Tuesday, December 30, 2008

New Year's Decorations

Christmas has come and gone. So, the red, green and pink balls have been boxed up.

I have some silver, gold and mercury glass ornaments that I put up on the chain for a different look. Some folks may come over for a New Year's Party. So, a fun, festive look is still in order.

It's still festive. The bright Christmas colors have made way for New Year's colors.

Down with the holly garland.

And up with a silver garland I picked up at Tuesday Morning for half price after Christmas.
Changing the decor in small portions like this makes taking Christmas down an easier task. No big day of boxing. It's a slower, less stressful process for me. And I get to keep a festive look going for a few more days.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Thunder Thighs

You might recall from a previous post, my exuberance at receiving Thunder Thighs. No, this is not a reference to the result of too much egg nog, nor too many sugar cookies attaching themselves to my hips.
Thunder Thighs is this wonderful statuary that I fell in love with at Mayron and Marcie's Unique Unique Design home show.

My sister and mother gave her to me for Christmas. I love her! Her new home for now is in my bathroom, where I can appreciate her every day.


Did I mention that I love her? Don't you?

Sunday, December 28, 2008

New Wall Color

After seeing my walls in pictures the last few weeks, I decided they needed an update.

I consulted with LucyJane, David and my friend Mayron, and Sherwin Williams Brevity Brown was chosen.
It had been my intention to paint the walls myself, but when David offered, I couldn't hurt his feelings by saying no.

He is a professional cutter. No tape against those columns. Good hard concentration and proper brush placement is the key.


Here's the old red.

the corner

And here's the new brown. I like the change. It seems more warm and inviting. If anything, I wouldn't mind if it were darker. What do you think?

Friday, December 26, 2008

Reflections of Christmas 2008

What an exciting time! Family. Food. Bacon.

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Giving.

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Toe Socks for Mom.

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Colgate for Dad.

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Receiving.

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(A special thanks to Mayron and Marcie of Unique Unique Design for playing Santa with my family. I can't wait to get Thunder Thighs!)

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service with Jason Castro.

Mother and Son Shotguns.

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Games.

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Posing, pictures and laughs.

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And Love. Love was abundant. I hope that you and yours had a wonderfully, blessed, Merry Christmas.

~Mindy

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas Memories - New and Old

Cardboard Fireplace - 1
My Mom and Dad had a house built when they got married. That house, where they still live by the way, has no fireplace. My Mom didn't want to clean soot and deal with ash, so she skipped on the fireplace option. (Now that I'm older, I believe this was a form of child abuse, but that's another blog.)

Since it's common knowledge that Santa comes down the chimney, every year, we had to build a cardboard fireplace to facilitate Santa's entrance. I have no idea where one buys a cardboard fireplace (maybe Sears and Roebuck). But, we had one. We'd pull it out of it's cardboard box, and we'd build it, following the directions carefully. We hung the stockings on the chimney with care, with a stick pin. The cardboard fireplace had red brick, white mortar with a black shelf on top. It stood about 4' tall and was 3 or 4 foot wide. In it were orange paper flames with an orange light bulb behind to similate a nice cozy fire. A little metal spinner sat on top of the orange bulb and as the heat was generated, the spinner spun and the flames appeared to flicker.

I shared this story with David and his mother earlier in the month and they found it entertaining. David knew that it was a special memory.

Last week, I paid a visit to David's house and he held his hands over my eyes and led me to his living room. When he let me look and see, I saw a brand new cardboard fireplace! Ahhhh! He said it is mine to keep. See the picture? That's my fireplace!

And with that, new memories are being made with old memories.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Much Love,
Mindy

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Through a Child's Eyes

Today, I share with you an email that was forwarded to me by David. I don't intend to make a habit of such, but the message is worthy of sharing:


Through a Child's Eyes (Author Unknown)
God recently allowed me to see Jesus through the eyes of someone seeing Him for the first time. Having the advantage of knowing how the story ends, we can easily forget the cost of our redemption and the love of our Savior.

