Friday, December 26, 2008

Christmas...

I will honor Christmas in my heart,

and try to keep it all the year.

~ Charles Dickens


Gonna try. I have felt so blessed this year. I love the feeling of community that I have come to know in blog~land. I found myself on Christmas Eve wondering how everybody is enjoying this special time and hoping all the while that you know that the world is a better place because of each of you.


So, I will honor Christmas...the amazing generosity of heart that is the true Christmas feeling...gonna try my best~est to honor it all the year and then some.


Christmas morn...still snowed in....yeah baby!

Our "Noel" breakfast..my gift to the Fam...
an oatmeal bar...

Hash brown~olas!!!


French toast ~Sneetches style...with "stars upon thars"
~ Dr. Seuss

Decorating the table is the fun~est part...


Ho, ho, ho...YUM!


It is another one of our Christmas traditions...I get up supper~dupper early on Christmas morn and set the table...the more over~the~top the better...love it!


Christmas roast...a~la The Pioneer Woman...


Ta, ta for now....I hope that each of you find the special feeling of Christmas in your hearts and honor and keep it all the live~long year.
Smiles ~ Ramona

Sunday, December 21, 2008

...Careful What Ya Wish For...

Christmas in Beaverton and we hoped and wished and prayed for this...yep...lots~o~snow...that's what I am talking about. We do get and inch or two of snow each year in our neck of the forest from time to time....at least once a season...and it is quite the event when it is forecasted. Everyone gets all excited {well at least this San Diego born and raised gal does} as I was saying....we all get excited...oh my good golly ~ we might run out of milk for 6 hours ~ better stock up!

Well this year our Northwest forecasters did not disappoint...but be careful what you wish for...it snowed all day last Sunday and never melted all the way at our house and then yesterday it snowed from sunrise to well after sunset and to top it all off....freezing rain gave our 9 plus inches a nice 'seal' of approval....this white stuff isn't going anywhere soon.....AMEN!


We aren't dreaming of a white Christmas...we just can't believe our eyes...


Our son arriving in from Ft. Lewis for Christmas Leave...and you feel my smiling heart?


My husband actually shovelled this path 3 hours earlier...


Some sledding ensued...okay...a lot of sledding ensued...


Don't laugh at my coat...I was the warmest snow sledding mama on the driveway!


To cure our cabin fever...we decided to venture out about town to see if any shops were open...and guess what?



One was!!!!!!


And it had a Starbuck's inside....glory ~ hallelujah!!!



Check out this parking lot less than a week before Christmas....we shopped for an hour with almost the whole store to ourselves....as we left....the freezing rain began...burrrrrrr!


This was a wonderful day...unexpected and wonderful...Christmas has begun!

Merry Christmas!

Ramona

Thursday, December 18, 2008

A Tour Is Just What The Doc Ordered...Cha, Cha, Cha!


The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.
~ Emerson


Welcome, welcome blog friends...being a gal that does not like being late...I wish that I could offer a platter of fudge and a homemade cup of spiced cider and show how delighted I am that you stopped by to say howdy!

I do have a pretty good reason for my tardiness...which I will chat about on a later post...but to make the upcoming story short...{can you do that?}...the doctor asked me what I do for relaxation...."blogging...duhhhhhh..."


So take a sip of your imaginary hot cider or whatever...its imaginary...and step inside our home in the Pacific Northwest. It has been snowing all week...Heaven!

Thank you Julia for hosting the merriment....you are most definitely the hostess with the mostess...and then some!



Welcome.....yep snow fall in the Northwest...ALL WEEK...Yipeeeee!


Cool ~ ola!


The next morn...if this doesn't make you want to decorate and share with guests...nothing will!


The reason...


One of my many Santas sitting tall to greet you...


A drawer full of tiny Santas....love it...


Snowman stool of joy...


Not just for banisters anymore...


My buddy...


I needed a 'pop' of color upstairs...I think this did the trick...


Fake~ola poinsettias...


Christmas goose...


Simple garland....


More goose love...


Santa in the living room....getting ready for a long winter's nap...


They're everywhere...


More simple ~ dimple garland...


The best napping couch on the planet...padded with Christmas cheer...


Ye 'ol tree...waiting for bows and more tinsel...


Our newest ornament honoring our Gus Henry....sweet boy we miss everyday...


Favorite Christmas chair...notice the spindles...Santas everywhere...and then some...


Dining room vignette...


A closer peek...ho, ho...


Santos Christmas gal...


One of my favorite collections...old carved spools and buttons...


Wreaths....


More...


My husband gave this baby tree to me our first Christmas we were married...almost 29 years later....it still doesn't have a chip or a crack....just like our marriage...blessed for sure...


Child's chair with wreath in Family room...


Reindeer in the Family room....

A bowl of reindeer and bells...delight...


Powder room...


Yep, I decorate every room...


Not even a pig on the wall can escape the festoon~ment of a wreath...


Angel babys...


Gloria...they are singing...even without mouths...a Christmas miracle...


A sleigh of snowmen and women in the Nook...


My main snow~dude...


Snow tea anyone???


Check out this amazing potpourri...it is called 'Frosty"....notice the corn~cob pipe and mittens? Baby bowls of cinnamon sticks, juniper berries and whole allspice fill the air with yummy goodness...


Christmas cow....holy cow!!!


My Mom gave me this little Christmas Mouse years ago...I place it right above my kitchen sink and look at it all season...and smile...all of the childhood memories you and Dad filled my heart with...I'm blessed for sure.
Thank you for coming by I have enjoyed sharing our home with you....the fun continues with Julia over at Hooked on Houses...she is the greatest and this tour has been amazing...
Merry Christmas!