Goodbye 2009

Goodbye to 2009...will have to wait another 12 months

to put out these little guys again...

They cheer up the table so much it's a shame to put them away in boxes...

Mr. and Mrs. Claus are doing a little jig to ring in the new year...

He still sees you when you're sleeping...even if it is in January...

Bye Bye 2009!

It's a New Year

Here's wishing you all a very 

Happy New Year...all the best to you in 2010!!

A Quarter of a Century

25 years ago today this boy came into my life...

And 25 years later he is still in my life but looking a little older...and his mom is looking a little older too...

The quarter of a century birthday celebration happened with family and a few friends - on the menu for the night was homemade italian sausage spaghetti sauce with spaghettini, caesar salad and pesto garlic bread. For dessert - tiramisu cake...

Cheers to the birthday boy...

25...Wow...

May the next 25 years go a lot slower than these ones did...here's to the future and being a responsible adult!

Under Construction

Please excuse the "blahness" of the blog now....I am reading my new "Blogging for Bliss" book and trying to recreate my banners, backgrounds and what have you. The new look will be coming soon...

A Special Keepsake

This Christmas called for a very special gift for one very special woman...a sentimental bit of her lineage...a love story in a picture...her mom and her dad on their wedding day in Italy...

I enjoyed making this apron for her...every little bit that went into it...and, as I stared at the image of the two in love I could only imagine how it was back then to fall in love - during a war when everything around you was crumbling away - when the city you once knew as a child doesn't look the same - when friends and family you know were injured or killed - all you had left was love...love to give, love to receive, love to share, love to last forever...

The "look of love" is what this picture says to me...

Look Who's Helpin' in the Kitchen

Look who was helping me in the kitchen on Christmas morning...

It's Mr. Claus and he was here all day with me and he couldn't help but keep me company while I was cooking up a storm for Christmas dinner.

And, along with him were his other kin around the house here and there...

There was Mr. Elf...

And of course his other friends and cousins...

A lot of his friends and family were hanging around here waiting for him to come and play...

Some were out for a winter's night ride...

Others were just "hangin out"...

Some were dancing a jig or two...

Others were looking up to the heavens...

Ho Ho Ho says this fellow...

And this fella seems like he was doing a little hip hop dance...

Fuzzy wuzzy bearded guy...

And one with the sweetest face...

And others can't wait to get outta town...

Wanna come along?

The rest of the gang was having a party on the buffet - I guess no one ever told them it's not right to dance on tables...

Oh Christmas tree...

Hey, let's check out Mr. Claus in the kitchen - he might need some help with supper...

A Christmas cake for you...

Ride em' cowboy!

Here's winkin' at you...

Hope you had yourself a very Merry Christmas...

And that you will have a very Happy New Year...

All the best to you and your yours in the coming year...

Merry Christmas!

Here's wishing you and yours a very blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! May the time you spend with your family and friends this season be filled with merriment and joy!

Not a Merry Christmas for this Pooch

It won't be a Merry Christmas for this pooch....poor Lucy the beagle...had to have some surgery the other day - they removed a huge fat tumor off of her backside. So, she has looked like this for the past 48 hours situated in front of the warm fireplace...recooperating and sleeping.

Another 10 days of this...she is not impressed!

A Christmas Tree

I love the warm glow that a decorated Christmas tree gives...it creates an ambiance to a room that nothing else can. Magical colors radiating a room...green, red, yellow, white and blue...soon there will be packages gracing the skirt bottom ready to be opened on Christmas morning by excited boys and girls (and moms and dads too!)

How do you decorate your tree? Do you go for a themed tree? Treasured ornaments? Color coordinated? I always seem to go for decorating my tree with the type of ornaments that bring back memories of my childhood. I always remember those knee-hugger elves from my childhood. I was on a search for some to make some craft projects with and still haven't gotten around to it so now all those eBay and etsy finds are gracing my tree this year. Looking at them makes me happy inside and that is what seems to count this year for me.

Aren't they just the cutest?!

What makes YOU happy?