2012 and Counting

I hope everyone had a Blessed Christmas and an exciting (but safe) New Year. 

Like everyone else, it has been a busy time for us – even though the family was pretty much scattered to the wind.  Since our kids had plans of their own on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we have put off our celebration until this Sunday.  The actual holidays were a little sad for me without the kids but it actually isn’t all bad – I had 2 extra weeks to finish my shopping without fighting huge crowds and best of all almost everything was on sale!!!

So I am trying to clean the house, bake and figure out what I will be cooking Sunday morning and most importantly looking forward to the kids being here.

Another thing that has been keeping me totally comsumed is a trip I get to take in March.

Look out PUERTO RICO – here I come!!!

I am soooooo excited I can hardly stand myself.  This will be my first trip to a real tropical paradise and this is something I have always wanted to do.   My Hubby had a chance to go along too as some of our friend are going the week before as couples but he just doesn’t get the whole ‘tropical paradise’ thing like I do so I will be going with the girlfriends instead and you know we will have FUN!  The important items are already packed in my suitcase – my camera, my snorkel and my swim suits.

I will trade in my Carhart coveralls for a bikini,

my snow boots for flip flops

and my favorite Mt. Dew for Rum & Coke.

 I will leave this behind:

 And trading it in for something like this:

I can feel the sand between my toes already.  74 days and counting…

But until then I will try to contain my excitement.

2012 is looking pretty good so far.

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Christmas at the Capital

I love to go to the South Dakota State Capital building at Christmas!

Every year, from mid November till the end of December our capital is decked out with over 100  decorated Christmas trees.

And  the best part is that anyone can decorate a tree!  You just have to fill out an application.

Our state capital is in Pierre – pretty much, smack-dab in the middle of the state.

The trees (no artificial ones are allowed) and the lights are supplied by the State.  They are set up and ready to decorate when you arrive.

Each tree is decorated by a different club, organization, buisness, family, farm or ranch.

Some have specific themes and most have wonderful hand-made ornaments. 

Some of my favorite trees have been the ones decorated by local farms and ranches who are celebrating over 100 years.

The largest tree in the rotunda of the Capital is between 25 and 30 feet tall.  Last year it was decorated by the South Dakota Florist’s Association. 

Here’s my sister, the florist – one of many who helped decorate it.

I have never been there for the decorating but I’ve heard it’s a lot of fun.

I usually show up after its been transformed into a winter wonderland (when the work is done – Hee Hee!).

All season they have different events and a variety of entertainment – especially on the weekends.  They have choirs and vocalists and if you get there on the right day the Governor himself will serve you a piece of pie. 

Unfortunately, I have never made it for pie day – maybe next year.

Of course, I love old capital buildings anyway.  The marble pillars and stained glass are impressive.

And I love the floors of our capital building.  I don’t know how they make them but I love it!!!  I want these floors in my house.

I didn’t make it to this years display – these photos are from 2009 but I’m sure this year was just as beautiful.

I don’t know if other states do this but check it out and if they don’t I’d like to invite you to South Dakota. 

The Pierre Chamber of Commerce has information about the displays on their website.

www.pierre.org/christmascapital.shtm

Hope to see you there.

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Christmas Decor at the Ranch

WaaaaaaaaaHooooooooooooo!!!!!!!  

We had a little freezing rain in the night and now all roads in and out of town are closed!  My boss just called (I really love my boss)  and she said I don’t have to go to work. 

I just ran through the house screaming and doing cartwheels.  OK they’re not pretty cartwheels, but I try.  So lets see… what can I write about today?  How about Christmas?

Lest you think I don’t like Christmas here are photos of some of the decorations at our house this year. 

Here’s the big tree (12 foot) in the livingroom.  Notice the deer heads – yes, its true – we are rednecks.  And not only do we decorate with dead animals we also accessorize them – note the bowler hat.  Don’t laugh, Prancer looks rather dashing with that rankish tilt to his hat don’t you think?

Here’s the Kitchen tree.  It sits on top of the old cook stove that was in the house when we started remodeling.  This stove is just about the only thing we could salvage from the house.

Here’s a slightly blurry photo of the tree in the guest room – it’s covered in Santa’s. 

I feel I have to tell you something.  I have an addiction…  an addiction to Christmas ornaments.  Every year, all year long I have to get my ‘ornament fix’.  It doesn’t matter where I go, department stores, second-hand stores, pawn shops, yard sales, I find them everywhere.  It’s a terrible little family secret but I’ve decided it’s time to come clean.   We have boxes of ornaments in the basement and I can’t stop.  Especially at this time of year when they go on sale!  50% off!!!  Help me, please.  I came home with 37 more ornaments last night.  I’m so ashamed.  But I needed them – they had snowmen ornaments and we all know you can never have to many snowmen ornaments. 

See what I mean?

The snowman bathroom. 

Looks like frosty threw up in here doesn’t it?  And this is only the wall above the toilet.   I’m so ashamed I can’t even show you the rest of the room.  It makes me cold just to look at it.

Let’s go to the dining room.  Blue, silver and white – that’s the dining room.  A lot of these ornaments are hand-made lace.  I admit it – if I can’t find ornaments to buy I have to make them. 

I need a life.

Here’s the china cupboard and some of the nativity scenes I have. 

Did I mention I have an addiction?

And last, but not lease here’s the light fixture in the living room, dripping with snowflakes.  I love these snow flakes and they are so simple to make.  I rolled out white Sculpty clay (actually ran it through the pasta maker – I’m glad I finally found a use for that thing) then used snowflake cookie cutters to cut them out.  Bake them, hang them and you too can have a veritable blizzard in your house.

Someday we’ll talk about Snow Globes!!! 

Did I mention I have an addiction?

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