The Tree Is Up

and it went a little something like this........

Rolls of deco mesh (a.k.a. geo mesh). I usually use them straight off the spool without cutting them but out tree is hard to attach them to so I used strips ranging from 3 ft to 6 ft.

The tree with the mesh only

Next was the wired ribbon which looks a bit like web (a.k.a. fish net)

Close up of the tree with the mesh and ribbon

Mesh & ribbon on the tree with white lights

Mesh and ribbon with the tree in colored lights (you can switch between white and color with the touch of a button on our tree)

Next are ball type ornaments then followed by individual ornaments

It's up! Because it's a beach theme I used a straw beach hat instead of a star and a beach towel instead of a tree skirt - I later rethink them.

Close up showing my Margaret Furlong bisque seashell angels and Swarovski snow flakes. I have a collection of each. 

Close up of some of the beachier ornaments.  

I found, on sale, a star made of driftwood so I replaced the hat. I think when the season is over I will white wash it a bit to look more like that grey faded driftwood and I will add some sparkle to it. It's a bit dark for my taste.

I also changed out the beach towel to a lighter colored one but am still going to look through my fabric stash for something that will pass as sand.

So, that's Christmas tree 2017 for home! Next post I will share the office tree that I decorated.

Thanksgiving and It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's with family and friends.

On Saturday, I put up the office tree. It's a woodlands theme using burlap and red deco mesh.

The tree at home is beach chic. I used a beach hat as a tree topper with success (looks better in person) but the idea of a beach towels for the tree skirt wasn't as successful. Will come up with a different idea soon.

Last Christmas

I just realize that I didn't post our annual Christmas doggie portrait last year. That's probably because I was almost finished crocheting Christmas scarves for the annual photo when I learned Declan was coming back to us - I had to make one more at the last minute. So, better late than never.

2017 has been a tough year for so many people that I know. We had to make the ultimate decision for both Declan and Diamond this year. We are hoping that 2018 is a kinder, gentler year.

Christmas/Birthday with Erica and Sarah

My cousin Erica and her daughter Sarah came over this week to bring us Christmas and my birthday goodies. I had a little something for them as well and it included a gift basket that I made for Sarah. I've never made a gift basket for Christmas before but I believe it turned out well.



 

The gift basket included two little boxes, one with jewelry and one with an ornament with her name on it, a big jar of jelly bellies, and a wax warmer with two money tarts. Sarah left here believing that her jar of Jelly Bellies contains some of the gross ones from the Bean Boozled line, lol. We plugged in her warmer while she was here and melted her tart - she got $6!



 

Sarah and Erica brought over these fabulous chocolates and macaroons from William Dean - a local gourmet chocolatier where everything is made by hand. Aren't the chocolates beautiful? Apparently they were featured in two of the Hunger Game films. The couple I have tried are as delicious as they are beautiful.

More Arkansas Christmas

 My Aunt Joyce and Uncle Bob's Christmas tree. It was a warm Christmas.

Their festive fireplace.

 

Aunt Joyce with her great granddaughter Dallas

 

Santa left us a baby with batteries included!

I didn't take a lot of photos while in Arkansas but here's a recap of what we did and who we saw.

We took a quick car ride to Memphis because my aunt and uncle do their shopping on Christmas Eve. I say short because the store was closed by the time we got there. But, the store was near Graceland so I got to see the huge manager scene on the lawn of Graceland.

I cooked a Christmas Eve dinner of prime rib, scalloped potatoes, and some really sweet corn on the cob. I just love Arkansas produce and I live in Florida! After dinner we discovered we were almost out of milk so at 7:45 we were searching stores in West Memphis trying to find something open where we could buy milk. Finally ended up finding a Walgreens and it was so busy that people were triple parked! They were leaving the store with carts full of product - I guess shopping at the last minute is a West Memphis area kind of thing.

The next morning I made breakfast of two quiches and a fruit salad. Mom slept late and we were all kinda lazy drinking coffee and watching Christmas movies so it was almost noon before we opened presents.

Midafternoon my cousins Vickie (aunt Joyce and uncle Bob's daughter) came over with her son, daughter in law, and granddaughter. They had prepared much of Christmas dinner at their house but finished cooking at my Aunt's. She smoked a fresh ham and it was delicious. After dinner there was napping and visiting.

Pretty low key and non stressful.

The day after Christmas Jerry, me, and my aunt and uncle took a drive to Lawrence County to the family cemetery so I could visit my dad and my Manning family. My mom got terrible news that a longtime family friend has a terminal illness so it was a somber drive home.

