Natalie Baker, Hilary Baker and Stephani Walne

Natalie Baker, Hilary Baker and Stephani Walne

Lake Highlands High School graduates Hilary Prine Baker, Natalie Ross Baker and Stephani Smith Walne have been coming on the Lake Highlands Women’s League Holiday in the Highlands home tour together for as long as they can remember, but this is the first time in years they didn’t have to hire babysitters.

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“It’s girls’ night out,” laughed Hillary.

The women left their little ones home with their hubbies to begin a new tradition – Twilight Tour. LHWL hosted their first planned nighttime tour Friday after last year’s Icemaggedon forced an improvised evening event, something many said they enjoyed.

You can see my photos from the day here.

“I think it’s fun having it at night,” said Stephani. “The homes feel more quaint and homey with the low lighting.”

“I usually have to take a day off to go during the day since I work, so it’s nice to come during the evening,” Natalie told me.

“I definitely think they should keep it, I love it,” agreed Hillary, who said she was looking for decorating ideas. “Last year, at the house near Moss Haven, the homeowner monogrammed the ribbon at the bottom of her Christmas tree. I’m doing that this year.”

Paige Trostel Long first began attending the home tour with her mom, Tami Trostel, and grandmother, Bonnie Gillis, when she returned home from college in Austin. Now that she’s married and has a home of her own, the 2007 LHHS grad admits she views the event in a whole new light.

“I love seeing all the Christmas decorations,” said Paige. “I want to see how to decorate my own home. It’s fun to think about things I can do over the next couple of years. We’ve just got a tree now, so we need more ideas. I was really jealous of the organization of the closet in the first house we went to – I need some help with that – and I got some great ideas for my kitchen as well.”

Medical student Rachel Courtney, another 2007 LHHS grad, is newly engaged to Oz Davis, son of LHWL president Paula Davis. “Now that I’m getting married, I look at design blogs and come to events like this and think, ‘wow, I would love for my house to look like this.’” Rachel said she and Oz would love to move back to LH someday. “My fiancé holds Lake Highlands on a pedestal as the best place ever to grow up, and so do I.”

LH resident Emily Nardo is new to the tour, but she felt certain she’d enjoy it. She was first in line at the house on Vanguard Way. “I told my husband to be worried, because I’m going to come home with lots of ideas for our decorating our home.”

Eileen Eliason has been coming on tour for 15 years and said she still gets new ideas. Daughter, Kristen Harris, a graduate of LHHS who now lives in LH with her husband and two sons, found at least one tip to “borrow” from this year’s tour. “In the Forestridge house, there was a mirror in the dining room that had a ribbon hanging down with a beautiful wreath in front of the mirror. I’m going to go do that above my bar.”

“I love all the excitement of Christmas and all the beautiful ornaments and decorations that people put out,” said Kathy Higgins. “It gets me in the holiday spirit and I think – I have some of these things in my closet. I’m going to pull them out and use them.”

“My favorite thing about the tour is community, seeing everyone I know as I come in and out of the houses,” said Theresa Sapp. “I also love shopping at the market. We just came from there, and I bought some wonderful handmade soap, a little for me and a little to give as gifts. One of the things I enjoy most about the tour is the mixture of homes they always have. Some are small, some are big. It’s nice to see that you can make a space beautiful, no matter what it is, with a little creativity and love.”

“I like to see how everyone decorates their house to give me inspiration for mine,” said Alaina Thomas Bush, a 1999 LHHS graduate and LH Junior Women’s League member who just bought a home in the Merriman Park area. “It’s been my tradition to go with my mom [sustainer Carla Thomas], but she’s not feeling well this year. I grew up watching her and everything that Women’s League members did, and I thought it was so neat, raising money for college scholarships. I hope to one day be a part of the group myself.”

For first timer Hayley Courtney, Rachel’s sister and scholarship recipient in 2011, seeing what was involved with putting on event with hundreds of attendees and thousands of dollars raised was an eye-opener.

“This is really a big deal,” said Hayley, currently studying at Parsons in New York. “So much has to come together to help students like me.”

If you’d like to make a donation, it’s not too late to add to this year’s total. Visit the LHWL website here.

LHWL President Paula Davis with tour chairmen Lisa Johnson and Michelle Dishmen

LHWL President Paula Davis with tour chairmen Lisa Johnson and Michelle Dishman

Deanna Boyd, Rachel Richards and Emily Nardo

Deanna Boyd, Rachel Richards and Emily Nardo

Tami Trostel, Bonnie Gillis and Paige Long

Tami Trostel, Bonnie Gillis and Paige Long