Ups and downs

Boy this past week has been filled with ups and downs for sure. After having to postpone Christmas because of the big snow storm.. we finally got together with the boys, and have rescheduled our big family Christmas for this weekend.
As some of you know we lived just outside a small little town here in NE. Monday night was a rough one here.

Fire broke out in one of the building on main street. ( main street here.. is about 3 blocks long.. with small business lining both side of this ONE street. That's pretty much.. "down town")
The fire was first notice mid afternoon..but by night had spread to the entire block.

It was a devastating loss for our little town. We are just thankful there were no serious injuries. Still such a loss...

Just a couple of weeks ago I posted some photos on my blog , and one of the apts above one of these businesses, was one of the things I had taken a photo of , because I thought it was to cool how the owner had some of his antiques displayed on the outside wall. You can see it here.

Volunteer firs depts from a number of surrounding areas were called to help.

Article

It was touching to see how this little community of less than 1,300 pulled together. The city auditorium which is right on main street also.. was set up for firefighters to warm up. Gambinos pizza across the street, sent over boxes and boxes of pizzas, and people from North Bend brought in plates of Christmas cookies and food.

We're all sad for the towns loss,... the businesses, home (apt above building), and historical documents that were lost. Our hearts go out to everyone. And to all the volunteer firefighters who worked so hard battling this fire in the freezing temps.

On our way into Fremont yesterday ... we drove by. Fires were out in the morning..but it was shocking to see the loss.

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Like I said... ups and downs.

On the "UP" side of things. Yesterday was our moms 88th Birthday.. so we spend the day with her. It was freeeeezzzing out.. and still icy.. so instead of bringing her out.. we went to her. lol My sis and her hubby came also , since they had this week off . We'll all celebrate more with her , when the family is together this weekend.

We had a NICE day!

Love ya mom!

We are SOOOO looking forward to a "belated" Christmas gathering with the fam this weekend. ( so keeping our fingers crossed that the weather cooperates!)

I haven't been able to create much this week to share...but things should slow down soon. It's been a very "different" Christmas/New Years week this year...but we are so thankful everyone has been safe.. and now out on these nasty roads.

I promise I'll share something creative next week. (see now I've committed myself.. so I'll have to get busy. lol)

Hope you are all doing well.

Sharing

I have to share with you these DARLING silhouettes of our dogs that Neely made for us. Oh.. I just love them! Super cute idea huh? She had asked me a while back for photos of the dogs from the side. I wondered what she was up too...lol.. now I know.



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I just finished up making my Eiffel tower. You just print cut and assemble. You can read more about it here. It's available free with any purchase during the Shop Hop Sale Dec 25th-the 31st of this year. Check it out HERE

Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage

( I put a little battery tea light in mine.. and it's looks so cute when the lights are off).


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Believe it or not.. at the last minute last night.. the kids got home. We got stuck on the county road just up from the house..but Dan and Jarad went and helped him get out. It was a tossed together, spur of the moment sort of Christmas..but we were together so it was good!


This should give you a laugh.
We all give Weston a bad time about his "styl'n stash" lol.
He's a good sport about it. For a gag gift for Christmas we got him these.
"Stylish Moustaches for everyday of the week".. lol

He said.. "hey.. lets put them all and take a picture.. see if people can guess Who has real moustaches, and who doesnt. lol So.. again.. I put the camera on the tripod and set the timer. I laughed so hard when I saw this photo... check out how Wes and Jarad are posing. lol Dan was so cold from them digging Wes out , when he was stuck in the road.. he's got his robe on over his clothes in this picture. Jarad has no socks on and his pants rolled up, because they were wet from helping get Wes's car out of the snow bank. And... Me.. again.. no makeup, hair not fixed. We're like the Beverly Hillbillies.

Yep.. we're dorks.lol

The girls are showing off their Scarf, hat and glove sets they got for Christmas.

Shel (far right) , is a friend of the kids who is her visiting from Australia

We're blaming her for wishing for snow. lol

I'm thinking .. it's a pretty fitting gift for this SNOWY Christmas!

Okay... now I'm feeling so much better now that the kids have been here for Christmas. We opened gifts, ate lots, chatted a bunch .. and watched a video Dan had put together with music and past Christmas photos from when the kids were little .. until now. It was a fun time!

