come see...

still growing...

still blooming...

and it has new red growth on it...

crazy rose bush...

my cast iron snowflake that Rebecca gave me last year...

its trying to be sunny...

and thus, my brief walk outside...

didn't get very far...

the wind is so cold...

to paint, or not to paint...

the bright blue sleigh...

spray paint it white?

winter park scene...

hanging balls...

sleigh bells ring, are ya listenin'?

just a glimpse of fun around here...

makes you just want to say fa la la la la...

and ho ho ho...

don't forget all the sweets...

and yes, Donna, there is a little glitter...

are your days getting busier?

isn't this pretty...

can you guess what's in the bowl?

come on, its easy...

if you know me...

its...

scooby snacks for Bebe...

do you know that my poodle can sneeze on command?

well, now you do...

it was one of those bored moments...

and I was raised to never have one of those...

you never said to my mom, "I'm bored."...

cause she would find you something to do...

which wasn't as fun as being bored...

so, for the sake of not being  haunted by the ghost of my childhood past mother's loving face...

the dog and I found something to do...

so now Bebe will 'choo any time I am near the treat bowl...

and one last photo today...

its a gloomy day out again...

can you tell?

ornaments simply hung over the lace panels in the kitchen...

I know you all are super busy...

hope you are having fun making family and friend memories...

good tidings your way!

counting down...

another day marked off...

it's getting closer...

did you do anything fun?

spent most of the day without internet...

I'm up to take my medicine and eat a little something with it...

now it's play time and then back to bed...

'night...

Peace to you...

well, it's been a weekend of slow transformation...

my angel pickle...

the only breakable on the tree this year...

babies...

everything else is non breakable...

we had to dig and dig through the ornament totes...

but we are so happy with the way it turned out...

and I had Craig pull down my wonderful crystal vase that Steve got for me many years ago...

and it was my best friend, Rebecca that rang him up that night...

I just grabbed a strand of colored lights...

and shoved them in...

DH loves colored lights...

I lean toward the white...

so we compromise...

and with the lights inside...

it shows all the details...

the guys got the outside lights put up this  morning...

not many...

everything is minimal this year...

well, for us anyway...

and there is a special peace in that...

the second round of antibiotics are starting to work...

the boil burst last night...

the pain is gone...

I am just a little sick to my tummy sometimes...

I get tired very easily yet...

so it made me slow down...

and Craig and I have been decorating a couple areas a day this week...

which would have normally been done in a couple hours...

but slowing down is like letting the chocolate melt slowing...

savoring each moment...

drawing it out for as long as possible...

when did hurry become a way of life?

we need to slow down and enjoy our time here...

our life...

a gift...

our family...

a gift...

our friends...

a gift...

to open slowly and hold onto for as long as possible...

that's what I learned this week...

be the tortoise...

that each moment I am given matters...

not to be just passed...

little things are special, too...

we had spaghetti...

chili later this week...

DH made a trip to town this morning for a few things...

one was a new toilet set...

years ago, he brought home a cushy one because of my boils on my thighs...

he new it as so hard for me to sit on the potty when I have these...

but that seat lost its cushy, and was just worn out...

so he got a new one today...

and oh, my gosh!

he didn't buy it at Walmart...

Mayfield...

made in the USA...

and the quality is just- oh, my...

how many things have we just settled for because we can just grab it at Walmart?

now, here's my question for you tonight...

How many times have you just settled for so called peace?

not God's peace, but what you thought was peace...

only...

to one day figure out that the only true peace...

comes from resting in the arms of God?

letting him wrap his arms around you when you pray...

walking through life each day holding his hand as he walks beside you...

not looking up to find Him...

but beside you...

and feeling that gentle squeeze of His hand while His fingers are interlocked with yours...

knowing that He loves you more than you think you are worth being loved...

don't settle...

insist on Made By God...

vintage Christmas angels...

here are some of my favorites...

you may have them already...

but just in case you don't...

this has been a not so good week for me...

but I finally feel on the mend....

got ahold of the doctor on Friday and he called me in another round of antibiotics...

hopefully, this will do it...

DH worked yesterday and I am not moving that well...

but Craig drug out a few boxes and a small tree...

and we have decided that's all we are going to do this year...

not sure if the outside stuff is going up today or not...

it's raining...

;(

oh, well...

next weekend is calling for snow and lower temps...

I'll try to get some photos of the decor today...

Craig said something about it being a chili day...

I'm hoping for spaghetti...

and garlic bread...

I'll let you know who wins...