Christmas 2014 Virtual Home Tour

51 degrees and it's nearly Christmas??  For a snow loving, cozy curl up and watch Hallmark Christmas Movies type of person, 51 degrees is NOT Christmasy . . . but there is still hope for a white Christmas which is still two weeks away!

My prepping for Christmas began with two paint jobs  - one for me - one for the hubs.   Since the front door is the first "welcome" guests and family see as they come home for the holidays . . . this faded green door needed a touch-up.  (Hubs painted a closet for me :))

A couple coats of paint both green and white - recycling the Christmas wreath from the previous two years and the tour begins . . . 

I have had a Santa collection for many years now and last holiday I spread them around the house.  This year I went back to my old faithful choice - atop the piano - - - adding some greenery.

As something new and discovered on Pinterest I threw some left over garland into my hubs's family crock!

When I finished the living room - I decided that this was not enough to dress up the room - so I turned to my side business Avon for a couple of touches of lights and music - - - 

Santa's workshop plays various Christmas favorites and the little train goes round and round.  The snowman globe will be added to this little corner of the kitchen.   It can be set to blow snow and with our Texas family coming from south Texas and hopin' and wishin' for SNOW - - - I decided to add in snow and snowmen as much as I could!!

The tops of the kitchen cabinets became a fun project!  A small collection of snowmen that I have had at work became the highlight of my decorating!  

Then we move to the basement family room and guest bedrooms.   Whiile the upstairs is Santa and Snowmen . . . the basement is where the tree is - a simple little tree - and a more rustic theme. 

Not a tree that would be featured in any kind of magazine :) but it is filled with our history as a family.  The kids's first ornaments, the school project ornaments, my mom in law's homemade dove, many angels and some "vintage" flocked plastic reindeer . . . rememember those?    In our other home in Glen Elder the tree always was placed in front of a window . . . thought that was how you did it . . . so others could see your lights!  But here in Beloit, we had to decide one tree or two - upstairs or down.  Opted to put our little tree in the family room in basement corner.  With the lights on . . . WE get to enjoy it ourselves . . . and isn't that what is most important?

Since my kids are both coming home for Christmas with their families I thought it would be fun to give everyone a tree in their room . . . I got creative.  For 1.50 I found this half-tree and for 50 cents bought red ornamental balls to put on . . . It has lights and yes they even work!!

I found a baby doll quilt in a tote with the doll clothes and thought it would be perfect for a tree skirt in the "red room" as we call the room where the granddaughters will stay.  They are 12, 16, and 20 and an air mattress has to be thrown on the floor but they love camping out together for four nights . . . laughing, playing games, or just chillin'.

My son and his wife will be staying downstairs as well and they have their own tree of course:

  

Tree, Santa, Lantern.  These are a few of my favorite things . . . 

And lastly, as I wanted all of our guests to have a Christmas Tree in their rooms . . . 

I added this little snow covered branch tree with lights to our room . . . which shhhhh this is a secret . . . is where our daughter and her hubs will stay.  It seems that our guests now all want the basement guest bedrooms  - not sure if its the beds? the big screen TV in family room? or privacy? that draws them to the guest rooms down there . . . claims have been made and gramps and I have to decide who stays where.  We are offering our room as a "consolation" prize!!   Dad and I will sleep in the upstairs guest room - it's a little small and has no room for suitcases - - - no bed side tables - - - but we will be very comfortable there.  So  . . . I am looking for a little touch of Christmas to put under the tree.  Any suggestions??  

A few more touches and that will finish my tour!

Sisters gave us a flower arrangement in a red lantern last 4th of July.  We had just lost our family dog Dodger.    I knew the red lantern would be used as a permanent house fixture . . . and mixed it in with a lantern given to me from my sister Tami as well as my "moose" on a shelf.

The rustic theme does not fit me . . . but ever since a trip with Clay to the mountains of Estes Park I have changed my mind.   We vacationed with the elk in town, and we came home with a wooden elk as a reminder of the beauty of the Colorado Rockies.  Last winter thanks to Clay's work we were sent to the Dominican Republic and spent a few days in Punta Cana.  The wooden bull is a reminder of that trip.  

If you look closely you will see the elk in the middle of the shelf.  

    

Both the sled and the horse picture are new touches.  Interestingly, the above picture belongs to my father in law, Rex Henningsen.  Being a rancher and raising his kids around horses, it's a very fitting reminder of our dad.  Rex was in a terrible car accident one month ago.  He is recovering,  but slowly.

My husband smiled when I brought it in from the shed and said could we hang this?  

The new puppy at our home got into the Christmas decorating . . . or UNDECORATING . . . she snuck our son's first Christmas ornament off the tree and chewed it to bits . . .  so it's no wonder a week spent decorating equals a tired momma and a tired puppy.

