Christmastime cookout

I would like to tell you that I knew this was always there, that I had seen it several times before, but the truth is... I had no idea it was there...

can you see it... in the beam???

Yes, it's a heart. It's on the beam that is just in front of the woodstove hearth. Our friend Rick noticed it the other evening when he was here for a visit (leave it to a logger to notice something like that). The saying that the "hearth is the heart of the house" must be true, given where this one is placed. So, I can say.. this house has a heart....

The Christmas decorations are all finding their place. Since this is only our second Christmas here in the house, I still don't kn0w where "everything belongs".. but things are finding their place... this is my collection of Breyer's Christmas horses.. Ed got me the first one in 2000, and has made a point of getting one each year... so far I have ten... trusting that number ten is coming this year!!!!!

Now, since Ed's procedure, and now that he is feeling so much better. His next goal is to get some weight off, and hopefully with that, get off some of the meds that he has to take. We have (in the family) a licensed dietitian... Miss Lauren, (Nates' sister). So, I asked Lauren if she would come and give us a lesson in better food choices. She came this afternoon and spent a couple of hours with us, setting up a "starter" game plan and helping us understand the labels on foods and such.

After our food planning time, Lauren stayed, and since neither she or new husband John had been to the farm, I invited them to dinner, along with John's parents, Dave and Deb and Rick and Kelli, and of course the "kids".

I asked the girls if they would get the tree decorated while I got things ready for our cookout... they had a fun time doing that.....and I enjoyed watching the "kids" decorating the tree once again...

Abbie really got "into it". We told her that she couldn't handle the "glass ones" and she would look into the ornament bucket and ask "is that glass??" It really didn't take her too long to figure out what "glass" was and she was good about choosing the proper ones to hang. Though she did tell me that the "tree bit her"....

We had a grand full moon, and as I said earlier, the meal was a real summer time cookout. In another week or so, we'll be having the traditional holiday foods, so I thought something different might be great fun.....

It was a cold night too, but Ed didn't seem to mind having the grill duties. That steak and chicken sure looked good cooking there.....

And as I have said several times before, I love having people in the house. I love the sound of it, and seeing folks enjoying themselves. It's a great house to entertain in, and I try to do it as much as I can.

Summer foods and winter decorations... why not....

Abbie thought the meal was great. She pretty much kept her mouth food of wonderful things.....

But was happy to give "baby" a big smile her front of "her" Christmas tree... how do you like the Lion King??? Her new favorite....

And she'll tell you... "this one not glass".... kids and Christmas.. does it get any better than that????

THE tree

The time has come, it's Christmas tree finding time, and Ed and I headed out to find this year's perfect tree. We have a few Christmas tree farms very close by, so it's just a matter of picking which one to go to. We decided to go back to the farm that we went to last year, we found a beautiful tree last year and knew would we again this year. We were trying to find a time that Sadie and Abbie could go with us, but between all our schedules, that wasn't working... so we went ourselves.

I thought this was interesting sign and a neat bit of trivia.....

It's a beautiful place and you can tell that they put a "ton" of work into it. Lots of trees to choose from, I feared this could take hours!!!! (just ask any of my family how fussy I am when it comes to finding that perfect tree!!!) Fortunately, the day was grand weather wise, and we didn't have a time schedule, so if it took hours.. so be it....

However, we weren't even there 15 minutes and there was "my" tree, just standing there --- waiting for me. A beautiful blue spruce. Now, many people (including my family) don't like the blue spruces because they are so prickly and hard to decorate (when the needles are pricking you) but I especially like them. I love the blue color.. and I love how heavy and sturdy they are, because I have a lot of heavy ornaments that other trees sometimes can't hold up.... AND, I have never had one cat climb a blue spruce.. so, if I can find one.. that's my choice!!!

This was quite a mature tree, so it has (has) a thick trunk and is very heavy. I like the way this farm will send the tractor down to pick up your tree.. besides we had had some rain, and it was muddy on the pathways, our tree would have been a real mess if we had to drag it back to the truck.

We got it home, and in the house. It's so pretty on it's own that I wondered if we needed to add ornaments and lights... but of course we will.

And so, here it is.. our 2011 Christmas tree.. or as Abbie says... "MY Chrisssmass Tree, Baby!!!"

getting ready...

In the hussle and bussle with Ed's surgery, Thanksgiving and the like.. I sort of forgot about the Fair Quilt. Each year, if you remember, they hand out a little patch of material and a theme... with that, you go home, come up with a quilt block of the "theme" and use the piece of material that was given to you. Well, here's the piece of material and the theme... "remembering the 60's". Now, I was born in the 60's but I don't remember them... so part of not doing my block sooner was a lack of an idea. The deadline for having your block in was Nov. 30th....




I mailed mine on December 2nd.. with hopes that it won't be considered "too late". Here's my block... I tried to go with the "peace, love, hope" idea... making the piece of material into "VW beetles" as I do know they were popular vehicles during that time frame. I hope people will "get it".. but I won't know that until the fair next August.......keep you posted on that one.....






I just had to post this photo... This is how we begin each day... a sweet little gal, with all her favorite things (the horse is new)... cuddled in Papa's chair.. watching the Lion King. Even after her "horrid" trip to the Rain Forest Cafe... she still loves her Lion King... I can almost say it word for word!!!!






Our old home town had it's annual Christmas parade. Ed has been feeling so good.. we packed up and headed down to see it. They line up on our old street......(and the parade is usually bigger than the parade route!!!) That's small town New England for ya!!!!








