Favorite Project of 2010

We bought our home a little over 3 years ago.  We were busy on the inside for about the first 2 years, but didn't do a thing to our yard.  The yard is nice, and sits next to our subdivision pond, but the landscaping was just the bare bones.

There was a nice pool in the side yard, overlooking the little pond.  We have a covered patio attached to the house that has a  nice view and that is where we put our patio furniture.  In fact, that is where I am standing to take this picture.  We spent a lot of time in that covered patio and we especially like to hear the fountain.  There is something very relaxing about the sound of water running.

 At the end of the pool, there was nothing but patio and grass.  Nothing really to draw you into the yard.

 There is a really nice view and I felt like this whole part of our yard was not being used.  SO......

 Here we go...the patio was shortened a little, to keep with the set backs required by code, but we kept the shape the same.  We wanted our new structure to look like it had always been there, not added on.

 The finished product dressed up for fall.

 We weren't going to get a new grill, but we are so glad we splurged. The little frig comes in handy for drinks, especially during swim season.

                                           We love it!

  This is a picture of the first night we sat out in the summer with a fire.  Isn't that a great view?  It has turned out to be a great place to read, watch the fire, or TV, and even take a nap.

 We are excited to use it this summer ~ we plan to move the living room furniture back to the covered area and move the dining table in here for a summer kitchen feel.  


We added a lot of new landscaping this fall, along with some stone paths and a playhouse.  But that is for another day ~ this is by far our favorite improvement for 2010, and one that brings us so much enjoyment.


I am joining Kim at Savvy Southern Style for her Boring to Better Party, the best of 2010.
I am also joining Robin for her All Things Merry and Brite ~ All Things Inspired Party, and Vanessa at Southern in My Heart for her Inspiration Friday Party.

Good Tidings of Great Joy

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.   Luke 2:11-14

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.  John 1:14a

Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.  Revelation 22:20b

The Stockings Were Hung

We are ready!  

Look who forgot his hat when he was here filling those stockings!!

We met our grands at church tonight.  We always go to their church to the children's service.  They were well behaved and we love the end with the church dark, candles lit, and all singing Silent Night. 
Our youngest grandson, Jackson had a little fever so he stayed home with mom.  We were to have dinner here, but we came home from church and brought the dinner to their house.  Laura and her family go to her husband's family on Christmas Eve. 

We came home and placed a "few" presents under the tree.  What can I say, I spoil my grandchildren:-)

It probably looks worse than it really is, as our tree is wedged in a corner so all of the gifts come out in a narrow space.

The kids will open at their houses in the morning, and we actually plan to be at Jessica's to watch the boys open at around 6:30!  Then they will all be here around 11 and we will spend the day together.

So much fun.......

Merry Christmas 

Almost The Night Before Christmas

We made it!  Bob and I took the 3 oldest grandchildren out to dinner and they were very good.  Very busy, but good.  We came home and got into jammies and watched the movie Rudolph.  This was the play we took them to earlier this month so they were very familiar with the story.

We usually sleep upstairs with them, but thought it would be fun to have a slumber party by the tree in Grandma and Grandpa's room.  They all slept right at the foot of our bed all night.

 Sweet Elizabeth.

 Our 2 busy, but very cute boys.  They are always pretty quiet when TV is on!  One could be very tempted.....

 It's morning!!  And it's about 6:00!!  I had everyone climb in bed with me and I dozed a little.  I had a bad night ~ for some reason I had insomnia, and I did not sleep one little bit.  I read a lot of my new book and played on my IPAD, but did not sleep.  When the kids were watching another quick Christmas show in the morning, I think I did doze for about 15 minutes.   I have not a lot of energy today, but I did do a little shopping for Bob and did the grocery shopping.  Hopefully tonight will be better.  {it sure wasn't the kids though, they went right to sleep after 3 or 4 books and didn't peep all night}

 Look who came this morning in his matching jammies!!!  Cutest baby ever!!! 


 I get the grandchildren a pair of Christmas pajamas every Thanksgiving.  This comes from the tradition that many have, I always gave our girls a new pair on Christmas Eve, so they would look cute in the pictures!!  But I knew I wouldn't be with them on Christmas Eve, and my girls wanted to carry on that tradition so I just give mine at Thanksgiving and they can wear them all season.


