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Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Celebratin' in Style....Happy New Year

I've been busy today, cooking and cleaning. I'm proud to say that these two laundry baskets are completely empty now...Amen.


I just couldn't see starting the new year facing laundry that needed to be put away. So we're celebrating in style :) How, do you ask? For sure we are putting fenders on the tractor that "Mr. Fix It" is restoring. Mr. Fix It can fix anything.

He makes old broken run down things new again. Kinda like he did to me about 12 years ago *ahem* but that's a whole 'nother story in itself. Restoring tractors is just one of the things DH does in the winter time when the mower business is slow. I can't tell you how many of these he's done in the past several years...minus last year when he couldn't paint because he had pnemonia. That was a rough and macaroni and cheese kinda winter. My job when he's reassembling and along the way is to take photos of his progress. Currently he has three tractors in various stages of completion. Not to be braggin' but he's really good at it. Most men have things they are really good at. This is what he's good at. This one is almost done and he's putting on the fenders and tires tonight. Wahhhoooo! What a way to celebrate the new year. Truely, I wouldn't have it any other way. Sure in the old days I'd be downing rum and cokes and dancing until the wee hours. I/we must be getting old or perhaps I just really do enjoy watching Mr. Fix It work. I Especially love to watch him teach the boys how to wrench and our daughter what nuts, bolts and lock washers are. Granted it's New Year's Eve but I wouldn't want to do anything else. Oh yeah, I did pinch my finger holding the fender. Wrenching and tractor restoration is not something I am good at. Plus, I got this one of the youngest two loafing on the job.


Happy New Year's everyone. I have very high hopes for 2009. Or, at least it's gotta be better right?

~ Shelly

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Party Weekend and a blast from the past

Today, I'm putting up the tree FINALLY! It should have been finished last weekend but my getting the flu put a big dent in my holiday decorating. So we'll try again today after I get back from the church group Christmas party. After my oldest son's Christmas concert, I picked up my Christmas cards yesterday and finished the holiday ornaments for each of the church group members. I just need to mail all my cards. I usually hand address them but I'm thinking this year I just might do a mail merge. This year I'm trying to make Christmas a little less work for myself and a lot more fun. I love watching my kids faces on Christmas morning but I'm telling you being a grown up at Christmas is just so much work. Trying to put it all together and making sure that it's special for the kids. Not to mention trying to remember from one year to the next which stories you fed to which kid in order to assure that they do believe. I figure, I just have a couple more years and then it just won't be as magical until grandchildren come along. Oh how I miss them when they were little. Evidence that the ornery-ness started years ago and I just might have forgotten if it weren't for photos like these. I'm sure she didn't mean or know she was calling her brother a loser in this photo but it sure does look like it.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Because it's so cold today...

This layout makes me warm and cozy. While it's not snowing here (and hopefully it snows buckets soon) I can't wait to take snow pictures. It's my favorite time of year to take photos.

Counting Down to Super Simple Christmas


I'm making my list and checking it twice, three times. I'm so indecisive I keep waffling on gifts for my children...do you ever do that? I did a walk through Walmart the other night just scoping out the toys for my kids. There was not one thing that I felt they must have. NOT ONE THING! I guess when you've got 22 years of toys in the house there really isn't a thing that they NEED. And really not much that they want. Oh sure they want a Wii or an Xbox, perhaps Nintendo DS for each of them. I keep thinking that with the exception of the Wii it would be a pretty quiet Christmas if I went that route. But then my kids are country kids who play outside the majority of the time but they don't need bikes or scooters or ATV's or even a pony of that matter. We've got it all. I am blessed. I know that. But still I have this nagging feeling about what to get them. The first child in me wants them to have the best Christmas ever but what makes this Christmas the best ever? My 16-year-old and 22-year-old haven't even told me what they would like. So that same first child is making a list. I'll keep you updated. Everyone else will be pretty easy this year. Here are my projects and lists (really why not just keep it here...I'm here anyway...plus this is the first time I've actually written it down...can you tell I like these little dots. What the heck are they called? I must look that up.):


  1. I'm putting the finishing touches on some blankets I've made. Super simple really and when I get them done I'll post a photo.

  2. Today, I'm making ornaments for the ladies group I belong too. Super simple project is really just some leftover foam circles from Valentine's Day and I'm using my Making Memories Slice to cut some snowflakes. I'm going to attach them to the gift bag I've put the cookie cutters I purchased for each of them in.
  3. Super simple project three was my Christmas cards. Normally I'll spend the end of November and early December working my fingers too the bone and into the wee hours of the night making handmade Christmas Cards. Today, I will pick up my digital cards at Walmart. And before you think I've completely caved on creativity this year, I did design them myself and it did take two days for my to finally push the order button. See photo above. I'm kinda getting the hang of digital stuff. I don't love it. I still like touching paper too much to love digital but it is fun.
  4. Super simple project four is photography gift certificates for my family. My brother, sister, daughter, Brother and Sister in-laws and John's entire family are getting photography sessions from yours truly. It's something I've been wanting to do for a long time and each year I've put it off. I'm finally going to get started...the photography bug has bitten me. This spring/summer the Boyd men will finally have their tractors, kids and entire farm family in a photo so help me God! Really God, I'm probably going to need some help with that one for sure!

Oh and I'm not really worried about anyone seeing this. Plus, I've already warned them all no peeking :).

~S

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Ugh! The Flu and some photos








Where have I been since Thanksgiving. I've had the flu and not just the 24 hour feel better the next day bug but the full blown, every single symptom possible FOR A WEEK flu. I-AM-DRAINED. Literally. Trying to suck it up now and finally decorate my tree which should have been finished over the weekend. Trying to complete 500 homemade gifts and projects before Christmas that should all be done now. Why do I do this to myself each year. UGH! Did I mention I am weak. Barely made it down the steps to post. But my Grandma Cox always said you must get up and get moving when you are sick. The sooner the better and as I look around the house that has been destroyed by the good intentioned deer hunter husband and the munchkins. I know it is time to get better. Whether my body is ready or not. Ugh! Again. I'll leave you with a few photos from Thanksgiving. My family has this thing about rainbows now. We like to think that they are my dad's way of being with us. Ever since my sister and I saw one outside the plane on the way to get our mom in Florida last April when he passed away. I've never seen as many rainbows as I have this year in my entire life. Anyway check out the rainbow in my niece's hair on Thanksgiving day *heavy sigh*.