I'm still in a decorating frenzy here and enjoying the process!
Watching lots of Christmas movies!
Making meals!
These are cheese/egg bites and I really liked them.
No recipe - just eggs, cheeses, chopped onions and seasonings and a splash of Half and Half plus a tomato slice on top of each one.
I'm happy to say our possum is visiting regularly.
I've never done the front porch in pink before.
I'm doing every single room differently this year...
And I'm loving it!
Friday night Louis Dean made hamburger patties and I grilled them as well as made some steak fries in the air fryer.
Louis Dean put the burgers together and they were delicious!
We watched yet another Christmas movie and went to bed early.
Saturday was Louis Dean's 88th birthday and son Jesse's 58th birthday is on November 24th.
We celebrated both with lunch at Las Vaqueras!
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This is the restaurant my siblings and I have had so many happy times through the years.
As we walked in I nearly teared up seeing all the places we have sat and celebrated holidays and birthdays and gatherings.
Jesse had picked us up and Rachel and her darling 18 month-old neice joined us.
The food and drinks were great and we loved spending time with them!
Alas, I did not take even ONE photo!
I think I'm losing my touch!
From there Jesse took us to the John Wayne Museum and you all KNOW how much Louis Dean loves all things 'John Wayne.'
We visited the gift shop first!
Nice photo ops!
We had such a good time!
We meant to visit for the last 3 years or so and Jesse made it happen!
They did have a John Wayne coffee shop run by one of his sons but it closed last year.
They still sell the coffee and we bought some!
I was going to buy Louis Dean one of the gold handled coffee cups like Jogn Wayne gifted every single person who worked on his movies.....
but they were $85 so we made due with the coffee.
He wanted a hat but that was out of my price range, too!
The museum is a family affair and the family of John Wayne made it happen.
Our docent told us that many members of the family come every May to celebrate his birthday and that they are nice as they can be. They know the names of all who work there and it's no surprise what wonderful people they are.
There are still bags and bags of mail that was never opened after his death in 1979 and the family take turns opening up some of them.
Many of the letters he received are now part of the documents in the exhibit.
My favorite was seeing the outfits John Wayne wore in his movies!
Since Louis Dean watches so many of his films - I am going to pay close attention to the clothes!
Everything was interesting....
After the museum, we went to Jesse's apartment for some John Wayne coffee and a visit.
Levi came home while we were there so we had a bonus visit with him!
As soon as we got home - late afternoon - LD started on cracking and shelling pecans and stayed at it until after 8:00!
Ilene came down and helped me add some finishing touches to the front porch.
While LD worked on the pecans outside - I came in and finished the Santa painting for Levi.
I asked Jesse to critique it and I had told him what things I thought I needed to do.
He asked, "Are you going to paint in the fish?"
Goodness! I ad not even SEEN the fish!! On closer inspection - there it was.
So I did, indeed, paint it in!
I guess my eyesight is even worse than I thought.
This Sunday morning we watched church online and then I continued my decorating things while trying to keep the clean rooms clean!
So far I only have two! The den and the kitchen - three if you include the laundry room.
Now four since the front porch is done.
I'm in the foyer now and hope to make a good start in there.
The living room is a wreck but Louis Dean did get the large Christmas tree in there - far left at the top!
What a mess!
It's been a football Sunday and while I have been watching - I also addressed all the Christmas cards that are international. I decided to mail them first since they take longer to arrive.
I don't know why I haven't been doing that all along!
So far I have 125 entries for the Santa drawings!
I will draw the two winners on Monday November 25th and put them in the mail that day if I already the addresses.
My goal is that you receive them by December first since most people start decorating for Christmas right after Thanksgiving!
You continue to amaze me with your energy and love for all things Christmas. You and LD are the sweetest couple we have ever had the pleasure to know…so talented. Tell LD Happy Belated Birthday! God Bless him with many more!