Hope you enjoyed my little tour ... You will google home tours and find many more extravagant homes with many more elaborate decorating ideas . . . but as I like to say - - - oh actually I think Martha Stewart says . . . "make it beautiful".  So whether you have a big home or small home . . . fancy or modest . . . decorate it with your beautiful things . . . they are really "your beautiful memories".

From my house to yours . . . Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jump over to my sister Tami's blog - - - Just One More Thing and tour her beautiful home full of family treasures and memories!

October 31 . . .

I enjoy Halloween now slightly more than I did as a child and as a parent . . .in fact, Halloween is on my list of regrets and wish I could do overs . . . that I have made with regards to my children ... I would have more fun!  Of course I need to remember - the fun can only exist for about 10 years because then the "fun" turns into "mischief" and "please mom can I go trick or treating with my friends . . ." .   But I have enjoyed it with my granddaughter.  Decorating pumpkins, trips to the pumpkin patch, riding on a hay rack, riding a small train, pony rides, kettle corn, caramel apples and much more at our favorite little orchard in South Dakota.    Finding Christian variations to Halloween such as The Pumpkin Patch Parable - Fall Harvest in the Park - and a great time at a huge corn maze are some of my best memories.

I also enjoy Halloween now because I have deemed it "Official kick-off to the Holiday Season"!!  Maybe my sister Tami has the official honors of coming up with this declaration, but I agree!

This year Halloween falls on a Friday - and Hallmark - ohhhhh Hallmark  - is kicking off the holiday season with the first Christmas movies for 2014!  My friend Rebecca and I plan to have a cup of Christmas Tea and enjoy the show!

This year, for me, it also marks a new and unending challenge to take better care of me.  For my health and to enjoy the blessings I have been given I will once and for all - make changes that allow me to lose nearly 50 pounds.  I will exercise on a regular basis.  I will eat healthy food.   And most importantly I will put my focus on prayer and Bible study and growing my relationship with God.

Hope you have a spooktacular Halloween . . . and are ready to enjoy the next two months as we head into the holidays!!!

Check back soon to see what special activities I have planned for these two months . . . as I also reflect on the past year and begin to get my focus for 2015!

Holiday Ho Ho Ho Readathon - Holiday Fun!

Jennifer @ Bawdy Book Blog and Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer adore holiday themed books.   So grab your pile of holiday themed books and sign-up to join us November 6th to 11th for a holiday themed read-a-thon, filled with challenges, good cheer and maybe some Figgy pudding! The challenges will be festive and give you a chance to win some holiday cheer for yourself!  Join for one day, just the weekend or the entire event. Read as many holiday related books from your YA, NA and Adult collections as you can.  Participating in challenges, spreading the news, following hosts and reading will all earn you entries for the grand prize- a twenty dollar gift-card from B&N or Amazon to fill your stocking with!

It happens to me every six months - I am left with the doldrums after Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon

and I begin to search the web for the next readathon of any kind.  I ran across this Ho Ho Ho

Holiday Readathon that begins November 6-11.  Five days to read Christmas themed books!

So - I jumped right on this - I'm looking at my calendar for that week and will keep the RAT in mind. I'm also planning a trip to the library in a few weeks to select my Christmas reads, but 

I can give you some inside information:  I will be reading a favorite of mine - The Best Christmas

Pageant Ever! and I'm setting out some of my kids's favorites and plan to reread some of them. 

Maybe I'll get creative and find some little ones to read to!!

 

Won't you find your holiday spirit and join us in the Holiday Ho Ho Ho Readathon?

Mid-Event - 12 more hours to go!!

1. What are you reading right now?  Return to Me by Lynn Austin - Good!!

2. How many books have you read so far? None - but two magazine articles - some Bible scripture and 3 chapters of Return to Me.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?  I want to continue with my novel - I'm pleasantly surprised at how much I'm enjoying it!  

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?   Mostly self-made interruptions - of course the puppy - but she has been really good and spent a lot of outdoors time today.  So glad it was a beautiful day here in North Central Kansas.  I had to prepare to teach Preschool-2nd grade Sunday School class tomorrow - it required more time and supplies than I had dreamed . . . But I'm enjoying my day soooooo much that any part of the RAT I get to do is just a blessing!  I have enjoyed the challenges - and so now tonight I plan to stay up as long as I can and check out some of the blogs!

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?   No surprises new today but I'm still like a little kid with the whole thing - and I will hate for it to end!

Here's to 12 more hours!  

SHOWIN' IT OFF

One of the fun parts of the readathon is the mini-challenges so graciously provided by so many readers!

Kay @ Dead Book Darling is hosting this hour's challenge to show off your favorite, most valuable or most interesting books:  "The unique, signed or simply dear-to-your-heart editions that you’d grab if there were a fire."  

