Christmas with Mama Rosie

Tuesday Mom, Portia, Laila, Aunt Cindy and I all headed to Liberty to have a girls Christmas with Mama Rosie.  Usually the whole family goes, but Mama's brother has needed her help while he heals from a bad fall so she just didn't have it in her for a full family get together this year.  But, even so, we had a great time!  Mama, Melvin and Cindy all got to meet Laila for the first time, also.  Taylor couldn't go this time because she had school and it was the only day the rest of us could go.

We enjoyed a lunch of carry out pizza and then opened gifts and chit-chatted for a few hours before heading back home.  Laila was the center of attention, of course, and I'm so glad Mama and Cindy got to finally meet her.  We were also able to get a photo of FIVE generations together!  All photos from the festivities can be seen here.

Tomorrow is the big family Christmas gathering where the other side of the family will get to meet her.  More pictures to come from that one!

Halloween Party 2013

Our fourth annual Halloween costume party went off without a hitch!  We had our largest crowd to date and ran out of Jason's Guinness chili fairly early - sorry for the late-comers that were hoping to get a taste!  Usually we make way too much and have too much leftover for us to deal with.  Go figure!  Anyway, thanks to all of the yummy goodies everyone brought along, it all worked out just fine.

It was too windy to do a fire while the majority of the guests were there, but later in the evening it calmed down so a few got to enjoy it.  But it was COLD so most people were content to stay inside or on the front porch where the house blocked most of the wind.

There were lots of cool costumes, great conversation and it was awesome having so many our friends together again!  The only hitch we had was people kept getting locked in the bathroom for some reason. The knob was malfunctioning so several people had to be rescued.

I also managed to get lots of cool costume photos this year.  Take a look and enjoy!

Massive 3 Foot Christmas Tree is Up!

My massive three foot Christmas tree is up and decorated!  One day I'll get a larger tree - at least I keep telling myself that.

A Very Doggie Christmas - 21/52

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas - I know we did!  It was nice to have a couple of days free from work and to get to spend those days with friends and family.  We had several Christmas parties that we attended and every one was a great time.

The big family Christmas is always on Christmas Eve.  Portia was able to go to that with us and then come home with us for the night and spend most of Christmas Day with us - most of which was spent hopping from various grandparent's houses. Since we weren't home Christmas Eve until 1:00 am and Christmas Day was very busy we ended up letting Portia open her gifts at 2:00 am and not getting to bed until around 4:00am on Christmas Day and then sleeping until almost noon and then high-tailing it out and about.

And we can't forget the pups at Christmas!  They always get a gift each and know that anything wrapped in tissue paper is for them.  This year they all got stuffless critters with squeakers in them. I say "they" but Lois Lane is usually the only one that plays with them - and she loves them!  Hardy made it to another Christmas with us as well, which we are thrilled about.  He turned 17 on Christmas Day and this was his 16th Christmas with us.  I have photos of them with their gifts below. All family photos can be found in my FB Christmas 2010 album.

Giant Dawg waiting patiently for Portia to open her presents. This is only his 2nd Christmas with us so he doesn't get quite as excited as the others do.

Hardy opening his present (sorry for the poor quality - it was late):


Blue checking out his new fox:
 

Lois Lane didn't want to share her Christmas Badger, which ensued in a game of full out tug-of-war, her favorite:

Blue Humbug

Blue wishes everyone a very Merry Christmas.  Ok, he just wants the hat off...it's the thought that counts.  ;)

This week at I Heart Faces it's all about pets! Click the logo below to see other great, furry entries!

Three Day Weekend - Coming Up!

Ahhh!  Memorial Day weekend - finally it's almost here!  Being the first work day off since New camping at Dog Woods, but this year we'll be hanging at the house.  We'll be doing a small cookout on Saturday afternoon with some porch dwelling and cornhole on the agenda. And it will be the last time to hang at this house on Memorial Day weekend!  I've already warned them that there are boxes and corners of disaster everywhere.  I have managed to keep the guest room box and clutter free though.

This is one of my most looked forward to long weekends.  And as a plus, Jami & Larry, our greatest friends from Indy, always come down for the long weekend and hang out with us.

