Christmas Tour 2010

I love Christmas time and I love all the twinkling lights that go with it. Each year I look forward to the Christmas Tours online. I'm nosy and I like to have a peek into other peoples homes and lives so these tours are right up my ally.

 Here's mine, though it's late. You can see many, many more here. Also keep in mind I did not clean for you. So the toys and messed up tree skirt, is just keeping it real!

 Please ignore the fact that the lights are starting to fall. I tried to fix them before the picture, but couldn't reach them on my own. Jimmy will have to do it and I was impatient so I just took the picture. Also ignore the bag of potting soil behind the rocker. 

Entry table. I have some ideas for this area as I do not like the mirror or the lamps any longer. I'm wanting something a little more modern looking.

What you see as you enter through the front door.

 

Just to the left of the front door, through the french doors is what was supposed to be a dinning room. However, we have made it a family room instead and it gets much better use that way. It's were my computer is and where the dogs sleep. 

 

Looking straight ahead from the front door is the main living room.

Lastly is the mantel. I've never really quite figured out how to decorate this area it's always a work in progress.

That concluded the tour. All photos where taken with my Iphone 4. It does not take the best pictures but I was being lazy and didn't feel like getting the good camera out and getting it all set up. Now go look at all the awesome pictures on the other blogs!

Awesomly Beautiful

One thing I love about our house is the view out our back door. I've seen deer, coyotes, wild turkeys, dogs, horses and cows as well as the farmer's plowing the fields for hay. I've taken pictures in pretty much every season and am always in awe of the beauty.

I thought I would share that beauty with you. Enjoy!

 

The April photo is the day after the fire I referred to here happen.

I've yet to catch a sunrise on film out the back, but I've seen a few and they are just as awesome.

I was however able to capture a sunset out the front door. Equally awesome.

Click any image to see in full size.

Fall

Fall is my most favorite time of year. I was born in the fall. I love the crisp morning air, the sound of the trees dropping their leaves. I love the color of fall and tend to lean that way in decorating my home. I love the look of crisp whites and light blues, but I always come back to the richer, darker colors when decorating.

I loved this wreath from Pottery Barn, but not the price, so I made one myself.

Pottery Barn

Mine

I just got a grapevine wreath and a couple of leaves on stems at walmart. I cut the leaves off and hot glued them to the wreath. I like my version better, don't you?

I also dumped my dying ferns and put pumpkins in the planters. I love how they turned out. I need to get some pillows for the rockers and then it will be complete. I don't do much fall decorating in the house but I do like for my porch to look Fallish.

I'm just noticing the rug is off center and it kind of bugs me!

Art

Two weeks ago the boys decided they wanted to decorate the front of the fridge with artwork. They got a few markers out some safety scissors and tape. Not just any tape, but red electrical tape. And this is what the front of our fridge has looked like for the past two weeks.

Favorite Books-Berenstain Bears

The boys are really getting into reading every night before bed. I've found some books that I'm really enjoying and the boys seem to like them as well. Not only are they fun to read but they teach a lesson as well. I've found that I've benefit from the books as well. I love the way Mama Bear handles some of the situations that we have actually faced in this house.

I highly recommend these books, they are fun for both parents and kids!

One of Farmer Ted's Friends

My son, Kolton reminded me of one of my all time favorite shows today. While digging around in daddy's stuff one of the boys came across this headband light(not sure what it's really called). Kolton rediscovered it today and put it on. When I looked up at him I immediately thought of Farmer Ted, from Sixteen Candles and his nerdy sidekicks Bryce and Cliff.

Farmer Ted(center),Bryce(left),Cliff(right)

There is a scene in the movie, to which I can not find a image of, where Farmer Ted goes by his friends house late at night to have his picture taken with the blond and the Rolls Royce. If I remember correctly Cliff has a headband light on his head.





While we are on the subject of Sixteen Candles I have to address two things.

Firstly, was this not the best scene ever? Sam runs into the church to retrieve her drugged up sister's wedding veil thinking everyone is waiting for her. However, when she returns almost everyone is gone, until she see him. Jake Ryan, Lord have mercy I has the biggest crush on him when I was young and I LOVED that car. I'm a car girl. When the last car, full of her family is loading she see's him. He mouths "hey you" and Sam looks behind her, totally something I would do too.



I still get a giddy stupid grin on my face when I watch it, like totally.

Secondly, this scene always stressed me out. I'm not sure I would do this no matter how romantic it is. I might have to opt for the floor or the chairs. I've always worried every since I was young that that stupid glass table is going to break or Jake or Sam are going to catch on fire or smash the cake. Mostly I worried about the table. Still love the scene though.


And of course, Jake says "make a wish" and Sam says "it already came true."

And last but not least here is a picture of Karter because he said "hey you forgot to take a picture of me."

