Christmas Break...

I want to thank each and everyone who visited me during the "Holiday Tour", I am so happy you stopped by. Please check back next year (oh my, that's next week!) for 2008 decorating tips and ideas. I am busy cleaning the house, baking and preparing a Holiday Feast for my immediate family tonight. Christmas Day will be spent with just us, Hubby and two kids. Wednesday will be spent with far away friends going snow tubing, then back home Friday to head to the beach to visit my husbands family. We are so excited for this visit. My husbands brother and wife just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Liam Cox. Too Cute. Needless to say, we have a very busy holiday break filled with lots of fun with family and friends.

Wishing you and your family a Blessed and Merry Christmas!

Until Next Year, Cheers!

Theresa

Welcome...Cheers and Merry Christmas!

(Sorry, a little out of order - part of my 2008 goals...learn to move pictures around on the blog without starting over ;) Also, a new camera so I can take clearer pics...ENJOY!
*Note - Just click on each picture for a closer look*


A view from my living room window...

Living room...view from fireplace...

Arrangement over server in living room...I just added greenery to a grapevine wreath...

Mantel in living room....

Cabinet in entry way...

Santa and his sleigh...sits on a shelve in the basement...

Our basement mantel...

The tree was too tall this year for our star, I used ribbon instead...I like the way it turned out...

Of course our tree wouldn't be complete without the Polar Express train set underneath...

My two Angels with their best friends...

The dinning room Chandelier wrapped in ribbon and mercury glass ornaments...

I placed tiny pine cones around each light rim and place juniper berry in the middle...

This sweet Angel sits in a birdcage in the living room, I added silver glitter to her this year...

More snow flakes and juniper berry tucked in a silver creamer...

A view down the hall into my bedroom...

Stars of Hope, Peace, Joy and Faith...sits on my small server in the living room...

My favorite cabinet which you see as soon as you walk in our front door...see the cute little Angel who greets us on top on the cabinet...

One of my favorite ironstone with greenery....
A view from my couch in the living room...

These Angels are over top my server in the living room...

Candle vignette with coordinating ribbon found throughout the house...

A view of the living room from the hallway...

Our greeter when you walk in the front door...Isn't she sweet...

A view when you walk in the front door looking into the dinning room...

Doesn't it look like Christmas...the front porch...

Front porch...

The shed doors...

Another favorite...She is made of concrete...I just love her!

Tracey at acottageindustry is hosting a Holiday Virtual Tour, please visit her site to see all the wonder. Each participant will "virtually" open their doors to give you a personal look inside their homes. Hope you enjoy this fun event and get tons of decorating ideas, I know I will take notes for next year. I am sure it will be spectacular...I can't wait.

This year I decided to go natural with my Holiday decorating. When funds are low, you learn to make due with what you have. Home Depot was giving away the tree trimmings for free. Most places charge you for that. So I made a couple trips to Home Depot to make my greenery this year. My theme was fresh greenery with juniper berry (a tree in our yard) and coordinating ribbon. Sometimes, simple is enough...ENJOY!

Merry Christmas To You All!

Cheers, Theresa

A Virtual Holiday Home Tour...

Tracey at acottageindustry will host a Virtual Holiday Home Tour this Wednesday, December 19th. Although I have previously posted pictures of my holiday decorating, I have decided to join in the fun. I can't wait to peek in and see all the wonderful holiday decorating! There are so many creative fellow blogger's out there, I am sure it will be fabulous!


Grab a cup of hot chocolate, coffee, tea or wine and enjoy your tour! I hope to put the little ones to bed early on Wednesday - grab a little glass of wine and sit in front of the fire place for my tour ;)



Cheers, Theresa

A Believer in Angels...

I just finished reading one of my favorite blogs elizabethhouse and I couldn't believe what had happened to her on her Birthday. She had a crazy accident just like the one my husband had in 1996. She wrote in detail the events of the accident and it really gave me chills. The entire time her car was spinning and flipping..yes I said flipping...she stayed in a fetal position the entire time. She believes it was her guardian Angel. I think after you read her story, you will be a believer too..





Theresa

Festive New Traditions...

Meagan and Aunt Shelly at the Nutcracker...

