Rolls, Pies and Blowing Leaves!! Monday to Wednesday!

These days leading up to Thanksgiving have been busy ones.

Rayne and Summer spent Monday morning with us before they went back to Rowlett in the afternoon. Summer fluffed this wreath up after I thought I'd put in the trash. She can make anything look good! Can you spy Rayne in the wreath?

Since I got up early, I went to bed for a good long nap after they left.

Then I got a second wind.....

and spent the rest of Monday dressing the living room up.

Louis Dean is my knight in shining armor getting all the lights on the tree.

He loves colored lights and I love white ones so we used both!

The living room is looking so cozy!

While it wasn't decorated at this point - we were happy to have the tree UP and LIT!

I've been playing Christmas music for awhile now.

Louis Dean bought this stereo with a 5 CD player......as well as 2 cassette players....for my birthday the first year we were married.....2005. I may be old school but I love it and just hope I can buy another one when this one bites the dust!

I pronounced the room clean and lit the candles.

This is my favorite place to relax these days because I can put my feet up and look at the tree.

We turned all the lights out except for the tree and had a glass of wine to end our Monday.

Tuesday morning I woke up early - again.

As tired as I get these days, I am still excited about decorating and can't wait to get back to it.

I had planned on getting the entire house decorated and then go back and do the trees.

However, since I'm not doing as many trees as I usually do - I decided to go ahead and decorate the big tree mixing in all my memory ornaments.

Summer has gifted me a collection of cardinals and I included them in the big tree along with the oldest ornaments I have......can you see that small bell with just a few spots of blue glitter on it?

That came from my childhood Christmas tree. Mother gave that one and a gold one when I left home.

The blue sequined ball tied with gold ribbon was the first craft I made after I got married.

It's just a Styrofoam ball with sequins and straight pins. I made it in 1964 and have hung it on my tree every year since then. I also hung all my hand painted ones that I have done through the years - including a honey bee for this year!

It's a hodge podge but I love it.

So what was Louis Dean doing while I was hanging ornaments?

He was baking!

He bakes best when no one bothers him so, once again, I took a good long nap.

Oh, MY! It smelled so good when I woke up!

He also made cinnamon rolls! 

He bakes them and I frost them!

It was warm on Tuesday and I had the kitchen French doors open when a little visitor came in.

He went right back out but I set a dish with a chicken carcass in it on the deck....and he found it.

It makes me feel good to feed critters and I am missing my possums!

Today was cooler and cloudy with rain in the forecast.

My hero helped me get all the tubs I had scattered around the back patio packed away in the fall storage area and bring in a few of the Christmas tubs.

Then he went out and started his work.

I admit to being nervous when he got up on the roof and blew out the gutters.

I prayed the entire time he was up there and hovered around the door until he was ready to come down and then I held the ladder for him.

He wanted to get this job done before the rain arrived.

I hope we can keep on doing what we do for a long time.

We do have a yard guy but he comes from time to time and not really scheduled.

We have his phone number but - bottom line - he comes on his own schedule.

We may have to change that or hire someone else when we get 'old.'

I used this opportunity to put my feet up and admire Louis Dean.

Then I went behind him and picked up another basket of pecans!

While he had control of the kitchen on Tuesday - I had the kitchen today!

Three Fireball Pumpkin Pies!

DONE! And followed by a nap.

My knee seems to get worse every day and I am so grateful that my surgery date is already set.

I am able to get up and go again after I rest awhile and that's a good thing.

Next up?

Bourbon Bacon Pecan Pie!

I have to wear two pair of glasses sometimes to read and the recipe calls for half a cup of melted butter - which I had in a bowl in the microwave - and forgot.

I mixed it all up and put it in the oven......

and then I remembered the butter!!!

I jerked it out of the oven, dumped the filling back in the bowl, added the butter and mixed it up again.....and poured it back into the shell and pie tarts ....as I made more filling than I needed so I filled up six little tart pans.

It turned out great!

I taste tested a tiny bite of one of these.

Win! WIN!!!

I did not taste test the pumpkin pies, though, so I will get back to you on these!

It's Thanksgiving Eve and I am counting my blessings.

I've already loaded the car with stuff to take over to Fort Worth in the morning.

Louis Dean and I are watching a Closer and then it's a shower and bed - and I put fresh sheets on this morning! Bliss!!!