Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

The snow was falling …..and falling…and falling…we were well on our way to a very white Christmas. This poor Robin-who is usually the harbinger of spring around this part of Michigan, stayed behind this year for the berries on my tree. I’ll bet he is giving this decision a second thought…


I was up early to set out brunch for the family this year. We moved right into dinner…way too much good food…we laughed and laughed and there was plenty of activity…sure wish you warm weather relatives were here to join in the fun!!!

Christmas morning I was up at the break of dawn. I miss those years when the kids whispered and giggled in their bed trying to wait until the big-hand was on 12 and the little hand was on 6 until they got up to see what Santa brought them…as teens, they are too big for Santa…

I finally had to send the dogs up to shake ‘em up a little...I grew tired of waiting for everyone to wake up. We are working on setting new traditions for Christmas morning. We sipped rich hot “dark” chocolate and munched on huge crunchy “breakfast” cookies. We opened presents, relaxed and just enjoyed each other. I made breakfast later in the morning. This year, we picked out the fourth season of Colombo (got seasons 1-2-3 last year) to watch all day snuggled on the couches and warmed by a fire in the fireplace. There was also an all-day marathon of “the Duke” on T.V., and naturally, Mister “M” was all over that…Teddy boo was out-of-control with excitement at present opening time…grabbing what ever he could-boxes, directions, paper… and making a run for it. This was his first Christmas.

We sure miss all of your out-of-towners and hope to see you all very soon. We want to wish all readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May God bless us all with love, peace, and His joy.

until next time, Mary

Too busy for words this week

I really do have to take this hummingbird feeder down

Teddy Boo


dreaming of spring...

be blessed and hopeful...Mary

Holiday Preparation

We finally finished the laundry room…or at least finished it enough to hook up the washer and the dryer. The Masterful Mister “M”…worked hard to get the “easy to use- just peel and stick” floor to stay down!!! Because the room is so long, I was able to set a up a little art area at the back of it for the kids and me thereby saving my antique cherry wood dining room table from further distress.

We still have some touch-ups like painting the cabinets…Mister “M” is an absolute genius when it comes to figuring out how to make things…I told him I needed a folding table and something on which to hang clothes…He found a desk top to attach to an old sideboard I have. He is devising a retractable hanging thingy…I will post it when he finishes…since I am not sure how to explain it…

Christmas festivities are at our house this year!!! I have big plans-I love working out big parties, decorating for them, and coming up with the menu. I think I will be doing brunch, and diner for one side of the family and diner for the other. I started the decorating…I wrapped the kids presents today while they are at school.

I love to look at presents under the tree.

As I ran around the house putting up the “kitchen” tree, listening to Christmas music, wrapping the presents, and stringing the lights…Loo in her new ‘kitty” bed-not so sure she is as excited about her kitty bed as I am, watched my busy undertakings with her characteristically enthusiastic expression…not sure I want to know what she is thinking…

Here is a page I made this week in my “spare minute” …I like the thoughtful feel…Claire has always been very easy to photograph-her moods come through easily…


Until next time…be blessed in this Advent season….Mary

Thanksgiving Snippets

I let the dogs out at the break of dawn on Thanksgiving morning. The ground was glistening with frost and the light was so pretty breaking through the trees as the sun came up. Here is a pic of my flower pot on the front porch...

This year we decided to lay low…up until the last couple of years, I usually did the holidays around here for one side of the family or the other - if not both. This year, we graciously declined thanksgiving invitations and spent the day at home. Mr. “M” worked on the Laundry room floor-yes he is still at it- nothing ever goes as it should when you are re-modeling!!! I cooked a turkey and all the fix’ns… We enjoyed a quiet and warm family day. Here is the table-not as decked out as I normally do but special for us.

About an hour ago, the sky opened up and dropped a very thick heavy blanket of snow-the kind that mutes the sounds of nature and leaves the atmosphere thick and soundless. They say 5 inches before morning. Claire took the dogs out to play. So ends our busy holiday weekend ...

Maybe next week I will have some new laundry room before and afters...till then...

have a blessed week.

Mary

Busy Week Away

Look what at what this morning brought…SNOW!!!

In the wee morning hours, there is a heavy kind of peace that the first blanket of show brings…I stood outside for a moment to feel the stillness…that is until I let three over-eager dogs out into the universe to do what ever they have to after a long night in the house. Dogs barking…wet mud on the floor…”feed me” “feed me” in little doggie voices… And little teddy close underfoot…he can’t eat until he says good morning and gets his good morn’n lov’n in.

Makes me crazy - usually…but, later today, I am off for four days to acquire some training for my job...I am, as is Mister “M”, by and large, a home body. We do not like to leave. It is always a big ordeal when he has to leave, at least for me and a bigger one when it is ‘mom” who is leaving. You know…he leaves and things still keep going…I leave and there are notes everywhere and people alerted, and pick-up and drop-off’s planned, and meals pre-planned etc…I an exhausted even before I am in the car…and I dread being away. They say a few days away does a body good or maybe, in this case, the three bodies I am leaving behind…hopefully it will work.

Mister “M” is re-doing the laundry room. We moved in 11 years ago and have never really done much with it. It was far past the “up-date” time. I have some before pics for you and hopefully, when I return, it will be done!!!

I was packing the car to leave this morning and look who was hanging out at the door-smudging up the window...Teddy and Dusty.