PS. I have to wish a very happy Anniversary to my sister Jan and my brother-in-law Keith... they have been married 40 years today!!!

Love you guys!

Hugs, Vic

snow.. snow and more snow

Well, were still stuck inside..but hopefully the roads will be cleared soon. Good thing, because I'm about to go stir crazy!! I haven't been out of the house since last TUESDAY! ahhhhhhhh
Haven't seen any family for Christmas yet..but hopefully the kids can come later tonight or tomorrow. ( hoping!!!)

I was actually so bored yesterday that I took the dogs out to play Frisbee in the snow. Molly wasn't sure about climbing and falling into the drifts up to her head.

She was tired by the time she got to the top..she just laid down. lol

The had their Christmas scarves on ... even though no one saw them. lol Even Aly seemed to like the snow for a while..then she was ready to come in. (me too!)

I really missed my family this year. First Christmas in all my life..that I wasn't with them all. ( but I was SO glad everyone was safe in their homes.. and not out on the roads).

I decided to set the timer on my camera and send a Christmas greeting to my sis's family in Lincoln. We had so hoped to see my nephew Ryan who had flown back for Christmas this year from Denver. ( so glad he go there)

Anyway , we sent photos and messages back and forth to their phones all night. Ah... modern technology. lol

I sent this one. ( No make up, hair not fixed. ..and in my pj's ..nice... I know...but it was just for fun). Pretty bad when you go through the shower and just put on another pair of clean jam's. lol

Then one from them. lol

and another from us.

Yep.. thats about how Christmas went around here.

We are hoping to all try to get together and make it happen NEXT weekend.

( if the weather cooperates.. we'll see)

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Hope it was a nice Christmas for you!

we're going to try again next weekend.

Merry Christmas!!!

I wanted to wish you all a very Happy Holiday! I hope you all have safe travels if you are going to be on the road. Good food. Time with family and friends, a nap on the couch.. what ever makes the Holiday special for you.

We have a storm coming ..so who knows what tomorrow will bring for us. I keep praying it will all go away so we can all be together for Christmas Eve. It's not looking good at this point. But I keep praying.

I snapped these pictures just a few minutes ago when we took the Dogs for a walk. Thought we all might need a little time out of the house, incase the weather gets as bad as they are saying and we are stuck inside for a few days. We had ice this morning , and now some snow. The heavier snow, wind and more icy stuff is supposed to come tonight and tomorrow.

I am so thankful that Aly is still doing okay, considering.She loved being outside exporing.

Hey... before I forget to mention is... I wanted to show you this tin plate I sprayed with Chalkboard paint. Good thing I have a big can of it.. because I have lots of ideas for things to spray. lol

It's a fun little last minute gift idea , if you need one.

Also.. I want to tell you about the sale and FREE DOWNLOADS over on the Heartwarming Vintage Blog. Wooo hooo!

Check it out

Okay... better get this posted. Deb and Bud are waiting! lol

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

One more Tattered Angels project for December

As I do this blog post.. I'm sitting here praying the nasty ice and snow storm they say is coming our way over the next few days... just passes us by. I'm so worried if it gets as nasty as they say, the roads wont be safe for the family to get home for Christmas. I'm saying a little prayer here.

It's getting down to the wire here and I still have a couple of Christmas projects to share.. so here's one more of my projects this month for Tattered Angles.
Box and Album are Melisa Frances, papers and image, Graphic 45 and Glimmer Mist, screen, and Chipboard corners from Tattered Angels.

That screen looks pretty cool on that album huh. It's from the "Ironworks" pkg

Did you see the exciting new news from Tattered Angels?

Now.. I can finally share some photos.. without having to black her out.lol

These were taken when I was in Colorado. This is at the Company Christmas party Dinner.

After the Dinner we all went and saw the premier of "New Moon" at Midnight.

( and yes.. we were all up and at work in the morning) Tragging a little..but there none the less. lol

You can read about Heidi and Tattered Angels here on Heidi's blog.

I have to say , I am SO EXCITED about Heidi's line. You are going to LOVE it!

She is amazingly talented. and sweet as can be.

Between the new product coming out from Tattered Angels and the fun stuff Crafty Secrets has been up too... I can wait for CHA releases to be out!

Fun stuff in the future girls!

