Is it too late?

It's still December, so I'm not calling it quits on Christmas yet!! After not being able to upload any of my pictures for awhile, now it's a little overboard!! But I wanted to share some Christmas decor, so enjoy!!

I had two big parties, two nights in a row so I went all out this year! I decorated 7 trees, various sizes, and had four more that just had lights. It was a lot of work, but I love the house all decorated up!!!! Next year I'm starting in early November!!! I'm not ready to take it down quite yet...still hoping for some snow!!! Plus, I just don't have the energy or time to put it all away!!

Anyway.... here's the game table in my sitting area. I was really into the balls in vases this year. I got so much stuff at the thrift store for next to nothing!

A corner in the entry. I made this quilt for my mom years ago. She picked out the pattern...wanted something with "Holly"!!!! Now that she's gone, I have it up at my house.

The laundry room...I didn't count these trees as decorated ones, even though there are a few snowflakes around!! I should have taken a better picture, but on the bench is a box of Holly Washing Soda...old!!!! My friend Lynda got it for me for Christmas last year and I love it!! I keep it out all year!

Some stitchies and the top of the shelf...

All the Gooseberry Patch Christmas and a few more of my favorites!

My new scale and the basket of hot drink goodies!

I love my little toy stove!!!! Got some gingerbread cooling on it!

My big hutch...I need to get some lights for this. I think it would look a lot prettier and show what's in there better.

My kitchen tree with the Starbucks theme!! I love this tree!!

I've been working on this quilt for two years, all red work and hand stitched. I finally had it quilted and now get to enjoy looking at it!!

I love the Demdaco/Willow Tree nativity! So simple...so meaningful.

I really wanted to change things up this year, especially after seeing all the decorations at Grandiflora. They had all cream and aqua and silver and it looked so pretty!! But I couldn't justify the expense of changing everything out so I did the same old thing...and LOVED it!!!! Nothing in my house is sparkly and that other tree would have looked so out of place!! Glad I stuck with the traditional!!

My Grandma has given us all the gold ornaments for years and we have about 50 of them. My kids love to see what ones are theirs and they add a lot of sparkle!! Along with red balls and icicles, I've made all the rest...snowmen, Santa's, etc. Very homey!!

Hopefully I'll get something new made for next year, because I'm keeping this theme!!

A little side note: Hubby and I went to a garage sale tw0 months ago at a neighbors and they had a tree wrapped up in a tarp and for sale for $5.oo. It was pre-lit and barely used, from Costco, but didn't fit in their house. Of course, I had to by it, much to my husband's chagrin! (he did NOT want me to get another tree!!) But I figured the tarp and bungees were worth $5.00 so we took it home and put it in the shop!!! We brought it in after Thanksgiving to see what it looked like and loved it!!!! It's a gorgeous tree and everything worked!!! Needless to say, hubby has commented over and over again on what a great tree it is!!!!

Okay, back to Christmas!! B and I baked sugar cookies...the only baking I did this year! Everyone wanted sugar cookies and didn't care much about the rest...nor did they want to help, so I kept it simple this year. Kind of nice and better for us too!!!
Tyler took it upon himself to shake every package and tell us what was in them!!! Sad to say, he guessed pretty accurately on most of them. We didn't tell him that of course, but he was pleasantly surprised and impressed with himself on Christmas morning!!

Christmas Eve at Papa and Grandma's house.

Ty in his pretty Christmas clothes including the Christmas light boxers!!

Christmas dinner...

It was quite a relaxing Christmas this year, very low key and low stress. I liked it a lot!!!!

We had a beautiful Christmas Eve service which always puts the focus where it belongs, on God's greatest gift, his son.

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and that 2011 brings you many blessings!!

A Social Network Christmas

I just saw this video on Facebook and had to share. It's really cute and so sweet!!

If Joseph and Mary can post pictures and videos, why is it so difficult for me???

Enjoy!!

It was going to be:

It was going to be titled, "The Best Thanksgiving EVER!", but now it should be more aptly named, "computers drive me CRAZY!"

I can't load any pictures and frankly, what is a post without pictures?? I mean, you can wax poetic all you want, but if you don't have at least one picture I'm not really that interested. Just stating the facts.

