The First Days of 2016.....

Louis Dean and I are enjoying the 'calm after the storm'......so to speak!

As exciting as the holidays were and as much as we enjoyed every minute of them -

I have to say we are loving these first few quiet days of 2016.

A holiday has no 'day' to go with it!!

It's just too special!

I went through the house changing out the calendars!

This one hangs in the kitchen.

This is a special calendar indeed!! It came all the way from Scotland and I will look long and longingly at each and every photo! This was from my friend, Penny, at The Homemade Heart!

I am so excited about her cook book challenge!!

This calendar will go back and forth with me to the ranch.

My wine calendar hangs on the pantry door.

That's NOT where the wine is - but does it matter?

My friend, Brenda, has gifted me with a special calendar since 2004!

I have kept every single one of them and used them in arts and crafts projects as well as paintings!

Lots of people have started taking Christmas decorations down by now!

I just flipped the Merry Christmas pillow over to the solid red and am calling it WINTER!

I did take out the lighted wreath by the side of the bed and added a fun pillow in its place.

As is my custom, I light a candle in every room after it's been cleaned!

In our bedroom - it happens to be TWO candles!!!

This one was a gift from Amber and she made it herself!

That makes it all the more special!

I burn it only an hour at a time so it will last longer!

Moving on to the guest room......

I took the tree down and cleaned the room in anticipation of little grandchildren playing in here later this month!! Then I lit the Morenci candle!

New Year's Day was a relaxing and peaceful day!

I finally learned how to rent movies with my Verizon points!!!

THIS was a good one but I love anything that has Robert Redford in it!!!

It's funny, though! He is the same age as Louis Dean!

I don't know.....but I do NOT think Louis Dean looks 79 years old!!

I love the routines of our mornings!!

Here lately Maddie has been coming into our bedroom and wanting me to let her out the door to the patio. I do that and then I go in and put the coffee on - if I haven't prepared it the night before.

Then I spend several minutes going around and turning on the little white lights all over the house.

This takes some time.

I let Lucy out ......

and let Maddie in!!!

Today has been rather productive!

After our morning routine.......

I set up in the dining room preparing all the medicine boxes for the next three weeks!

You need to be a rocket scientist to do this!!!

Then I made a delicious soup for lunch!

It all came from cans!

A can of chicken and rice soup.......which I did NOT have! I used a Buffalo Chicken soup instead!

Add a can of Rotel tomatoes, a can of Ranch Style Beans and a can of creamed corn + a can of chicken breast - shredded. Mix and heat. Serve over tortilla chips with a dollop of sour cream with a sprinkling of grated cheese. I added a few slices of candied jalapenos and it was DEE-licious!

I spent the afternoon on housekeeping chores - my house is very HIGH maintenance!! 

We also packed for our trip down to the ranch and I CANNOT tell you how excited I am!!!

We were last down there in OCTOBER!!! I MEANT to go in November and I certainly wanted to be there in December! My goal for 2016 is to be down there at least a few days EVERY SINGLE MONTH of this year!!! It IS my happy place and we do so enjoy spending time with Louis Dean's son and his wife!!

This is where I am blogging from tonight!

I have a brand new laptop and it wasn't nearly as hard to figure out as I thought it would be!

I have so many things I want to do while we are down at our camper!

Since it is only 31 feet - housekeeping is SO much easier!!!

I want to read and write and walk around the ranch.

I want to ride my bike and watch the birds.

I want to feed the chickens and gather eggs.

I want to talk and laugh with my stepson.

I want to drink coffee in the mornings and wine at night.

I want to take pictures of the sunsets and then watch the stars.

I want to sit on our deck and whack out denim jeans to transform into quilts.

I want to pray and think and just BE!!!

I want to paint a portrait of Pepper Jack for my brother, Lonnie's, birthday!!!

Isn't he a beauty??? I love painting in the open air out on our 31 foot deck with all the natural light!!

I am so grateful for Dean and Sherry!

They generously gave us a spot to park our camper on their ranch!

I fell in love with their place the very first time I saw it!!

As for now.....I think Louis Dean is ready for me to join him in a glass of wine as we finish this lovely day! I am looking forward to many more of these in 2016!!!