Christmasy stuff

These past few weeks I have thought so much about all the amazing people I've met through blogging. ( alot of them I've never met "in person" , but feel like I know so well) I know I've talked about this before..but I've really made some wonderful friends here... and appreciate you all so much. Thankyou for taking time to come by. Those who have blogs ,or I have your emails, I can respond too, and chat with occasionally..but there are a number of you who have been coming here and commenting since I first started this silly blog.. and I have no way to contact you and stay THANKS! Thank you for your comments, for your input and encouragement.. for being part of my daily life.


With that being said... I'm just sharing a little part of our home this Christmas
Wish you could all come over.. and chat a bit. (the cookies are out of the oven)



Christmas Past
A Christmas Poem by Carice Williams
Each Christmas I remember The ones of long ago;
I see our mantelpiece adorned With stockings in a row.
Each Christmas finds me dreaming Of days that used to be,
When we hid presents here and there, For all the family.
Each Christmas I remember The fragrance in the air,
Of roasting turkey and mince pies And cookies everywhere.
Each Christmas finds me longing For Christmases now past,
And I am back in childhood As long as memories last.


Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home

This mirror was Dans Grandmas. I love it.

I have been collecting shiny brights for some time. These are all vintage..but I have to say.. just ran accross these on line.. and I'm in love .

I was watching a special on facts about Christmas traditions today.

Christmas Trees originated in Germany and the idea of sending Christmas cards came from.. England.

Legends of the Holly Tree ( some interesting information I thought I'd share) lol

**All hollies are not evergreen. There are over 400 recorded species of holly; some are variegated.

**In parts of England it is believed that sprigs of holly placed around a young girl’s bed on Christmas Eve will keep mischievous little goblins away from her for the year ahead.

**In Astrology people born in June are known as Holly people; they are honest, hard-working and often very religious. Winter is their favorite time of year.

**Wood from the holly tree is traditionally used for making white chess pieces.

**Holly trees can grow from two to forty feet tall.

**Holly is a man’s plant and is believed to bring protection and good fortune to men whereas Ivy is believed to do the same for women. On a humorous note it is believed that whoever brings the first bough of holly into a home will rule the roost for the coming year.

**Holly trees are either male or female. They both produce white blossoms but only the female tree produces the familiar red holly berries which are toxic and are dangerous if swallowed.

**Holly wreaths hung on a door or draped along a mantle represent welcome and long life to all who enter.

Some things I just look forward to getting out each year.. and this is one of them. It's not vintage.. it's "Target" lol

Yesterday we watched "A Christmas Story". Dan loves that movie. I was thinking I should get hime THIS for Christmas..but he would for sure HAVE to take it to the cabin .. not put it in the window here! lol

I traded a smaller more narrow tree for the bigger one we used to have, now that the boys arent here. This seems just right in the living room now. And not so overwhelming to put up and decorate. Living in the country is really different than living in town used to be at Christmas. I laughed yesterday when I told Dan... no one would have even known if I put a tree up or not..because no one has been here. lol (Seriously ..you'd think we lived a hundred miles from civilization).. it's actually about 17miles. lol

It's funny how you want to simplify, as you get older. I have bins and bins of Christmas decor on shelves out in the garage..but I think I only brought down two. ( Always keeping in mind... What ever I put out , I'll have to take down and put it away too) ick

I have enjoyed being at home and having things a bit slower this year for sure. I've made a point to do that. And it feels pretty good, I have to say.

I hope the weather cooperates so we can have the family all together on Christmas Eve at Jarad and Kates. I'm really looking forward to it.

They are talking a big snow before then.. but here's hoping not too much!

There's still snow on the ground from the last snow storm.. so looks like we'll have a white Christmas this year anyway.

and happy holidays to you all!

Glimmer Mist/ Graphic 45 Altered hanging tin

Today... I'm busy, busy, busy.. in the kitchen..but...

Today is also the day of my post on the Tattered Angels blog.. so all you have to do, is click HERE .. and you can see what I've been up to "Creativly". lol
Here's a one of my project this month.
(you can click on it to see it larger)

Now.. back to the kitchen before the oven timer goes off again. I'm listening to Christmas music , have the tree lit and I'm enjoying the day in the kitchen preparing goodies for next week.
While I'm down there taking cookies and and out, I took some photos of the tree and my Christmas pretties.. I'll share them tomorrow.

Have a happy day friends!