Oh Christmas tree!

And that was just how I was saying it last night… 

OH CHRISTMAS TREE!  Not in the merry kind of song singing way. After spending two hours putting together one of the older style artificial trees…were you have to put in each limb, and then stringing it with lights to place on the gazebo. 

The stand just broke into pieces and, well…timber! 

 Mr. Tree you picked the wrong lady to mess with…I am the queen of repurpose!  So this is now the 7 foot artificial trees… 

It made a perfect outdoor garland! 

Plus I still got my Christmas tree for the center of the gazebo. This is the 2 foot top with a makeshift stand.  

Oh Christmas tree…I WIN!

But that little mishap didn’t steal the joy of the season at all.

I started my own little tradition for Christmas since Richard went home to heaven.

I get myself a Hallmark ornament. This is only year 2 …but I think someone up above got wind of my little idea and had the perfect one made for me this year.  

I had a real hard time keeping it together in the Hallmark store when I found this…

Yes! When I place this on my Christmas tree I will be singing… Oh Christmas tree, the merry kind of song way! :)

My cup runneth over

My lovely daughter and son-in-love hosted Thanksgiving this year.

 It was an amazing time and of course some amazing food! 

But again, no one in my beautiful family wants their 15 minutes of fame on my blog, so I really have no pictures to share.

Well except the GRANDbaby’s….

Who needs anyone else...lol

Every time I look at these pictures together all I hear in my head is that song from the Patty Duke show.

 And their cousins… identical cousins all the way…lol 

Well, now let the Christmas decorating begin!

And since this is what my cup runneth over with, I felt it fitting to be the first decoration to put up this year…

Thank you my dear sweet Sharayah and Kevin for an absolutely beautiful day!

Mama is so proud of you and loves you both!

What we give thanks for...

Riding the waves

Well last night we had the pleasure of knowing what it must feel like to sleep on a cold concrete slab.

At some point in the recent past the heater to my waterbed died. However, I didn’t realize this until I was in bed last night.

So it was a longgggg cold night for myself and the pack. But my sweet Jazzy who refuses to let life’s small mishaps have any affect on him whatsoever, stay on the bed today as I emptied it, slide out the old heater, replace it, and then as I refilled it, all curled up with his blankie and toy friend.

I think there’s a deep message in this…lol 

The twisting Dachshunds.

Well I know I love when my Blogger and Facebook friends share any holiday doggie memorabilia they spy.

So I just had to give heads up to everyone on these little sweeties I found at Kmart.

Although the song they chose for these Christmas puppies is a little wacky. I still think they are just too cute! :) 

Man's best friend from the beginning.

In children’s church this week Shannie learned about the creation of man.

She also discovered a very amazing little tidbit...

Long before God gave Adam, Eve…he had a Dachshund.

Of course, it all makes perfect sense now… hehehehe

#outofthemouthofbabes

Passed inspection

We have a new furry friend in the studio.

And she did not escape Lil Ricky’s keen eye.

In fact she was given the full puppy dog inspection.

 I like her mom, I think she’s a keeper…and she vaguely reminds me of someone…

…But I just can’t quite put my paw on who.

#weloveanythingdog

Rainbow colored poop is always worth the wait.

I have been on the hunt for the perfect toaster for months.

For me an appliance needs to not just be functional, it also needs to be prutty.

So when I found this at Target I squealed with delight. 

However it got even better when I spied it’s logo!

So even though to some this may look like a rainbow colored unicorn pooped it out…

It has me written all over it! lol

And this little sticker in the box was the perfect touch.

Not that I believe in luck …I believe in being blessed.

However I sure do believe anything doggie will always makes me smile :)

Just what I needed

Today was just one of those hard days. Yes I still have them… were I miss Richard to the core of my soul. 

So this morning through a lot of snotty tears 

I said to the Lord.

“Lord I just need something….I don’t even know what I need… I just need you to help me through this wave of pain.”

Have you ever had those kinds of prayers?  Were you don’t even know what to ask for but you know you need God to just do something!

Well after that beautiful time with the Lord….not!  (Poor God I don’t know how he puts up with me. lol) I heading out to get some running done and I came across this sign.

That now hangs on the wall at the foot of my bed.

Now anyone who knows me or has read this blog for the last year knows "I love you to the moon and back" is very dear to me.

Richard bought me this silly little pop up children’s book and read it to me on a date one night. And that was a line in the book.

So from that day on it became ours.

But what made this sign so much more was the last line

A true love story never ends.

Yes Lord that’s just want I needed.  Thank you for interpreting my snotty tears :)

Kiss my Richard for me and tell him I love him to the moon and back!

Silent Sunday

Love waking up to you :)

Shannie learned a new song in choirs, and right before she belted it out for me...I was informed it was her favorite….."over the river and through the woods to Grandmothers house we gooooo"….lol

I can’t tell you how that warmed my heart.

Sadly, I did not have the joy of experiencing the love of a grandmother as a child. Because both of my Grammy’s past away before I could have any memory of them.

I’m sure in some way that’s why it’s so important for me to give my Grand baby’s good Grammy memories from the minute they wake!

You are never too old...

 …for the land of make believe.

So Jebediah and I decided if Mr. Winter isn’t going to bring us the real white stuff... we’re gonna make it ourselves. 

Come on Mom, jump on!  

And to all the snow haters…we still love you but you can’t take away our land of make believe.

Na na na na na!

From the get go...

She was a dog whisperer…

 …and melting Grammy with those eyes.

My Shannie woo at one years old :)

#feelingnostalgictoday 

Do not despise...

…this day of small beginnings.

We woke up to evidence that our friend Mr. Winter stopping by last night. 

And he must have sat right here…

Well even Whoys was smiling about that.

And on other matters of small beginning...

Mr. Squirrel Nutkin and I have come to a peaceful agreement. He gets to eat to his heart’s content off the deer block feeder I place in the woods. And I have to let him live. 

Yes there is peace and joy in our kingdom today.

Employee perks

Getting ready for the snow…I know it’s going to be any day now… cause I have a praying Mama :)

I spent the afternoon playing in the studio with Lil Ricky.

She loves it out there as much as I do.  

Her reasons however for loving the studio 

are different then mine…

Besides all the treats she gets for working hard for Mommy, she loves finding her bed among the props after a shoot, 

for a full tummy nap. :)

Yes, we have some great employee perks here!

98 fold return

Had a mother tell me today her daughter was failing reading until she started reading to my therapy dog. 

Now she has a 98!

 Mom says it’s due to the fact she practices so hard because she wants to do good when she comes to read too Barnabas. :)

We can truly be light in our community’s in such simple ways. I feel blessed God lets me be part of something so awesome.  

Here’s Barnabas hard at work this morning.

It’s a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it…lol

Child of wonder

Autumn sunsets are so beautiful and amazing. But what I find more beautiful and amazing is the wonder of a child enjoying God’s splendor.  

I could watch her do this for all eternity. 

Revenge

Well Squirrel nutkin is taking out his revenge on me for having his tree cut down.

He has moved into the front yard right outside my window.

 To taunt…

 and taunt…

 and taunt…

 and taunt...

 and taunt me.

 He also brought along a little friend....can you see him?

 He is like the Arnold Schwarzenegger of squirrels.

I’ll be back!