It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas...all through the house! I love all the warmth and colors of Christmas.  I have taken hundreds of pictures--although you would not know it judging by the "no pictures" here.  I was fascinated with some stockings and a cute mantel I found on the website:positivelysplendid.com.  I knew I would be insane to try to make the stockings with all I had on my list to do, but I just could not stop thinking about them.  You know what I did?  I broke down and made them, and I love them and I am glad I took the time to make them.

This was my inspiration picture. 

This is my mantel.

I had most of the items on top of the mantel, and made the NOEL sign from letters I got at Hobby Lobby.  I just added Christmas scrapbooking paper to the front of them.  I wanted to have the word JOY, but they were out of those letters.  Others must have thought of the same thing, so I did NOEL.  I do like the word NOEL which means "Jesus' birth" in Latin. And isn't that what Christmas is all about?

Next, I experimented with getting the lights on our Christmas tree to look like stars using a photo technique.  I wanted to have Warren in the picture, but he was busy with a heating pad on his leg, so there is only the stars.  I will try again later to get this picture with a person.  

Wish I had a person in this picture.

Up close of the Noel. Left side of my mantel.

Up close of the right side of the mantel.

When it came time to get out our Christmas tree, there was discussion about maybe getting another one.  That was quickly nixed, because we both love our skinny, flocked tree.  Warren did most of the tree decorations while I tackled the house.  He did a great job too.  Naturally, he did it differently than I would have done it, but I like the change.  Sometimes, change is good!

I have a couple of dear friends who have become wonderful prayer partners with me.  Early on, our motto became: Clean hands and a pure heart.  Consequently, a lot of our gifts to each other have something to do with hands and hearts.  I love this heart ornament.  When I hang it on the tree, I think and pray for my friend.

Heart ornament from my friend Pat.

Talking about pure hearts, I have another friend who really does have the purest heart I know.  One Christmas, she gave me this snow scene ornament.  At the time, it was the biggest ornament I had ever seen. I like the cross on the house or church or whatever that building is. It is another of my favorite ornaments.

Ornament from my friend, Marisha. It is made in Poland.

When Warren and I were first married, we had no ornaments.  I found a salt dough recipe in a magazine with pictures of homemade ornaments, and thought they were so cute, so I made us some.  They were so whimsical and were a delight to both of us.  Through the years, they have gotten broken, and are no more.  This is my last one...and you can see that the top of his scarf is missing its end.  When Warren pulled this ornament out of the box, he brought it to me, and said, "Do you remember this?"  How well I did.  I am so glad he remembered too, because men do not always remember things we women do. Maybe I will make us some new, "old" ornaments one day.  But this little guy is a treasure to us.

Ornament from Our first Christmas as a married couple.

Thank you for taking a trip down memory lane with me this morning.  It has warmed my heart which is wonderful, because today is rainy and dreary...but I am thankful for the rain!  Be warm and blessed.

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Shutterfly has something wonderful for those of you who use it a lot.  You can post your Christmas card, sent them the link and you will receive a coupon.  Well worth the effort.

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Our 30th Anniversary

I can hardly believe our 30th anniversary will be tomorrow.  It truly does not feel like it was that long ago.  Since the actually anniversary falls on a Monday...and what can you do with a Monday before Thanksgiving when you are trying to get ready for the holiday...we decided to celebrate this weekend.  Our celebration was rather simple.  I wanted to go to Wendy's to get there new juicy burger.  I know that sounds crazy, but I did not want to go to the finer restaurants.  Warren wanted to go to Schlotzski's.  Are we pitiful or what?  So we went to Wendy's on Saturday and Schlotzski's on Sunday, that way we were both happy.  

I wanted to take some pictures of us, and he indulged me, although it was somewhat grudgingly.  Then we had the most decadent chocolate cake ever.  I combined two different recipes to come up with the "ultimate" cake.  It was very, very good.  (More inches to the hips).  The ganache in the middle was almost as big as one of the cake layers!  More tomorrow on the official anniversary day!

I am thankful for...

Grandkids!

Yesterday we had our grandkids over and we had a grand time.  I am thankful for their lives and how they enrich ours.

November is here

There must be something special about November this year...look at the date 11/1/11.  All ones.  November has come in all her glory; the richness of the fall colors, the crispness in the air, and happiness of holidays just around the corner.  November was when the pilgrims gave God thanks for their lives and the many blessings He had showered on them.  In honor of the pilgrims heritage, I want to share this month the bounty of November...the bounty of Thankfulness.

My grandparents (the Norcross side) had a wonderful tradition.  Each day at 4 pm, the family gathered in the study and we had a "party."  My grandmother made cheese biscuits, chex-mix, and we had beverages.  It was about the only time we were allowed to have soda and it was Nehi strawberry.  Yum!  The adults had "adult beverages."  Warren and I have adopted something similar except we have tea instead and we call it our "unplug" time.  Obviously, we cannot do it everyday since he is working, but when he is home, we have "unplug" for about 15 or 20 minutes.  It gives us a break in our day, and allows us to reconnect.  I am thankful for these special moments with my very special man.

