Rain

I woke up yesterday morning with a nasty migraine. Lots of Excedrin and coffee and still couldn't shake it. Watched an amazing movie...Courageous. What a wonderful production and testimony. Highly recommend it ! Went to work for a little while, but it was really slow so I went home. It had been raining...Hard...all day long...bucketing actually! So I came home, turned on the fireplace, and curled up on the couch with a few books and lit a new candle.

Vanilla Snowflake from Bath and Body Works. This is my new favorite! Just a hint of vanilla, soft and yummy!  They are on sale right now...if there are any left!

I read a bit of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, and the I read the sweetest book, The 13th Day of Christmas by Jason Wright. This was a delightful and lovely story!  I know it's after Christmas, but it extended it just a bit for me! Go check it out at your library!

Woke up this morning and my headache was gone...yea!! No more rain either, but I noticed the pond was up quite a bit. Went outside with my camera and saw this!!

and this!

When we put the dock in last summer we measured it to the high water mark and then added a little bit. It's scary to think we've hit it already and it's only January! We're going to try and pump some of the water out tomorrow as we have a big cold front moving in and we don't want the pond to freeze around the boards. Sound fun? I don't think so either!!!!

Wish the water was always this high!!! It would make jumping off a little more fun!

Snow for the weekend...good thing my outdoor Christmas lights are still up! Makes it more sparkly!!

New Yea'rs Eve

New Year's Eve. It was 10 days ago. Why does it take me so long to post about the events in my life?!

We were blessed, once again, to celebrate the evening with dear friends. We were together last year, and I hope for many more!

Most of us have been friends since our boys were little. We met during soccer and continued these friendships long after the boys went on to pursue different things.  John's big brother was the boys coach in the early days, and until senior year, Braden and Tyler continued to play basketball together. Now they are all in college...John is in Hawaii, Braden and Tyler in Bellingham, but at different schools. I love these boys and their families and it has been such a joy to watch them grow into the fine young men they are becoming.

I think one of the best things about this night is that the "kids" are all part of it. How many 17,18 and 19 year olds (and older!) spend New Year's Eve with their parents, parent's friends and grandparents? Says a lot about the character of these youngsters!!!

There were lots of games...Mad Gab, Catch Phrase, Taboo, and a made up game too...which were all quite fun!

Lots of fabulous food...because we didn't get enough at Christmas!

 A little round robin ping pong game...

and the countdown to midnight...some of us are thinking about celebrating an earlier time zone next year!!!

A wonderful way to kick off 2013!!!

Does It Have to be Over?

Does it have to be over? What if I don't want it to end? The magic, the smells, the twinkling lights...that feeling of anticipation~I wish it could last forever!

But, alas, I think it's all coming down this weekend. I'm mostly ready! To tidy the house, have a blank slate, think of some fun new decorating ideas and displays. I have LOVED Christmas...the entire month leading up to it and the day of and days after! This has been my most joyous December since I was a little girl!!! I was determined to enjoy each and every minute and by golly, I did!!!!

From the decorating to baking, train rides and get-togethers, shopping and visiting, wrapping and the Music (I LOVE the music!),  Christmas Eve candlelight service, to the snow on Christmas day, I have relished each moment!

I haven't blogged, but I've been reading everyone else's!! I'm always so impressed with the way people decorate and craft...so inspiring!

So here's a little tour of my home, before it all goes away!

The past few years I keep saying it's time to change up the tree...but then I pull out all the ornaments and love it all over again!

 I need to make new stockings now...why didn't I think ahead all those years ago for my children's spouses???!!! (if anyone has this fabric in their stash...let me know!)

My bucket of snowballs~

The Starbucks tree that seems to accumulate more and more stuff every year!

The stair landing...time for some new lights!

The laundry room got a new look!

Some fine, first grade style art by yours truly!

I put a tree in the office this year and loved it!!! Kind of whimsical!

Above the front door~

The same old trees in the sewing room....but I love them!

The quilt I made for Tyler, when he was two.

A little vignette in the entryway~

Sparkle!

S'more tree!

I had a bare table and an unused sled so I came up with this a few weeks ago!

My sweet grammy made the snowflake garland the first year I was married!

My new favorite tree~the master bedroom. I saw this tree at a thrift store this year and as soon as I heard the price ($20.00!) I scooped it up! It's so hard to get an accurate picture, but it is gorgeous!!!

I had some of the ornaments, balls mostly, but got quite a few for bargain prices at Kohl's. I got the twig garland and candles at Grandiflora. The flocking on this looks like the tree just came from the mountains!

 It's the last thing I turn off every night!

The kitchen gets dolled up too!

I painted the inside of my hutch this year (don't know why I never did it before!) It's a Martha Stewart piece that I got at a garage sale and the interior was originally blue, which I changed to green. Why? I love the cream! And dear hubby wired it for lights. Instead of putting them on the top, we put a light at the bottom of each shelf. I really like the light effect  and also that I can hide them!

My husband is also a little more talented in the chalk art than I am! He does them for fun...all free hand!

Anyway, this one says it all!!!

 Blessings to all of you in this wonderful, new year!