Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to our sweet baby girl, who isn't such a baby anymore!!  Kristen turned 12 today :-) (I was typing this post yesterday!) We had some of her friends over last night for pizza, cake, popcorn and a 3d movie on our new tv's. They watched Brave and loved it.

 (it's Monday now!) On Sunday morning (her actual birthday), we went out for Brunch at IHOP (her favorite place for breakfast!) Here she is (below) ready to go, in front of her Daddy's new car!!!!! Yup, he traded his Corvette for a Cadillac CTS-V!

Thanksgiving Eve!

It's the night before Thanksgiving, although it doesn't really feel like it. This year will be a quiet one for us, just the three of us at home, and not even any plans to see our friends/neighbors until Saturday!I used to enjoy these days when Jason was off and Kristen had no school, I could knit and sew and read as much as I wanted, making lunches and dinner in between, and a few loads of laundry here and there.... but things are different now. 

Now, we have a 7 year old puppy running around, who can't be left alone for one minute, because she still pees and poops on the carpet! She follows me everywhere too, if I want to go downstairs to my craft room, she'd come with me, but then she doesn't stay with me, she's all over the other rooms sniffing about and I have to constantly get up to find her!!! So, my time is not totally my own like it used to be. Still, it's nice to be home with the ones you love and feel warm and cozy in your house. We'll miss our wonderful friends and family back in Texas this year. Although I'm not missing the warm weather (yet). I kinda like the cold days we get here. Actually today was mid 60's and it was really very warm on the deck with the sun shining and no wind. Kristen and I are wondering when we'll next get snow?

I decided to put up a tree in the foyer, took a couple of pictures of it yesterday, but still need to finish off some rooms before I take the final photos ;-)

 Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Two days after it we will be celebrating Kristen's birthday!!!

Two posts in one night!!!

I just posted below some pictures of the buck in our yard today.... and I told you I had started Christmas decortating. Well I took a few pictures and thought I'd put them up here (as a little tease) to show you how things are starting to shape up around here ready for Santa coming :-)

First up, the stair case - it's a bigger one than last year, and I really like how it turned out. I used the prelit garlands I had up last year but added red and green 'deco mesh' and lots of red and gold baubles. Also some sparkly picks.

 

Below is a view of the living room, but I don't have many lights on so it's hard to see. 

 

This is a close up of the top of the 'mantel', which really isn't a mantel but it is the top of the fire and tv unit.

 And below is a small table with a new santa and sleigh I just bought this week (on sale of course)

Well, Nenna, I hope that was a little treat for you :-) I'll share better pictures of all the rooms when I am finished decorating (we haven't put up the tree yet), I might even do a video tour for you!!!  Don't forget to see the post below if you missed it.

Still here!

I haven't had much to post about the past couple of weeks, nor have I taken any photos. I have started decorating for Christmas (yes, some may think it's early, but others started weeks ago - you know who you are :-) And we bought some new furniture last weekend, so hopefully soon I'll take some pictures and start posting again. We have Thanksgiving coming up next Thursday, then 3 days after that, Kiki's 12th birthday!!

Today, Kristen called me to come in to the office (at the front of the house) and see what was in the yard. This is what I saw. . . . 

 A huge deer.... well a buck with huge antlers, cos that is not a lady deer!!

It was hard getting photos because he was behind the bush (that is really just all twigs since it died off for winter). He was rubbing his antlers on the plant. This is what it looked like when I went out there. It was all brown before, but he stripped the top layer off and you can see the fresh green underneath it.

 Kristen tried to go out there with a carrot! But of course he just started walking away when we opened the door. At least he walked, and didn't run... I got this last shot of him heading up the driveway...

Happy Halloween

I hope you all had a fun and safe evening last night. Kristen had an awesome time with the kids we've got to know. As you can imagine living on acreage sites it's hard for the kids to go trick or treating in this neighborhood. They have in the past actually drove to a nearby neighborhood and hit the 'regular' streets! This year however, our new friends told us they were going to drive the kids around on a trailer and let them trick or treat in their own 'hood'.  They had a blast! I took some pictures of Kristen on the front porch before we headed over there.... this year she was a Cheetah (in case you thought she was a leopard!)

I got a couple of pictures of the kids on the 'hayride' just before they set off. There were 9 kids total sitting on this thing, but the others hadn't arrived yet, and my phone doesn't have a flash so I took these before it got too dark....

This Benjamin and Gabrielle with Kristen, they are brother and sister and the first friends she met. It was there house we hung out at and this is in their driveway. 

And lastly, I have to show you our cute little Bindi, in her Halloween dress! We did get a pumpkin costume for Boo but didn't put it on him, they were 75% off in Petsmart yesterday so I figured I'd get them for next year. . . . and the year after that. ... and...