Be Happy and Healthy in 2010

Here's to a happy and healthful 2010! From your lovable pet and animal community!


26 Ways To Be Healthier

1.) Brush twice a day!

2.) Dress right for the weather.

3.) Visit the dentist regularly.

4.) Get plenty of rest.

5.) Make sure your hair is dry before going outside..

6.) Eat right.

7.) Get outside in the sun every once in a while.

8.) Always wear a seatbelt.

9.) Control your drinking of alcoholic beverages.

10.) Smile! It will make you feel better.

11.) Don't over indulge yourself.

12.) Bathe regularly.

13.) Read to exercise the brain.

14.) Surround yourself with friends.

15.) Stay away from too much caffeine.

16.) Use the bathroom regularly.

17.) Get plenty of exercise.

18.) Have your eyes checked regularly.

19.) Eat plenty of vegetables.

20.) Believe that people will like you for who you are.

21.) Forgive and forget.

22.) Take plenty of vacations.

23.) Celebrate all special occasions.

24) Pick up a hobby

25.) Love your neighbor as yourself.

26.) Send this to your computer

buds to give them a warm fuzzy!

Have a nice day !!!!!!!!

It's Beginning To Feel a Lot Like Christmas

This is such a busy time!  How did I ever do everything during the Christmas Season when I had two active boys at home and I worked a full time job?  Youth has more energy I guess, as much as I hate to admit that.
I'm actually doing pretty well, though.  Mom and I went Christmas shopping yesterday.  I try to do it all in one day and that's what I did.  We were going to go to Westmoreland Mall in Pittsburgh, about two hours away, but I woke up not feeling very well and yet still determined to stay true to my schedule we decided to stay here in town to do our shopping.  Our mall is very small, but there are enough stores to get what was on my list.  We headed into town at 11:00 am, and by 5:30 pm we were picking up pizzas to take home for dinner.  The car was packed full and for the most part, both of our lists were checked off.  I was tired, but I started wrapping presents about 6:30 and continued until 9:30 last night.  I wrapped the last few this morning and what a good feeling. DONE (for now)
Now I have my annual Christmas letter to write to put into the Christmas cards but I don't think I feel like doing that today.  I have the outline finished, though.
Here are some more pictures of my Christmas decorating. 

This is my outdoor tree on the front stoop.  It has a grape theme to it.

The front of my house with the poinsettias in the window boxes, lights and garland around the door and lights in the rhody bushes.  I have lights in the bushes on the left, too, but I can't find the right adapter for the plug.  So frustrating!  Notice the snow - it's still there but now with ice on top of it.

This is the view from my back deck.  More poinsettias in the boxes with tiny wreaths hanging below them, and my wooden trees next to the bird feeders.  Cold, but pretty.

Now back inside where it's warm.  Here's my fireplace and mantel.  My mother bought me this Christmas angel a few years ago for my birthday.  I hang it above the mantel each Christmas, but I move it to hang in a corner the rest of the year because I love it.  The fireplace screen was done for me by my design by an artist friend that does beautiful stained glass work.

This is my Thomas Kincaid village that sits on my wine cabinet in my dining room.  A few years ago I bought this by sending for one  building each month for five months.  The grandsons love to play with the little people, car and sled. 

I think if you click on the pictures they may enlarge.  I'm also putting up pictures on my other site of my Christmas quilts and pillows that I've made.  Take a visit over there in a little bit for a look.

Well, I'm still not feeling great, so I think it's a good night for tomato soup and grilled cheese.  Oops, it's 4:00.  Time to turn on all the Christmas lights!

I'm Back!

I just wanted to let everyone know I'm back from our Spokane trip.  I've had several comments and e-mails asking where I've been.  I really appreciate being missed.  We had a great time seeing and visiting my son, DIL and beautiful granddaughter in Spokane.  It was cold but gorgeous out there.  Now we're back in beautiful Pennsylvania and winter has arrived here.  In the last two days we've had snow, ice, sleet, rain, thunder and lightning.  Needless to say, I go outside as little as possible.  But I love looking out the windows.  There really is something very warm and cozy about being inside and looking out at this kind of weather and scenery.  Ask me about this again in February, though.
I have pictures that I'll get up as soon as I'm a little more caught up and organized.  I plan on getting my Christmas shopping done this weekend.  Then next Thursday again we leave for Cincinnati for a long weekend to celebrate Christmas with all our family there.  For those of you that know me by now, I must continue with my lists and staying organized.  That's the only way I can get everything done without getting too overwhelmed.
My mission for this Holiday Season is to appreciate and enjoy the season for what it should be.  I'm letting my whole family know that I am limiting the gifts and the stress.  The gifts that I do give are going to be useful and/or needed and not just something to fill a pretty box so the skirt under the tree is covered in piles.  Not happening this year and I have such a good feeling about it.  Christmas is about celebration and love of family, life and appreciation of what we have.  Not about things!  This is my mission statement for this wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season!

