Just One of the Many Reasons I Love Him

Ooh, what a day! I'm really tired -- but feeling so exhilarated by some of the changes around the house. After re-locating a few of the small Christmas trees throughout the house -- don't say it -- I kinda got the urge to get some more stuff hung up that we've been wanting to get hung.

(Awkward sentence, I know.)

We (Edison and I) moved the 3 ft. tree with colored lights to the sun room. That was actually where it was located last year. Last year, it had ornaments. This year, just lights and small gold star-shaped garland. It's sweet. We put it on Caroline's table, and put Raggedy Ann & Andy at the foot of the table. Caroline moved them to their respective chairs -- and we put a few (REAL, not fake) presents around the base of this tree, too. I like it.



Then, I moved this little primitive tree into the living room opposite the BIG tree. This is actually a tree that I normally leave out year-round, and I think that's going to happen again this year. The master bedroom has a primitive country look, so I think this will most likely fit very well.



After relocating trees and some more of the presents, it was time to get some pictures hung. Mark got the two B/W pictures of the kids up in our room. There's still a stitchery piece that goes with those pictures, so when it's up, I'll post pictures of that montage.

In the kids' bathroom, he got a set of three watercolor prints up that his Mom & Dad gave us (last year) for Christmas. I really like the look of them. Also in that bathroom is a watercolor by Ken Shaffer. The Shaffer's are friends of Mark's family from way back. I've never met them--but over the years, I feel like I've gotten to know them through the stories told, letters exchanged, and pictures shared. This is probably my favorite of the Shaffer's that we have. And, it really mixes well with the blue/white "nautical" feel of their bathroom.




In the living room. . .this is the part that gives me goosebumps. . . Let's just say that I worked on this project for a long, long time. (probably over a year, now) And, it's good to see the fruits of my labors hanging on the wall. It's a series of four seasonal primitive samplers. I framed them myself -- cheap $3 black frames from Wal-Mart. I couldn't be more pleased. Mark did an awesome job hanging them not only straight, but evenly-spaced. And, the entire project had to be done while leaning over the 80-lb chest that sits on the floor directly under these samplers.





Then, in Caroline's room, we finally got the quilt rack up that my dad had made for us years ago. After getting it up on the wall, we put a quilt that my grandmother cross-stitched for me over 30 years ago. She made Lori one, as well. So, I'm fairly certain that Caroline and Becca (my niece) both have one of these precious bedspread/quilts from Grandma Heim. After putting it on the shelf, we put a few of my Precious Moments figurines on the shelf. Caroline will inherit these figurines. Eventually, I would like to have Grandpa build her some shelves that go on the three big walls in her room (matching, of course) and from there, I can put the rest of the figurines out.





So, it was an awesome day! Our church services this morning went very well, in my estimation. The choir and orchestra sounded great! The soloist did an outstanding job -- and the "makeshift nativity scene" to get peoples' attention? I think it worked. Of course, there may be complaints to deal with tomorrow. We'll see.

So there you have a day in pictures. It was a lot of fun -- but a lot of work (especially for Mark). There are a few more pictures to hang, but for now, I am really liking the way things are looking around here.

I'm also liking the way they're smelling. I'm trying out a new bread recipe tonight. It's called Muesli Bread -- and it's a cinnamon-laced bread with muesli cereal, raisins, etc. in it. According to the cookbook, it will make great toast for breakfast. We'll see. . . .but if it tastes as good as it smells, it's gonna be a good day tomorrow.

OOH....and there's homemade apple butter, too. Yowza!