The Red Wall

We replaced our sliding glass door - which meant replacing the trim. Which meant our previous shades wouldn't work and had to be replaced. Which also meant that now was an opportunity to make (drastic) changes, if we wanted. So we decided to paint the wall red. Which then turned into painting another wall red too... Can we say Project Scope Creep? =) Here's the progress:

Priming the Targets

Painting the Walls

Final Finish

We still have to put decorations back on the wall and paint the trim. The hangings will be done tomorrow, but we have company coming for New Year's Eve, so the trim will have to wait a couple days. I'll post a finale picture when it's all done...

Luminarias for Christmas Eve

ChristmasTime

We had loads of people over on Christmas Eve - it was so nice to visit with everyone and share some fun times. We did the luminarias again - and they turned out beautiful, just like last year (and every year we've ever seen or done them). It was a special way to spend the Eve of Christmas - with people we love.

The Christmas Tree

Christmas was very relaxing. We spent most of the day at home, playing with presents, and decided to take in a movie. I did not realize how many other people take in movies on Christmas Day. We left a little early, but when we got there I was worried that we wouldn't make it in to the theatre. But we were lucky, and we enjoyed National Treasure - The Book of Secrets.

New Cell Phone Handset for Greg =)

New Robe & Adjustable Height Tripod

New Book and iPod for ME!!

We're going to have more people over to the house on Monday - getting ready to greet the New Year with much ado. It's been a good year. Now I'd better get on the ball and finish our Christmas Letter - I hope to have it done and mailed by sometime in January... =)

Winter Solstice

I've reached my first winter milestone: Today was the first day that we started gaining more light. (Meaning yesterday - the day that's over & gone - was the shortest day of the year.) It won't be noticeable for another month or so, but I *know* the days are starting to get longer. Now I just have to make it through a few cold(er) spells, to where the longer days start getting warmer... =) Happy Winter Solstice!!

Christmastime Again

It's amazing to think that it's Christmastime again. I thought we'd be on top of things, but it looks like the Christmas letter is going to be late, and probably the out-of-state gifts too. We won't be getting to the post office quick enough to get them delivered in time. =(

On the bright side, this weekend was our third annual Christmas Caroling get-together. It's a tradition from my side of the family - one that I've missed greatly. I remember getting together with all the cousins, and going to sing to people with grandma & grandpa. We had quite the spectacular group!

So I spent this weekend baking and getting crock pot food ready (stew - yummm!). I made all my favorites (since I only make them once a year): ginger snaps, gingerbread rounds (they were supposed to be people, but I just made balls and smashed them flat), no-bake cookies, red & green chocolate dipped pretzels, three kinds of fudge (toffee, almond/peppermint, & peanut butter), and pecan sandies (with cashews instead of pecans). We also had actual gingerbread men & sugar cookies donated to the cause. For after singing refreshment I made stew, bread, pumpkin dip (new recipe), buscuits, & spiced cider. We also had eggnog on hand. It took some time, but it was well worth it!

We don't practice at all, so whatever we lack in harmonics we make up for with lots of enthusiasm! A very nice way to spend the evening! We also made plans for Christmas Eve - going to visit with friends - we'll bring our candelaria makings to set them up there. Oh, what fun!

The Carolers

Season Finale

I'm a bit behind on posting - so I'm going to take this chance to get some pictures out. The first bit are my flowers at the end of the season. They're full of blooms and so colorful - it's a little sad when I know they won't be around much longer. But here they're glorious... just before the end. (You can see the changes by looking here). These pictures are from September.

It got cold sooner this year than last year, or so it seems. We got some frost in late September, and a bit of snow in October. A good, healthy dose of snow in early November - then a warming trend that melted just about everything for Thanksgiving. My first winter milestone is less than three weeks away: Winter Solstice. Although unnoticeable at first, days start getting longer. Sad to say there's still lots of cold and dark to endure, but the first ray of hope is just around the corner... =)

October Snow

Early November Snow

Lovely Bits of Sunshine

I'm Thankful For...

We had Thanksgiving early this year - thinking that Dave would be gone before the actual day. Turns out he's still here, so we had the opportunity to have Thanksgiving twice - yay turkey! I'm sure we'll be having ham or something else for Christmas dinner...

Today, we went around the room asking what people are thankful for - here's a sample: family & friends; everything that life has given me so far; my health; having too much food on the table and not being able to eat it all; to be out of the hospital & mobile, and for all the ladies in my life; for having healthy cats and a job; dessert; zig-zag papers and roll-on deoderant; someone else killed & de-feathered the turkey for me; running water and indoor plumbing; not all pennies are made of copper; that Seward bought Alaska...

It's good to spend time with those we love and take a little time to remember the really important things... Hope yours was as happy as mine. =)

Dave & his ladies

The Group

A Good Day...