Gone Fishin

If you followed my twitter(over there on the right hand side), you know that we took the boys fishing for the first time today. I myself have not been fishing in about 15 years. We had fun today.

The boys both caught 2 or three fish each. Kolton loved it and was all about reeling in the line and got super excited when there was actually a fish on the end.

Karter caught his fish and then he was done. He had fun but he would rather use electronic devices, like my iphone.

Thank you Jeannie,Hobart, Allison, Nana and Papa. We all had so much fun. Kolton asked at bedtime if we could go back and fish sometime soon.

EDIT: I forgot to say thank you to Paige and Bryan for playing with us at Nana's house. You wore the boys out and they were ready for bed when we got home.

Finding Happiness

I will admit that my happiness went missing for a month or so recently. A lot of things were going on. I blogged about most of those and I was just unable to search for it in the mist of everything that was going on and trying to do my day to day stuff. Now as I work to settle back into a low stress mode after being in high stress for months, I think I've found happiness again.

Here it is.

This color on this chair soothes me it takes me to the Caribbean, with the calming blue waters. I can almost hear the ocean lap on the shore. I've been to the Caribbean several times pre-children and it's always a relaxing place for me. It's my happy place the place I retreat to in my mind when I need a few moments.

I know it sounds silly that this chair could make me feel happy, but it does. I painted it yesterday and from the first layer of paint I was in love. Now I'm looking for other things to paint this color.

The color is Blue Ocean Breeze by Krylon.

Now before anyone thinks. Paint, paint brings her happiness!! Not her children or family or friends? Well, of course all those things bring me happiness but unfortunately they have the ability to make me feel unhappy too. Paint, what's it ever done to anybody?

Krylon Blue Ocean Breeze paint I HEART you!

Twin Day at Chick-Fil-A

Today we went to the mall to get out of the house and get the boys some new shoes.

Both boys feet have gone up a size in 3 months or so.

Anyway, we stopped at Chick-Fil-A to eat as we sat down to eat I notice a set of twin boys about 16 or 17 with their mom. A few seconds later a set of 2 year old girl twins showed up. It was then that I said it must be twin day at Chick-Fil-A. The mother of the twin boys said she noticed that as well. We shared our sentiments at having baby twins and a couple of laughs. I have to say I have never been in that situation before where there was more than one set of twins in the same area at the same time. The mall was not busy today so that made it all the more un-usual.

The Luck of The Irish

Well obviously it's not with us this month. This month there is so much going on and not much of it is good, but we'll make it through. The one positive thing is that we have a contract, FINALLY, on our old house. Hopefully it goes through.

Something cute did happen on the 17th that I didn't know about until later that day. We had spent sometime outside that evening and Jimmy had spent about an hour looking for a four leaf clover. He finally found one! I was outside but I wasn't close enough to hear what was going on and I think I was reading a book. Anyway, the boys asked Jimmy what he was doing and he told them looking for four leaf clovers. They wanted to help so Jimmy said he began to pull clovers(3 leaf) and told the boys to kiss them and when the wind blew them away they were going to go to people who needed kisses. How cute and sweet!

My boys, all of them, Jimmy, Kolton and Karter are sweet and cute.

Do I still Have My Eyes?

That's what I'm wondering after reading 2,444 pages or 4 books in 7 days. I have to say I did enjoy the break from laundry and reading blogs for those 7 days. It's time to step out of Bella and Edward land.

The books were very good. It took me awhile to decide if I wanted to read them or not, I'm glad I did.

And to answer my sister's questions. Yes Keelan, I have the fourth book and you are welcome to read it. See my sisters' have a plan, they only have to wait long enough for me to buy the books and read them at break speed and then they get to read them without paying for them. This is how they read almost all the Harry Potter books. It's ok buy me. I think good books should be shared.

Pardon Me

I sorry for my absence lately. I've been spending an awful lot of my evening and nap time with Bella and the Cullens. Actually I've read two book in about 4 days. I just love me some good fiction books. I've finished the second book now and am not picking up the third until all my laundry is done-maybe.

Little geniuses ???

I give my two boys a lot of leeway to see, touch, and learn things. A little more than mommy would like for me to sometimes, but I do it anyway.

In the last couple of days, Karter managed to take a screw driver to his toy computer and actually get the back off of it! Then, last night he wouldn't stay in bed so I bribed him by telling him that if he would stay in bed I would take him to shawnee with me when I went the next day. He knows that I leave a mower over there for mowing in the summer time. I told him we would go to shawnee after he woke up the next day and he could play with the mower (not turned on of course). He then told me "Need Gas", he remembered a few weeks ago when I told him that we couldn't start it because it was out of gas! Brilliant!