God's glory

Working to store up for the winter

God's beauty

Mr. Gumpy...at least that is what his face looks like to me.

Mums growing in my front yard.  See the small bug in the far right flower.

A bee, flowers, and a pumpkin.

The cottonwood in our backyard.  Such colors.

The Burnt-Well Dude Ranch

My photo club took a field trip to The Burnt-Well Dude Ranch,http://burntwellguestranch.com/, on October 15th.  Thank goodness we were allowed to take our spouses.  Although Warren did not take any pictures, he visited and actually did a prenatal conference for a mom who delivered her baby that day!  She was in labor when we were there, but she didn't realize it at the time.  Anyway, I got some great photos.  The owners were good about helping us set up the scenario we desired.  We say roping, branding, horse shoeing, and some mighty fine cows.

I almost had a horrible thing happen to me.  They were roping cows as they came out of the shoot, and I had a ton from the side, but I wanted something head on.  The cowboys told me where to stand, and said they would drive the cow in my direction.  Well, the direction just happened to be right into where I was standing.  I kept thinking they were going to maneuver the cow away, but when I saw it wasn't going to happen, I got very worried.  Really worried.  Like this is the end of me worried.  I was thinking I am going to be gored right here in front of God and everybody.  If a turned the wrong way, I would be strangled by the rope.  It was not looking good for me, but I jumped out of the way just in time.  The cow in the last photo was very close to me...very close.  Too close for comfort.  I was so thankful, things turned out for the best.  Probably not for the cow, because it did get roped.

The Ranch has two bunk houses, and we decided we would have to take the grandkids during some weekend in the spring.  They will learn how to rope and ride.  They have the cutest little horses for the kids.  There won't be any of them taking photos of cows though.  We are going to stick to really safe stuff.

Don't I look like a cowgirl?

I had to get out to shoo these cows off the road so we could pass.

It really is out in the middle of nowhere.

Nice windmills though. 

One of the cowboys.

The corral through the horse's eye.  Look closely and you will see me kneeling to take this picture.

The other cowboy...he's on a white horse.

Here they both are in action. I love the dust effect.

Still working on that cow.

This is the one that almost ran into me.  Look at the dog right in all the action.

The cowboy on the white horse has a "Last Ride of Billy the Kid" trail ride in the spring.  It takes a week to complete the ride, and I think I am going to go on it.  He said the women do not have to sleep on the ground...they get put up on the ranches.  Thank goodness.  I might have to change my mind if I had to sleep on the ground.  Anyway, it sounds like a lot of fun.

Grave's Farm

Each year we take the grandkids out to Grave's Farm to pick a pumpkin and best of all...a popsicle.  It is a fun outing for all.  No falling in pumpkins and landing on her face by Erynn, and no dropped popsicle by Reid=no melt down from either of them.  Everyone is happy.

At Graves farm...see the pumpkins?

After the popsicles were in two little stomachs, the grandkids and I headed for the corn maze.  Actually, I was just following them.  I have been in a corn maze and know how easily it is to get lost, but they did not.  They proceeded with abandon.  Erynn wanted to go one way, and Reid the other.  Luckily, I was able to keep them on the same path.  I could only image the melt down if they each had gone separate ways.   They kept going deeper and deeper into the maze.  Finally, I heard Warren calling us telling us it was time to go.  We headed back as best we could, but did not do a great job.  Pretty soon Erynn said, "Mimi, are we lost?"  Warren kept saying, "You're moving further away!"  Well, we did have to make some turns that were away.  Reid said, "We just have to find the big spider and we will be out."  (There was a huge fuzzy, not real spider at the entrance).  Pretty smart, I thought.  Anyway, we got out after awhile.  I think it was tons of fun and I think they liked it as well.

Deep in the corn maze

I Heart Faces

Whoa Hoo!  I finally got my feet wet and entered a photo contest on "I Heart Faces."http://www.iheartfaces.com.  Here's my photo: It is thumbnail 283 and you can vote for me this week since they are allowing the people to choose instead of a judge.  Thanks.

A Model Shoot

One of our local photographers arranged the most wonderful practice photo shoot with other area photographers from Carlsbad, Artesia, and Roswell.  We spent the afternoon taking pictures of our volunteer models in a studio and outdoors.   Here is what I learned.

1. We have very talented photographers in our area.
2. They are willing to share their gift with others.
3. I was a little overwhelmed with studio lights, but I liked the dramatic effect it produces.
4. I really want to learn this skill. I like the dramatic effect and mood.  Yes, I know I already said that.  I just really like what they do.
5. This studio was awesome.  The owner's photos were awesome.
6. There is no such thing as too many props.
7. I am going to have to get a storage room for props.
8. Don't be afraid.  Just get out there and do it confidently. (Thanks for the advice.)

Here are a few of one particular model.

Now the outdoor shots.

Chocolate version

More later.  Thanks to all who participated this afternoon.