Silverware Humor

There was a vendor at a local craft fair this fall, who was selling items that she had created - jewelry, wind-chimes, key-chains, etc. - out of pieces of antique silverware. It was all beautiful and very creative. When I saw this one, I got such a kick out of the tongue-in-cheek humor of it that I just had to buy it for my husband for Christmas. He thinks it's really funny and has put his keys on it, even though it's really too big to fit comfortably in his pocket, which I think is very sweet of him.

The Best Gifts are Homemade!

I cook A LOT, and I have an extensive collection of spices 'cause I never know what I'm going to need for a new recipe. I've never had a good place to put them, so they have always been a mess in a kitchen drawer. Not anymore! My husband made me a spice rack for Christmas!!

Boyz & Birdhouses

My husband helped the boys build me birdhouses for Christmas, while I was away on my business trip to New Orleans. I LOVE them!

This morning he mounted them each on a pole in our yard.

I can't wait to see who sets up housekeeping in them this summer!!

A New T-shirt for Everyone

In April, we are going to take a trip to Tennessee to visit my sister & her family! I had a friend draw an image of the 7 of us driving down the highway in our Suburban, and we surprised the kiddos with screen-printed t-shirts (made by Hot Colors in Norway, Maine) for Christmas. At this point, they are trying to figure out what the t-shirts say and what it means to them. Shortly after I took this picture, there was LOTS of jumping around and screams of excitement! We are all super excited about this trip!!

I do believe that I have created a monster...

Our younger son asked for, and received, a camera for Christmas. Immediately after opening it, he called for a pause in the festivities so that he could load it with batteries & a memory card. Then, he started calling out directions for poses, and every time someone opened another gift, he made them wait until he took a picture of it! It was too funny! My husband just shook his head and asked me if I knew who he was acting like? "Ummm...me?" I replied, sheepishly.

Merry Christmas!

We hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday!!

He Really Was Here!

It looks like Santa enjoyed his snack...

He even left the kiddos a note, which my son read out loud for all of us to hear.

He was so proud to be able to claim that he was the one who made those yummy Chocolate Chip cookies. 'Course as far as he's concerned, there is no other type of cookie!

Hanging the Wreath

This year we didn't make our own, but bought them (1 for the door & 1 for Lazy) from the Paris Elementary PTO, which held a Holiday Festival & Craft Fair yesterday morning. The girls & I really enjoyed checking out all the offerings of the local craft makers. I got the funniest gift for my husband and can't wait for him to open it on Christmas Day!

All Lit Up!

My husband finished putting up the Christmas lights this afternoon - the house looks awesome! I love it when it's all lit up, and will be very sad to take the lights back down in January.

Lazy in Lights

This year, I even decorated Lazy! (Maybe you don't remember our horse statue?!)

Starry Lights

We have been busy decorating our house for Christmas, both inside and out! The deck looks great with these starry lights strung all around it. It makes me smile!

A New Start

I haven't blogged for almost a year now...I have been too busy dealing with a whole lot of changes in my personal life. It's all good, believe me...Now, I'm back to photography, & very anxious to get started sharing our world with you again!

Here's a shot that I took today of one of my beautiful step-daughters...

Hey! You're not Santa!!

Izzy was posing for me, dressed up in her Santa outfit, when Rusty jumped into the chair with her. Fortunately, my trigger finger is quick!

A trip down memory lane...

So sorry that I didn't get a chance to post yesterday! We had our big family gathering here - 29 guests, 22 of whom stayed overnight (10 children & 12 adults) - and it was a wicked rowdy good time! On Christmas Day, I posted a photo of our boys in front of our Christmas Tree. This is a tradition that my parents started when I was born. Each year, my siblings and I pose in front of the tree for a group photo. This first one, dated December 25, 1977, was taken the year my sister was born. (There are 4 from my earlier years, but this is the first photo with all 3 of us together.)

And here is the one taken December 25, 2008...
(That is my parents' dog, Duke, in my lap.)

Merry Christmas!

We hope that you all had as great a day as we did!!

Mmmm...chocolate...

My husband brought home a 2 pound block of milk chocolate! It was beautifully decorated and yummy!! I guess all the snow shoveling will help us work off the extra calories...

Santa will be here soon!! Our family will be following his progress on NORAD. It has become a tradition for the boys and one of their favorite parts of the holiday!

Isn't it pretty?

We're so lucky to have such beautiful trees right here on our property!

Carrying it home...

Here they come across the front lawn...almost there, guys!

Measuring the tree...

The tree that we cut down was much too tall to fit into our house, so the boys laid down beside it and Dad was able to cut it to size. The extra branches around the base will be used for making wreaths.

Cutting down the tree...

My husband used the chain saw to cut that wedge out of the tree, and then gave the boys a hand saw so that they could finish taking it down. That way, they could say, "We cut down the Christmas Tree this year!" You can't see him, but he was behind them, pushing on the tree, so that there was no chance of it falling on the boys...