Our First Snow

We finally had our first snow here in northwest Ohio! I find it ironic, and quite hilarious, that places far south such as Houston got snow before we did, and got even more snow! However, unlike Texas, this snow is sticking around.

The first snow made everything look so pretty. Even my ugly half-dead bush that the landlord refused to pull up looks better with a coating of snow!


I was so excited to find tracks in the snow. These are deer tracks, meaning that deer have been in my yard! They are prolific in this neighborhood. I see them frequently.

Here it looks like the deer stepped sideways for a bit, then decided to continue on in its original path.


Here is what blows my mind though....look how close to the front of my home the deer were! They were close enough that they could have looked in my living room windows! How cool is that?!? On the other hand, if I went out at night to get into my car to go to work, it would probably freak me out to see them so close!


I found bunny tracks in my driveway and in the yard.



And here is a dog track. Wonder who did this? It's too big to be from my dog.


Aha, here is the culprit! Neighbor dog Bean.


He is my dog Jake's buddy. They like to visit when he is out doing his business and Beanie stops by for some butt sniffing and urinating at the "pee tree."


I live just on the edge of town, right across the road from the woods. It probably looked prettier Saturday afternoon right after it snowed, but I wasn't home then. Still looks pretty.


Even today, looking first north, then south down my road, it looks snowy still. Trust me, those roads can be dangerous.


Hope you enjoyed the pics of our first snow! It really looks pretty at night when the Christmas lights are glowing. A lot of the neighbors on this road decorate. However, now that we have had some snow and will have a white Christmas...I am so OVER IT! I am ready for spring now, thank you very much. The older I get, the more I wish I lived someplace warm! I don't much care for the cold and I am really scared to drive in the snow and ice. I long for a warmer clime!

Just had to share my big coup of the day! I went to Walmart this morning after work to pic up a present for my boys, and saw a sign on the door saying that Zhu-zhu pets were for sale in the garden center! What luck! I was able to get one for $8 and it will go to a sweet 5 year old boy that I know who I am sure will be thrilled with it!


Have a very Merry Christmas if I don't post before then. Hope your's will be a blessed holiday filled with family and love.

Tablescape Thursday/Silver and blue Christmas

Finally, I'm making a post again! It's been a while. Today for Tablescape Thursday, I created a Christmas themed table in blue, silver, and white. I had so much fun thinking this up!

I used a white tablecloth. Oops, it wasn't long enough, so I used lacey curtains for the rear of the table.

This is the rear of the table from a couple angles.


I used a variety of bulbs in silver, blue and white. I also have a lot of light blue glass, so I used that in my tablescape. Miniature lights in white added glow, along with candlelight.

For the center, I also used ribbon and a beaded garland.


The place setting is simple in Gibson white dishes. I added ribbon down the middle. The placemats and napkins are from the set I found in an antique shop this summer. A lovely ornament in silver and blue completes the setting.


I found this Mikasa server this summer at a garage sale for only $5. I dressed it up for this tablescape with Christmas bulbs and with Lindt candies. Miniature lights make the crystal sparkle!



Depression glass sugar and creamers in the Mayfair pattern in light blue add more color.


I've had these little glass candlesticks (set of 6) for probably 25 years, but put them in a box and forgot about them! Found them at a garage sale. I added small blue bulbs.


My client's mom gave me a set of three beautiful glass and silver candlesticks for my birthday. They were PERFECT for this table!


Last, but not least, is this ice blue candlestick. I've had this set of two for years now. Got them on eBay.


I didn't want to neglect the light above the table, so I added this ornament with silver bells to hang from the center.


I didn't really add prices this time, because very little was a bargain and I paid full price, but nothing was really pricey either. Most of the materials for this table were purchased at Meijer.

Head on over to Susan's blog, Between Naps on the Porch to find a list of other Tablescape Thursday participants.

Hopefully I'll have the chance to visit blogs this weekend! I've missed all of you so much.

Fall Holiday Fun

Wow, time has sure got away from me this last month! I am so far behind in blogging and visits. I just do not have the time for it that I used to have, so please don't think I am singling you out if I haven't come for a visit lately!

Anyhow, this last Thursday, my children and I got together in my home for a Thanksgiving dinner. My brother also joined us. This is the family picture that will be going on our Christmas cards.

From left to right, oldest son Sean holding Jake the dummy dog, daughter Tara and her husband Mike, myself, and youngest son Jared.

