Sunday, November 30, 2014

We Have Been Busy Little Elves!!! The Last Two Days of November.......

Yesterday we were busy little elves!! Louis Dean planted himself on the den couch and proceeded to spend the next five HOURS cracking and shelling pecans!!!
That's some serious $$$ if we had to BUY them!!


When he wasn't shelling pecans (with Hallmark Channel Christmas movies playing back to back!) -


he was in the kitchen baking a juicy ham to take to Amber's for our second Thanksgiving Celebration!


I made Sweet Potato Casserole.


I admit to going a little heavy on that topping!
I have enough in the fridge for my next batch!

I stayed busy decorating all day! This bit about doing things neatly and without trashing the house just wasn't working for me! I started decorating like a mad woman with my hair on fire!!! Thank goodness I had to stop and get ready to go over to Quadville or I might have worked myself silly!


Granddad was warmly greeted - especially by Kailey!


She chose him as her very own when she was a mere 3 pounds and something!


They do have a special bond!


I revelled in having all FIVE of my youngest grandchildren together!!!


Raynie was adorable and kept the younger ones thoroughly entertained as well as the adults!



Logan and Trystan were wearing their Princess dresses for the occasion!


I don't get many pictures of Mike so I snapped this one of him and Logan!


Summer and Amber made a run to Walmart for a few things and came back with Duck Commander WINE!!! Who KNEW??? The Pinot was for me and it was good!

Dinner was ready! Amber and Mike wanted to host a family get together since we couldn't all be together on Thanksgiving.


Rayne was the center of attention!
I don't think this quad table will be around much in 2015!
Hard to believe how BIG they all are now!


Hello from the Fab Five!!!
While the youngsters had their table......


the adults had theirs!


After dinner entertainment!!
Love Rayne with her Cowboy hat!


Amber kept to one of our family traditions - a Home Alone movie!
In this case it was Lost in New York!
We had a wonderful time! I guess we got home about 10:00.....


It was Good Night from the Chapmans!
Lights went out shortly after this!

We went to bed tired and woke up tired!
It took us all day to get to feeling better.
By afternoon we were hanging lights and going through tub after tub of decorations.


The PORCH is a done deal.....nearly!
Still a little tweaking to do.
Since we have the 'new' Christmas tree for the living room, I used the old one on the front porch!
I covered the porch bench cushions with Christmas shirts. Still need to tweak those, too!!


Louis Dean and I have only put up outside lights once or twice since we have been married.
We had visions of putting them along the roof line and such but settled for outlining the windows.
We will do a little more on the front side tomorrow.
It will probably take me all week to finish decorating. I made a good bit of progress in the foyer, den and living room but none of them are completely finished yet. We will put lights outside along the kitchen deck and in the gazebo and back corner of the yard in coming days.
My goal is to be DONE by this time next week!!!
Then we can sit back and enjoy it all!
If I can 'see' it DONE in my mind - I know it will happen!!!


I'm doing a few things differently this year.
The white netting is new as is having a tree on the porch!
Since the white lights were already in place (and since I favor them!) they stayed.
Colored lights will be used in as many trees through the house as I can manage!!


It is quitting time! 
We need to spend a little while enjoying the fruits of our labors before going to bed.
Funny how EARLY I want to go to bed these days!
Perhaps my internal clock is readjusting.



13 comments:

Penny said...

Wow Linda, you get busier every day! Your house is already looking amazing, I can't believe you have more decorations to put up! Looks like a lovely day at Amber's, your recipes sound delicious. X

Ginny Hartzler said...

Your porch is awesome! It is like a fairyland, really suitable for a few of your own fairy princesses. I think I would not be able to complete such a feat! Right now, I am deep into days of wrapping, doing stockings, and almost 100 Christmas cards, WHEW! I am done decorating and just tweaking. I never heard of Duck Commander wine, what makes it different? The men are are still hard at work building our new Aldies, and I hope to be the first one in and my first purchase will be your butter toffee wine.

Ginny Hartzler said...

P.S. Forget to say I love your pretty Christmas background!!

Kathy said...

That video is just too cute! Hello right back at them. I love how pretty your house is. I'm working on mine, but I can only do so much. But it's getting there. You are inspiring me.

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

What fun you have at Quadville! So sweet!

Your house is looking warm and welcoming for Christmas!

Deanna

Susie said...

Linda, If I worked as hard as you do, I'd have my pj's on at 3:00 pm. LOL. I love all the film clips of the children. They are almost too big for their table now. It may be time to sit at the big table for them. Wow girl, where did that time go? I see that LD was putting on his own production of "the nut cracker"..LOL. You are not kidding about the prices of nuts at the market. I paid 3 dollars for 4 ounces from the dollar store. Your home is looking so inviting and lovely. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

MadSnapper said...

your house looks wonderful inside and out and ready for Santa to visit. i love the old look of the photos and the one on the horse especially.. i watched 4 Hallmark Christmas movies yesterday. which is a record for me in one day. bob was watching foot ball so i piled up in bed and watched 3 back to back.. i had one on the DVR that i watched in the am while he was out flying at the park....

Vee said...

I'm looking at all the pretty lights at your house then looking back at my one row of lights here (those prelits are on their last legs) and I am thinking I need whatever you're on. Are you guzzling Geritol or something? LOL!

How fun to have another family gathering for Thanksgiving. We ate the last of our leftovers and I am thinking that a house with no pie is kind of depressing.

Those grands of yours are the cutest!

Cheapchick said...

Your kids and grandkids will always remember how much you go all out in your decorating - so pretty!

Don said...

Goodness Linda. That made me tired just reading about all of it !! And cracking pecans.... been there myself! The down side of having pecan trees in my yard! And there's nothing like a housefull of grand youngun's running around squeeling. And I love your front door decorated all in white. Beautiful.

bj said...

Love and happy just JUMP right off your page, dear heart. You are one of the happiest ladies, ever...and with a sweetie like LD and your family, no wonder. I know they all love you to the moon and back...and I love all your lights...and your Christmas blog dress...looks festive and happy...just like you.
hugs, kisses and to the babies, too.
xo

Daniela @Frugal Aint Cheap said...

What a wonderful time with family. The best time of all.

Gypsy Heart said...

Good times! The quads are truly growing by leaps and bounds it seems. I think Christmas for them will be awesome but seeing it again through their eyes is incredible!! Those pecans are awesome! You could make a huge bunch of money if you were selling them. :)

I love that Sweet Potato casserole. We had that at a friend's house on Thanksgiving. Sort of addicting don't you think?

Your blog is all happy and Christmasy too!
xo
Pat