Here's what I have been up to last week...

I hope everyone had a truly blessed Thanksgiving!!
I had a completely full day on Thursday!!!
As you can tell...
Grands did too!!
Hubby's big sis is the one
you can barely see...
Taryn is holding a boo pumpkin...

Brock is holding the "Cool Whip"
He was telling Scoti in pic taken

just after this...

"I want my PIE!!" lol

but we did get him sneak this one before
he was ready lol!!
Look at those red eyes!!
(Tells of all the mischief!!) lol

It was really good to spend the day with family!!!

On Friday I cleaned...

at cleaning up from Thursday messes!!
I tried to get through some of my boxes

that I have managed to get stacked

while cleaning through out the year...

So I could put up the tree!!!
Taryn called in the morning...

"NaNa... did you put up your tree yet?

You said we could come out

to decorate the tree!!"
When she found out I hadn't even put it up yet...

I WAS IN TROUBLE!!
I did manage to promise her...

they could both come out on Saturday for that reason!!
I went over to my brother's Friday

afternoon... he was cutting down

cedar trees in his fence line...

SO... guess who got three cedar trees??

lol..... ME!!!
two small ones...

and a REALLY BIG one!!
I got home after dark...

so I just kicked them out at the end of the drive.

On Saturday morning
Taryn called again...

well...
I thought I could pacify her with

decorating the outside trees!!
So PaPa helped me get the big

one up...

he dug me a hole...

and up it went!!
Taryn and Brock arrived just as I came

back out with the dried oranges!!
We put up the oranges...

and the bows that came of the gifts

Sue sent me!!!
"They look really cool!!" Brock declared!!
I will have to get a pic tomorrow...

my night time ones didn't turn out! :(

But as you can guess...

the kids wanted to decorate the inside tree...

So PaPa kept them busy...

while I got the tree upstairs...

and set up!!
And here is what they did!!

The tree after they decorated the down low...

and I did the up high!

We still have to figure out what to

do for a topper...

but they had fun!!

You will notice that I put it in my #6 crock...

and the kids put some of the ornies

around the outside top of it too!! :D

here are some stars that I painted...

Sue dear... do you recognize these??

Brock and Taryn hung them where they

like them best!!!
That was the whole reason they

had to decorate the tree...

THEY got to decide where to put them!!! :D


And these two...
they are the wonderful ornies that Sue made too!!
The gingerbread men...

and the Okra SANTA'S!!!
I LOVE THEM!!!
They look sooooooo adorable on my tree!!! :D

Well, after much indecision...

I found my tree topper...

It is a wooden star I painted...

(was supposed to be a Christmas gift)

but I like it here!!
I took some wire...

twirled it around the tree...

and drilled two holes in the v of the star...

and WHALA!!!

My Star!! :D :D :D :D

AND here is my FINISHED TREE!!!
All of it has hand crafted... hand made...

home made ornies!!

Now I know I can do it!!!

(Taryn and Brock wouldn't let me take the lights off...

I put it away last year with lights still on it!!)

Here is the one...

wall decor I have up so far...

The sled I got last year at an auction...

with my sign...

SIMPLIFY... and a wreath I made

a few years ago.

All of this is to remind me not to

OVER decorate!!
My daughters both believe...

that I put up toooooo much decorations!!
So this year I am trying to cut back...

we shall see if I can do it!!

I finally got my wrist healed...

so I am back to painting signs again!!
I seen some at the Burlington Craft Fair...

just before Thanksgiving that I liked...

so I did my own!!
They are both for my laundry room wall!

Check them out!!

This what they look like...

the long one says...

Laundry Today or Naked Tomorrow

:D

I think it so neat!!

and the one beside the washboard...

says...

Laundry Room

Drop Your

Pants Here
and it sits just above the washer!!

If you look really close...

you can see my washer just below!

I managed yesterday to get most of my house

cleaned back up...

it suffered sooo much while

I cooked!!
BUT boy did I have fun cooking!!
I made pies... apple... cherry...

homemade pumpkin from scratch!!

Chex party mix... rice crispy treats...

Grandma Lydia's Peppernut cookies...

Grandma Fisher's Oatmeal cookies...

Pie crust cutouts with cinnamon...
(kids helped with these...

for the aunts!!)

If I fix pies and don't do pie crust cutouts

my sister-in-laws won't let me come

to family dinners!! lol

And hubby smoked the Turkey

for Sunday dinner at Scoti's!!

That was with my side of the family!!
So we got to see everyone!!
All of my family was there!!
It was really nice...
Even Chris... Scoti's hubby was there for

his first family dinner!!
He is usually out on the road for the holidays!

We all planned the family's Christmas's

Hubby's side and mine!!
So everyone can plan for those days off!!

Such a busy week...

so much that got done...

and I am finally re cooped!!
A day of doing nothing!!
So I hope this finds you all...

re cooped...

relaxed..

and rejuvenated!!!
Ready to get ready for

the Christmas Holidays!!

I hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed day!!

Also don't forget to SMILE...
You will get on in return!!!
Remember to Live well, Laugh often,
and to LOVE much!!