Every year we attend a local church pageant at Christmas time, which tells the story of Jesus from His birth through His resurrection. It is a spectacular event, with live animals and hundreds of cast members in realistic costumes. The magi enter the huge auditorium on llamas from the rear, descending the steps in pomp and majesty. Roman soldiers look huge and menacing in their costumes and makeup. Of all the years we have attended, one stands out indelibly in my heart.

It was the year we took our then three-year-old granddaughter, Bailey, who loves Jesus. She was mesmerized throughout the entire play, not just watching, but involved as if she were a player. She watches as Joseph and Mary travel to the Inn and is thrilled when she sees the baby Jesus in His mother's arms.

When Jesus, on a young donkey, descends the steps from the back of the auditorium, depicting His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Bailey was ecstatic. As he neared our aisle, Bailey began jumping up and down, screaming, "Jesus, Jesus! There's Jesus!" Not just saying the words but exclaiming them with every fiber of her being. She alternated between screaming his name and hugging us. "It's Jesus. Look!" I thought she might actually pass out. Tears filled my eyes as I looked at Jesus through the eyes of a child in love with Him, seeing Him for the first time. How like the blind beggar screaming out in reckless abandon, "Jesus, Jesus!", afraid he might miss Him, not caring what others thought. (Mark 10:46-52) This was so much fun.

Then came the arrest scene. On stage, the soldiers shoved and slapped Jesus as they moved Him from the Garden of Gethsemane to Pilate. Bailey responded as if she were in the crowd of women, with terror and anger. "Stop it!" she screamed. "Bad soldiers, stop it!" As I watched her reaction, I wished we had talked to her before the play. "Bailey it's OK. They are just pretending." "They are hurting Jesus! Stop it!" She stood in her seat reacting to each and every move. People around us at first smiled at her reaction, thinking "How cute!". Then they quit smiling and began watching her watch Him.

In a most powerful scene, the soldiers lead Jesus carrying the cross down the steps of the auditorium from the back They were yelling, whipping, and cursing at Jesus, who was bloodied and beaten. Bailey was now hysterical. "Stop it! Soldiers! Stop it," she screamed. She must have been wondering why all these people did nothing. She then began to cry instead of scream. "Jesus, Oh, Jesus!"

People all around us began to weep as we all watch this devoted little disciple see her Jesus beaten and killed as those first century disciples had. Going back and forth between her mother's lap and mine for comfort, she was distraught. I kept saying, "Bailey, it's OK. Jesus is going to be OK. These are just people pretending to be soldiers. She looked at me like I was crazy.

In my lap, we talked through the cross and burial. "Watch, Bailey, watch for Jesus!" The tomb began to tremble and lightening flashed as the stone rolled away. A Super Bowl touchdown cheer couldn't come close to matching this little one's reaction to the resurrection. "Jesus! He's OK. Mommy, it's Jesus!" I prayed that she wasn't going to be traumatized by this event, but that she would remember it. I shall never forget it. I shall never forget seeing Jesus' suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection through the eyes of an innocent child.

Following the pageant the actors all assembled in the foyer to be greeted by the audience. As we passed by some of the soldiers Bailey screamed out, "Bad soldier, don't you hurt Jesus." The actor who portrayed Jesus was some distance away surrounded by well-wishers and friends. Bailey broke away from us and ran toward him, wrapping herself around his legs, holding on for dear life. He hugged her and said, "Jesus loves you." He patted her to go away. She wouldn't let go. She kept clinging to Him, laughing and calling His name. She wasn't about to let go of her Jesus.

I think God in heaven stopped whatever was going on that day and made all the angels watch Bailey. "Now, look there! You see what I meant when I said, 'Of such is the kingdom of heaven?'" Bailey's reaction should be our reaction every day. When we think of Him, who He is, what He did for us, and what He offers us, we have to say, how can we do anything less than worship Him?


Ahhh...to see Christ through the eyes of a child. God bless you and yours this Christmas.

In attempting to give credit to the author, I found it several times in a google search, but, am unable to ascertain the original writer. The message is one that I'm sure they will not mind being shared.

~Mindy

Monday, December 22, 2008

Family Christmas

Ahhh...I made it! My house made it. David helped me pull it all together and he took all of these photos to prove it! The family gathering this Sunday was a wonderful time!

