Holiday Evaluation

I really ENJOYED my holidays this year, did you? I dug a little deeper and tried to determine what was so nice, things I'd done different, things I had added and things I'd left out. I ran across a thought provoking Holiday Evaluation from my new blog friend Susan (in Georgia) at "A Southern Day Dreamer Blog: http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/ and found she had put into words just what I was thinking. So why don't you review your Holiday Season with the questions below and see if you would do things differently or do more of the same. It's an interesting thing to ponder!

Best things about this Christmas?
Special event(s) this year want to do again?
Worst thing that happened this year?
Anything eliminated to make Christmas less hectic/more meaningful?
Ways could have been better prepared?
Put off, I wish I hadn’t?
Christmas Eve what I wanted it to be?
Christmas Day ?
Open House/Family party?
Decorating?
Un-decorating?
Needs changing?

Funky and Fun Tree's

My dear friend, Susan A. is artistically talent beyond belief. She is a partner at a small, boutique architectural firm and constantly WOW's clients with her fun, funky, and cleaver marketing pieces. Her house is a fun mix of mid-century modern and funky, fun, eclectic pieces. Below is her beautiful white Christmas tree. This year it's modernly decorated in mostly black and white, with a few pops of red! In years past she's gone more with a Mardi-Gras theme, using Purple, Green, Silver and Gold.

After Halloween, this little three foot black tree with reddish/orange lights was on the DEEP DISCOUNT TABLE. As this was a Halloween tree, the base of the tree was a SKULL! That skull has vanished now due to careful draping of a white feather boa, red tulle and some white and silver clothe!


She uses colorful, funky colored balls on this tree and it has been proclaimed by her beautiful cat Lily, as HER tree!

This is Lily sitting pretty by the white Christmas tree a few years ago (with the purple, green and silver balls). This year she prefers to sit by the black tree, hidden in the white feather boa! That silly kitten!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS YA'LL!!!!!

EXCITING MAIL DELIVERY!

WOOHOOO.....Today I had not one, but THREE exciting things delivered in the mail.

First, a sweet little gift from Jan at Jan & Toms, http://jt-jantom.blogspot.com/ She'd promised me a little treat for being the first to notice her blog header had changed into a beautiful nativity scene. So, today, in my mail box was a sadly, mangled envelope. The envelope must have gotten caught and ripped in post office machinery.

The Post Office lovingly tape the package together and got it to me all in one piece, wrapped up in a "We Care" plastic protection.

Jan sent me a very sweet and pretty card and a cute little package of tea bags in a rose fabric pouch!!!! My FIRST gift from blogging.....I'm VERY EXCITED. Thanks Jan!

Second, I had a small envelope from the IRS. Usually if the package is BIG, it's not good news, because I've gotten my share of those. The IRS will write: "Dear Ms. Susan....YOU OWE MORE....SEND IT NOW!" However, today's letter was a refund check for some sort of over-payment. It's not big, (less than $5.00) but I'LL take it and maybe buy a couple of nice scones to go with the tea Jan sent.

Last, but not least, I received a Christmas Card from the young girl I sponsor in Tegulcigalpa, Honduras through Mission of Mercy. Her name is Iris and I was blessed this summer to spend 4 days with her. On the last day of our visit, we gave all the children gift of shoes, games, trinkets and all of us left a piece of our hearts there. Meeting Iris' sweet mother and one of her sisters, was a real treat.
One of the high school aged girls in our group made prayer pillows for all the children in our project. These were cross shaped pillows with a little pocket on the front where we tucked a little personalized prayers that were translated in Spanish. The picture below was taken on our last day....Iris, and all the rest of the children were glowing after being showered with all our gifts. The plastic bag she's holding contains her new shoes. She didn't want to wear her cute new shoes home that day. She had to climb up a long rocky, dusty road before she arrived home and she didn't want to get her new shoes dirty! Just look at her precious face....that day in July was CHRISTMAS for her!

Merry Christmas Ya'll.....

MORE SNOW!!!!

My new friend, Jessica at http://thecozykettle.blogspot.com/ blogged about the snow too. She got some AWESOME pictures. It looks like her side of town got more than mine....but I was ecstatic with everything I got! What a great early Christmas present. Now, if Santa will bring me a better camera I'll be able to share BEAUTIFUL pictures like Jessica. My camera's older and I can tell the difference in the photos.

Palms and snow....what a conundrum!

