Christmas Home Tour 2020

Good morning friends! I'm baaaaack! 

Since we are home more this Christmas season, I wanted to make our home festive. Last year I did Christmas light.  This year, not so much. I am missing the fundraising Christmas home tours. If you're like me, you may be too. So, I thought I'd share a little tour of the Stone House at Christmas.

My kitchen is small but merry. No pics but I always throw a string of lights in my kitchen aid mixer. It's easy and festive.

I leave the icy decorations in the windowsill up for January. A tension rod works well for snow falling ornaments. And Glassybabies make everything better.

As we go into the dining area I have my camping themed tree. Thermos, The Little Camper Book and a vintage trailer gingerbread house are at the base with a buffalo checked blanket. I added to the white lights with some bubble lights for a vintage feel. I always add lights to a pre-lit tree.

The gingerbread trailer was my first  attempt at a gingerbread house kit. It looks nothing like the sample. That frosting is like super glue.

It's Huaka'i Annie!

Last year I didn't put up a tree in our bedroom and we missed it.  I have a remote on my nightstand and I love falling asleep to the glow of Christmas lights. This may be TMI but it is romantic. Any year now my deer's lights will die but in the meantime he adds some cheer. I used mod podge and pages of Christmas carols from an old hymnal to cover an old yard display. This year I added the gold tree. You can't have too many trees!

Are you counting trees yet?

My Grandma Dykstra and my Mom loved birds and I have birds on this tree to remind me of two of my favorite women.

Good memories of when the guys were little and of our dog Hawley.

The grand dame is in the living room. This tree takes me two days to decorate. Last year I took a break and skipped it. It's 2020 and she is in all of her glory. Hundreds of vintage ornaments, Putz houses stuffed in the branches, vintage beads, vintage metal tinsel and my dear bare butt angels. I have my Grandma Dykstra's little angels that hung on her tree. They glow in the dark after the lights get turned out at night. My Grandma is at her heavenly home and I love the sweet reminder they leave every evening,

I like to have a nativity ornament on each tree. The vintage ones are hard to find, so this one is special.

It's hard to get a good picture of my nativity set. Hubby and I found it at the thrift store years ago, It has many pieces, a light in the stable and Alice signed it. I don't know Alice but I love how she painted this set in 1982.

I like to change up the mantle every year. For 2020 I combined my Eddie Bauer snow globe collection with my tree topper collection. It sparkles and I love to see the tree reflecting in the mirror. A live wreath because our trees are fake. With the wood stove a live tree isn't an option. Ask me how I know.

Would you like to come over for a cocktail in the sitting room? It's such a cozy spot and sadly in 2020 you can't visit. Here's your tour, so not the same. I miss you! Cheers!

The tree revolves as does the light.

The snowman blow molds are so cheery and bright. I love this collection. Blow molds have caught on in the last few years and on Etsy and Ebay sellers are pretty proud of them. It has slowed me down, but not stopped me. hee hee

If you don't have a wrapping cart, you need one. Stella gets wheeled around and used as needed and when the kids come home for Christmas they wheel her in their rooms and used her too.

The front bedroom is ready for guests. I don't use Christmas sheets but all beds have Christmas pillowcases.

The guestroom has my second tinsel tree. It is mostly neutral with a bit of pink. After the guys left I was ready for a bit of pink. The tree has pink vintage ornaments.

Christmas looks different this year. Danny and Jess are staying close to home in Michigan. Sam and Katie and Finn are in Canada, the closed border has been really hard for us.  Max and Kassie are coming and they get to look forward to BiG stockings this year! Hubby and I try to give each couple a one and done gift. Of course, I can't share what it is this year but I think they will like it. Danny and Jess's came early and they were happy. We've done Roobas, Go Pros, Bose Speakers in the past for one and done. Easy peasy!

I hadn't sent cards since 2017 but this year I sent them. I went through the church directory and wrote notes and sent cards to our shut ins. I don't think anyone has been more lonely in 2020 than our elders living in care centers. I was blessed to spend this time writing and praying for them.

If you missed the Bethany Holiday Homes Tour and enjoyed the Stone House tour feel free to give them a donation. I don't know many families that haven't been blessed by someone who was adopted.

Blogging is on the long list of goals for 2021. Wish me luck... I can't wait for 2020 to be over. In March Hubby and I planned that we would host a New Year's Eve party to move on to 2021 but since lock down that is a no go. It was going to be so festive, formal and fun. Oh well, so it goes.

I've missed all y'all!

