Oh Christmas Tree

For the past 2 years I have decorated 2 Christmas trees in our home. We have a tall artificial tree we place in front of the living room windows each year with all of our special ornaments on it and 2 years ago we purchased a tall skinny rustic looking tree to put in the dining room. This year after watching a Christmas movie together as a family, all 3 of us realized it had been 15 years since we put up a "real" tree and that we had never once all 3 gone out to choose and cut our tree together. So, we decided then and there to do that for this Christmas.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we all got up and headed off to Tannenbaum Farms to choose a tree for the house, and also a tree for the church to decorate to display downtown in Central Park.



Here Marty is cutting the tree for our house:




And this is the tree we selected for the church:





After getting them wrapped and secured atop the Suburban we headed home to await decorations.


This is the church's tree decorated in Central Park:




I decided the real tree needed natural looking and homemade ornaments. Great concept, right?! But in reality, it meant a lot of work. Heather and I spent an entire evening making these ornaments. I spent time over the next few days attaching ribons to hang these and attaching ribbons to pine cones for the tree:


Here is the tree in the living room:


And here it is lit up:



I decided I couldn't bear not to have the regular tree up with all our special ornaments so I put it in the corner of the retreat off the master bedroom:



And then we have the tree in the dining room containing all the gingerbread and apple ornaments, among all the Santa Clause figurines:




Stay tuned for further Christmas festivities we've been checking out!

Wordless Wednesday

For more wordlessness click here.

The Beach..Yes the Beach...in NOVEMBER!

My brother in law Rick brought his fiancee to Texas for Thanksgiving. Sandy has never been to any ocean and wanted to go to the beach. Instead of shopping on Black Friday, we all got up early, piled in the Suburban and headed to Port A for the day. I was not counting on it being warm enough to swim at all so I was not disappointed when the day turned out cool.


We waded in the waves and walked up and down the beach. Sandy did get more wet than the rest of us when a wave caught her off guard.

We took many family photos with the beach as our background, something I've always wanted to do. Despite the chill in the air, we all had a great time!

The day turned out pretty gray, but I like the photos anyway!

Heather and me. I guess she's officially taller than me now...or maybe the picture is just crooked! Yeah, that's it!

Freddie and Billie (my inlaws)

Billie saw this photo and wondered when she got so small next to her boys! Marty is the oldest (and smallest of all 4 boys) and Rick is the youngest.

Heather walking the beach with her daddy.

Awwww so in love! Rick and Sandy

My hunny and me. Thanks Sandy for snapping this photo!







Of course best of all for some of us was the day ended with a trip to the Crazy Cajun for their famous "Hungry Cajun" dish (basically shrimp boil). Yummy!

Thanksgiving 2009

I have been neglecting my blog again! But what fun we've been having in the mean time!!! Marty's youngest brother Rick and his fiancee came to Texas to spend Thanksgiving with the family. We had not seen Rick since my father in law's funeral in 2003. That's much too long to go without seeing family!

We have so enjoyed our visits with Rick and Sandy. Thursday was Thanksgiving at my mother in law's house. I was asked to make Pumpkin rolls and deviled eggs. No problem. Wednesday night after work and after church I began making the pumpkin rolls while my sweet husband cleaned our house. I made the pumpkin rolls and was still feeling energetic, hubby was still scrubbing our room and the guest room so I just kept cooking. I made cheesy tortilla roll-ups (Yum!) and munched until the wee hours of the morning. Then I decided to use up the last of the pumpkin and make some pumpkin bread. I think I crawled into bed sometime between 1 and 2 am. It's been a really long time since I've wanted to bake goodies and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Thanksgiving was made extra special this year in being able to share it with Rick and Sandy, my sister in law Debbie and her children Cheyenne and Tony, and my mother in law Billie and father in law Freddie, and my brother in law Shad, his wife Mari, and their three children Anna, Logan and Olivia.

We were even able to share part of the day with my brother in law Mike via Skype on the computer. What a blessing technology was to our entire family that day! It was the first time Marty, Heather, Billie and Freddie or I have been able to use Skype to talk to Mike. He has been in Iraq for many months and we all miss him. There were many tears and much laughter as we all gathered in the hallway to get a glimpse of and talk to Mike. Later in the day we were even able to see and talk to my nephew Chris in Arizona. He is to be deployed to Afghanistan for 4 months. We are so proud of both Mike and Chris!

Mike on Skype! Gotta love technology!!!



Marty and Rick talking to Mike on Skype:


Heather and Granny (Billie) talking to Chris on skype. It was so good to be able to SEE him looking so happy and hear his voice.




As has become the norm when we are at Freddie and Bilie's, horseshoes were pitched.
Me, Shad and his daughter Anna:


And on the other end, Freddie and Tony (my nephew Logan is the little one off to the side):



Shad with his wife Mari:


Rick carved the turkey:


You know Granny loves it when she gets to cook for so many of us that another table has to be added!










Debbie and Cheyenne:



After dinner the little ones could be found playing in the piles of leaves.
Logan:


Olivia:



Anna:






I hope each of you had a Thanksgiving that was as blessed as ours!

Just for Fun

These are from a recent photo shoot and these are a few that just make me smile:

2009 Texas Renaissance Festival

Each year we try to find a day we can drive over to enjoy the Texas Renaissance Festival. This year we decided to go on my birthday. Heather had promised her friend Ryan a trip over there for his birthday as well. Heather's friend John is home for R&R from serving in Iraq and joined us for the day too.

Saturday morning found us at my mother in law's getting finishing touches put on my costume she so graciously made for me.

It is around a 3 hour drive from here to Plantersville, TX where the Renaissance Festival grounds are. As we stopped at Bucees on the interstate not far from home for a pit stop and gas I was hesitant to go inside in my costume. I knew if we were closer to Plantersville I would not seem an oddball, but still being a couple of hours from there was sure I'd be the only one in costume in the store. I had to laugh when I walked in the store and the first thing I spotted were 3 more Renaissance costume-clad folks! We all looked at each other and grinned as we walked past. It was obvious our destinations were the same!

Upon entering the grounds of the festival, this year there was no wench to kiss the mens' cheeks like there was last year. We were so hoping to surprise John and Ryan with that this year and I had my camera ready, but no such luck.



The grounds where the festival are held each year are beautiful and nestled in the trees in an area known as the Piney Woods.


There was so much to see and do. From the many shows to choose from.....












the tantalizing aromas of various foods.....

Heather would not cooperate this year and let anyone photograph her eating a turkey leg. To see it you'll have to visit last year's blog.




magnificent costumes....

...and even period craftsmen at work:

We found a shopkeeper who let me try on one of her hand made costumes...AND take a picture in it. Most of the costume shops have signs everywhere that say "No Cameras!"

A trip to the Renaissance Festival is not complete without a ride on the swings:

By the end of the day we all felt like these folks:

Ryan, Heather and John:

We had a great time and what a fabulous way to spend my birthday! We are already planning next year's trip and have decided although we loved this trip, we enjoy even more going when they are having their Celtic Christmas after Thanksgiving. Next year should find us at the Renaissance Festival instead of shopping on the day after Thanksgiving.