no doubt somehow someway we will yet again how those paths cross. PS I am going to use my mothers wheat dishes the kind that was in cleaning powders a long time ago. So would love for you to do something with wheat!! But yes love Thanksgiving just about family n yes food 😂 and counting our many blessings. Hugs from Ky!

  34. Image for Patti Patti

    Those log vases are for dyyyying! Homemade or storebought? It's our Thanksgiving in Canada this wknd and these would have been fab for my 11 foot harvest table at the cottage!

  35. Image for PJ PJ

    I will forever love stirrup pants and associate them with my post-divorce reinvention. I had a gorgeous pair of winter white stirrups that I wore with a teal chenille turtleneck tunic. I felt like a rock star when I wore that outfit! My bruised heart and ego smiled just a bit. Be careful of those acorns, KariAnne! Do you think they could be baked to kill off any worms that might be hiding inside?

  36. Image for Linda Linda

    A great read for first thing in the morning! Use your grandma's china for sure. Old memories while making new ones around your table.

  37. Image for Cindy Hurley Cindy Hurley

    You sound sooooo happy. I'm blessed to have met and begun to know you and will miss you dearly but I'm so very happy God has brought you full circle. Back to your family back to your roots. Your children have grown up in a small country town and have learned many lessons in Kentucky and now they can spread their wings and learn more about their world. It's been a good fit. Now they can enjoy their extended family more and spend time in the memories that are so important. Life won't be the same KariAnne with you gone but old memories are sweet and new ones will come. I wish you guys peace and love.

  38. Image for Barbara Warkentin Barbara Warkentin

    Just caught up with yesterday's post. You would fit right in here with all of us. We all hum or burst right into song and everyone joins in...

  39. Image for Debi Debi

    Absolutely use Grandma's china! When I moved last year and was in the midst of all those boxes I thought why do I save the silverware and china for "special" occasions? So....into the kitchen silverware drawer it went and I use it everyday and think of her!!

  40. Image for Peg Peg

    Now I've got "I'd like to teach the world to sing...in perfect harmony!" in my head!! That was the best commercial ever!!! Oh, did you replace the fabric bolt hutch piece that's usually on the left with a different hutch? I just love, love everything you do!!! xoxo

  41. Image for Leslie Watkins Leslie Watkins

    I love that you hum...and have reproduced hummers. And that you will be in your new, yet familiar home uniting past with the present to create more memories. How perfect. And thanks for the inspiration of shopping the produce aisle for beautiful and simple decorating. I'm now humming the "happy" song by Pharrell...happy weekend and fall, friend!

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