May the peace of Christ bless each of you this holy Christmas season.

Quarantine Random

Still here. I may have just had Milk Duds for breakfast. Don't judge me. I'm coping with quarantine on a day by day basis. Some days I am highly motivated and some days I am not. And it's okay.

Years ago I bought a pasta maker from Goodwill and never used it. Hubby got it out and now he makes fresh pasta on Saturdays. Ravioli, fettuccine, spaghetti, lasagna, we've made it all. #pastanotherweek

It's been a fun and delicious way to mark another week of quarantine.

 Our windows in the Stone House originally had black grid, someone painted them white. I have been getting them all back to the black. The ground floor is finished and the sills and surrounds have been painted a pale gray.

 It is a ton of prep! Hubby is going to refinish the front door to charcoal gray.  He built our front door and it's impossible to keep it looking good with stain and sealer.

I'm focusing on windows and sewed curtains for the milk house/ back porch.

It was a milk house originally and now it is the cross I bear. It's unfinished. Friends and family know that an unfinished porch isn't grounds for divorce, so here I am. I love the guy but I do not like the back porch issue.  The whole ugly story isn't for publication but if you're curious ask my sisters or my guys. Oh, they'll tell you.

Hubby on his commute. He goes into the office one day a week and the other four he is upstairs. It's been great having him home. I now know how hard he works and he knows how little I do.

Hubby is a mixologist and it comes in handy during quarantine.  Life is too short for a bad cocktail.

He makes me a fancy drink for cocktail Zoom parties.

I cleaned a closet and found my honeymoon lingerie. Since it doesn't fit (obviously) I made us a cocktail as a nod to it.

I'm shopping from home. Aren't we all? Hubby has a new office chair, we have new camping chairs and our grand baby has a new wardrobe.  He's arriving in June. Sam lives in the US and mama Katie lives in Canada. It's a problem that needs prayers. I'll probably meet the little guy in a ditch on Boundary Road.

 In my humble opinion, the Covid-19 has stolen anticipation. My vacations, meeting our grandson, sub jobs, for others it's been their weddings, family reunions, graduation, the list goes on. While I am choosing joy, or at least attempting joy everyday, the virus has it's control some days. 

I'm keeping busy because I live in the Stone House and it takes a lot of maintenance. I'm thankful for Hubby's job and that our kids are working. There is always good in the bad and I hope and pray each one of you can find the good. 

I am also so thankful for my kindle. I use my local library card on the Libby App and have had some good reads. What have you been reading?

My list:

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins (run, don't walk for this book)

Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid (it was free on Amazon)

A Beginners Guide to Free Fall by Andy Abramowitz

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain

The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

I enjoyed each book, genre is a mood thing for me.

Meanwhile., I'm not camping but I am hopeful that we'll be allowed to be outdoors in the forest, by the ocean, lakes and rivers soon. Annie is prepped and ready. Camping is how I social distance. I didn't realize that's what it was called but that's what this introvert was doing all along.

 Friends and family, I am praying for you. I'm thankful for my faith in our God who it unchanging.

This too shall pass. Please continue to give yourself grace and to give grace to others. 

Grace will get us to the other side.

And you can all start by giving me grace for eating milk duds for breakfast. I know I did. 

Hello

Well, now we all know what it's like to be on house arrest.

The ankle bracelet is more of a heart bracelet and it's heavy.

I've canceled 10 nights in Hawaii, a sisters and cousins trip to Palm Springs,  a Sisters on the Fly camping trip with some of my camping besties and a trip to see Max and Kassie. I have more airline credit than I know what to do with this year.  April was going to be amazing! And now it's not.

I love to be home, but I love to look forward to and plan trips.  I've unpacked my suitcase and for the most part I have gotten past the bitter disappointment.  I have found that I cannot listen to Somewhere Over the Rainbow sung by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole without getting teary. Because Hawaii.

toesinthesand, poolside, vacation

Meanwhile at home, I'm growing out my bangs and turning gray. My nails! I miss all y'all but I may be missing Glenda and Brandi the most.  But it doesn't matter cuz I'm grounded.  

That's enough sharing my pity party for one.  That said I am giving myself grace. There are so many disappointments in the world right now and mine are minor.  I know that. But I still get to mourn.

And you do too.  Lost jobs, uncertainty, fear, stress, disappointments and loss. It's all here and now.

My prayer for each one of you is that some good comes from the bad and that we can be patient with each other and stay home. It's for our own good and for others.