Who wants to read about someone else's hectic life, unless there is a picture of a frazzled mess?? Not me!!! I want to see your Christmas decor, Aunt Dorothy sleeping after dinner, kids baking cookies and making a mess!

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving, complete with 6 inches of snow. You'll have to take my word for it, because, yes, there is no picture. We had 17 wonderful people, although I miscounted and only had seating for 15 when we sat down. It was a little like musical chairs, with two people left standing. Now I know why I have two card tables!! All the kids, ages 12-21, went outside and had a snowball fight! I loved that!!! And I have some great pictures!!! They just won't load! Oh yea, you know that by now!

We finished Ashleigh's room and it's beautiful...maybe you'll see it sometime.

We watched the Apple Cup on Saturday and it was such a good game!!! The Cougs lost, but since the Husky QB, Jake Locker, is a local boy, I didn't feel too badly and hopefully they'll get a bowl invite. Went to the Seahawks game yesterday. Had a nice cozy suite, but I can't show it to you because, well, you know. Went to University Village after the game to look at all the pretty stores. I even took pictures. It sure was pretty!!

I've been decorating my house for a week. Way too much stuff. 7 fully decorated trees, plus 4 more with lights and such. I can't wait to get rid of some (a lot) of it in January. Feeling the need do simplify in so many ways. I have a sit-down dinner for 12 on Thursday, a party for 40 0n Friday and I have to work every day this week.

My daughter's car died. She has no money. The car's in our name. Guess who gets to deal??

My son has been sick for 5 weeks. 2nd round of antibiotics and not better. Chest x-ray negative. Mono negative too. Poor kid. Poor mom!!

Since I couldn't post my pictures and keep you enthralled, I did change my play list to some lovely Christmas music so hopefully you're enjoying that!!!!

Have a wonderful week and may all your pictures upload!!

Happenings this Week...and an Update

It's been a busy week around here...projects, school conferences, work, Christmas open houses, craft fairs, football and volleyball, plus a host of other things!!!

Remember neighbor Ken??? He came over this week and made my garden pretty again!!! Yea!!

I know I should cut down my mums, but as long as their is a little bit of color, I just can't do it!!!! We'd like to get a cover crop on the garden, but I think it's too late. It's supposed to get very cold here by the end of the week, but maybe that will at least keep the weeds from growing back!!
My dear Lynda had her annual "Pie Party"!! It just sounds so nice doesn't it??? We were missing Karen this year, but Terry and I were there with eager anticipation! This lovely sight greeted me as I arrived!!

Lynda set a festive table, served a great salad and a yummy soup that she got the recipe for off of "Behind My Red Door".

We each had a little goodie at our place setting...

And of course, the pies!! Terry made a very rich and tasty chocolate pie, Lynda made my favorite, pecan pie and I "brought" a peach pie from Costco...more about that later!!!

This weekend Ashleigh came home and brought her 13 year old "sister", Georgia. I thought I had taken pictures of them, but no, not one!! They were so cute too!!! Ashleigh reads to her every night!! They are reading the Harry Potter books right now!! Ashleigh loves to read and Georgia loves to be read to!!

They also talked me into getting into the attic and getting down all the American Girl dolls and paraphernalia!!! We haven't gone through this stuff in years!!! They "played" with it for hours!!!! (me too!!)

They weren't very tidy...

She got to visit with lots of friends and family, went to our old church, had coffee at Woods with her brother, went to Grandiflora with me, played games and hopefully had fun while she was here!!

Miss you Ash!! Come back soon!!!




A little update on the bedroom make-over...

Walls painted...window and door trim up...

Furniture painted, but not sealed...

Battens started...
Chair rail up...

While I've been blogging, Brian got most of the battens up and things caulked. We have someone coming in to lay a new floor in the bathroom and then we can get the trim nailed up in there too. We're waiting for an order of wood and then we'll spray the room with paint, move the furniture in and....decorated it for Christmas!!!!!

Remember the Kitty, Miss Abby??? Well, we had to put her down a few nights ago. Tyler accidentally hit her with his car as he was pulling into the garage. He (and I) was so sad. He stayed with her the whole time and buried her in the garden next to Bailey. We did have a laugh though, as the vet told us Abby was really an Abner!! Oops!!

