Christmas 2012 Review

Merry Christmas!  What a wonderful holiday season this was!  It was filled with Christmas shopping, baking, card making, gift wrapping, family and friends, football games and of course celebrating the birth of Jesus!  I put priority on relaxing and enjoying the season so much that I didn't take as many pictures of decor.   But I'm okay with it because I had an incredible time!  Here's our Christmas time 2012 review:

The nativity scene on the entrance way table

I love this Santa.  I've had him for close to 15 years

This is my pretend mantel...

Look closely, you can see Darth Vader in the Christmas Village -- courtesy of my Sweetheart....

Our Christmas Tree.  I don't know if I mentioned this before but the tree is about 25 years old.  It's a tree that Sweetheart's mom gave him about 12 years ago.  It was the Christmas tree that she used in their home back in NM.  When she moved out here, she gave it to him.  I absolutely love the tree ~ it's old and falling apart but I still love it.  Sweetheart on the other hand promises to toss it out each year but I just won't let him.  As long as it will stand, we will use it.  This year we had a hard time getting the star to sit straight up so for most of the month it leaned to the left.  It was pretty comical to light up the tree and see the star leaning -- I would tell visitors to tilt their head to the left and then look at the tree.....

Sweetheart's mom gave us this ornament last year -- she bought it in Miami, Fl. 

The magnet board below the picture was a gift from Sweetheart.  I  used it to hold our Christmas cards.  

My handmade Christmas cards:

Me and Sweetheart at his company holiday party

We had such a wonderful time at his party.  I wish I had a better picture of us; let's just say we had already started to have "fun" when I pulled my phone out to take this picture!  :)

I'm looking forward to 2013!

Date Night ~

My Sweetheart makes me feel so special.....

Sweetheart and I had an impromptu Date Night on Thursday.  He was given tickets to the Phoenix Sun's game by one of his vendors.   We are not huge basketball fans but it's always nice to go to the games.  And it's one of the perks of Sweetheart's job so we get to go often.  This particular night was filled with LOTS of activities during pre-game, half time and TV timeouts.  I didn't get any pictures of anything other than us when we got to our seats.

Sweetheart always makes me feel so special ~ and I had a lovely time with him! 

♥

Game 8 Cards vs. Rams

The Cardinals have had 8 straight losses in a row.   At the time of this game, it was 6 losses in a  row and the anticipation (or my wishful thoughts) were that we would break that streak.  It didn't happen.  What more is there to say?   Nothing.

Just look at the pics....

My favorite part of the game

This always touches me -- the prayer in the end zone  before the game

At this point, I'm just getting pictures of players I like.
My favorite kicker Jay Feely

Steven Jackson

See #91, that's Chris Long, Howie Long's son

Patrick Peterson ~ what's not to love?

My favorite Big Red Bird! 

Prayer after the game

QB, Sam Bradford

Head Coach, Jeff Fisher

My pictures are dull and my comments are dull.  

There's just not much to write about.  

I'm just saying.......

I still love my Cards.

Next home game is December 16, 2012 against the Lions.

Go CARDS!

Thanksgiving weekend

There was zero Black Friday activity at he PPD household.  Well, I take that back; an attempt was made.  On our way back from Tucson on Thanksgiving night, I had convinced Sweetheart to drop me off at Target so I could do some Black Friday shopping.   He was then going to pick me up hours later when I was done. Well I made it as far as the parking lot.  The store opened at 9pm and we got there about 9:45 -- the parking lot was the fullest I have EVER seen it.   As we drove to the front of the store where Sweetheart was going to drop me off, we found ourselves among erratically driving, maniac shoppers.  I decided to just head home.

So Friday, Saturday and Sunday was black Friday shopping free.  Instead what we did was put away all the Thanksgiving decor and put out ALL the Christmas decor.  We trimmed the tree, hung the outdoor Christmas lights, put up the Nativity scene and my Christmas Village.  It was a very ambitious plan that I put together on Thursday night on the ride home from Tucson.  Luckily, Sweetheart was on board and we got it all done.

All except the pictures which I'll post as soon as I can.  I have every Friday from now until January off and a few days in between.  I am so going to enjoy this wonderful holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving 

from our family to yours!

Thanksgiving Style

Time for another tour.....

(Click to photo to enlarge)

I used the same wreath that I made in 2010 here and it's holding up pretty well.  Apparently, I was on a feather kick that year...

The entrance way table has Mr. and Mrs. Pilgrim, one of many around the house: 

I love the colors of Autumn with the glow of candles...

Pumpkins and pine cones add that touch of holiday charm:

On the coffee table, more pumpkins and pine cones to give a hint of Thanksgiving:

In the dining area, I added some Thanksgiving subway art, pine cones and berries:

Along with more pumpkins, candles and  a berry wreath:

Another set of pilgrims: 

A simple centerpiece of pumpkins and gourds:

 I made this a few years ago too.  I hung this one on the garage door:

More pilgrim people:

A splash of color here and there with these cute pumpkins:

In addition to my pilgrims, I have Indians too:

And again, since I don't have an actual mantle, I pretend:

Autumn leaves and candles makes for a very simple, yet warm (pretend) mantle. 

I love having an entire month of warm fall colors to really get us in the holiday mood. 

Next up:  CHRISTMAS! 

My Halloween Treat

Sweetheart surprised me with a Halloween treat yesterday.  He sent me a bouquet of flowers that were formed into two little doggies: a devil and an angel!    The picture just does not do the actual arrangement justice, it is absolutely adorable!  The two "doggies" are sitting in a wicker basket shaped like a doggy bed.
I was so surprised when the receptionist brought them over to me -- what a truly thoughtful guy he is!  When I called him to thank him, I asked him why he sent them.  His answer was simple:  "you deserve them".

Flowers always make a girl feel special, but a "just because" bouquet makes a girl feel on top of the world! 

Thank you Sweetheart, I am truly a lucky girl!