I have been remiss in updating my blog over the holidays. Our Christmas was laid back and wonderful. Santa brought us all the perfect gift.

Christmas Eve we celebrated with Aunt Susie, Uncle Jim and my brother Larry. They all came over for dinner and then we exchanged gifts. Susie had another one of mom's quilt projects finished and gave it to me, it's just beautiful and my brother layed some cash on me..(Yoo Yoo! I'm saving it to spend when I'm at the Winter Scrapbook Retreat in February).

Christmas morning, Fred and Connor got me up at 5:50 IN THE MORNING!.....HELLO???....lord, it's hard to have two "kids" in the house.

My guys were very good to me. Fred gave me a beautiful Bamboo Fun Wacom tablet, Brighton earrings and ankle bracelet, a jar of Philosophy Amazing Grace and several books that I wanted.

Connor gave me an awesome Snowglobe with moveable parts, a Sephora Tangerine Grapefruit Bath Set and a gorgeous brown chenille hat, scarf and gloves to go with my new coat.

Christmas Day, Karrie, Chloe and Gunner came over to exchange gifts. Later, our best friend Paul came over and we all ate a Christmas dinner of Baked Cavatelli Casserole.

I took lots and lots of pictures and I've just about got all of them organized. Just need to work a little magic in Photoshop on some of them and then they will be ready to print.

Chloe came over on Christmas Eve during the day and her, I and Connor made a gingerbread train and decorated sugar cookies. Here's proof of our efforts.





It's getting late, so I'm going to stop this post for now. Who knows, maybe I'll actually post something again tomorrow.

This Christmas

......which happens to be the name of one of my favorite Christmas songs. I especially like the version by the group Chicago.

I'm sitting here late in the evening of the Saturday night before Christmas on Tuesday and I can honestly say I have no more of anything to do before Christmas.

The house is decorated. Gifts has been purchased and wrapped. The food is bought and ready to prepare. I even did a little baking this year, making pecan sandies and a couple of batches of muddy buddies.

Today we went and saw "National Treasure; Book of Secrets" and really enjoyed it. We had been looking forward to going to it for a few weeks. I'm glad we went when we did, as the weather is quite frightful.

Last week I made some ornaments for our tree. I had purchased some clear round balls from Hobby Lobby at 40% off a few weeks ago and wanted to embellishment them with rub-ons. I pulled out my rub-on supply and found four different things I wanted to do. You had to be careful when rubbing the ornament so that you don't apply too much pressure and break it.



Tomorrow we have absolutely no commitments. I need to get up early and finish up the little bit of grocery shopping I have to do and then I plan on making and freezing the Cavatelli Casserole for Christmas Dinner. I may even do some scrapbooking. I know Fred and Connor want to play "Guild Wars" for awhile tomorrow, so while they play, I'll play.

Monday during the day, Chloe is coming over for awhile so her mother can finish her Christmas shopping. My sister has been working so much that she hasn't had alot of time to do it. I think Connor, Chloe and I will make the gingerbread train that we've been wanting to do. I'll post pictures once we get it done.

Monday night, Christmas Eve brings my Aunt Susie, Uncle Jim and my brother, Larry over for dinner and a gift exchange and then on Christmas Day, my sister, Chloe and Gunner willl come over for the same. Looking forward to all of it.

Unfortunately, I have to return to work on Wednesday, the 26th, but Fred and Connor are on vacation the rest of the week..........next up....celebrating Connor's 12th birthday on the 27th......it doesn't seem possible he is that old.

Later......

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Kirby decided to see what life is like at the top of the Christmas tree a couple of weeks ago. In the four years that we have had Kirby, he has never been interested in climbing the tree before.

I was in bed sick with strep with the actually ascent happened. Fred and Connor were downstairs and Fred said that he heard the "tinkling of ornaments" so he went to investigate and saw the tree swaying. The next thing I knew, I heard "Honey, Honey...get the camera...hurry, hurry". I stumbled out of bed and downstairs to see what all the fuss was about. I was greeting with this:



Since the taking of those photos, none of us are convinced that our cats aren't having their own little party in the tree during the day when we're gone. We've had branches on the tree fall off and we've had to rearrange ornaments and lights several times. I just hope that the tree is still standing by Christmas.

Christmas Questions

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? Right after Thanksgiving. I may not get any other decorating done that early, but the tree goes up

4. When do you take the tree down? When we get tired of it

5. Do you like eggnog? Sometimes, I have to be in the mood

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Either my bike or a red patent leather jacket I received the year I was 10

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, my mother bought me one just a few years ago.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad and Step-Mother

9. Easiest person to buy for? Connor

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Fred gave me a massage pad one year that you can put in a chair. I hated that thing! It wasn't relaxing at all and I think the only reason he gave it to me was he thought it was going to get him out of any future back and neck massages.

11. Favorite Christmas Cartoon? Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a tie between "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" and "A Christmas Story"

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I shop for Christmas gifts all year long

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Of course....

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Seafood

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Our tree actually has a red/green color combo

17. Favorite Christmas song? "The Spirit of Christmas" by Ray Charles

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? STAY AT HOME! We have spent two Christmas's in the past 20 years away and we didn't like it either time. It was more of an obligation we needed to do.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Neither....big bow and sphire

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One present on Christmas Eve, the rest in the morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? shopping lines

23. Do you decorate your tree in any specific theme? Our main tree is a Santa theme with decorations we have collected over 20 years

Tag, you're it!

My Latest Project

I was going to post this a few weeks ago, but I got busy and then I got sick so it didn't get done.

Back in October, the city of Altoona had a clean-up day. I love clean-up days! It's so liberating to get rid of stuff. As we were leaving the house that day I noticed this footstool that my next door neighbor had at their curb. I grabbed it and put it in the garage, thinking that I could do something with it.



I had an idea in my head and on what I wanted to do with it, but I had to make sure I could find the perfect fabric and trim. I decided to try my luck at Hobby Lobby and lo and behold, I found the perfect pink plaid that was also 40% off and the trim only cost a couple of bucks.

I took the cushion off of the footstool and after roughing up the wood, I spray painted it white (not a very good job either, I might add). I reupholstered the cushion with my new pink plaid and after the white paint was dry, secured the cushion on the stool and then hot glued the pink tassel trim. I think it turned out pretty cute for less than $10.00. I'm using it in my scraproom to prop my feet on when I'm chilling out.




Thanks for stopping by and taking a look!