Portia is supposed to be home visiting starting Monday for a week or so since this Friday is her last day of school. She may be getting a job at the local pool where she lives, which would be wonderful for her, but will limit her free days during the summer.  But what better place to work in the summer than at a pool and make some money!

As a house update, the appraisal was yesterday on the new house and we should know the results by the end of this week.  Waiting is the hardest part, especially since once we find out if the appraisal came through ok we'll get a closing date soon after.  And I'm very anxious to know some dates so I can plan more efficiently.  In the meantime I think I've boxed almost all unnecessary items and thrown out almost all unwanted items.  Thanks to my brother, almost all the painting is done and we only have a small list of home repairs left to do.

Things are moving along!  We also have a potential buyer for Dog Woods and the camper, which would be an added bonus.  I will miss it, but there is no point in living on 11 acres and keeping a 6 acre getaway when we'll be literally living in a get-away all the time - with running water and plumbing, no less!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my readers!  I wish you all a fun, safe and healthy holiday!

Two Down, Two to Go

Two Christmas gatherings down, two to go.  One more on Christmas Eve at my mom's for the "big family" party and then we head to Jason's mom's on Christmas morning.  Then on Saturday we move the rest of Portia's items for her room and the evil rabbit to her mom's house and then sweet relaxation until New Year's Eve!  After tomorrow I'm off work until January 4th and I really look forward to the time off. We don't have much of anything planned between the 26th and 31st and I like it that way.

Hardy has a birthday coming up on the 25th as well!  Old fart will be 16 years old (our closest guess).  He doesn't do so well in the cold weather these days so I broke down and bought him a couple of sweaters to wear outside.  He likes them so much I'm just leaving one on him all the time.  He's such an old man - full of wire hair and warts.  I'll try to get a photo of him in his new digs.

Until then, Merry Christmas!

Christmas Time with Friends

Last night Jason and I went to an awesome Christmas party, hosted by Charlie & Christina.  Wow, they know how to throw a party!  Great food, a hilarious white elephant gift exchange and great company.  It was so nice to get out for a night and kick back and relax and catch up with old friends.

John & Jenn put together a very nice video slide show here.  It was great to see everyone again and we had a great time.  So good, in fact, that I think we're going to invite the same gang plus some out for a New Year's Eve bash at our place!

Christmas Woes

Every year I tell myself that I will start Christmas shopping in October and save myself from the stress of last minute brain wracking and penny pinching. And every year it comes down to two weeks before Christmas and I have barely started. This year is no different. Here it is, the 11th of December and I have one, yes ONE, gift purchased...and that is a stocking stuffer for Portia. (We did have one early Christmas family gathering already with Mama Rosie, so at least that portion doesn't fall into play in the next couple of weeks.) I really want to do my shopping online, I detest crowds, traffic and rude holiday shoppers, but if I don't get my butt in gear soon I'm going to miss my window for on time deliveries. It would help if I even had a clue of what I am getting for everyone, but I don't even have that.

I am also having difficulties in finding time to do everything that needs to be done. My Christmas tree isn't even up yet - usually it goes up the week after Thanksgiving. I did, surprisingly, manage to get my Christmas cards done this year - even counting 30 hand made ones....because I started in October. Success!

Jason and I were invited to three parties this Saturday and had to choose one...I hate missing parties and turning down gracious hosts who take it upon themselves to add even more to their December by hosting great parties. But the one we are going to will be a blast! We're even doing the White Elephant gift exchange - I love those! And best of all, they are free! I'm very bummed that we're missing our Flickr holiday party though. We always have such an awesome time with the gang, though I know there will be many photos of the festivities for us to see in the days following the party. Still no New Year's Eve plans yet, though I'm sure something will come up. It always does.

Even with all my complaining, in the end I am very grateful for our friends and family, good health and blessed lives. I wish everyone a safe and memorable holiday season!

Thanksgiving Song

My favorite Thanksgiving song...with some cute photos. :D

Prowling Vampires

'Tis All Hallows' Eve...do you know where your children are?