Until next week, God Bless and Keep you…Mary

Friday's Thoughts

Have a great Weekend, till next time-Mary

The Emerald Ash Borer

This has been a very sad couple of days around our home for a number of reasons (putting the elections results aside). We have had to endure the systematic destruction of all our Ash trees over the past year. Finally, yesterday, we watched the chopping and the removal of ten trees in our front yard. We are tree lovers. This was a hard thing to watch. Here are some pictures of the two sides of the front yard before and during. The leaves are gone so the full effect is not so noticeable in the images. Trust me though…it is very noticeable and painful to our family. Our home is surrounded by woods with many different types of trees; sadly, many of them Ash, which are now or will soon be standing fire wood.

Not sure what you know of the Emerald Ash Borer.

Briefly FYI: It was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. However, the larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees, and disrupt the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. Rumor had it that Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in Asia. Since 2002, it has killed more than 40 million ash trees in southeastern Michigan alone (now 40 million and 10), with tens of millions more lost in surrounding states.

Here is a less distressing image to leave you with-yes it is the “Mysterious Mister M” and our little Teddy Boo (my name for him-when he is being nice).

Heavy-hearted and until next week, Mary

Extreme Pumpkin Carving

This year Gabe got his pumpkin carving ideas from “Extreme Pumpkins” a “diabolical do-it-yourself designs to amuse your friends and scare your neighbors” written by Tom Nardone. Check the website out if you have a minute- some are hilarious...http://www.extremepumpkins.com/

There are many to choose from- I like the “puking pumpkin” myself. We have a few more pumpkins to carve so we are still tossing around some more ideas. Naturally, there are some pumpkins that, in my opinion, are tooooo extreme… and naturally, those are the ones Gabe would like to do. So, even though we do have our differences in what is tolerable, there are still a lot we agree on…if you go to the website look for the “Property Defender Pumpkin” …just too funny.

I will leave you with is a little image to cleanse the visual pallet from that nasty pumpkin shot. Until next week, Mary

The Colors of Fall

Garage sale weekend came and went…made little money…thought of a million things I would have rather done…dropped a bunch of stuff off at the Salvation Army in the end…but at least I cleaned out the basement.We did close up shop early on Sunday so we could go pumpkin hunting. Gabe and I have some “extreme pumpkin carving” plans. Hope to show you next week.

This fall is so beautiful the colors are just glorious around here. Here are some shots for all you fall lovers.

Don’t let this brother-sister shot fool ya…I had to work really hard using bribes and threats to get this shot.

My goal this week is: to take a moment at some point in my business, to look around, to be still, and to thank God for the gift of beauty in this world

Have a wonderful week - Mary

Homecoming weekend

There was a flurry of hair primping / nail polishing / make-uping, and girl chattering in this house on Saturday for it was Homecoming weekend! I played around with a scrapbook page to show you all our homecoming queen. Claire invited two of her friends to come over early in the day so they could all get ready to go together. Yes it turned out to be Mary's beauty parlor right here in the kitchen. It was fun to be a part of it all. Mister "M" headed for the hills-those who know him , I'm sure are gasping in disbelief...Gabe watched curiously for a minute with the most peculiar look on his face…and joined his father. After the dance, the girls came back to sleep over and hash through the night’s festivities. Good weekend!


Next weekend is the big garage sale so I thought I would post today before I get too busy and forgot. Have a great weekend…Mary

Meet the Furry Ones

Meet the furry half of the family (the ones with four feet).

Dusty, our Sheltie, is the mysterious Mister “M’s” dog, and of course, is the nicest, the most intelligent, the most handsome dog that ever roamed the earth (according to the mysterious Mister “M”). Although, I do have to agree he acts a little more human than a couple of the two-legged creatures roaming about this household and the grounds. He is fiercely loyal and watches over the family. He knows when someone is gone and waits by the door for their safe return. He is endlessly patient and is favored by all who know him.

The wiener dog is Claire’s dog. You know the saying "a face only a mother can love..”? Well, it could apply here…okay Claire I am sorry!!! She IS the most beautiful dog in the world…! This is Bindi, or Loo, or Looly, or chub-a-loo, (according to the mysterious Mister “M”). She has many names, and she ignores each one unless it is accompanied by food. It can be said, that she rules the house (at least in the dog word), and Teddy has turned the (her) house upside-down.

Gabe’s dog Teddy or Teddy Bear is the latest member of the household and a terror in the dog world. He is so stink’n cute and has more energy than either dog can handle. If he is not swinging from Dusty’s tail he is sassing Bindi Loo. He does not appear to take his potty training classes very seriously… Boy, he is going to be in trouble come progress report time! He is definitely a challenge, but we love him.

Here are two new scrapbook pages …

Till next week...Mary

Renaissance Festival

Finally…! Sun! It was getting close to the end…would this be the first Renaissance Festival in 5 years that we would miss because of the rain? The festival is held in a magical little “Sherwood Forest” kind of place. Hardier attendees would not let the rain stop them...But, we are talking about deep, thick, mud. I draw the line at sopping around in knee-deep mud and down pours. However, this past Sunday was just beautiful and a perfect 72 degrees.

Gabe and Claire dressed up-they plan all year…

I love the houses and the store fronts...and the costumes/characters...

We take the back roads home. It ended up taking a couple of hours…we found this little orchard with piles of pumpkins and squash…this is just my favorite time of year. The pumpkin wagon was really cool-look at these pumpkins-they were giants!

I so love autumn! We have wonderful falls here on “cotton wood creek”. “M” cuts wood, and burns leaves. The dogs frolic and chase each other about. The kids still rake the leaves just to jump in them. And the colors…are so vivid. “Fall” fills all your senses here. I promise I will have some pics so you can share in the season, especially for all the out of state family and friends…Till next week…Mary