~* the tree is finally done~ whew! *~

I know I say this every year, but I am so behind this year. I finally finished the tree today. I can't wait for Matthew to put his ornaments on the tree for the garland any longer so I hung it along with the icicles, and put the presents underneath. That is it. Check that off the list! Tomorrow I have to do my cleaning and finish wrapping the last of the gifts I have.

We got 2 feet of snow yesterday and it really was a mess. We are still trying to clean up from it. I shoveled for 3 hours and still couldn't get my car out. Yes, we have a snowblower but I don't know how to use it and Dan had to go to work, and he leaves for work at 5 am and only had enough time to clear off half the driveway and then Matthew was doing the sidewalks and then since he also has a nasty head cold went back to bed for a few hours so I thought I would shovel for a while to see how far I could get. That sent me back to bed with a pounding head ache and the chills. Finally Dan came home and snowblowed the rest of the driveway. I was able to get out today. I don't mind if I am snowed in as long as I can get out if I have to. I have an AWD vehicle so that I don't ever have to worry about not getting where I need to go, but when there is 2 feet I cannot drive over it. But, I think I was so upset more because of this stupid cold than the fact I was snowed it. You know how that goes, you aren't really that upset, but because you are sick it is a bigger deal than it really is? Well, it was and then I was so tired and sore. And cold! But today I am better! And a pretty holiday manicure and all is well again! And the tree is done! Yay!
Have a great day!

~* Whatcha Workin' on Wednesday *~

I always seem to be a day late with this but I DID make this yesterday. I just had to get the labels made. I made 5 pints of Christmas jam for gifts. I got the recipe from Sue at Country Pleasures some time ago and just got around to making it. At first I was skeptical about the taste- I mean strawberries and cranberries? But it is really a nice blend. I saved a jar for us, of course! I also am giving some of my very own vanilla extract. I make my own (it is really quite easy and beats anything you can buy!). That is if I can find some bottles. I can't believe how difficult it is to find glass bottles! But I have hubby on the hunt and if there is anyone that can find them, it's him! So, that is what I was working on yesterday. Finished with my labels today.
I have another meeting this evening, so I should get to work on my housework and more wrapping.
Have a great day!

~* out with the old ~ in with the new *~

So my new dishwasher arrived last Thursday. We put it in Saturday. I tried to get Dan to do it Friday night when he came home from work, but he is not one of those spur of the moment kind of guys and it is a good thing he is not. It appears that the dishwasher manufacturers have changed the hookups and we had to buy a new piece to hook it up. It was not known to us until we got a good ways into the installation. Dan was not happy! And we had to enlarge the opening that the thing went into by about 1/2 an inch. Another thing we didn't know until we got into the installation. But here we are now, with a new functioning dishwasher!
I figured since I had to get a new one I might as well go with stainless. Although I am constantly wiping the fingerprints off of it. I guess I will get used to that. At least I have a dishwasher that cleans the dishes each and every time I use it!
Well, I have to run some errands today and get my Christmas cards going. I know I am so late...
Have a great day!

~* ho ho ho, ol' St. Nick *~

Finally got my Santa tree up! I had a migraine this weekend so I didn't get much done, but I did get my little Santa tree up yesterday. I love it! I have all Santa ornies on it. And these cute candle lights. And my yo-yo garland. Of course I put the new ornie that my mom made me right on the front! We haven't even gone out and tagged our main tree yet. We should have probably done it last weekend, but I guess we will have to do it next weekend.
I am going to try and do my window candles tomorrow and maybe get my wrapping done. Maybe I will have some time to bake some cookies. I have an unexpected meeting Thursday night, I don't think it will be long, but I hate when that happens, it throws me off, so now I have to work around that, and that is the day my new dishwasher is coming and I still don't have my delivery "window" to know when to expect that! Oh the holiday joys!
Have a great day!

~* oh, the housework never ends...*~

Ok, so one bathroom scrubbed and down, some laundry out of the way, dishes done, vacuuming done, dusting done, minutes typed, and I am prepared for the community event I have to do tonight for the Neighborhood Alliance. Whew...

This is my downstairs bathroom. It has not been re-done yet. I want to pull up the linoleum on the floor and hope the hardwood underneath is good enough to refinish, put bead board 2/3's of the way up with a small shelf topping that off, and paint the outside of the tub (that hideous peach/pink has got to go!!!), plus I want to put the mirror cabinet and the sink cabinet in the corner with homemade cabinets. I would also like to paint the radiator gloss white. I think I would like to go with wrought iron for the towel and paper holders, but I will have to wait and see what I do for the knobs and lighting. Right now I only have 2 lights on the wall, I definitely need more lighting. I don't know if you can tell from the picture but my window sill is 22 inches deep, and I have a jade plant there as well as some jars of bubble bath, bath salts, etc. Well, that is my plans, but we all know how plans go, I keep ripping pages out of magazines and taping them behind the door of ideas of how this bathroom can look. Until the renovations start I could change my mind! Lol!

I have to go get ready for my community event tonight!

Have a great day!

~* it's a blogiversary! *~

So, 4 years ago I started my blog with a Christmas post and here I am with a Christmas post! This is my dining room tree, my favorite one. It holds all my snowman ornies, most of which my husband has given me, much of which he has snuck on the tree! I love it. A few years ago I decided that I had enough ornies to do a tree of just snowmen. Well, I got this one and put it in the dining room, but it was not nearly as full as it is now. Even so, each year even more ornies appear on it! It is the first tree I put up and the last one I take down.

I posted a giveaway for my blogiversary the other day. I really wanted to hear from my blog friends who read or visit so please leave a comment!

Ok, I have to get ready to brave the elements and go Christmas shopping. It rained yesterday and I hate going out in the rain, so today is a nice day so I think I will try and head out today!

Have a great day!