The day was very cold and perfect for hugs and the warmth that family brings.

Always ready to mug for the camera!

More hugs.


We're a hugging kind of family!
Christmas through the eyes of a child is always fun for everyone!

The gift exchange.

My sister "stole" these footed jammies and then put them on. After a run to a room without windows, it was discovered that the spaceships and stars did NOT glow in the dark, as claimed!
David snapped a good one of Mom.

The capture of pure joy is always a good thing. I love this pic of Dad laughing.

Serious man talk.
Serious woman talk.
Posers.
Sisters.

The oldest and youngest bonded.

Silent Night.

David hung these photos and the apron the night before the party. The old black and white photos of the family were a hit.

We know how to eat! Three different cornbreads, 3 chilis, tamales, queso, Mexican Fudge, carrot cake, pecan pie.
One thing is certain...


We did not eat like birds!

A Merry Christmas to you and your family.

All photos are courtesy of Snakelover.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Easily Distracted

After my morning shower, it was time to get down to business. You know that family party is Sunday at my house and my bedroom/bathroom/dressing area are not fit for human use.

I saw jewelry on the bathroom counter that needed to be put up in my dressing area. My dressing area had clean laundry where the jewelry needed to go. The clean laundry needed to be put up in the closet. The closet floor was so full, I had to pile up some dirty laundry and take it to the washing machine in the garage. The outdoor cats were in the garage letting me know they needed to be fed. Back in the kitchen, I got my bottled water and energy powder and decided I should fill up the small pond in the back. I went out there and realized I needed to net leaves out of the bottom of the pond. Ants found me and started biting my right leg.

The septic guy was there emptying my septic. He found me in the backyard and said "Come look at this". The things that can race through a girl's mind when a man is cleaning out her poop..... He showed me roots and told me how to rid the tanks of them. Whew! No poop talk.

I went back inside and saw my bottled water by the back door. I mixed it up with energy powder and headed back out to clean the leaves out of the pond. I put the hose in the pond and started that filling. I went back in and saw cat barf in the den. Grabbed the vacuum and spread the wet barf into the carpet, necessitating the use of the carpet extractor.

I needed to take the curtains down out of the kitchen. Needed to dust the fan blades by the curtains in the kitchen. Took the curtains down. Vacuumed the windows. Wrote "dust fan blades" on a list.

Pushed laundry. Paid the septic guy. Grabbed some lunch. Turned the water off, the pond was full. Moved floor decor box from guest room. Vacuumed the guest room. Added more things to the list of things to do before Sunday. Put the chickens in the pen. Went to the bathroom to brush my teeth before work and guess what I saw! That jewelry was still there, on the counter top, waiting to be put away.

Ha! Ever have one of those days?

My bedroom/bathroom/dressing area are still not fit for human use. I know what I'll be doing tomorrow.

As an after thought, lest you think I'm distressed, I am not. You should know that I enjoyed doing everything I did today (except the ant thing)...as my sister says, I am easily distracted.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

She is an Angel

Thrift store angel. Isn't she beautiful? She's cast iron and absolutely angelic!
When I took her to the register, the lady said they had just put her out. Wasn't I the lucky thrift store shopper?

I haven't found a home for her yet, but I'm sure she'll add charm wherever she lands.

Happy Day!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Christmas Guest Bedroom and other stuff

My guest bedroom. While I'm not expecting any overnight guests, if you want to visit Poetry, we can shove these things on the floor and you can chill in here.
Jan at Summer Sundays suggested that we Mary-fy the pregnant mannequin. So, LucyJane took this task to heart and look. Toga! Toga! I mean, Mary! Mary!

Looks good, huh?

If Grandma Joy's teeth threw ya, this fine silver dish with strands of pearls, Uncle Otis' black bow tie and random glass eyes will really getcha!

When the family comes over Sunday, I promise you, many a picture will be taken with these things jammed into eye sockets. We're funny like that, my family.

And this last pic is for Margo. She requested a close up of this piece which hangs in my den. So, here it is. I did not do this. I don't do this kind of thing. I appreciate it.

I said last pic...but, I can't resist. Here's my cousin Ronda working the glass eyes.


Happy Day!