Hello 2014!

Just dropping in to say we're still here! Our Holidays were very low key, not many photos or much to tell. :-) I've got a few fun things to share, but 3 am is a little early. Talk to you soon!

Our memorial ornament for Buck :)

Chris opening Christmas loot!!!

Hunter couldn't make it through Christmas. :)

We discovered that Lana is a doppelgänger for Olive, the other Reindeer! 

http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0227173/ 

Ok, see y'all soon!

Deck the Halls!

The Real Reason for the Season

Merry Christmas! We've made it! It's the Christmas Season! My love & excitement haven't lessened since childhood. :) 

I'm not into marathon sale shopping ( I <3 Amazon!), crafting fests, or even much cooking or baking. Slice & bake for me please! I love enjoying hot cider or cocoa, watching my beloved Holiday movies, listening to Christmas music, and CHRISTMAS LIGHTS! 

The Galaxy of Lights is my Mecca. I love, love, LOVE! the magic and fun of the whole trail. We took Buck to the Dog Walk Night every year, but missed this year due to inclement weather (steady rain & 24 degrees...) and felt Miss Lana might not be up for the walk.

Me & Buck at the Galaxy of Lights

I must have every possible second of available Christmas! All decorations, well house lights & tree, MUST be up by Thanksgiving Day. I guess it's lucky we don't do TOO much decorating! :) So here you go!

A small tree in our bedroom. Very pretty. :)

Our (messy) mantle

"A Christmas Story" Village

A spare icicle strand fashioned into a bay window swag. 

Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree

Talking Rudolf & Clarice. See Rudolf's nose is lit? Clarice has a heart that glows also.

And the TREE!!! I love sitting in the living with just the tree lit and Christmas music playin softly. :)

View from entryway and living room

View from the kitchen & dining room

And of course there are the house lights!

I hope you & yours are looking forward to a happy Christmas Season together. :)

13 Days to Halloween! 5 Unsolicited Bits of Advice for Picking a Great Pumpkin

Happy Halloween! Or Harvest Festival or CandyCandyCandy Day! Whatever you & yours celebrate. :)

I have a deep love of carving pumpkins. I think one year I carved four just on my own. I see no reason to let kids have all the fun! I don't go for the old triagle eyes & nose models, but CERTAINLY don't posses a bit of talent you see on those master carvers on tv. :-/ 

Anywho, however you like to turn your pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern picking a truly excellent 'kin is important! These tips will help display all your hard work the best and hopefully lengthen it's "porch life". )

This is a "pre-tip" and may sound kinda crazy. But, if you CAN decide on your pattern or design before you hit the pumpkin patch or farmer's market it'll potentially save you some headaches. 

I've used & love Pumpkin Master Pattern books for decades. (Ps-save the tools every year! A little stash is helpful for breakage & carving parties! :) ) You can find many online now by googling it. :)

1.) Look for a pumpkin with a fun stem. Sometimes all of them have been de-stemmed ,and in that case, pick your favorite. :) Why! 'Cuz you cut out pumpkin open from the bottom, right?? ;) It's awesome trick that makes your finished jack-o-lantern look more magical and professional.:) 

Borrowed photo :p

2.) Consider your pattern/design. 

Does it fit better on a tall pumpkin or maybe short rotund fellow. :) But, a safe bet is a pumpkin with a broad round "face". That's what I did this time. $5 for that beauty at Sam's! 23 lbs!! (I put it on the bathroom scale ;p)

3.) While considering your shape, you need to also be sure your pumpkin had a good "face". If you can see in my photo, my pumpkin's front slopes upward gently. And from the photo below, you can see it's average roundness of the face.

No, that isn't a tiny crane behind the pumpkin, it's the banana hanger on the fruit basket. ;)

Now than you've found a few potentials, we need to check the pumpkin itself if fresh & healthy! 

4.) No soft or soggy bottoms! Actually check the whole thing to be sure there aren't bruises, holes, cracks, mold, or signs of spoilage or damage.

 

*You can make exceptions for "scabbed over" cuts and scrapes. I would just be suspect if one contained a lot or were soft at ALL around them.

5.) It is SO hard to carve a jack-o-lantern here in the South -when in the end of October it's still 80's-70's- and enjoy it more than one MAYBE two evenings. So, if you have space, store your jack-o-lantern in your 'fridge with a bit if plastic wrap. BUT! Be sure to watch for trapped moisture that can turn into mold. There are lots other tips online just waiting for you. :) 

Not us, just an illustration. :)

Quick Side Trip:

Actually, this my trick for being able to enjoy flowers - like from a sweet & handsome husband ;) - for as long as possible. I store the bouquet in the fridge when I'm not enjoying them- overnight, going to be out for the day etc. That plus fresh water & using those cut flower food powders. :) Normally I can keep roses for at least two weeks. Honest! 

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We're lucky to have a 'fridge that has a kinda trap door like shelf. You flip if up and by sacrificing 1/3 of we get about 2.5' of vertical space. :) 

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So there you have it! I hope all my friends post thier jack-o-lantern pics! Happy Halloween!