Monday, November 23, 2020

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas! And the Santa Painting Winner is......

 We were packing up to go home Sunday when Sherry came down on her tractor.....

....and the next thing I heard was Dean calling me out to look at his dad!
He was getting his first Tractor Driving Lesson and Dean knew I would not want to miss this!


He loved it!!


I'm thinking he may need a few more lessons before he's good to go on his own!!


It's always more fun to arrive than to depart......but we were on the road shortly after 2:30.
The camper and cabin were all clean and left ready for our return - in just two weeks!
We will come back for our December bee meeting.

We got home at 4:30 and I got right to work!
Started the laundry and dishwasher - I run a light load when we leave and then rewash it when we come back.


Then I started putting the Santa wall up.
It gets easier every year.
This time, I simply switched out paintings and used the same frames. 
A few places I had to turn the frame vertical and hang it a little higher.
I have more paintings than I do wall - so I will hang another Santa wall in the hall later this week.

Louis Dean and I ate huge baked potatoes for our supper and watched a Bull.
Covid messed up TV shows along with everything else.
It was nice seeing a current episode.
Louis Dean was tired and went to bed early while I stayed up and vacuumed and cleaned so I would be ready to start decorating this morning.


And decorating I DID!!!
All day long.
The den is pretty easy - I always use Christmas plaids and a Santa theme.


Lots of Santas.....


I just realized you can't see the new Santa painting down below the Red Santa and the cardinal.
I will need to fix that!


I haven't put the dozens and dozens of small Santa ornaments on this den tree yet.
I distinctly remember packing them in a Santa tin that popcorn came in. 
Have not seen that yet!


We got this wreath hung because I was able to climb up on the organ with Louis Dean holding on to me. The other mirror will require a taller ladder and we will do that tomorrow morning.


I love the way this secretary looks.
The candle top doesn't really go and I may move it someplace else.
All my journals, diaries and prayer books are on these shelves.
I've slowly had to replace the other books that were there as the journals have multiplied year by year.


I am loving the den! It took SIX Hallmark Christmas movies!!
Back to back.
I've never watched as many as I am this year.
The decorations are so beautiful and I love looking at the scenery.
I refuse to watch the news.
Louis Dean watches Fox Business for a few minutes in the morning and at closing bell to check on the stock market news. Other than that - it's Hallmark Christmas movies all the way!!

And now to announce the 2020 Santa Painting Giveaway......
out of 120 entries.....the random number generator was 58.......

And the winner is........Michele Meek-Frey!

I will have that in the mail as soon as it's dry enough to mail.



20 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

Congrats to Michele!! Your home is beautiful; it will be a shame to ever take it all down. You should leave it all up at least till epiphany. I think my favorite is the secretary!! Hard to believe Louis Dean did not know how to drive a tractor! I always think of him as being able to do all this kind of thing.

Kathy said...

Congrats Michele! Your house looks incredible. I do not decorate until December. I want to enjoy fall as long as possible.

Kathy said...

Congrats Michele! Your house looks incredible. I do not decorate until December. I want to enjoy fall as long as possible.

MimiG said...

Love the wall! And, that Secretary - the stocking is gorgeous. Congratulations to Michelle!! She's a lucky girl.
I began taking fall down yesterday, and after having my car serviced this morning, will finish today and clean. I'm so excited - my new vacuum is supposed to be here Friday. I have so much dog hair, I'm lucky to get a spare before the new one breaks!
Can't wait to see the rest of the house. And, to "see" your visit with Lillian. Be sure and tell her Happy Thanksgiving!
And, the same to y'all..

Deanna Rabe said...

Your Santa wall is always amazing! And now it will run down the hallway, too!

I love that you embrace decorating and I believe it is extra important this year! We all need it, and anyone who comes to your home will be blessed by it, as well as you and LD!

I'm glad you're not watching the news. Its all false narrative!

Susie said...

Linda, If LD learns to drive a tractor...your garden at the ranch may get bigger. LOL. Oh your home looks so cheery, I love it. I will be enjoying your decorations, as I have not heart to do anything here. Hope the cats do not tear it all up. Congrats to Michele on winning the painting. Blessings, stay healthy and safe. xoxo,love you, Susie

JBen said...

Congratulations Michelle! Linda, your den is amazing!

Changes in the wind said...

My favorite is the secretary:) So pretty. Glad you made it home safe and sound and loved seeing LD drive the tractor with Sherry on the sideboard:)

Vee said...

Congrats to Michele! That was a lot of entries!

Your energy is amazing, Linda. Do Christmas movies do that for you? Maybe I'll have to break down and watch one. (They are not my favorite genre.) Everything looks merry and bright at your place.

I don't watch any alphabits, but I am pretty addicted to my trusted sources sites.

Happy Thanksgiving!

MadSnapper said...

I whined and fuss and carried on just doing the note which only took the time that you could watch a Christmas movie about 2 hours I think and I was exhausted and couldn't hardly stand it and never did finish it and did a little bit more later than next day. It would take me three weeks to get the house decorated like you did yours. And you would not want to hear the words coming out of my mouth. You should be a professional decorator you can make a lot of money helping people like me who can't stand to put up decorations. But it's something you love to do and it always looks like we wandered into a Christmas store

MadSnapper said...

PS I much rather drive to tractor

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I do love your Santa wall and am amazed all the decorating you've already got done! I'll e starting this weekend myself. I ldon'r get the Hallmark channel but have been reading plenty of Christmas novels. They are my favorite and always leave me with a good feeling. Hopefully one of sons will be over to get all the bins out of storage for me so I can begin!

Jan said...

Congratulations Michele. Linda your house looks amazing.

Carole said...

It's fun seeing you so excited about Christmas. Cheers

Joyce F said...

Your Christmas house looks lovely!

ChiChi Mum said...

Your blog is great and your life in TX looks wonderful. Wow..love your Santa art...lots of talent there. I live in NC and have come across your blog. My hub and I took a travel tour in 2018, and love the State of TX. Stay safe and happy holidays to you and yours. /jofain-ChiChi Mum

Arlene G said...

Loved our visit and it looks like you are in the Christmas mode much as we are here in Nanaland. We put our tree up early this year. I think Covid has us all needing a little sparkle. I plan to post some of my photos of our decor next week.

Cheapchick said...

Your decorating looks beautiful but I know there is lots more to come. We decorated early as my energy level allowed - likely be mid January before it gets taken down lol. Happy Thanksgiving!

photowannabe said...

I absolutely love everything about this post and all your gorgeous settings through out your home.
Its so cozy and inviting.Wish I could be a fly on the wall and celebrate with you.
Happy Thanksgiving and so many more blessings in the year to come.
Love you and your sweet hubby, too.
Sue

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

It’s really beginning to look a LOT like Christmas at your home, Linda, and that’s great because we all need that holiday feeling this year. Yeah to ditching the news to watch holiday movies which I will be doing as I write out my holiday cards next week.