Thankful That Christmas Trees are Done

Oh my, I'm getting tired.  A very content kind of weary.  I finished my Christmas decorating today.  I put away all the boxes and vacuumed and swept the mess left on the floors.  The only minor details left are some new fake poinsetta bushes for the window boxes outside the second floor windows and some adapters that are needed for the outside extension cords.  That's on my schedule for tomorrow, along with a haircut in the morning and Thanksgiving dinner grocery shopping.
 There will only be four of us for dinner this Thanksgiving.  I usually have around ten to thirteen.  Now with son #2 and family in Spokane, son #1 and family in Germany for ten days,  Grandma and Grandpa now in the nursing home, that just leaves my Mom and Dad and My Bob and me.  The four of us are also leaving the day after Thanksgiving to visit the kids in Spokane.  Packing for that trip is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday evenings.  My Bob suggested that with so much going on we should order out or eat out for our Thanksgiving dinner just this once.  I just can't do that! I love preparing Thanksgiving dinner.  I love the smells and watching the parades on TV while I cook.  My biggest challenge is going to be in trying to prepare small portions.  I'm not used to that.
Because of the Spokane trip is the reason I had to (wanted to) get all the decorating finished before we leave.  As I promised earlier, I have pictures.  I just have to say, though, that after looking at the pictures I don't think they do justice to the real thing.  It's hard to get a picture with all the lights lit and have it turn out good. 

This is my Victorian tea room tree.

My dining room tree - all crystal and gold

Angel tree outside my bedroom

Shoe and purse tree in my loft

Living Room tree in gold, burgundy and old fashioned blown glass ornaments.

(I think this tree is leaning now that I see it in a picture.  Note to self - fix that)

This is my foyer - with flash

Foyer - without flash

I didn't get pictures of the front porch tree or outside yet.  Not quite finished there.

So that's my Christmas tour so far.  Will show more of the tour later, that doesn't involve the trees.

I have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  I am very blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Making a List and Checking it Twice

My "To Do" list is getting long.  I'm trying not to get overwhelmed.  My problem is that I'm slow.  What would take a normall person one hour to do, takes me three hours.  I am very particular, I get distracted, and I sometimes have what I call "paralyzation by analyzation".  I make lists to try to keep myself on track.  I wanted to write about it, which takes time, so decided to kill two birds with one stone and post my "to do" list.  That should really keep me accountable.

1) Finish decorating the last of six Christmas trees by the end of the day. (I'll have pictures of them all when I'm done)
2) Dust and vacuum as I go
3) Clean the guest bedroom and bathroom for weekend guests getting in tonight.  It's my cousin and family and I always enjoy when they are here. 
4) Buy butter for cookies I need to bake for girlfriend's clothing party tomorrow
5) Clean little powder bathroom - DONE
6) Make arrangements for dogs with doggy sitter for next Friday while we're in Spokane for a week. - DONE
7) Finish knitting neck warmer that's almost done and make at least one more pincushion for Open House art show on Sunday
8) Should brush my teeth and wash my hair just so I'm not so disgusting for hubby and guests.
9) Finish garland and lights on foyer railing
10)  Put away more Fall decorations.

OK, lunch time is over, so back to work.  This little list will help me.  I plan on the remaining 8 items being done before I go to bed.  I wouldn't normally be rushing the Christmas decorating before Thanksgiving like this, but we are leaving for Spokane to see Son @2 and family the day after Thanksgiving.  We'll be gone for a week and I don't want to have to do it when I get home.  I like it to be done no later than Thanksgiving weekend so I can spend the month of December enjoying my efforts.  I love to sit in the living room in the evenings in December, with a glass of wine, with all the Christmas lights on, a fire in the fireplace, and Christmas music playing.  Even if I'm all by myself, nothing feels more comfy and cozy and content.