Another year has come & gone... overall, it's been a good one. I received lots of well wishes for my birthday - can hardly believe I'm... as old as I am. But I'm looking forward to another good year. I've already decided it's going to be a spectacular one!! =)

The best part of a birthday is getting together with friends & family and talking to people you haven't heard from (and probably should have called long ago) for quite some time. I talked to both my brothers today, received emails from family and friends, and a voicemail message from M (I missed the call while we were at dinner), had lunch & dinner with friends, and generally enjoyed the day. Everyone's birthday should be so nice. Here are some of the great gifts I received in celebration of my birth...

Balloons (Holy Cow!) & my new Gumball Machine =)

New Kitchen Clock

Sunflower Tray & Crockpot Cookbook

New TV - my new Mario Wii game is *great* on this!

I am grateful for all my family & friends whom I love dearly. I don't know why I am blessed to have such awesome people in my life, but I am thankful for every one of them. My their special days be as marvelous as mine was!

On tap for future posts: end of season flowers, mystery quilting, Sara & DannyBoy...

Iko & Danny enjoy checking out the
Gumball Machine box

Light the Night

A couple weeks ago, Greg & I participated in the Light the Night walk (a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) with friends - in celebration of M. Cancer free for over a year now - way to go, M!!! They give balloons to participants that have lights inside, so as the evening progresses they "light the night". Red is in support of someone, White is for someone who's had cancer, and Gold is for those that didn't make it. (My balloon - a RED one - popped when I walked under a pine tree...)

Tasha & I - at the start

A wave of balloony walkers

Tasha, Caleb & I - at the end
with a *BIG* balloon

Camping - King Mountain, the people

I've already got pics for more blogs, so I'd better finish up the camping trip! (Started the post on the 3rd and it's already the 11th - how time flies!) Thanks to PseudoTech for supplying lots of the people pictures. Not sure why, but I didn't get many this go 'round. So we're missing people too: Heather, Ayanna, Jamie & her crew - they came up on Friday and left Saturday. A quick trip, but it was fun!

1st Night

Some folks went hiking on Saturday - to the top of Castle Mountain. They left around 10am and returned to camp around 10pm. A long day - and they were *beat* when they got back - but it was apparently worth it. Of course, it was for a cache - Greg's 500th find. Way to go!

Cachers Return

Malcore

Brian

James

While the cachers were out hiking, the rest of us divvied up. Some went to the fair, and some just stayed at camp relaxing (one of those was ME!).

Fair Folks

Relaxing around the Fire

Todd, Anita, Kelly & I stopped for a cache on the way home - the only one I got all weekend, but it was one more than I had planned on. =) (Greg & Malcore got several caches on the way home - Greg was actually 6-7 hours later getting home than me.)

Looking for the Hide

Success!!

The rest of the pics are just random shots.

King of the Hill

Greg (L) - Anita's Long Legs (R)

Instructions

Strawberries - yummy!!

Camping - King Mountain, the place

I didn't get many pictures of people this trip - so I'll have one entry dedicated to some of the scenery shots I took. Friends have agreed to donate pictures of the people - so at some point, I'll add another entry for the people.

A small group of us left Thursday night - so we could get sites and get things set up before the rest of the group came up on Friday. King Mountain is only about 2 hours from Anchorage, so the drive wasn't too bad. Weather was a bit cloudy and sometimes rainy, but we saw a fantastic rainbow on the way out!!

We arrived after dark and got three of the tents set up. The moon came out from behind the clouds and we got a great night view. What an auspicious way to start the weekend!!

Once again, we were in a lovely area. Lots of scenic eye candy. I noticed that the leaves are starting to turn - just another sad reminder that winter is coming. In noticing the yellow foliage, I saw that there were several trees growing crooked. My speculation is that some event (like a heavy snow) years ago caused several of the trees to bow, and in subsequent years they straightened in their new path. Who knows why - but the effect is pretty cool!

Changing Colors

Crooked Tree

In addition to the foliage directly surrounding our area, we just needed to focus a bit further out to see more spectacular imagery. Some of our group went hiking on Saturday to Castle Mountain - to find a cache, of course, and enjoy more great scenery - and others went to the state fair in Palmer. I opted to stay at camp and relax - which was just what I needed.

Views from Camp

This campout was very relaxing for me. We were in a gorgeous area, and the weather was very kind. It was pleasant and warm most of the trip - cloudy, but only drizzly on one day and just for a bit. It was nice that it was cloudy at night, so my nose didn't freeze and I slept better. It was also nice to come home and shower, but I don't know that I'm ready to go back to work yet... I guess I had too a bit too much relaxing while I was gone. =)

The Ride Home