I Made A Wreath and Looking Forward

This is how Buddy spent his Christmas morning. Buddy had the couch and I in my jammies all day - had the lounge chair and there were plenty of movies to watch on Christmas day.

After looking at so many beautiful wreaths other bloggers had made I had to try my hand at this. I used red, gold and pewter colored balls. The small pine cones were tree ornaments. I had so much fun putting this together and was proud of how it turned out. Total cost was around $15.

I don't know about you but when my decorations come down I don't fill those spots back up like it was before taking it all down. First the furniture has to be rearranged and cleaned. This is when I begin to pick up items for a new look. This time of year I am looking for something bright and cheery. I am also looking for items to enhance the outdoors too as I plan for the spring gardens.

Speaking of spring gardens - this is also the time of year when I am looking for new gardening ideas - expanding existing gardens and creating new ones. Perusing gardening magazines from last year and gardening books to inspire me to create a pleasant place to sit while enjoying the beauty of the flowers and enjoy a cup of coffee outdoors.

Spring is my favorite time of year.

Hometown Seeds

I know you are like me when it comes to seeds in the mail. I was flabbergasted when I opened this envelope from Hometown Seeds. I was expecting a single pack of wildflower seeds. What I received was 10 packs of seeds. Four packs of flower seeds - four o'clocks, snapdragons, shasta daisy and the wildflower seeds. I also received 8 vegetable seed packs. I am so thrilled especially because just yesterday I was filling my cart with these same selections but didn't place the order yet. Thank you Hometown Seeds.

Maybe you might check them out. I think their prices are very reasonable. You will find a link to their website through the Hometown Seeds logo at the top of my sidebar. They are not paying me to write this - all I expected was a single pack.

On To The New

WoooHooo WooHoo That part is over. Just wanted to say I'm glad the Christmas holiday is behind me and I'm ready for the new year. Counting down to spring. I'll be visiting and catching up on everyone's blogs today so I'll make another post later today or tomorrow. I have work to do in the meantime too after being off for a long holiday. Our hours have been cut last week and this week also. Times will be hard for a month or so but at least I have a job.

Merry Christmas

I just want to wish everyone in blogland a very Merry Christmas. I'll be taking a break till Mon the 28th. Can't wait to see all your family pictures and lovelies.

A Charlie Brown Tree

I did some more decorating this weekend just because I had stuff left I hadn't used. I saw this idea for this sort of Charlie Brown tree. I picked up a couple of the 100's of sticks laying on the ground. I spray painted the sticks white, cut some fresh red berries ( i forget their proper name), cut up some Walmart bags being careful not to cut the parts with writing. This made my snowflakes. This was so easy to put together - just minutes actually. Of course it is placed in one of my Mikasa pieces.

I'll be catching up with you today on your blogs. Have a great day and stay warm.

A Couple of My Favorites

Just a few of my favorites. This is something my daughter did with the 3 grands. These will be treasured for many years to come. I use them each year and place them very carefully so they don't fall. Maybe this is something simple that your grandma would appreciate and is very inexpensive.



My new Mikasa bargain. I so love cut glass and Mikasa is one of my favorites. Purchased this at a store that is going out of business and was marked down to $14.

I only have a couple of santa's and am looking forward to adding new ones. The one on the right I just purchased for $8 at Ross stores. I love Ross - my favorite store. The santa in the center is a Christoper Radko I purchased at least 15 years ago on QVC. I love the detail that goes into a Christopher Radko. The santa on the left was a gift from the Family Dollar store some 20 years ago.

And look what I found under the tree. (I hate the red eye - couldn't figure out how to remove it) He hasn't eaten an ornament since I moved them up.

I am so looking forward to spring now. Can't wait to get those gardens looking all pretty again.

Hope you all have a great day and stay warm.

Buddy's Happy

Buddy got a haircut. He knows he is cute and SPOILED.

The ex husband is doing much better. Thank you for your prayers.

Buddy

My Little Buddy needs a grooming. That pearly white hair is getting matted.




Buddy gets a new toy. Whenever I walk into the house with something for Buddy - I tell him "Hey Buddy - momma got you something in this bag". He gets so excited and starts to dance around. I give him his toy and he starts chewing and tossing into the air and chasing it wherever it lands. He is so fun to watch.

He's like "I gotta get this tag here - it is so chewy" "I love paper"

Still this bad boy is chewing ornaments. He took down 2 glass balls and a ceramic piece. The glass ball is all over the carpet. And an ornament like this one all glittery. Yeh his poop sparkled in the street light last night. This morning I took all ornaments and lights from the bottom branches and moved them up. I scolded him last night and again this morning before leaving for work. It's a wonder I haven't had to carry him to the vet with some emergency over something he swallowed.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and STAY WARM. Today it is in the mid to upper 40's and by Sunday it is suppose to be around 74. We have crazy weather here with the extreme differences. I intend to stay warm in my jammies and maybe some baking this weekend.

