If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

Thursday, December 22, 2016

๐ŸŽ„almost Christmas

Hello everyone
I've been away from blogging for a bit because my husband took me to  Branson, Missouri for 5 days to celebrate my birthday.  We had a good time and saw several Christmas shows.  The weather turned bitter cold and it kept us from doing much shopping or sightseeing but it was still a nice, relaxing trip.
This is the only photo I took, looking out our condo's patio door.


Taking a trip so close to Christmas was not the best timing with all that we still need to do.  But the necessary things will get done, one way or another.  
Today, this little guy is with us along with sister and 2 cousins.  


Yep, that's his personality showing there ๐Ÿ˜ƒ


Yesterday, we did a big shopping trip to the commissary where we usually stock up. 
So last night, I wrote out a to do list. 
A few things I managed before the children arrived


I'll be back to blogging either after Christmas or New Years.  
Merry Christmas everyone  ๐Ÿ˜ฌ



Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Halfway through December


Good morning everyone.  Christmas decorations here are very simple, partly because it just appeals to me and partly because our two 1 1/2 year old grandchildren are very busy, if you know what I mean ๐Ÿ˜ฑ







Our table top tree is decorated with lots of clear light and the Chrismon ornaments stitched by my mom.  


We had a spur of the moment cousin sleepover this weekend.  I had easy meals on hand to serve but needed some fruit.  
So I made a simple winter fruit salad with ingredients already in our fridge- diced red grapes, clementine sections and an Ambrosia apple sliced very thin.  It was really good too! 










These 4 having supper.  After they ate, each one got a shower and then we moved on to this fun activity.



My daughter sent over a box of  cookie dough play dough she had bought from a fundraiser.  
The grands really had fun making lots of colorful cookies.  
I was amazed how good they tasted.  

















While the kiddos made their creations, I put all the clothes they wore to our house in the washer and dryer.  
Then I laid them back out so dressing the next morning was very easy.  I keep clothes here but this was much easier than trying to match up 4 outfits from the toy room closet.  








One trip to CVS after church on Sunday - I used $15 extracarebucks, some CVS app and redbox coupons and 3 manufacturers coupons.  I spent $2.76 for 2 Charmin, 2 granola bars, 1 shave cream and 1 makeup face wipes.  And I got back $5 extracarebucks for my next trip. 


Monday, December 5, 2016

A fresh wreath, Irish dancing, a madhouse and CVS

Good morning everyone,
I am normally an early riser and am up and going even earlier today as I have a dental cleaning appointment at 8 a.m. I make my appointments months in advance and I guess this sounded like a good time then but now I am wishing it was later.  Never mind,  I'll go and get it over with.

My brother makes fresh wreaths every year and he brought ours Friday.






This is our 2nd Christmas decoration of 2016.  



I think it is so pretty.  Besides normal tree cuttings, it has pine cones and these dainty blue gray berries.  Whatever they are,  they look great on the wreath.





Our oldest granddaughter has been taking Irish Step Dancing classses for close to a year.  She danced in a Christmas recital this weekend and it was so sweet.
The youngest girls all wear these velvet skirts and tops with the thick white socks and lace up soft sole shoes called Ghillies.







Bath and Body works had a big candle sale this weekend.  I planned to go and buy 4 and be done.  But when we got there, our store was packed! The check out line wrapped all the way through the store and the shoppers trying to select their candles were elbow to elbow.

We just stood outside in amazement for a bit, then took a picture and walked on by.
I like bargains but I was not going to stand in line for hours to save $10 or so on unnecessary candles.












I did shop at a very quiet CVS on our way to church.
The diapers, Dove products and makeup were all deals.  The cough medicine is something my husband needs
I started with $15 in Extracarebucks, some store, app and manufacturer coupons.  Before deals, my total was $90 but I paid $26 and got back $15 Extracarebucks.  I'm happy with that as the mediocre was a $14 need.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

December 1st

I'm working my way through that To-Do list and I found time to set up a bit of Christmas decor.
My son bought this huge poinsettia.  It's more than 2 feet tall.


So I put the poinsettia on one end of our dining table.  If more than 5 of us are eating here, then I may have to move it but this way it looks pretty but doesn't interfere with meals. 
The red and white card table cloth was crocheted by my mom years ago.  


And this is me in 1962.  
I'm struck by how pretty our humble little home looks in this photo.  My mom liked Early American style and our home looked so different from our neighbors who decorated with Formica dinettes, ceramic fish on their bathroom walls and panther shaped lamps on top of their TVs.  
We had hard rock maple furniture, milk glass,   braided rugs and cross stitched samplers on the walls.  
I think retro photos are so fun, did you notice the scalloped edge ❤️ 




Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Nothing interesting......

Hello everyone.  I've not done a bit of decorating in our home for Christmas yet but my daughter and son in law have been busy at their home.  This is their mantle,  simple and very pretty.  

I'm working on getting our home clean and doing some reorganizing.  I didn't even make a pretty list of my chores, just a list in the note section of my iPad.  
Some of it is completed but not as much I'd prefer-   So I better get back to work.  


This a busy time of year, isn't it?