"Home" for Thanksgiving....and a ghostly tree!

The table was set;




And our crew, ready for the feast, holding up pictures of goats. Why? Because grandma and grandpa are giving money to needy families in Haiti so they can buy goats. How cool is that?

(notice the hats... a pre-Christmas gift, just for fun)

About 11 hours later, 10:30 p.m...we headed back home (the loooong walk home...just three doors down..I am so lucky!) very excited for the following morning where we would be heading out to the tree farm to find yet another perfect Christmas tree.

The decorations were ready for little girls;





The star was hung;




Just 24 more fun-filled days left...I am trying to savor every second. It's almost as if I am sad it's here, because it goes by so dang fast...but then again, it's my very favorite time. If the days could just be filled with more hours....trying to make this time of year picture perfect.

It's has begun.

Well, it's here. It's time. It has begun. Christmas. Slowly, but surely, it's creeping up on us. I can hardly contain my excitement.
This is MY time of year. This is it for me. I LOVE this time of year.

And I want it to slow down already! Oh the anticipation of that morning..the lists of wants that come to me by the bunches from four lovely ladies, the special baking that is only done this time of year, the dreaming done by the Christmas tree and so much more. Yes I know I have completely bypassed Thanksgiving, (which I do intend to post about) but you don't anticipate Thanksgiving like you do Christmas. You prepare all year for Christmas. I like to consider Thanksgiving just a "lets get ready for the REAL holiday" holiday.

Of course today was 64 degrees. And I'm irritated with that. I want it to feel cozy out...and it so doesn't. I want to light a fire in the fireplace and look outside and say "brrrr...glad we're in here where it's cozy" And in a couple of weeks it will be 18 below zero and I'll be mad at that. But at least I will feel cozy, and it will feel like Christmas.

Despite the weather not cooperating, we decided to put up our Christmas village. I love it. It's the first thing we put up, and the last thing we take down. After Christmas, it becomes the "winter village" and so I leave it up through February. That way, when I look at it, I don't feel sad
that my very favorite time of year is over. I feel like "christmas" is still in the house.
































(sigh) I found out that our first snow last year was Nov 6th. We're a bit behind. Hoping this song will hurry mother nature along.

Leaves, pumpkins and tricks or treats!

The word "fall" in this neighborhood usually accompanies another word.."dread." Not because we can't stand the season, but because we live in the woods and there are literal FEET of leaves in our yard.
As overwhelming as the clean up can be, it still brings fun and laughter into this household;

Of course, it's also time for pumpkins;

Darby is turning into a super cool kid. When asked what she wanted her pumpkin to look like she said, "like this"


"no..I mean..like THIS"




After all the carving was done, we asked her to try and look like her pumpkin;




Oh no..she's not done, and this one might be the best;





Last but not least, you have Halloween itself. There were Jonas Brothers at the school parade;





There was Tinkerbell and her friend Hello Kitty;




And there was the Cheerleader (by day) and her groupies;



And by night..we had a little indian girl;





We had a great pre-trick-or-treating-time dinner with some special friends, had fun watching them get their kids ready at our home and off we went....CANDY!






( Nice pic eh? Your welcome, Sophie)










Besides the fact that Darby looks like a soldier standing at attention and it was freezing cold out, I love my fairy, indian, Kevin Jonas and gypsy girls. Hope your Halloween was frightfully fun!