AWARDS~~~~~~ and Decorating !!

Smiling Sally gave me an award!!!
The butterfly is so pretty and what it stand for just tickles me pink !!
I always wanted to be~~~ COOL~~~!!!

Before I started blogging I was lurking(( haha)) I went to this blog and that blog to get a feel of blogland, and of course to see the gorgeous crafty blogs , then I got to appreciate the non crafty blogs that we all know and love.
I wanted to be an all craft blog because back then(2 years ago) I had time to craft to my hearts content and I do love making things with my hands like my little Noel Soon Snowmen, those were hand stitched... I did not do them with a sewing ,I have nothing against sewing machines I just love making things with my hands and I take pride in doing what ever the project is.

But I do love to kabits with all you bloggers who just want to incorporate part of your daily lives in your blog, and in doing so we have all respect and enjoy each other's participation, be it daily or weekly or what ever you have time for.
I feel each of you my dear friends have earned this award, you know who you are I visit you every day and I think all of you are the Coolest Blog!!
Please accept this as my token of enjoyment and appreciation.


Today was a busy one for me, I sent my hubby OUT with the MIL I told him not to come back early that I had things to do.
Tell me are you like me ?? I can't do a damn thing with hubby around, today I wanted to put the Christmas lights in the living room big picture window and in the kitchen window, and every year he stand there waiting to help me but all he does is criticize and he loves to argue ( he thrives on arguing )normally I can take it as I am a very very calm person it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers.

BUT my nerves are still raw and frayed from all the health traumas we have had lately ( that still not finished either) and I can't take much more......., I am on my last nerve and its stretched beyond all limits so it was better to tell him to go shopping and I gave him a small list then do the lights all by myself.!!(((( do you do that??))))

I put up the lights, it looked gorgeous,what a rotten stinking job that is to do.... its so finiky,
I was tired after, then my son comes into the living room and says MOM you didn't leave the male end of the plug in, you did it backwards.!!!!! OMG!!!!!

He told me I would have to start it over, I said~~ listen here~~ if I take it out of the window its going to stay bare, in no way shape or form am I putting that back.... and I would still probably do it backwards.... dammit.... (( They should sell lights with instructions for dummy's who are not electrically inclined!! LOL!! I know it sounds so stupid but I never remember which end to save for the plug in~~~~~~~ I just go for it....... sigh......))
My son is wonderful he said Mom dont panic give me an extension cord and then he fixed it!!! Happy Days!!

Then I made myself a tea to calm down and take a little breather, then I did a load of laundry and looked at the kitchen window and went to town on it, ((I didn't screw that one up)).God loves me he knows I am trying my darndest!!

I just love the look of lights in windows it so festive and soft looking!!

I did our Christmas tree on the weekend, its my first artificial tree, but what a beauty it is, we bought it because you have to touch it to realize its not real that's how gorgeous it is!

Its 6 and a half feet of gorgeousness!!! (Is that a word?)
It went up like a charm and then I slowly added all my favorite ornaments, I use all glass ones, some are new, some are very old ,some are sentimental,some were given to me.

I love birds in my tree every year I add a few new birds, one year I made hundreds of cardinals(yes by hand) and I just loved it nothing else but cardinals in that tree, my kids didn't like it ,they wanted what they call a real tree and I know they meant with Christmas ornaments.

I will post pictures soon to show you, my son has a fancy dancy camera and he is the pro with a camera certainly not me when it comes to taking pictures like that.
Its starting to look a lot like Christmas at my house!!!
These pictures are of Christmas's past.That gorgeous manger scene my MIL gave me when I was first married, it was in the family for many years before that, I have added pieces since, some are sooo very old, luckily I have been able to find my beloved Fontanini by going to yard sales or estate sales.My children love this manger scene.So do I!!

Last year Mom passed away December 16th we didn't have much of a Christmas because I was with her night and day and I am trying so hard to make it up to them this year.

Today I opened a small box marked Christmas .... oh my.......
Near Mom's hospital bed I had set up a little tiny Christmas tree it even had lights in it, and my wonderful sister in law gave Mom a glass tea light that looked like a tall candle decorated with holly and instead of a real flame tea light she had put one of those lights that needs a battery instead and looks just like a candle... we left it on at night beside her bed for her to see the soft glow of the candle, I dont think she saw it, but I sure did, and when I opened that small box today there it was to flood my memories of her in bed so sick and in pain,no matter how hard you try not to remember the bad parts... something so simple as a candle tea light will bring it all back in a rush of emotions.Its so painful to remember all that.I would rather remember the wonderful things , those memories hold me together like glue.I keep them close to my heart.



Take a close look at that Santa below..... look like anyone you might know?????
Ho Ho Ho!!!