Today I took Karter and Kolton (and Brandy) with me when I went to do some work at our house in shawnee, I was replacing wall plates on some of the electrical outlets when Kolton insisted that I give him one and a screw driver. He promptly stuck the plate on the wall and used the screw driver to screw it in. A flat head screw none the less. Since I don't have any other children (yet ;>), I have nothing to compare to, but to me these guys seem unusually intelligent.

It's how hot in January?

One of reasons I can handle Oklahoma winters is that one day it's 25 degrees outside and the next day it will be 65 and one day last week it was on the 70's. The saying in Oklahoma is if you don't like the weather, just wait a minute it will change. That's pretty right on. Anyway, my reason for telling you this is that on those days we go outside, because when it's 25 outside the kids get stir crazy, emphasis on the CRAZY. They love outside and I like that they get all that energy out.

Holiday Tour 2008

While visiting Angie's I found a link to BooMama's blog. She's having a holiday tour and has evidently been doing it for several years. I though, how fun, I want to join in and so I am. Here's a tour of our decorated house this year.

This year we did not do outside lights. Having moved to our new house just this summer we are still a bit unorganized. Basically we don't have enough outside lights so we will have to wait until we can get some more next year or when they go on sale after Christmas. We still have a house on the market and I don't feel like buying more lights at this time is a necessity so it shall wait.

I did however put this pretty wreath up on the front door.

In side the front door and to your left is the formal dinning room, only we don't use it for that, we use it for a sitting room and the dogs sleep in there. Eventually, it will be a beautiful family room.

(here's one of the dogs now. This is Zeeo our 9 year old Great Dane. It's very cold out today and Zeeo hates the cold.)

Just inside the front door is the foyer. To the right I have this table with these two little snowmen that I made pre-twins, actually like 8 years or so pre-twins. Wow, I didn't even realize they were that old.

Just after this table is another little tree. This tree was sitting on the front porch and it looked really nice there, but it kept blowing down so I brought it in. Now the cat likes to knock the ribbons off it.

Just past this little tree is the living room and the stockings.

BooMama asked that we share a snack with you so I'd like to offer you a peanut butter cookies. I found the recipe in one of my Parenting magazines.

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1 egg

mix all together, form 1in balls, roll cookie ball in sugar, place on cookie sheet, smash cookie in criss cross pattern with fork. Bake 10 mins at 375. I skipped rolling them in sugar and instead placed a Hershey kiss on at the end.

As you leave you will see Santa sitting above the door.

I love Christmas and Santa is great but let us not forget the true meaning of Christmas. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

(Sorry you can't read this and I don't have time to fix it at the moment but it reads:)

And you shall have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth

Luke 1:14

American Idol-Church Edition

I signed up for the Christmas Church Choir, we have had 2 practices so far. I always go into new things feeling insecure and unsure of my abilities but I trudge on knowing that in the end I will be glad I moved forward. With that said last night really tested those insecurities. We were placed in our respective groups, Men in men section, women divided up into alto's and soprano's, I can sing both but was put into the soprano's. I haven't sang in public or in a group setting for years. The first practice was good, no one really knew what was going or or what was expected.

The second practice was better until the person beside me got up and moved. She actually moved to another seat two rows behind me. Now, here is where my insecurities kick in. I admit I was listening to her to hear our part mostly because I was sitting in between her and the beginning of the alto's. I could hear both parts and wanted to make sure I was singing the right keys. And then she moved, leaving a seat empty between the lady next to her and me. After about 10 mins or so the lady on the other side of her voiced her concern that it was her that had made the lady move. Really, who knows why she moved. Maybe it was me, maybe it was the lady on her other side and maybe it was neither of us, but I was surprised at how quickly I assumed it was me.

I felt much like those American Idol contestants who just know they can sing and then are told quit frankly that they cannot only sing, but they sing horrible, the worst they have ever heard. And here's where I get a little confident. I know I can sing. It has been confirmed many times by credible sources. Not just my parents and friends, but a college establishment who gave me a scholarship for my first two years of college to sing in their college contemporary band. A college won't just give you money for their school and tell you to represent them if you can't sing.

So I will continue knowing I can sing but being insecure and unsure of myself right until the Christmas choir is over.

Sunday Morning with Daddy

Saturday is Jimmy's day to sleep in and Sunday is mine. This morning I heard my three guys moving about the house as I dosed on and off. Sleeping in for me is never sleeping very late. The latest I think I've slept is 9:00, but that's beside the point. I kept hearing the boys and Jimmy talking and when I got up I saw Jimmy had taken some pictures. This is what I saw.

Notice the missing keys on the keyboard. Karter did this when he was a baby.

This boy loves him some electronics.

As a side note I hate that table cloth and the mismatched table and chairs. Alas, I am waiting until our old house sells before I spend any extra money. I'm just thankful I have a table to eat at.