20 Santas, Friday Family Night and BACK to the Country!! Friday and Saturday....

I finished hanging up 20 Santas on the den 'Santa Wall' Thursday night after I finished my Journal entry and I would like to introduce you to them.....I know I have told the history of the Santa Wall before but here I go again.....

This was the very first Santa I painted and remains my very favorite to this day.

It was 1993 when June and Kimmy gave Amber (age 8) and Benjamin (age 5) Christmas gifts in Christmas printed boxes. I had been painting in oils since 1977 but only from art books with patterns and directions. I looked at that Santa box and thought, "I bet I could paint that if I tried." And I did try and I did paint it and went on to paint at least a dozen over the next few years. Some for friends. Some for family. One for a school auction and one for my surgeon when I was on public health care in 2004.

I painted this one in 2000 from a printed gift bag.

I went from a box to a bag Santa!!

He's another favorite.

I have always loved this one....and I can't remember but I think it was a gift bag.

I was very happy when I painted this as it was the year I married Louis Dean.

2008 is the year I painted what is Louis Dean's favorite.

I taught a table full of ladies in the art class held in my dining room and I think we all agreed this one was hard.

It was October 2011 and the Texas Rangers were in the world series.

Louis Dean and I were camping in a shelter at Mineral Wells State Park and listened to the games on the radio by the campfire.

During the days there I whacked up denim for quilts and painted Santas while Louis Dean played the guitar and sang. I remember this one looked like a clown at first but I pulled him together.

This was the other one I painted that time.

Taken from a jigsaw puzzle I had worked and painted on a reclaimed canvas that made it rather difficult because I didn't know to Gesso it first back then.

I kept at it and for that reason alone - it's another favorite.

Sabrina saw this Santa and I took one look at him and thought, "MY! That looks HARD!"

And it was but we painted him anyway and I actually won a blue ribbon at an art show and he hung in Northpark Mall. I was grateful that Sabrina encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone in art.

She went on to surpass me in talent and ability and I am so very proud of her.

We were living in our camper the Christmas of 2012 and I started painting a couple of these that fall.

As it turned out, I painted three.

We were not at the Chinese Christmas Tree held at Nita's that year.

I always paint a Santa for the tree and that year Mother wanted it so badly ....and she won it ....for a little while. Then Deanie someone 'stole' it and it has been said that it made 'Granny' cry. That's what nearly everyone called Mother. Granny. Summer called me on her way home that Christmas afternoon and she said, "Mom! You need to paint one more Santa!!! Granny CRIED when she didn't get it!"

The 'Shushing' Santa is not a big favorite for me although I really do like him.

But every time I look at him I remember.......

I am the Teacher and we were just about finished with him that year of 2013.

I can't recall who noticed it first.....but I had painted in five fingers and a thumb.

And SINCE I was the teacher - so had everyone else!!

We fixed it but I still remember being a bit flustered.

I thought it looked a little off but I couldn't put my finger on it!!!

Hey, Sandra!!! I made a pun!

By this time I was painting more than one Santa and this was also 2013.

My sister in law, Michele, got this one at the Chinese Christmas Tree and I was glad she did as the little girl whispering in Santa's ear reminded me of her little granddaughter.

2014 we chose this one to paint. 

It was usually Sabrina or Ruth Ann who found the Santa for the year and this one was an excellent choice.

I think this one looks a bit like Louis Dean.

Painted in 2015, I still like it.

This is the one I had painted a smaller version of that Dean won that year.

That one was really dark and she gave it back to me this year to 'brighten it up a bit.'

That's the one and only Santa I could not redeem. 

If I had only thought to take out this one - I think I could have fixed the other one.

Instead I used Easy Off oven cleaner and painted her a happier one.

I thought painting on a burlap canvas would be cool - but it was really hard and I don't paint on burlap anymore. To look at this one you would not realize that four little four-year-olds helped paint it. The quads were so cute and Louis Dean and I were over in Quadville helping out and I had taken my art. Well, Kailey insisted she wanted to paint so I let her. She painted some of the background to the upper right. Then - one by one - the others wanted to do art and they each had a turn.

That must be one of the reasons I love this one so much.

