Bah Humbug!

Today we kicked off the Christmas season! After we hung the garland over the door and put the last decorations on the tree, we took the kids out to see A Christmas Carol at the Hale Centre Theatre. The kids had never been to a play so this was a new experience for them and Alex was the only one who was familiar with the story. The play was fabulous and they kids really enjoyed it.

What Did You Get For Chrsitmas?

Everyone got what they wanted for Christmas, except for Alex who wanted a black baby grand, maybe next year! lol

Christmas would not be Christmas without new pj's and slippers.

Seth got Dilbert 2.0 - 20 years of Dilbert.

Santa brought marshmallow shooter guns for the entire family, he forgot to leave marshmallows so good thing he bought the soft pellets that can be used in place of marshmallows.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas...

At the Manwaring house...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

It's All About The Packaging

This is a present that I wrapped. You will be lucky to have a store bought bow on it and forget about the ribbon I don't have patience for ribbon and I'm to cheap to use it. Notice my home made gift tag made out of wrapping paper scraps- and no fancy writing.

These are the presents Seth wrapped. Notice the pretty coordinating ribbon with the home made fancy bow.

Notice the fancy writing on the package — done by his own hand!

A close up of fancy writing.

I'm so glad to be married to a straight man who can make bows!!!

Elf

My worst fear

I hate mice, rats and any other thing that resembles a rodent (hamsters and guinea pigs included). I am truly terrified of them. Two weeks ago we were moving some stuff around in the garage and Seth noticed mouse poop, my heart started racing and my body started shaking I was freaking out! He cleaned up the poop found out where the mouse was living and assured me that our uninvited house guest was LONG GONE. And I assured my husband that if I EVER find a mouse in our house that I would be LONG GONE.

Well today it happened. Seth was bringing a box in from the garage and our uninvited house guest jumped out of the box ran across my living room floor and under the Christmas tree. I screamed so loud, "Mouse, mouse, went under tree". I ran into the kitchen jumped on top of the kitchen table I was shaking and freaking out, literally on the verge of tears. The front door happened to be open and Seth grabbed a broom and was able to chase it out of the house. I couldn't get off the table for a least 5 minutes after the ordeal was over. The hair on my body is standing up as I relive this horrible nightmare.

You might be wandering where the cat was during all this...my screaming scared her and she ran and hid, she missed out on a yummy snack!

Guess what Seth will be doing on Monday? Cleaning out the garage!! I assured him if that happens again I will be MOVING OUT!!

PS..thanks honey for thinking so quickly on your feet and getting that thing out of our house in a matter of minutes. This is another good reason why I need to keep you around to protect me from my worst fear. As I said before you are a keeper! PSS --I'm not joking, I will leave if we ever find one in the house!! oxoxox.

White Christmas ; )

Bow Making Classes - Every Friday Night!

I have a talented husband and daughter. They are making bows for our Christmas tree. Seth's getting more handy to have around as time goes on. I think he's a keeper!

Christmas Tree Stand

The previous owners of our house left their twelve foot, artificial Christmas tree for us. Since summer we've been dying to put it together and see what we've got. When we pulled out the tree last weekend, we discovered no stand. We found nothing available in stores or online — the base pole of this tree has a two-inch diameter — but I would not be discouraged.

I cobbled this stand together out of nothing but a 4"×6" beam and some 1⅜" dowel rod. Evon keeps calling this the Frankenstein Tree, on account of Frankenstein's thick, wooden soles.

IT'S ALIVE!!!

See the gallery here.