The family... (or part of it) waiting for the parade to begin....













Ginger and Camille came along... so did Charlie, Banjo, Hallie and Ollie...

After the parade, we went back to Kassy and Nate's for supper and goodies... and can officially say..

Christmas season has begun......

back to the city

What a look on this precious little face. It used to be "my look" at the thought of traveling to a big city. Traveling "south over the bridge".. yup that was me... raising service puppies changed that... having to do that monthly check in in the big city!!! And actually this look on Abbie's face, was her expression with regards to the Rain Forest Cafe. But.. let me back this story up just a little....

Ed had his surgery done on Tues (11/29) trip one to the city. Then on Wednesday (11/30) it was back to pick him up... trip number two.


When Kas and I had walked the mall the day before, we found a Rain Forest Cafe. It's a pretty neat restaurant... and looks just like a rain forest (I guess, I have never been to a real one before) but it has vines, and trees, and "animals"... all kinds of neat things. So, when we had to go and bring Ed home from the hospital, I said to Sadie come with me and we'll take Abbie to lunch at the cafe.





I thought she would be thrilled to go. She loves animals... watches the Lion King on the TV daily.. and I thought she would be so happy to see all the jungle animals....

I thought wrong!!!!!! She was sacred to death!!!!










We told her none of the animals were "real" and it was all pretend...and we managed to get her somewhat close to the "animals"...











and told her eating under the trees was like a picnic....

























But all she wanted was.... "let's go home"... so, we finished our lunch... went to get "Papa" and headed for home. After the past couple of days, I think we were all more than ready to be just at "home"....

However, my trips to the city weren't over yet. We had planned our puppy check- in for December 1st. I seriously thought of staying at home with Ed, but he was feeling so good, that he told me to go. Sadie and Abbie were home with him... so trip number three (all in the same week) back to the city.

We met at NEADS and then headed right out to do our work. The "puppies" are so big now that we can just get them going. Elevator ride... seven service dogs!!!!

Then we waited and went again in smaller groups. By now, this is old hat.. and even I am getting used to them.

Hard work... all this service dog training stuff....

We have alot of siblings in this group... here is T and his brother Honor... then Ginger, Leo and Clover are all litter mates... and Edgar and Otis...

Beside the hospital, we also played at the train station again. Luck was on our side... this huge freight train came thru just as we were needing a good distraction....

I'll never be a "big city" gal... but I am getting used to them (it)....

Otis and Edgar.....

I have to agree Edgar buddy... enough of this city stuff... three trips in one week, I need to get back to the country and to my Ed.....

surgery

Oh.. my Ed. He is here at the Lahey Clinic in Mass.. getting ready for a procedure known as Cardiac Arrhythmia adjustment.. aka... get his heart beating in a normal rhythm again. For the past number of years, his heart would go in and out of a regular rhythm known as "a-fib". Lots of people live with this, and it won't "kill you per say".. but it's not the way your heart is suppose to work. At first, meds would help keep his heart in better rhythm but lately, even those have not done their job.

Some days, Ed has felt very tired, a bit short of breath and no energy... not good when you live on a farm and have a life style that is busy. He is also struggling with his weight and other medical issues, that this whole heart thing plays a big part of. After meeting with is doctor, they both decide that it's time to get things in order.

At first, the thought of him going to Lahey Clinic terrified me... a "big city hospital".. far from home, over night stay... but once we arrived there.. most of my fears were quickly put to rest. This place knows what they are doing and knows how to take care of people... they were (are) wonderful.

Kassy took the day off from work to come and keep me company. This "operation" was a six hour procedure... we sat in the waiting room for a bit and then decided to walk around a near by mall to pass the time. It was a nice mall, already for the holidays, and both of us commented that it was kind of sad to "find it" under this kind of situation. We said that we will go back sometime when we can really enjoy being there.

Ed came thru it like a trooper. He said that even just out of surgery, he actually "felt better"... such encouraging words after such a long day. We got him settled into his room, and wouldn't you know... the fire alarm goes off. An announcement comes over the hospital loud speaker, asking everyone to stay put, and look what parks just outside his hospital window....yup--leave it to Ed!!!

Kas and I headed for home.. Sadie and Abbie had everything taken care of on the farm, and even though Ed wasn't there, I was happy to get into my bed. It had been a long day. Tomorrow it will be another trip back to bring him home... a few days of rest, and he can pretty much get back to life...

Thanksgiving...

Not that we haven't ever had "snowy" Thanksgiving, but when I got up this am to get the turkey in... the sunrise looked more like a Christmas morning than a Thanksgiving. Fortunately it wasn't that cold and this snow - like Halloween's- will probably be gone in a few days.

It was windy, and even though this snow was pretty wet and heavy, it still blew around some. The view from the barn doors looks so cold and winter like.

We had a pretty quiet Thanksgiving, just the kids. Abbie couldn't wait for Tee Tee to arrive and watched at the windows all morning long. We tired to get her to watch the "balloons" on the TV, but that only kept her interest a short time.. she wanted Tee Tee..and then we found out "why"... according to Abbie "Tee Tee play outside with Abbie"

It was good snow for snowman making... so that was the project at hand.

Abbie admiring their work.....

She had to re-arrange the eyes a little (and replace the carrot nose that Banjo took).... but all in all... her first little snowman, made on Thanksgiving day.

Time for dinner!!!It was so yummy and we are so blessed to be together.

Perfect time for a photo opt... course, getting everyone just right at the right time....

Takes a little practice... but well worth it. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, hoping your day went as happy as ours!!!!