Happy New Year's Eve

When I saw this photo of Sweet Pea's front door I instantly wanted to try it for myself.

 Pine Cone Door Decoration

Believe it or not, I could not find pinecones.  It was crazy!  I have pine trees all around.  Ironman said maybe they don't drop their cones until the spring.  Maybe.....

I did manage to find several small ones.  

They were so soft I did not need to use a drill to make a hole for the eye hook.  I just pushed the hook in and twisted it.  A couple of the pinecones couldn't take the pressure and crumbled in my hand. 

This wasn't going good!!

I had some baby blue ribbon, but not enough to tie all these pinecones. 

 I had some burnt orange - but that seemed to Autumn-ish.  

I had red - but that seemed to Christmasy.

I had white - but my front door is white.

I had black but........... nope.

So I settled for the yellow.  

I tied each pinecone and hung the decoration.

But the yellow ribbon seemed one dimensional against the white door.

 So I added the brown grosgrain.  It has tiny snowflakes printed on one side.  It helped add depth.   For a 20 minute project (not counting the time it took me to search for pinecones) it looks fine.

But I'm waiting for those large pinecones to fall.   This year I'll gather up a basketful and save them for the next project.

Happy New Year's Eve.

Boxes and Boxes and Boxes!

Today twas the day.   The day my family dreads.  Today was the day the Christmas Decorations must be repacked and put away for another year.

Ready or not.  Here we go.

 Boxes and Boxes

 More Boxes

 Christmas Tree is looking sad and bare. 

 We interrupt this story of packing decorations to show this machine.  It lives in my kitchen.  All you have to do is load it with dishes, add a little square cube of soap, shut the door, push the button.  Half an hour later you have clean dishes.  It's almost magic.

But what do I see?  Dishes IN the machine.   You see, I had almost finished loading it.  I.T. girl was still eating a little lunch.  I asked her when she was finished eating,  to please drop her dish in the dishwasher, add soap, and START it.  "Sure" she said happily.  It's now 4:20pm.  I just happened to walk by the kitchen and you guessed it - all I see is the dishwasher left exactly the way, well, exactly the way I left it.  I just had to take a photo.  I couldn't resist.  And her dish?  It's in the sink.  It made me laugh.  Honestly, I actually laughed.  

If I were to get hit by a bus tomorrow, I don't know what they would do.  :)

Late yesterday afternoon I did a quick craft project.  It is easy peasy.  Honestly, easy peasy.  And it cost me $0.  I already had all the materials. 

I found the tutorial here: Pottery Barn Knock Off Musical Candles

Dropped the candles in hurricane vases.  Added cinnamon sticks.  I only had 2 candles the color I wanted so the middle hurricane is filled with potpourri.  I used burlap for a runner.  

Love, love, love the display.  Can't wait to add a few more little things.  I'm thinking about those Mason Jar Snow Villages.  Hmmmmm  

A new Year filled with new projects.  YIPPEE

Healing

There are a few specific parts of my life I keep private.  I never speak of certain events or people.  I keep these undercover because to speak of them would make me remember.  I don't want to remember.  I don't want to deal with it.  I don't want others to know because then they'll have to deal with a new part of me.  And I'd rather not pass that burden on to anyone.

Years ago I had a Shaggy Dog.  I heard from someone this week who reminded me of that Shaggy Dog.  The voice sounded the way I remembered, but the words being said were strangely confrontational.   Part of me wanted to say, "What's with the attitude?" but the protective part of me consciously removed myself from the conversation.  I have learned to practice the art of golden silence in these situations.  Stay polite, attentive but do not add fuel to the fire.  

When the voice faded I was left to remember.  I struggled to remember anything pleasant.  Anything good.  I realized I can only remember the bad days.  I can only remember the bad feelings.

I walked around my new house and I was amazed.  Who lives here?  Whose house is this?  It's beautiful.  The family that lives here is warm and friendly and pleasant.  They love each other.  They like each other.  THEY GET ALONG!!  Wait, this is my family!  This is the family I have always dreamed about.  This is the family I prayed for year after year.

I don't have to return to the ugly days.  I don't have to remember.  I can put my past behind me and move forward.  My Lord and Savior promised me He'd stay by my side and all thing would work together for good.  Wow.  I'm so glad I trusted Him  I am thankful I had adults around me who guided and accepted me.  And to the adults who pushed me aside, I have given up the wish that it could be different.  It is what it is.

Today a decision was made.  I was not part of that decision.  Ironman got a phone call.  Why wasn't I called?  I don't know.  I guess it was easier to call him.  I'm thankful he did the talking.  I'm glad that he has my back.

As I loaded yet another load of dirty clothes into the washer, I was thankful I have a family.  As I started some supper, I was thankful there are people here who will be eating dinner with me.  As I began packing away a few Christmas Decorations, I was thankful our holiday was so festive and bright.  I was thankful for my family.  Slowly I am healing.

Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you.

Where do I begin

I have so much to say I don't know where to begin.

I need to gather and organize my thoughts.

Let me start with this:  I have tonsillitis.  Again.  Yippee for me.  In fact, I don't think I have it "again".  I think it's the same strain of tonsillitis I had 3 weeks ago that never completely healed.  Yes, I finished a complete 10 day round of antibiotics.  I remember on Day 8 thinking that although I felt better, I didn't feel well.  Then with the whirlwind of Christmas and gifts and eating I just put my scratchy throat on the back burner.  Yesterday the headache returned.

Here's the story of my yesterday.  It started with my van.  I loaded all 3 teenagers in the van and headed to the dentist.  We had to stop to fill up the tank and as I turned the key to leave the battery was dead.  D.E.A.D.  How could that happen in less than 10 minutes?  I'm grateful I wasn't in the middle of nowhere.  Ironman drove over and we swapped cars. I managed to make it to the dentist only 3 minutes late.  The teenagers and I all had our teeth cleaned.  Don't you just hate to have your teeth cleaned?  I've suffered through many dental appointments in my life and I admit that the dentist we see now is the best.  Painless.  Honestly, he's painless.  The hygienists though are a different subject.  Dancer Girl and I were paired with one hygienist.  When she stepped out of the room I carefully searched for a dixie cup - anything I could fill with water to take 2 tylenol.  My headache was returning.  Can you believe I could not find ONE THING to fill with water?  NOTHING.  In the dental office!  News from the dental chair:  No cavities.  I have three children and only one of them has ever had a cavity.  One cavity among them.  Wow, fluoride changes everything.  Dentist Fred told me that I.T. girl's wisdom teeth are moving and she has another year before we need to have them extracted.  So he'll X-ray them again in 6 months.  Dancer Girl has braces on her teeth and everything is fine.  The Engineer had his wisdom teeth extracted over a year ago.  Everything was fine.  Then it was my turn - I have to return in 2 weeks to repair a cracked filling.  Oh yes, I had many, many cavities when I was a young girl.

By the time we left the dental office I was not feeling well.  We headed over to Grand Lady's house as I had arranged to take her to lunch while we were all out together.  Chinese.  I enjoy chinese as much as the next woman, but this particular chinese restaurant - Grand Lady's choice - seems to always upset my stomach.  Loverly.  Still we had a nice lunch.  The teens enjoy it.  It was nice to sit and talk and visit and let someone else do the dishes for a change.

I barely made it home with my headache.  Ironman had been home alone all this time.  I had visions of walking into a sparkling house smelling of lemon pledge and cascade.  Supper preparations beginning.  The dog washed and fed.  Clean towels in all the bathrooms.  Wow.  A girl can dream.  Or, as they say in junior high, "And then I woke up"  The house was just as I left it.  In fact, the trash was just where I had left it.  I had no strength to comment.  My head required it all.

Thus the blog got no attention last night.

Which brings us to today.

I feel a little better.  Enough to decide I'll wait one more day before I return to the doctor.  Besides, I had so much to do.   I didn't have time to sit in a waiting room.  And, in fact, by the afternoon I did feel better.

Because we were totally out of groceries, I knew I couldn't avoid Kroger another day.  I first went to Target and then to Kroger.

Can you say ANNOYING SHOPPERS?  Oh my.  I was elbowed, squeezed past, bumped into, leaned across and stepped in front of.  There were only a handful of shoppers looking through the Christmas markdowns at Target but these ladies were not playing games.  I finally gave up.  I do not need another silver ornament so badly that I am willing to risk a broken leg.

I did not see one exciting markdown at Target.  I looked for Holiday items in other parts of the store.  Santa Ziplocs and Frosty Napkins were all still full price.  The only thing I saw that was marked down were Glade Candles.  I did not buy any Glade Candles.

On to Kroger.

Armed with my handy dandy coupon binder filled with many coupons that are set to expire on 12/31, and the awareness that we have nothing to eat in my house , I was set for battle.  

 Love Louisiana Yams  

And is it just me or does this cabbage look lovely?  **it looked beautiful in person.  I took these food pix with my iPhone camera.  

Although the produce was beautiful, there were not  many deals at Kroger, either.
The only deal I did find was on orange juice.

Both the Minute Maid Pure Squeezed and the Tropicana 50 were on sale for $2.88.  I had 4 $1.00 coupons.  And as much orange juice as those people in my house drink, this was a deal.
Believe it or not, as I was leaving Kroger I texted I.T. girl to let her know I would be home soon and be prepared to help unload the car.  When I got home I realized I did not have my house key.  I rang the doorbell over and over and over until finally Dancer Girl let me in the house.