ReplyDeleteThat front door/porch is amazing! So pretty, as is all the other rooms/places in your house! The birthday dinner and visit to the John Wayne museum sounds like a real winner! I would enjoy seeing that also! What fun! I can imagine that LD loved it. And then back to cracking and shelling those pecans! Wow! He is determined! That is quite a job! Happy Birthday to LD and Jesse. I love the Fishing Santa picture! Glad you remembered to paint in t the fish! LOL. It all looks so great. Take care and enjoy these wonderful days preparing for Christmas, Jesus' Birthday! What a wonderful time of the year!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize there was a John Wayne museum around here. Will have to look it up. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteLinda I love the front porch. I have never used pink in my Christmas decor but I do love it. You are like the energizer bunny and everything looks so festive. LD is a pecan shucker for sure. My hubs granddad loved to shell them too. They had 3 pecan trees and his grandmother was a wonderful baker and made the most delicious pecan pies. You definitely will be prepared for Christmas and enjoy holiday's. ~ Hugs Carol Talbot Smith
ReplyDeleteHi Linda from Linda in Keno, Oregon I hope this gets me in the picture raffle! All our family is coming for Thanksgiving and they requested I decorate for Christmas. So it's been crazy busy here. But it also means after they leave we will have a full month of quiet time to enjoy the decorations. I love seeing your progress and am amazed at your energy.
ReplyDeleteYour porch is gorgeous! I did not know there is a John Wayne museum, and it is pretty big!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks wonderful. Your porch is so inviting. Happy Birthday to LD and your son. What a fun celebration you had. I would enjoy seeing that John Wayne museum. I used to love those old westerns.
ReplyDeleteIn Winterset, Iowa: "The life story of John Wayne began here in Winterset, Iowa. He was born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, the son of Clyde and Mary Brown Morrison. Step back in time and picture the life of a young midwestern boy and his family near the turn of the 20th century. The modest four-room home has been restored to reflect its appearance in 1907. Adjacent to the home, the John Wayne Birthplace Museum is open daily and offers the largest diversified collection of John Wayne artifacts in existence, including movie posters, film wardrobe, original scripts, contracts, letters, artwork and sculpture — even one of his last custom-built cars." More info here: https://johnwaynebirthplace.museum
ReplyDeleteThe Quiet Man, even though not a Western, is my favorite John Wayne movie. I loved the chemistry between he and Maureen O'Hara.
ReplyDeleteMy grandson is still in Texas for school, will be there a while yet. We enjoyed our week in San Antonio, so good to see him and visited the Alamo, of course. Your decorations are lovely, I have 2 candles out and one wreath so far. I've got to get busy!
you need a Santa in that chair by the front door, or maybe a sign that says Santa lives Here, because the porch looks like Santa lives inside, at least Ms Santa lives in there, ha ha... looking good and what a fun way to spend the day with the two birthday BOYS. my youngest son will be 58 Feb 22, Feb 14 David will be 60. wow. we are both getting on up there when our kids are senior citizens
ReplyDeleteHope LD's fingertips aren't sore! What a trooper!!
ReplyDeleteYou've done sssssoooo much with decorating! I feel lazy with mine! lol
Love the painting...and we loved John Wayne too...
hugs
Donna
Your front porch looks amazing. I love the fishing Santa picture and I hope your grandson will always treasure it. I’m almost done with decorating every room except the laundry room. I will tackle the outside in the next week or so. RHill, TX
ReplyDeleteEverything is looking just great! I don't know how you do it! I can not remember if I entered to win your beautiful painting this year>.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday to your boys! My birthday is this Thursday, the 21st. I will be 72. Hard to believe. Enjoy every second with your love.
ReplyDeletePatricia
What a nice Birthday celebration with your guys and John Wayne. What an interesting museum and I loved seeing all the outfits he wore in the movies. You and LD continue to be my heros with all you both accomplished in your home. Love and Hugs.
ReplyDeleteI'm an older lady, and I LOVE John Wayne too. I so enjoyed your pics of the museum, and I especially like the photo of you and LD sitting in front of our Flag. You look rather sexy, and LD is a handsome man. Jesse is such a thoughtful son. How blessed you are. Thank you for sharing your life and happenings.
ReplyDeleteI also didn’t know a John Wayne museum was in Dallas. Gotta go see it. Thanks for the information. I would like a Christmas card. Love your paintings. Jan G (Waco)
ReplyDeleteYou two look so good! And the house is looking Christmas-y, too! The month is moving along, eh? Love y'all, Trudy
ReplyDeleteSanta needs to come to your house!!!!!!!!!! You are Mrs. Christmas! So pretty.
ReplyDeleteLove how everything is so festive at your home. I wish I lived closer to be able to visit the John Wayne Museum. He was my Dad's favorite actor! I can't wait to see what recipes you plan to bake in December.
ReplyDeleteI would love to be entered into the drawing.
ReplyDeleteVonda