Sunday, November 27, 2016

Christmas Decorations at My Daughter's Home

I am officially tired from a week of Thanksgiving. I have cooked, cleaned, shopped, pulled out Christmas decorations and now I rest.

I managed to put up my tree Saturday morning. In the time I did that, my daughter whipped out a tree and decorated her living room and dining room. I remember when I could move that quickly. I will finish my other home decorations tomorrow. I remembered that I went simple last year and liked it. I actually wrote down the things I really liked the day after Christmas in my journal.

Lindsay sent me pictures Saturday as she was working, so I am sharing her home with y'all. Mine will have to come later.



I made the tree skirt for her. You can read about the fabric for it here.



We saw something like what she did on the window/mirror on Pinterest. I have to say though that hers is cuter than the Pinterest one.



I stopped by to see it in person today after shopping. It was all so cute.

I had a most blessed full week. 

Looking forward to the Christmas season.

Resting,
Sandy



Thursday, November 24, 2016

A Most Wonderful Thanksgiving

 I had the most wonderful Thanksgiving. I feel so incredibly blessed at the end of this day.

Everyone had so much fun and ate way too much. I ate more today than I have eaten since last November 4th when I started my diet. I will not be eating that much anytime soon. I don't look like I have lost that much in the pictures coming up, but honestly my clothes were baggy.

I will start with the family pictures taken later in the day. This is the cast of characters at our Thanksgiving event.

First up is my family. Mama, Jeff, me, Lindsay, Tyler, and Paul Allen.


My chickadees. Paul Allen, Lindsay, and son-in-law Tyler (really my son-in-love).


The chickadees with their grandma.



My niece Kristan with her hubby, Torrey and their twins, Tanner and Katelyn.


All the younger ones. We are a small family. I am an only child. Jeff has a brother who has no children and a sister who has only one, Kristan.


Kristan, Torrey, twins with Torrey's parents (on the left)  and Jeff's sister (Donna) and brother-in-law (Al) on the right.

I love that we have Torrey's parents with us most years. They are family too.


And then the Palmer group ---minus Jeff's brother, Danny who left before I rounded up everyone for pictures.


I had to work hard to corral everyone for these, so it was getting late. I will have to try and edit them before printing.

Now, for the action shots.

There was filling our tummies in the gathering room which by the way was awesome. Can't even begin to tell you how yummy everything was.






There was lots of fishing. Our pond is down about 3 feet with the drought, but our neighbor has a pond right next to ours that actually is fed by a creek, so we fished next door.

Paul Allen and Tanner

Tyler


Paul Allen, Katelyn, and Tyler

Tanner and Tyler

Torrey, Tanner, and Katelyn

My sweet Lindsay

Kristan and Katelyn

My boys, Paul Allen and Tyler

Jeff and Paul Allen

Lots of target shooting.


And shooting cans of shaving cream.



And for once I took tons of pictures, so I will spare you anymore.

When it got dark it was time to go in for dessert.

Yes, I was a blessed lady today.

Now, tomorrow it is shopping with my daughter, mom, aunt and uncle, and cousins.

Then, it is time to go shopping for the tree. AFTER last year's debacle with no lights from my prelit tree, I am going real this year. Paul Allen is convinced it will not be a good thing with the dogs. We shall see.

THEN, Saturday is time for the Iron Bowl. I am just hoping it won't be a beat down whipping.

Blessings to all.
Be back next week,
Sandy









Sunday, November 20, 2016

The Gathering Room Is Ready For Family

I finished up the farmhouse "gathering room" on Saturday. Well, if you don't county that there are two rolled up rugs and a wingback chair sitting in the middle of the room that need to go out to the storage cottage.

We will go up Wednesday afternoon to prepare for the family on Thursday.

I am excited that I get Lindsay and Tyler this year. They are traveling to Tyler's parents for the weekend. My niece and the twins will be here..

15 in all. We will fill up this wonderful room. I plan to make family pictures out by the big oak tree.

For now, here is the room.







Going shopping with Lindsay tomorrow.
Serving at church for a service project Tuesday with my small group.
Baking a cake Wednesday morning, and then headed to the farm for more food prep.
Cooking and Counting all my blessings on Thursday.
Friday...Bring on the Christmas tree. IT is going to be real this year. More on that story later.

Not sure when I will do laundry, vacuum, etc.

Life happens,
Sandy

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Tidbits for Tuesday

A few tidbits...

READING

I finished reading The Baxter Family Christmas last night. In order to be able to read it, you remember I said I had to finish two books first. Motivation right?! Yep!

I loved loved loved it. It was typical Baxter Family by Kingsbury. I can't wait for the Hallmark series.


As always, Karen Kingsbury manages to make us fall in love all over with each of the characters.

Now for the books I was reading in order to clear the path for the above read. I read Kingsbury's Angels Walking. It was the first in a series of three. I don't know why I had not already read it. I had it in my Kindle from the release, but as I have said I have been in a reading funk. I did enjoy it very much and will read the other two in the series. Probably starting #2 tonight.

