~The week that flew~

As much as I enjoy bringing out my Christmas, I enjoy putting it away and bringing out my old favorite snowmen. So let me take you back through the week that flew. These are my snowmen, I think they are made of paperclay. I bought them years ago and they just get better with age.

Now as I start to put away and clean up I feel refreshed, love that feeling. The day after Christmas I cleaned our my closet and have six bags for Goodwill. I like how organized it all looks.

And it snowed!

And it stuck.....

My best gift was my son being home to celebrate the holiday with us and knowing he is here to stay just put a happy glow on everything.

I am just sitting down to catch up with the blogs. Now do tell how do you  all find the time to post? Between work, Christmas, family, baking, parties, I just can't seem to find the time to even take pictures, let alone sit down and write a post?

All the grandchildren and children were here for Christmas. Presents were opened, food was eaten, the kids went out sledding and came in cold and wet, sat by the fire to warm up as the jackets and pants tumbled in the dryer. Hot chocolate was sipped, dessert was eaten. There were rosy cheeks and many smiles, giggles, teasing, wet floors, wet mittens and an all round good time was had by all. And after everyone left I sat down by the same fire and had a Gingerbread Martini with a content smile on my face.

Someone loved his new toy. Not to mention the wrapping it came in.

and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care.....

It is almost Christmas Eve!

I am in the kitchen baking, but everything else is done! Oh darn I need to clean .....

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight~

Christmas comes early!

Happy days at the Country Nest!!!!
Our Son is home from Afghanistan. This is the very BEST Christmas present we could receive. We picked him up this morning and it is truly a HaPpY DaY here!!!!

Holiday Open House

On Sunday evening a couple of my friends invited me to join them. On of my friends has a shop A Primitive Dwelling and the other is a true artist...she has a company called Awe-Shucks. Isn't that a cute name? Her name is Carolyn and she can do anything and she does it all so well. Cook, oh my gosh can this lady cook. She had a gingerbread house cake, bread pudding, sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, pumpkin bread, eclair cake, delish brownies and many other goodies! Then there were the handcrafts. One woman did stunning pottery. My friend Maggie set up a mini shop....and Carolyn had Santas, wooden & beeswax. Floral arrangements, beautiful stockings, cobweb boppers made out of her sheep's wool. Beautiful chairs made from laurel wood, each unique. Gingerbread men......visions dancing through my head. It was all set in the Prince Burgess House Circa 1683. And there were house tours. From the sheep to the greenhouse to the kitchen with the big soapstone cart. Well let my pictures speak for themselves.

So tell me what do you think? Beautiful or what?

My Merry Band of Snowomen

I saw a cute snow annie in Prims magazine and I could not help my self......I got carried away. Each one comes out a bit different. I have used muslin, flannel, batting and chenille. Each has a burlap pocket stuffed with sweet annie, so she smells divine and is a reminder of the summer gone by. She has a necklace of stars or bells and I just love her....

The start of Christmas...

You see I need to have Thanksgiving before I can start Christmas. Ok I may be a bit  a lot OCD, but hey what is wrong with that? I spent a good part of the day putting Harvest decorations away, mums and pumpkins were thrown in the compost bin. Lots of decorations are sitting at the bottom of the stairs in my garage, waiting to be carried up and packed away. Where did they all come from? I thought I had started to pack stuff away last week. I need to purge some of this stuff. There is just way too much. Now as I pull Christmas out I am feeling like I need to get rid of some of this too. Last year I gave lots away and cleaned out, but I need to do it again. Does anyone else feel this way?

Anyone having trouble leaving comments??

Just a quick note it has been brought to my attention that there seems to be a problem leaving comments on my blog. I have tried contacting blogger.....and I just don't know how to fix this. HELP!!! You can email me at DonnaG456@aol.com.

You light up my life!

 Today I am joining Linda at Behind My Red Door who joined Misi over at 1890 Gable House Musing for week 8 of a display chain she has going on. The theme for week 8 is "You light up my life" The idea presented by Amy of Cottage Prims. Her thoughts for this theme "With Winter setting in and being in the dark, you light up my life" Early lighting, candles, lanterns or even new lights.

 I love all the battery operated candles. They cast a nice glow and I can go off and leave them or tuck them into places that I otherwise would not light a candle.

 Electric candles, from Restoration Hardware. I bought them at Christmas and ended up not putting them away. They cast such a pretty glow. Sometimes when it is still dark in the morning I will turn them on low(they are on a dimmer) it is just enough light and so pretty to see.

 My kitchen pendants are on dimmers too.

 We leave this on all night in the kitchen.

 Another electric candle.

 Some real candles~

 Over our table~

 Lights on our porch~

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the lights in our home. They really do help keep the dark at bay and truly do light up our lives.