Some Christmas Pictures and thoughts

When I read a blog, I feel like I am reading someone's journal and it always seems like it is a record of that very day.  Well, as I am trying to do this, I am realizing that (at least for myself) I am going to have to give myself grace and time to let things "develop."  Just like we once had to wait for film to be developed?  Well, downloading and editing and now in my case, decreasing the resolution so the computer will upload the pictures ALL takes time.  Also, writing and editing the words takes time.  So, in that mode, here are a few moments caught on "film" from our last month.



Me and my Honey in front of our 2010 Christmas tree.  The weather was a nippy 23 degrees with wind that dropped it to not much above bearable.  I was out of the car MAYBE five minutes before my fingers and toes were ice.



Here is my burley man looking cool in his down vest I bought him a few birthday's ago.  He is looking Fine.



All four of my boys dry and snug in their coats posing in front of our uncut Christmas tree.



Rex, my fourth boy after he jumped in the pond and soaked his nice fur coat and then did that three more times!!!  He has icicles all over and even on his whiskers.  I guess he really is a water hunting dog.  Turns out Middle son threw an apple in the little pond AND there was a duck decoy floating in the middle of the little icy pond.  It was inevitable.  But I was aghast sitting in the warm truck frozen merely from my five minute romp up the hill to take a quick look at the trees.

 

The decorated Christmas tree along with my new garland. 
Took me a while to find what I was looking for - garland, that is.  Something that would be simple to restring lights to, something that would not need a lot of attention each year when putting it up.  Something simple and yet festive.  And it didn't cost that much either!

  

Ah, the night before Christmas shot. 
Mom's elf work is finally done (at 1:30am). 
The last presents are jammed in Christmas bags with a little big of tissue on top and the basketballs that I didn't want to wrestle with were simply placed in front. 
Ahhhh, 366 more days before Christmas. 
And as I snap these photos before falling exhausted into bed I am making the same resolutions I did last year and many years before too:  Next year I am NOT going to buy so much.  Next year I will have the wrapping done EARLY.  Next year I will start all this in July. . . and probably next year I'll be saying all this all over again.

  

MY/OUR FIRST WHITE CHRISTMAS EVER!!  Yeah!!  I don't think any of us in Anderson really expected it to snow all week, but low and behold it did!!  This is Christmas evening 2010.

 

Took this picture same time and place as the one above, but I used my flash on this one. 
How about that - it was really snowing!!  Fun, Fun, Fun!!



Appreciating my "new" front door. 
(and photoshop that helped me take the pumpkin off the steps) 
I painted all our outside doors and door frames a few months ago.  This one really needed it.  It was looking AWFUL.  And I didn't know how expensive a new door handle and lock could be - over 100 dollars!!  After going to Lowe's 3 times, I found a brand that was really nice, but also 75 % off!  Got our new door handle for 30 bucks!

  

Love this.  Boys being boys.  The real snow pictures are from the day after Christmas.  This is enough for now.