In Arkansas for Christmas

Back in early October I made reservations for a cabin the Smokey Mountains (Pigeon Forge, TN) for our first ever Christmas vacation. Since Jerry and I have worked retail hours so much of our lives we have never ad any work time off around the holidays. With Jerry retired this year, he was anxious to go somewhere. Talked to my mom and she expressed an interest in spending Christmas in a mountain cabin with a fireplace. And, that's how the cabin at Pigeon Forge happened.

from rental website

I found a great single story cabin with a fabulous view, hot tub, two bed/bathrooms and near Dollywood! We were so looking forward to seeing the millions of lights and Christmas in the Smokies at Dollywood. I was also anxious to go to the national park. But, something happened between the cabin owner and the leasing agent and they dropped each other which left us without a reservation. Money refunded, no problem, but it left us without Christmas plans.

We hadn't even put up a tree at home because we were going to be away. So, we decided to take the opportunity to spend Christmas with family in Arkansas. My mom's sister Joyce lives near Memphis and I am siting on her couch right now typing this.

We left Florida on Tuesday and drove as far north as Ozark Alabama. Yesterday we continued through Alabama into Mississippi, and then a short stint through Tennessee to reach Arkansas. The weather was awful at times and only sprinkling rain at it's best.  At one time we were very concerned with tornados because the clouds were low, dark, and it was windy. That was around Holly Springs Mississippi.

Despite sketchy weather we made it safely to Arkansas only to learn that tornados followed us. Last night we saw photos of the interstate at Holly Springs with semi trucks on their side and trees sheered off. We also learned there was a loss of life in the area. This all happened only a couple of hours after we drove past.

from Google images

We are very thankful that we made it safely to be with our family this Christmas and the families and victims of the storm are in our thoughts and prayers.

Christmas 2014

Our advent - we forgot to light one of the candles on week#3 so week#4 we lit the last two.

 



Christmas dinner at mom's (above is Hellen hiding, Lea, and Sarah - below is Jerry, Lea, Sonya, Sarah, tommy, Don, Les, Hellen, Mom))

The dogs had a secret santa and we opened some gift early and some Christmas morning

Christmas morning shot of the annual Swarovski crystal snowflake that Jerry gives me every year. 2014 is particularly beautiful.

Random shot of Eddie with Uncle Les

And, for the final, yes I did give my hubby pooper scooper service for Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Lani, Diamond, and Eddie

Annual Christmas Photo Fail

I gave it a good try and these are the best of the best. The dogs were not very cooperative. Luckily, Pet Food Warehouse did photos with Santa on Saturday so I expect we will get a frame worthy photo afterall.

Diamond's eyes are firmly planted on the treat in my hand.

Eddie has to be photoed last because he typically tears up the photo shoot setups.

Not a happy camper. Poor Lani doesn't jnow the sit or down commands so it was very difficult and she thought I was being mean.

A little banner of the best 3 head shots.

And now, the annual collage of tree and dogs. Merry Christmas everyone!

Secret Santa Diamond

Diamond was in the same Secret Santa program as explained in Declan's post below. Sorry for the low number of photos and their quality. She wasn't cooperating for photos that day.


She was very interested and glad that this one was for her.

She LOVED that blanket and grabbed it and carried it around.

Thank you Secret Santa!!

Secret Santa Declan!

Each year Ratbone Rescues organizes a Secret Santa for dogs in foster care. Good Samaritans can volunteer to send gifts to a foster dog by picking one from the web site. Declan got his box first.

He was very interested in the smell of the box until Diamond came over to claim it then he wanted nothing to do with it for fear of Diamond. So, I took him in the bedroom, alone, hoping that would help.

He was a little freaked out and worried that the packages belonged to Diamond so I had to open them for him. 

He was very interested once they were opened.

Declan with his Christmas loot! Thank you Secret Santa - licks!

Secret Santa - Eddie

Eddie was in a gift exchange on Katie Scarlet & Co, a social networking of pet lovers. He got a SS gift from Texas and sent one to Kentucky.

Even with pushy Diamond in the way, Eddie managed to grab a package from the box and carry it off to open.

 After he open the first one, a stuffed rat that he LOVES, he was back at the box looking for more.

 This time he picked out something that smelled yummy. They looked so yummy I almost tried one!

Eddie is eating his cookie, notice all the crumbs, and sticking near his rat.

More gift carnage.

I tried stacking up his gifts for a photo op but he jumped up to grab a bully stick :)

Finally, boy enjoying his Christmas haul. Thank you Addison!