The colors are meaningful to us too.  Everything that Laura and Jessica got at Christmas was color coordinated ~ green for Laura and red for Jessica.  All their Santa packages were wrapped in red or green tissue, the hershey kisses in their stockings, and anything else that came in that color combo.  So, of course I had to get their jammies in that color.  I also wrap all of Laura's kids packages in paper with a green background, and likewise for Jessica's.  Laura and Jessica carry on the tissue paper tradition.  {and that is a great, cheap way to wrap ~ you can wrap anything in tissue.}

 An attempt to get a group shot ~ it's the best I could do.

This pretty much sums up our pre Christmas festivities.  The only thing I missed was the Saturday matinee of The Nutcracker.  Can you believe I forgot my camera???!!!  Elizabeth was very excited and all dressed up!  Just we girls went, Laura and Jessica and Elizabeth and me.  Such a fun afternoon for me, and we ended up meeting everyone else in the family for dinner out that evening at The Cheesecake Factory.  Another Christmas tradition for our family.


Making memories, that's what it's all about for me.

Peppermint Party

Today was the big day ~ The Peppermint Party for my boys!

Here are the invitations.  They were really cute, except that she forgot to put the boys names on there.  And I was so busy looking at the cuteness I didn't even notice until I got home.

The table was set with my best paper products!

 The over lay was wrapping paper.

 I made these centerpieces for last year's party and they were still in great shape.

 We had 8 little boys and granddaughter Elizabeth.

 Handpainted polka dot cups.

 The treat bags are ready and personalized ornaments for each guest.  The bottom row are candy cane headbands that were the cutest!!  I wish I could have them every year.  I bought all I could find at 2 dollar spots and only got 9.  Just enough for our guests this year.

Out attempt to get a picture of the gang.  There are a few missing! 

 We played some games and had peppermint popcorn appetizer, pizza, hot chocolate or Snowman punch, and peppermint ice cream and candy cane cookies for dessert.  YUM

 

Another fun time, and tonight is the grandchildren sleepover.  We will take them out for dinner, read a lot of Christmas stories, watch a Christmas movie and sleep in grandma and grandpa's room by the Christmas tree.

Joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday.

And better late than never to Kim's Boring to Better Party

and Robin's All Things Merry and Brite Party

Merry Christmas!

A Tale of 2 Snowmen

Yesterday I shared some pictures of our grandsons' room in our home.  I'm pretty sure you didn't notice the books on the wall shelves.

 Some of our snowman stories.

 Can you even believe it??  I bought the Bob book one year, because of course, my husband is Bob.  We all got a kick out of the story.  You can not believe my surprise when I went into the bookstore the following year and saw the NEW book.

 Isn't this the funniest and the sweetest?

OH, a true love story, even if we are immortalized as snowmen.  I guess it fits, we are from Minnesota after all!!

Snowmen Headquarters

We have a 4 bedroom house and are empty nesters.  The layout of our house has the master bedroom and the guest room on the main floor and 2 bedrooms upstairs, connected by a Jack and Jill bathroom.  This worked out perfectly for our family as I turned the upstairs spaces into the grandchildren's bedrooms.

This is the room for my 3 little snowmen.  Come on in, it will never be this clean for a while!

First thing you will notice is something hanging on the door.  We used to have an advent calendar every year, and of course I saved them.  I didn't really know what to do with them, so I decided to stick them on the doors in the kids rooms.  It's working great.

The theme for the room when it is not snowmen is transportation.  Inside this nightstand are some of our board books.  We like books:-)

The bed is a trundle so it sleeps 2.  Usually grandpa on the top and a little boy on the bottom. 

Love this Christmas quilt.

The snowman on the top shelf is an advent calendar.  You are to add an ornament each day.  I just put them all on!

The little toy corner all set to play Snowman.

The cutest game ever!

See the little wooden snowmen?  They come apart and you have to collect your pieces as you go along.  Fun and easy.

For our littlest snowman.

I love a creche that children can play with.

Their little tree has some snowman ornaments and lots of sparkly snowflakes.

There you have it ~ winter wonderland for my boys.  Now on to the Nutcracker Suite!

For more rooms check here:

Kitchen

Living Room

Dining Room

Outside

{the pictures enlarge when clicked, and I am sorry for the funky color, but I just took these at night and the color isn't the greatest.}

Linking to Kim's party at Savvy Southern Style and

Share The Decor at No Minimalist Here and

All Things Merry and Brite with Robin and

The Hooked On Holiday Homes Tour at Hooked on Houses.

Merry Christmas