That same year, Sabrina put together a Painting With a Twist party and it was so much fun!

I took mine home and later reworked it a bit with oils over the acrylic.

I have never learned to work with acrylics very well.....

It was a year or so ago that I taught the quads to paint this very same thing - using acrylics.

I smile when I look at this one!

How fun it was to paint. That's probably because it was the first time to paint at the ranch.

This was another one I did here that year.

I actually painted two of each of these. And I like both of them,!

I am not an original artist - at least not very often.

This one from 2017 is from a painting of Jack Sorenson - famous for his western art and western Santas! It was my Christmas card that year. My very FIRST year to send out cards made from my paintings.

So the next year - 2018 - I did this one.

I changed the bags of toys to bags of feed.

And this year I painted another Santa and Horse.

I'm really happy with the horse!

And for my Christmas card this year is the Santa at the manger.

I will start addressing and mailing these out right after Thanksgiving.

If I do not have your address, send it to me and I will mail you a card!

Friday morning I was sitting up in bed with my coffee, Country Diary and Prayer Journal.....and I thought - wonder if Amber is doing Friday Family Movie Night?

One thought led to another and I sent her a text.....

By the way.....the Geek Squad came out and said it is a Direct TV problem - about the messed up TV situation. It appears the remote is not working other than to turn it off and on.

I worked my way through all the prompts when I called and a computer voice instructed me on how to re program the TV. I did that. Still didn't work so when we get home next week I will order a new remote control. If I can remember my user name and password. Or maybe we can just live without TV - except for the Fox Business channel which is what the TV was on when it went berserk and now won't even budge.

Anyway....

Louis Dean and I went over to do school pick up and were the kids ever surprised to see us!

We saw these two first!

The other two had slipped by us and Kailey went to get them.

The last two times I was with them - without Louis Dean - they did not even ask about him.

I told him that children do not have long memories and if he wants to be a part of their lives - he needs to show up in their lives.

That's easier for me than for him.

I can play games with them and engage them in reading and crafting and art and all my home school skills that I remember. Now he was a second grade teacher for 25 years - and the quads are in the second grade! But he is also 83 years old in a few  days and he can't seem to find the 'connect' button like he could when they were just babies and needed him to hold them, feed them, rock them and watch Bubble Guppies and Frozen with them. Now they are into things he can't identify with and he is struggling to find a way to keep close to them. Isn't that the way it is in Life? We are comfortable with who we are and where we are - and then Life changes and moves on - and we are tempted to stay where we are and let it all move on away from us. I'm not sure what the answer is or even if there IS an answer. At this stage of our life - everything is changing and we do well to keep up with ourselves.

I'm thankful for our family relationships.

With our children and grandchildren......and my siblings.....

We will find our way.....and we will keep on taking care of each other.

Amber wanted her dad to help her get her Christmas tree down from the attic and the decorations.

He was so happy to be able to help!

We were home and I was in bed by 10:00 and asleep shortly thereafter. Louis Dean was home and in bed at 10:00 and sleep did not come until the wee hours of the morning.

I woke up about 3:00 am and smelled toast .....which is usually a good smell.....except this was burned toast. I don't think he had a good night.

We left the house this afternoon about 1:30 and drove straight down to the ranch.

No stopping for groceries or eating out.....

It was so good to be back on the country roads that led to the ranch gate.

These are our neighbors across the street.

They belong to Mr. Jackson.

LOVE love LOVE the feeling as we go through the gate!!

As soon as we had unloaded, Louis Dean was out cutting up wood for a campfire.

Ah!!! 

A campfire, my feet up, a glass of wine......

Dean and Sherry came down to visit......

Life is good tonight.

Summer arrived and she is snug as a bug in her van camper.

She's not doing well and I am grateful she's here.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for her.

So.....that's it!

We are here for a few days and I intend to make the most of it.

I am so grateful we have this place to stop the world, come here and regroup and recover.

Life is a beautiful thing.

 A gift from God. 

Complicated as we get older and trying to learn to navigate all the changes that come with aging.

Goes to show that we are life long learners.

Know that you are the perfect age.

Each year is precious,

for you shall only live it once.

Be comfortable with growing older.

- Louise Hay