25 Things You Did Not Know About Me

I have been tagged by Beautiful Wreck "Ms K" for a meme about me. I am suppose to write 25 things about me that you do not know. Check out this blog. I love to check her blog just to see what she is up to with all of those kids and Mr K.



1. Name someone with the same birthday as me. Jaimy Neidhardt



2. Where was your first kiss? At home in the yard when I was about 7



3. Have you ever seriously vandalized someone else's property? NO



4. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex? Yes



5. Have ever sung in front of a large number of people? Yes in a church choir



6. What's the first thing you notice about your preferred sex? Eyes and mustache



7. What really turns you off? Bragging



8. What do you order at Starbucks? Cafe Mocha with topping



9. What is your biggest mistake? Marrying so young



10. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose? Yes and that is another story



11. Say something totally random about yourself. I am an accountant who wanted to be a nurse and changed my mind after 3 years of nursing school.



12. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? Yes - Elizabeth Taylor



13. Do you still watch kiddie movies or TV shows? Yes - movies



14. Did you have braces? NO



15. Are you comfortable with your height? YES - I am 5'4



16. What is the most romantic thing someone of the preferred sex has done for you? Sent me flowers



17. When do you know it's love? When I can't think of anything else



18. Do you speak any other languages? When in Kindergarten and first grade in CA - spanish is taught at an early age. I have forgotten most of it.



19. Have you ever been to tanning salon? Yes - but only 2 sessions - I got sun poison



20. Have you ever ridden in a Limo? NO



21. What's something that really annoys you? People who take advantage of me



22. What's something you really like? shopping when I have money to spend



23. Can you dance? Yes - I can still shake the booty - girls, it is getting harder to shake it too much - I might throw myself on the floor or the sofa



24. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into the emergency room? Yes - more than once and that is another story.



25. Now I am suppose to tag five other bloggers for this meme. Don't be mad at me and if you have already done this just disregard your tag.



Blue Creek Home

Chicken Boys

Raingardener at Gardening by Trial and Error

Darla at More Family and Flowers

Tatyana at My Secret Garden



Hope everyone has a fabulous day. Here is cooling down. By morning we will have dropped 35 degrees for a low 35. This am it is 70 - too warm for this time of year. Thus spurring on some of those terrible snow and blizzard conditions that is blanketing much of the north and east. Be safe and stay warm.

This and That Updates and a Prayer Request

My ex husband, the father of my children, is in the hospital undergoing treatment for 'necrotising fascitis'. What this is is a bacterial infection also know as a 'flesh eating bacteria'. He is in serious condition and has undergone 3 surgeries so far with the doctors trying to remove infected flesh down to the muscle. This sounds gross and believe me it is very gross. I went to the hospital on Thur when he was admitted. I have never seen anything like it in my years of patient care. I am proud of my children when they came into town both went to the hospital and have stayed all day every day looking after their father. The complications he is encountering are heart rythm, blood pressure and kidneys not wanting to function properly. Please keep them in your prayers.



My tea set - I have checked out the website suggested and have googled antique chinese tea sets and haven't found anything in particular. I am understanding a little more about their symbols as in the different dynasty's. I am going to research my tea set. Any other suggestions?

Buddy has started eating the ornaments. Yesterday he crushed a glass ball and ate a glittered ornament made of twine. I guess his poop will sparkle now. My dog will chew on anything and I mean anything. He has plenty of toys and chewey snacks. I have to keep everything picked up when I leave home and the bedrooms closed off. I have tried to break him but so far no success.

Today is my special day in which I claim victory. There are victory's all through the year but today is special. Six years ago today I was attacked in the middle of the night by a man who broke into my bedroom window to rob and rape me. It is hard not to remember that terrible night but I have to choose to remember it another way. It is a day of victory in that I lived. It could have turned out so much worse and I realize that so today is a day to shout Thank You Jesus I am a Survivor not a victim.

Antique Tea Set

Check out this antique tea set Mom purchased for me from a yard sale. Can you believe it - a yard sale. She picked up 2 tea sets and this one is mine. The box is very old and is from China. Does anyone know anything about this tea set or the insignia on the bottom?

I love the silk lined box.

The insignia on the bottom is in Chinese.

There is so much detail.

Please help me out here if you know anything about this china.

We are expecting some possibly severe weather this afternoon and tonight. Possibly 4-6" of rain and flooding and wind with gale warnings. No tornadoes please Lord.

Hope everyone has a good day and stay warm. Looks like bad weather almost everywhere.