We had a very festive weekend filled with Holiday activities. Friday night we went to our town Christmas tree lighting here in Clarksburg, Md. Not a big tree, but a new tradition for Clarksburg. The Clarksburg Historical Society planted a tree to grow with the growing community. Really quit charming with the Clarksburg High School Band playing Christmas music, hot chocolate and cookies. But the best part of the evening was Santa arriving on the Fire Truck. Santa was walking towards the tent for his big arrival and Meagan (my daughter) just politely ;) walked right up to Santa and started talking. Santa told my daughter he had to go into the tent to greet all the children. Meagan told Santa she would walk him in. Santa reached down and took her hand and Meagan escorted Santa right into the tent. It was the biggest Kodak moment EVER! and wouldn't you know (and I should have been prepared) my battery was dead, dead I tell ya! Oh well, next year.

Saturday I spent the day at our first annual "Clarksburg Boutique and Wine Tasting" event. Overall the day went very well. I met so many wonderful new people from the community and look forward to the event next year.

Sunday, My Mother, Mother In-Law, Aunt Shelly and Meagan and I went to see the Nutcracker at the Weinberg Center of Arts in Frederick. Hopefully next year, my sister can come up from NC with her two daughters and my other Sister In-Law Katie can join us. Despite their absence, it was a lovely afternoon. It was a fantastic performance by The Maryland Regional Ballet. The Snow Queen and Sugar Plum Fairy were spectacular. We had excellent seats, 14th row from center stage. Meagan was intrigued and applauded as loud as she could after each performance. It was so cute to watch her intensity this time around. When she was 4 (now 6) we went with my Husband and son. She shouted out loud "Mommy, I see their bum bums" :) and of course my son wanted to go after Act I. So, we left the boys at home and decided to make it an annual "girls" outing this year instead. And of course you can't take pictures at all, but I managed to sneak one picture in before the performance of Meagan with her Aunt Shelly.

Now it is beginning to feel like Christmas..

Cheers, Theresa

Our First Snow Fall...

I think this will be our Christmas card...

A huge hill across the street from our house...

Kids going down the hill - it's a good work out going up and down that hill...

First snow ball fight...

This beautiful angel is the first thing you see when you walk in our front door...

My favorite cabinet...

Stars of Hope, Peace, Love and Faith...

The front porch...

The shed doors...

Glitter snow flakes and mercury diamond ornaments hanging in the front window...

Here are a few pictures of the kids playing in our first snow fall of the season. I think I got a great shot for our Christmas card.

I decided to go simple with decorations this year. I just made simple wreaths with Douglas fir trimmings and juniper berry branches and ribbon which coordinates throughout the house. I have a lot of projects going on at once and I didn't want to stress myself out. I want to enjoy the holidays and make fun little projects with the kids. You know, like Gingerbread houses ;) We will be given that project another try soon. Hopefully I will have some better pictures to share.

Can you believe the New Year is just around the corner? I am working on a lot of new ideas and fun things to do next year. One of my ideas is to host my first ever "How To" seminar. Not really a seminar, more like a "girls night out" chatting about decorating. I am working on the details and I will be sure to let you know them as soon as they get ironed out. If you are interested in being part of this type of event, just let me know and I will make sure I send you the information.

Cheers and Stay Warm, Theresa

Work In Process...

What a busy weekend. I have included pictures highlighting our events. I have also included a few pictures of the decorations in process for our home.

The weather was much warmer than we thought it would be on Saturday, so we started the weekend raking leaves (actually, the kids and Daddy) I was rearranging the basement to clear a spot for the Christmas tree. Then off to get the Christmas tree and greenery. The tree was up, the lights were hung and the final touch was my sons Polar Express Train under the tree. Of course, right after this the kids kept bugging me to make their gingerbread houses. While I was in the middle of wreath making, garland making and my house being a complete disaster, I decided to stop what I was doing. Who said it was supposed to be fun?...not so fun. First, the icing was way to soft. The gingerbread house just wouldn't stay together. Maybe when all my chores are done this week we will give it another try when I am less grumpy. A good week back at the gym will cure the grumpiness. Last week was so busy I skipped my workouts. Thank goodness I went back to the gym today, I have been pretty grumpy without my work outs. Thank God for Tammy our instructor, she really works us out. I totally needed it today.

Off to complete more decorating...

Cheers, Theresa