At home we can spend time with family. Work on projects, clean our houses, and slow down.  Spend some time praying and reading. Good things!

Motivation is a small problem for me but I'm working through it. Without the pressure of having to be somewhere or go to work and crippled with uncertainty I can freeze. I actually got the ironing caught up after days of walking past it.  Because I'm not wearing any of those things now it seemd like a silly thing to catch up.  There was no reason to iron. It's yoga pants and p.j.'s for me, occasionally I wear jeans, just to make sure they still fit.  Remember the freshman fifteen? Now we have to worry about the Corona fifteen. #thestruggleisreal

Because when you realize you are not going to Hawaii, peanut M & M's and chips fly into your grocery cart.  True story.  

The weather has been lovely until today. Things are getting done in the yard.  Everyone's hands are clean. Surfaces are clean.  Laundry is caught up. Books are getting read. Our taxes are finished.  Annie is clean, bed is made and she is ready to go camping.

I'm talking to friends or family on the phone and having some good visits. I try to call someone every day and be encouraging.  It turns out I am blessed more than I intend to bless.

We will get through this virus. Hubby and I have always maintained we can do just about anything, if it's temporary.  When he was gone to training for 3+months and left me home alone with those three boys, it was temporary and we got through it. When I'm subbing in a classroom and it's going badly, think out of control and bodily fluids, it's only one day.  Power through.

Let's give grace to each other.  We aren't all mourning the same things. We aren't here to judge whether someone should take their kids to the grocery store or  for a walk. Our government has never dealt with a pandemic, give them grace. The last thing anyone needs is to be harshly judged.  I like to think that everyone is doing their best.  And I'm praying that our best is enough.

My Mom had a small blue vase, she always picked the first daffodils, and made a bouquet for her window sill. I did the same last week. I'm finding joy in the little things and I am praying that you can too.  Take care my friends, give grace, do some self care, read your Bible and love your people and others and please stay home. I love you and your heavenly Father does too.
Take care~

Thus Concludes January

Hubby and I had no plans to go anywhere in January, February or March.   Sort of the calm before the storm and a good time for projects.  The best laid plans and all that...

January turned into a fun and busy month.  Our friends, Jeremy and Rene' youngest daughter got married and we went to Winlock, WA for a weekend.  If you ever need a wedding within three weeks, call Jeremy and Rene' for tips.  They emptied a barn, made it beautiful, created guest housing, and cooked and baked for 60. It was so pretty and the food was delicious.  We had a good time with them and with their kids.

 The next weekend we went to Enumclaw, I had a Sisters on the Fly luncheon and we got time at Larry and Shelly's house. I don't know how Shelly did it but she had a full house for lunch, house guests and then her and Larry made dinner for eight. It's so good to see our camping peeps in the winter.

 The next weekend my brother, Ken and Carolyn got married.  It was a beautiful wedding, Carolyn wore my Mom's going away wool suit.  It was in Lynden and that was good since our crawl space flooded and we needed to take care of that issue.  Actually, Hubby and Max took care of it, who are we kidding. 

 A few of our guys and their girls came home for the wedding.  We love having them around and Max and Kassie brought Bo. We love their dog and hadn't seen him for a long time.  He's such a good dog!

#goodtoseehisownerstoo

 I've been painting a small cabinet for silverware storage. Why do projects look like they will take me two hours and end up taking days? And days. Ugh! I'm close and my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint expert is chiming in to get me to the finish line.  I'll share the finished picture in February or when it gets finished. June?

Hubby and I are hitting the oranges hard.  I had a sinus infection in January and it has settled in my ears. Does anyone else take elderberry syrup and chews? I have been but how does anyone know if anything really works? Would it be worse?

I stacked coupons on Loft and bought a soft jacket for under $12. The soft, yummy, lounge wear jacket is fantastic to wear with pj pants and a tank.  Sizes are disappearing so hurry!  And the coupons aren't as good now but keep watching and stack'em!

Y'all know I love snow and Tuesday the snow fell straight down. I had the day off and it was the stuff that winter dreams are made of.  Yes, I just ended a sentence with a preposition. 

I'm reading The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.  It's an easy, fun read and that's just what I needed.

Love Week is coming up and I am putting together a few special Valentines.

I'm dreaming of summer, camping, the rivers, the sunshine.  Until then I am making some changes in the living room and plan to deep clean the laundry room. Working now so I can play all summer!

This concludes January. It turned into a jam packed month with weddings, weekends away and weather events. Now for some February projects and Love Week. Enjoy!