Here is another pic without the dog.


The table was all set for dinner with lots of yummy food...


...including these yummy pies that my daughter made!



My brother Dave carved the turkey.


During dinner, Sean looks at me with suspicion as Jared chows down. I set the table with lovely dishes, but he still prefers those old plastic Tupperware plates!


Dave looks all amused here. I don't know why his face is so red.

Actually, I think this is after my daughter played some silly ring tones on her new phone. There was one song I was completely unfamiliar with, and as I listened, I said, "Why are they singing about Vag-o-cream?" This, of course, brought out gales of laughter when my daughter told me what was really being said!

Here is Tara and Mike. This is not the best picture of her.


Guess that's why she took her own pic!


Anyhow, dinner was over much too soon. What does one do after such a filling meal? Snooze of course! Mike and Jake catch a few Z's.


Prior to Thanksgiving, there was Halloween! Yes! I am actually posting this a month late, lol. I haven't participated in Halloween for a great many years. This year, however, a friend invited me to a party, and I decided to go as a vampire. I am all caught up in the Twilight craze, and now in a series of books called the House of Night novels by P.C. and Kristin Cast. The first is called Marked, and I am wearing the crescent moon tattoo that all vamps have in that book.


I am so authentic as a vampire, that if you look closely, you can see real batwings on my upper arms!


Here I am with my friend Stacy who invited me. I love her eyes in this! She went as a dark fairy, complete with pointy ears and big copper colored velvety wings.


Her sweetie Brian is a wizard.


Here is Stacy with Angel, the spider woman! Her face makeup was really cool.


I also ran into an old friend Mickie with her beau Jason. He was a G-man and she was his moll.

It was great fun, probably the most fun I've had in a long time! I'll have to do this again next year.

Two more big holidays are yet to come! I can't believe the months are flying by so quickly.

Tablescape Thursday/Thanksgiving Table

The house is mostly clean, dinner is already made (by the supermarket-I just have to heat it), and the table is set. I'm all ready for Thanksgiving...except that its still Wednesday! I still have to go in to work tonight, so I can't make any blog visits, but I hope to catch up and do some visiting with all of you this weekend!

This is my table setting for Thanksgiving, and yes, we are going to eat off of it just like this.

I searched for a golden-y yellow tablecloth, and walked into Walmart, and there they had them up front for only $5! Hooray!

I couldn't afford to get place mats, although I saw many beautiful ones on sale in the local stores. I figured that I would just use the green ones that I've had for years, but when I was searching for them, I found these large napkins that I purchased last year at Goodwill! I had forgotten all about them. I mixed them with the green since I didn't have enough.

The white dishes are from Gibson, and I added paper dessert plates and paper napkins for convenience.

Here is the same setting but with the green placemats. They didn't look too bad mixed with the patterned mats.


Since it's Thanksgiving, I needed pilgrims! I had these from last year.


Here are the boy and girl ones up close. They have little pumpkin and cinammon stick candles from Yankee Candles. I bought them half price years ago, then lost them, then found them when I moved, then lost them again, but found them this year. Hooray again!



For the back of the table, I used my urn from my Halloween tablescape, but set a gourd with foliage in it. This was an arrangement I found at Joann Fabric. I purchased it new at full price, but justified it by being able to get an additional item for free! You've seen the floral spray at the bottom before in another tablescape



I hurried back to Dollar Tree to get a full set of six of these beautiful glasses. I think they are perfect for Thanksgiving because they say Family, Friends, Home, on them.


While browsing through Goodwill for things I could use for my Thanksgiving table, I found this fabric basket. It originally held napkins, which were no longer with it when I found the basket, but I figured it would be perfect for biscuits. Right now it holds a square Anchor Hocking dish in amber, but I can remove that if I need it for something else. It's a perfect match with the placemats. The basket was only $2, and the dish was $3.


I also found this amber colored pitcher for $3. Forgot to take a close up of the amber colored bowl, also $3 which is presently holding some green apples.


I got this glass pumpkin last year and filled it with pumpkin scented potpourri.


My table already looks and smells good. I can't wait to put it to good use tomorrow when I am surrounded by my children!

To check out more tablescapes on Tablescape Thursday, head on over for a visit to Susan at Between Naps on the Porch." Speaking of naps, I'm heading off to take a quick one before I go into work tonight!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving filled with love!