I went down stairs to take a picture of my Janette Oke collection of Christian pioneer stories called Women of the West series and discovered a surprise:

I read these back in the l980's and I was always transformed to the simpler ways of keeping house that our dear pioneer women lived through.  The Calling Of Emily Evans holds the spot of my favorite ever book.  

Then  . . .  as I passed by the "children's book shelf" I thought Oh My - - - that's where some of my real favs are!!!

Key to the Treasure was the first book I ever received in my childhood book club that mom let me join. A new book every month or so.  Always loved The Bobbsye Twins, Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys as a young girl - read them all with my BFF Dee back then.  The 1960's.  Key to the Treasure was the first book I ever bought.

The next book goes back to my childhood really - The Real Mother Goose - - - we three girls had this book and I'm not sure if this is that book or if I bought one for my own kids - - - I believe that this belongs to my kids.  My kids did not appreciate this book the way that I did . . . I poured over page after page of nursery rhymes . . . was enthralled with them!  Kids now days don't do nursery rhymes do they??

The Curious Little Kitten was my daughter Casey's favorite read to me book - - - I still remember without peaking today that the little kitten tried and tried to get over the fence in her back yard - - - and when she eventually did - - - a big dog was on the other side!  The Animals Christmas Eve and Big Birds Red Book were my favorites to read to the kids.  And lastly, Benji, The Fastest Dog in the West was my son Todd's favorite book to check out at the library.  In fact, we would return it . . . look through all the books . . . and he would recheck out Benji every time.  Must have had a nice librarian who understood boys and their dogs!

This was a fun challenge - sometimes I regret not spending more time reading to my kids - but when I reflect at the four shelf book case full of kids's books - and especially going right to these favorites - I'm reminded - hey I didn't do so bad!!

Happy Reading of YOUR old favs!

COFFEE, TEA OR ME!

Into hour #2 of the Dewey's 24 hour Readathon and the challenge is:

Do you prefer coffee or tea when snuggled up reading?

Coffee for me please - black - and in a Christmas mug!

That's my second cup and it's time for breakfast as well!

Enjoy the readathon friends!

Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon is on . . .

One of my four favorite days of the year!!!   Spring Readathon - Christmas Eve - New Year's Eve - and today - Fall Readathon!  

I love to read the warm up posts and see how different readers prepare for the big weekend of reading fun!  I especially like to compare notes with my sister Tami at Just One More Thing who introduced me to the readathon a couple years back.  

I enjoy spending the week before the RAT doing a little extra housework and laundry so I can be guilt-free on Saturday at 7 a.m.   

I also made a trip to the grocery store to pick up some healthy snacks and some items to prepare some meals the easy way - - - I have a roast with vegetables planned for Sunday - - - and some chicken to roast today for lunch.  The hubs will be working and may not make it home for lunch so I can always resort to mac and cheese as well.  Another option I chose is to put together an oriental coleslaw salad and call it good!     Snacks consist of apples with peanut butter or sugar free caramel - - - or plain to share with our new puppy as a snack!  I also have a cucumber and some dip if I choose and bananas and some mixed fruit as well.   So - - - food - - - check.

My reading choices are all contained in this picture - 

My sister and I have a book club - and she has chosen Return to Me as our October book - so that is my main focus for the day.  The book is written by Lynn Austin.   It is a different read for both of us - an old testament true story put in novel form - I can't wait to start!  As you can see - I have my Bible ready for early morning devotions and prayer time.  And - I hesitated to add these magazines to my reading list because I wasn't sure it was part of the "rules" for RAT . . . but I'm risking it . . . I  actually "borrowed" these from my drs. offiice - - - while visiting there this week I found good articles in each one and decided to see if they were up for loan.  Time magazine and a guide to taking back your kitchen . . . Agingcare.com talks about caregivers and Alzheimer's Disease . . . Real Simple Magazine has 76 greatest organizing tips of all time, Halloween DIY ideas and 18 easy fall meals . . . and WebMD just looked like a good resource on health, beauty, fitness, and family.    Please feel free to reprimand me if mags are not appropriate reading material for the RAT!  :)

Next preparation item was to find a charger for the Ipad that I am writing this post on right now!  It seems that grams left her charger in the motel room last weekend - - - so after a few phone calls and a rather impatient wait at the local phone store I was set!  

Lastly, and most interesting, is that I will be reading with a puppy in the house.  This will prove to be a challenge I'm afraid.   Hubs is having a busy season at work and so can't relieve me of my duties with the new doggie - but the weather looks promising and the fenced in back yard looks inviting - so Libby will spend some quality time outdoors with her big brother Roy.  

Well 7 hours still start time so I will get this post ready to go at 7 a.m. and I will see you all back for coffee and some great fun with books and challenges and snacks and . . . 

How did you plan for the RAT?

                       Roy and Libby