As for the other book that I said I had to finish Pursue the Intentional Life by Jean Fleming, I just couldn't do it. Not because it isn't good...quite the contrary. I just felt it was one of those books where I need to read each chapter and ponder it. Each chapter is a stand alone thought. The prayers in this book are wonderful.  I will share more about it later.

So, my reading mojo is back. I have a John Grisham book and a Fannie Flagg coming out soon to add to my list. Although I don't think the Grisham book is getting great reviews.

STITCHING

Now, to stitching. I got a bit behind with some traveling. I could not for the life of me stitch the cardinal piece in the truck. It was just too much of one color and lots of switching up, so it had to get tabled for a bit. I should get back on track with it next week. I switched up to do some Christmas pieces by Shepherd's Bush. I have one of the 3 done. Then to finish them.



After I am done with the Christmas pieces I will get back to my books of the Bible and samplers for the farmhouse.

I have doing a bit of sewing. Mostly pillows for the farmhouse.
I am thinking any attire will have to begin after Christmas.

FAMILY

I am truly almost scared to mention this, but Paul Allen has a girlfriend or at least I think so. He is being quiet for now and I am letting him. Hoping it is a good thing. She is a cutie and a 4th grade teacher. Melt my heart. 4th grade was always my favorite grade to teach. I am praying this is a good thing.

Mom and I are going to head out at the end of the week for the cabin and a little shopping before Thanksgiving.

So you may not hear from me until next week.

Still here,
Sandy

Saturday, November 12, 2016

A Little Painting Weekend

Well, I am trying to heal my sad self tonight.

Losing to Georgia is almost as bad as losing to alabama.

I decided posting about my two days of painting would cheer me up.

Hubby was off for Veteran's Day, so we went to the farm yesterday and spent the night. We are trying to get that big room dubbed "the gathering room" ready for Thanksgiving.


I finished painting the walls tan which I like soooo much better.

We painted the cabinet the same color as the Hoosier cabinet. 

You may remember we started with a mahogany cabinet that was left by previous owners. It was wrapped in blankets out in the storage cottage. 



I love how it turned out. I really was ready to leave it just like this, but we had put a glaze on the Hoosier cabinet and pie safe, so we finished it with the glaze as well.


I have a few baskets and a few other decorative pieces to add to it. The hardware also is missing. I just spray painted the gold ones. They weren't quite dry when I took this picture.

Here is a close up of the glazed back.


I am very pleased with the way it turned out.

We didn't have to sand it to paint it due this amazing stuff.


You just rub this on with a cloth. It dries in 10 minutes and then you paint. The paint adheres really well and goes on SUPER SMOOTH. I am just not into that roughed up look. I used a paint brush, and you couldn't even see brush strokes. 

I highly recommend it if you need to paint furniture and want a smooth finish.

This is the glaze we used on all the pieces in the room.




The Hoosier cabinet is finished. I chose not to put the door on the flour sifter part and left the rolling door off as well.


The bowl and the red checked table cloth were my maternal grandmother's. I actually have a blue bowl just like that was my paternal grandmother's. 

I know white walls are all the rage now, but they just weren't working for Hubby and me. We both love the walls now.

I think both Hoosier cabinet and pie safe look so much better against the tan.


You can see my letters that say "GATHER" on the table.


Still have to mount them on something. I want them to hang long ways on the wall next to the pie safe.

I also added red ribbons to the ducks. I want to find some red floral napkins to go on this table.


I am going to paint the living room walls the tan color as well. That may not happen until after Christmas though.

You can see my other purchase.

A metal table.


I am thinking that flag on the mantle will look so much better with tan walls.

Now, for the table. This is sitting in what should be the kitchen dining area. It is a small area with a glass sliding door on one wall that goes out to a screen porch. I just didn't want a table and chairs here, but there is a light and a need for something.

I am unsure about the table. Got to mull it over a bit. I was thinking some stools that fit under it rather than chairs. More of a serving table than sit at table.

I plan to paint the kitchen area just from cabinet to cabinet something else as the cabinets are so much like the tan.


As you can see there is very little contrast from the wall to the cabinets. 

I had paint chips out to let me think them over.


I think I am going to go with the far right green??????

Since there is so many blue accessories, blue curtains, and blue dishes...I am leaning towards the green. I don't want to go to dark, but the cabinets are so light. AND, it will only be in just the cabinet area. Everything else will be the tan.


This won't happen either until after the New Year, so I have plenty of time to think on that.

I painted this window frame in the hallway bathroom. It added some color in there.


I am working on a corner by the door.


The goose is something I have had since before the kids were born. My mother in law bought it a craft fair many moons ago. The hearts have Jeff and Sandy on them and the goose says, "Welcome to the Palmers."


In the corner of the kitchen dining area, I brought my milk churn and matches holder.
I didn't realize how dark the picture was. I will do that one over at some point.





Well, that is the status of the farmhouse, and how I spent the holiday and Saturday.

So grateful for the veterans in my life. My dad (Korea), my father in law (WWII), and my 2 brothers in law (Vietnam).


Blessed,
Sandy