That was the reason for the Costco pie. Sorry Jayme, I really wanted to try your recipe!!

RIP Abby...

What are We Thinking???

This weekend our plans were to:

1. get the generator working and tested...supposed to be a nasty winter...
2. put the lamp posts back together...after painting and adding outlets...
3. plant all the plants that are sitting in pots on the porch and around the garden...
4. paint the entry...lots of parties coming up
5. start making a slipcover for the chair...
6. work on the Christmas quilt that is now going on the fourth Christmas...I still like it...





Instead, we got it into our heads to do this...

I'm not so good at taking the before pictures, but this was my son's room when we first moved here. We had painted the walls with aluminum paint and then my hubby made all the trim, chair rail and crown molding. We (he) made it all out of sheet metal, and used big screws and washers to attach it to the wall. It was very cool!!!! Lots of metal shelves, black bed and red accents around the room.
When my daughter moved out, my son took over her room and we just moved her furniture into his old room. She has all white, cottage-ie-type furniture, 4-poster bed stuff and it just never looked quite right!!!

She's coming home this weekend so of course we started a new project, which won't be done in time for her visit, which means she has to sleep on the couch in the bonus room!!!!

We're going to do board and batten on the bottom and dark brown on the top, with crown molding (from our old LR) on the top. I need to paint everything and then repaint all of her furniture too. I should be doing this now, as it's actually nice out, but probably won't get to it today!!

Needless to say, not much of our list was accomplished!!! Brian and Tyler did get the lampposts back up and working, and I got most of the plants in the ground. Also got the lawn mowed yesterday. I keep hoping it's the last mow of the season, but 4 days later it needs mowing again!!!

In other news:

I found out my friend Debra is a rug hooker. She invited me to her home to show me what she's working on. I've always wanted to learn this art and after seeing her rug...I'm "hooked"!!!! I can't wait to see the finished project!

This piece is quite large and will hang above her couch. Do you see the pumpkin patch??? And to the left of the little house is a clothesline with dungaree's on it!!!! I only want to make this and then I will be quite content in the rug hooking business.

There is a group of "hookers" that meet once a week at the senior center and I've attended the last 2 weeks. They are so eager to share and teach and their projects are amazing!

This lady is making one of these for each of her four children. This is where they grew up and where they lived. The Teton's are in the background and I believe this is for her son who works for the railroad. She tries to make each one personal, but the general look is the same for each kid. What a beautiful legacy!

The cutest things there, of course, are the seniors!!! What a happening place!!! Lots of activities, but every Tuesday there is dancing from 1-4!!! Live music and everyone dresses up just a little!! No jeans here!!!! A whistle is blown, (quite loudly, I assume because they are hard of hearing) every minute or so and they have to change partners. This is a good idea, cuz some of those men are quite good, while others seem to be falling asleep on their feet!!!!! The little ladies have their hair all curled up and their high heels on and darned if they all aren't the cutest things!!!!

A few weeks ago we had quite the rain storm. As it was pouring behind my house, the front of my house had this to feast on......

The top picture is from my front porch. I couldn't get a picture of the full rainbow, but you could see it from end to end!

And then...it doubled!!!!

Reminds me of the song...All God's Promises are Yes and Amen!!!!! Nothing is prettier than the pictures He paints!!!

Just Like Wolves

Just Like Wolves...the name of the band that my son Tyler is in. They had their debut on Saturday night!!!

He and his friend Derek have been playing together for awhile now. Jacob joined them a few months ago. Derek is an amazing musician, playing many instruments, writing songs, singing, etc. His parents have been great at providing space, tools and opportunities!! Thanks Erin and Larry!!!

He lives on a farm with a few barns, one in which the second floor has been converted into a music space.

This is where their first concert took place. They invited a few friends to do a test run...and let their parents come if they didn't embarrass them!!!

Hard to get god pics with the lighting, but......

Tyler on drums, Derek on lead guitar, and Jacob on bass...

My boy!!! I've never liked that shirt, but it looked kind of cool in the light!!

I was amazed at how good they were!!! They've been working so hard and it really showed!

They played seven original songs and an encore of one of them..."I'm Not"...

You can check them out on Facebook. Hopefully they'll have some video soon!! I can't get the link to work, but will try again!!

Great job guys!!