Just a typical day.

Have you ever had one of those days where just the most mundane things were so much trouble?  Are the shoppers in your area crazy after Christmas?  And what's with this weather?  It was in the 60s today!

The Day After

 The gifts are unwrapped.

 The boxes are flattened, stacked and ready for the recycling truck.

 The refrigerator is full of leftovers.

 It's chilly and rainy.  In fact, it's been chilly and rainy for several days.  

 Things are relaxed and easy.

I only have one sweater to return.

We had a wonderful Christmas.

My teenagers put on a show for us on Christmas Eve.  I.T. girl had changed the lyrics to such classics as Lion King's Can You Hear the Love Tonight.  It was changed to "Can You See The Christmas Lights"  Silly and funny and remarkably creative.  I laughed until I cried.  

Remember my mentioning how different Christmas is when you have a houseful of teenagers?  Christmas Morning The Ironman and I were both up at 6:30.  We sat by the Christmas Tree with our morning coffee.  Talked and reminisced.  The house was quiet.  Oh how I remember those 3am mornings of excited gift opening.  I had already "warned" those teens that if they weren't up by 9am I was going to wake them up.  Sure enough, by 8:30am we heard movement and 3 sleepy teenagers headed down the stairs and straight to the kitchen.  As I stared in disbelief they ALL poured milk and juice and loaded up their breakfast plates with croissants and eggs that I had waiting for them.  BEFORE PRESENTS?  Ironman and I could only stare.  Wow!  

Opening presents in the past was a frenzy of flying paper and boxes and lasted 20 minutes from beginning to end.  It was like a whirlwind.  And I loved it.  This Christmas gift opening was slower and easier and each teen took the time to watch the gifts opened by others.  They laughed and commented.  They'd even stop for a while to get another croissant or more juice.  The Engineer even commented that "at this rate we'll still be opening gifts at noon".  

Everyone got a big surprise which is always so fun for Santa.  The Dancer Girl got boots that she was not expecting and never dreamed in a zillion years Santa would bring them to her.  I.T. girl received a camcorder for her budding film career.  The Engineer opened a surprise gift of ski boots.  Santa even managed to surprise The Ironman.  (with a GPS running gear thingie that goes in your shoes?  Don't ask me.  But he was excited and couldn't wait to go for a long run)

Can you guess what Santa brought me?  I wasn't expecting it. Oh sure, I had kidded around about buying one.  But all I really wanted for Christmas was family

A Canon Rebel!

More photos to come

Merry Christmas.

We worshipped.

We celebrated.

We ate.

We opened gifts.

We laughed.

We ate some more.

It was a wonderful Christmas.

I am thankful.

Christmas Eve Eve

It happens every year.

Right when I think I'm ready for Christmas, I get that inkling feeling.  That "are you sure you have everything?" feeling.  And this feeling usually results in a last minute shopping splurge.

So this morning Ironman were leaving the courthouse after paying our property taxes and  that feeling overcame me.

We headed straight to Best Buy.  I just didn't think I had everything.  I just felt like I needed one more gift for I.T. girl.  I listed the gifts I had wrapped and hidden for The Engineer and The Dancer Girl.  I told Ironman I just wanted to get I.T. girl one more gift.  Something she won't expect.  Just something.  I wasn't sure what.  He suggested a NOOK.  But no, that didn't sound right.  She does read so, so much but she has never mentioned wanting a NOOK or a KINDLE.  In fact, she's listed many reasons she was not interested in either one .
Her favorite store?  Best Buy.  So we headed through the traffic toward the strip mall.

Stepping into the store I couldn't help but notice the long, long line of customers waiting to check out.  I did a quick scan of the store - seeing as I've been inside this store maybe 5 times - to zero in on the department I was going to peruse.  If didn't take long for me to spot an item I know she'll enjoy and be surprised that Santa delivered.  The sales associates I spoke with were relaxed and helpful.  And everything was in stock.

In fact, standing in line to check out I noticed a woman behind me holding a Wii.  Wow!  I can remember when you couldn't find a Wii anytime past October 31.  And there she was purchasing one on December 23.

I also noticed the $4.99 bin of Cds.  I picked up a Lionel Richie CD.  "Poor Lionel.  You're in the cheap bin!"  I said laughing.  But then I picked up another - Aerosmith.  Another - Three Dog Night.  OH MY GOSH!  I picked up one CD after another from this bin and they were all bands and music we knew.  Harry Chapin, Bread, America - CDs thrown in the cheap bin right there next to Elvis sings Hawaiian.   I should have bought them all.  I think I'll go back next week and choose a couple of them.

Leaving the store it was noticeable that in just that short time the temperature outside had dropped and the wind had picked up.  I was glad to be going home to a warm house.