Beautiful berries covered in snow! We are really beginning to see accumulation...WOOO!

Isn't everything prettier with a dusting of snow!?!?!

So....that was last night...and this morning it's all gone except the memories and pictures! It's sunny and expected to get to 58, which generally, us Texans think of as very chilly. However, now that we've been over to "THE WHITE SIDE"....we may never be the same. Hehehe!

IT'S SNOWING IN HOUSTON!!!

It's an absolute DREAM COME TRUE and the weatherman didn't even forecast it, which made it even sweeter. Once is a blue moon the weatherman will say MAYBE we'll get snow and usually in the northern part of the city but that's usually just a TEASE! Native Texans are giddy, frisky, and all charged up about our little snow we got today! I snapped some pictures when the "white stuff" started to fall but it was so light it didn't show up on the camera...but we all SAW it! WOOOHOOO!! I had to leave the office early and snapped a picture of myself....see the giddiness...see the flakes in my hair and on my coat...if you SQUINT!!!

I got home and it continued to snow....see all the snow on the CHAIRS!

Look how it's ACCUMULATING!!!

Carson's curious, too, as I snapped a picture of the front door. I was so excited I forgot to turn on my lighted topiary! WHOOPS!

Here are some pretty Nandina Berries. In person, there was a little snow accumulated.

Here's my sago palm with snow!!!

As you can see I'm still A VERY HAPPY AND EXCITED CAMPER! I've been home two hours and it's STILL coming down. Not quite a blizzard but good enough for me! Thank you God for giving this little piece of joy....it's an amazing Christmas present!

I know most of you think I'm a bit loony but I find joy in the simple things and right now I'm ecstatic....simple joys and pleasures do that to a crazy girl from South Texas! Blessings to all Ya'll!!!!!!

Christmas Book Collection

When growing up my ALL TIME FAVORITE Christmas book was Jolly Old Santa Claus. The book in the left in this picture (w/blue background) was the originally BELOVED book. (note the tape on the spine). Years later I found the book reprinted and scooped it up. I just LOVE the art work in this beautiful book. It was a tradition at my house to read it one Christmas Eve!

This is a FAVORITE picture of mine. I could stare it for ages and study each of the elves. I believe this also prompted my love of cookie baking!

This scene was also a favorite. It's Santa's workshop and it intrigued me as a child...imagining that Santa was up at the North Pole at his desk; making that LIST!!!

It looks like my cat Riley is ready to have this book read to her!

These are just a few more of my Christmas Book Collection

Fun Things About Christmas #1

We started a fun office tradition a few years ago.....it's called "The Ugly Ornament Contest". Each year we search far and wide for the strangest, non-tradition, inexpensive Christmas tree ornament we can find. A scrawny Charlie Brown Type tree is brought out of storage and for the holiday season, the winner of the previous year's contest, gets to proudly display the Ugly Ornament Tree in their office. This year I found my ornament at Marshall's. In an effort no to hurt ANY one's feelings.....I don't so much think this ornament is ugly...just kitchy and non-traditional...so my apologies to anyone who bought this because they are a frog, or KNEW a frog couple that got married this year! Hehehe!

Just had to show you the back of this.... uhhhh....very unusual ornament. Can't you just feel the Frog Love!?!?!!?! Once the Ugly Ornament Party takes place I'll take pictures so you can see the full beauty of ALL the new ornaments added to the tree this year.
Do ya'll have ornaments you'd like to share pictures of that maybe aren't exactly what you usually decorate with, but ended up in your box of treasured ornaments/decoration? Maybe someone gave you a gift that just wasn't your style or you had a strange shopping moment and bought something really silly (hey, at the time we thought we might be able to "spiff it up!". Share them with us all....We'd love to see them!

Christmas Ornaments

I've always been drawn to old fashioned ornaments. Here are a few I've collected over the past few years and I particularly like. Here is a cute, sassy, ladies shoe/skate. The feather's fun, don't you think?!?

You may have noticed in previous post I have an affinity for Coca Cola things. The picture isn't too clear but it's the cute Coca Cola Bear with a soda pop bottle in his paw.

I like the look of this old-timey red pick-up truck. It reminds me of a step side, red truck we used to have.

I call this little guy "Cocktail Santa"...he's in my favorite colors and he has a martini glass in his hand!

And, of course, with my love of Mary Englebreit stuff, I LOVE the Queen of Everything Crown.

And Finally.........Good Old St. Nick!

Merry Christmas Ya'll!!!