ITS BEGINING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE.....

A BIG MESS....Oh I mean Christmas..wow this looks bad, Monday night and we can't even get to the dinner table, well Autumn and Michael found a spot for their dinner... Oh boy and to think this is just family room and some kitchen decorations you should see the rest of the house...NO WAY...I might be crazy to show one but I haven't totally lost all dignity.


Well it all started on Sunday evening after having a nice birthday dinner at my MIL house for my hubby, this is what I started on as my children brought Christmas boxes from the downstairs. I went thru them one by one by one....and got rid of about 5 box's full so far.
But here I am taking last years lights off my wreath that goes above garage door and putting all white lights up for this year. Of course I'm also watching Sunday night football. he he




Mike has to stand on the top off his truck bed to get our wreath up, I put so many lights on that big wreath a plane might land there!!! Oh no, I forgot the huge red bow...That will have to wait for hubby to get back, He'll love me....

Now on to today a little sneak look of the foyer..

And of the dinning room

Of course our home would not be complete without the Grinch...Sneak look at my Grinch room.

So today is the last day of November and a very special day in our home for the Man of the house...It's my Hubby's birthday ....All my love hubby...and I pray you have many more happy healthy years to come.

I need to get off this computer you all saw how much work I need to get done. More pics soon.

Happy decorating to all and to all a goodnight.

HUGS,

Jolyn

THANKSGIVING DAY AT OUR HOME

My baby girl helping light the candle for Thanksgiving dinner. This year we had 16 guests for Thanksgiving, here in the dining room we had 6 and in the dinette area 6 and on another table 4. This year our family was so honored to be able to have a guest in our home, that just got a home for himself. See our one guest was homeless 3 weeks ago sleeping where ever and had nothing but clothes on his back. Now he does work, he takes bus back and forth now from his home. It was truly a blessing to see how grateful he was to come to our home. We have helped him get some things he needed like a bed, new set of clothes a coat, towels and other items along with food. This gentleman is 45 years old and had been having a lot of bad times. So to see him so Thankful for everything and when we were getting ready to eat he said he hadn't ate since the day before and that was a bowl of soup. My family and all that was in our home on Thanksgiving day welcomed him like he was one of us...Johnny talked and laughed and boy did he eat....alot....I loved it. My Aunt made a cake and Johnny tried it and he lit up like a Christmas tree Oh my this is awesome he said my birthday is Dec. 9Th....we all laughed....But you know what I will remember him on that day and looking forward to treating him to a wonderful birthday...So as he was preparing to be taken home I said Johnny I'm making you up some left overs to take home...He said Oh thank you Mam...I would love that...all I have is 2 eggs in the frig!!!! Lord God How I Thank You For Johnny and his wonderful spirit....
So moving right along, to this wonderful picture Thanksgiving morning still in my gown preparing our meal for the day

My Autumn took this I was getting sweet potatoes ready for the oven. I thought this looked so good, and it was.

My Mike took care of the Turkey from start to finish. He did something new this year it was soaking our turkey overnight in brine, and followed one of the guys directions from the food network on baking it Alton Brown. It was all by temperature not time. Here it is almost down except some browning but I needed to get gravy made and did this ever give me lots of juice for gravy and Oh so GOOD!!!

Well with thermometer in hand, temperature at 167 turkey is done and ready to rest for 1/2 hour.

Oh so moist. This is first time I didn't stuff the turkey with stuffing.

My Dad carving the turkey for dinner. It was a 25 pound turkey and almost every bit gone.

Thank you all that came and spent this day of Thankfulness with us. But we need to all remember every day is a day to be thankful...

NOW ITS TIME TO PREPARE OUR HOME FOR CHRISTMAS AS WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS....

Love to all,

Jolyn

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

My prayer is for you all to have a very safe,happy,healthy Thanksgiving day. Remember I heard calories don't count on Thanksgiving day so go ahead and enjoy all guilt free of course..!!!

I want to say I am so very Thankful to all my family and friends near and far...Big hugs to you and all my love.

May God Bless You All,
Jolyn

IS IT HAPPY HOLIDAYS OR MERRY CHRISTMAS?

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON
Twas the month before Christmas **When all through our land ** Not a Christian was praying **Nor taking a stand, **See the PC Police had taken away, **The reason for Christmas -no one could say, **The children were told by their schools not to sing, **About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things, **It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say **December 25th is just a 'Holiday'. **Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit **Pushing folks down to the floor just got to get it! **CDs from Madonna, and XBox, and I-pod **Something was changing, something quite odd! **Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa **In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda, **As Targets were hanging their trees upside down **At Lowe's the word Christmas-was no where to be found **At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears *You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears. **Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty* *Are words that were used to intimidate me. **Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen **On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton! **At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter **To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter. **And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith **Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace **The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded **The reason for the season, stopped before it started. **So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree' **Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me, **Choose your words carefully, choose what you say **Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS,Not Happy Holiday! *Please, all Christians join together and Wish everyone you meet during the holidays a
MERRY CHRIST-MAS
JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON

Wow this was very well said I thought, What do you all think I would love to hear your view?

I had came upon this wonderful poem on a new blog I visited yesterday, I asked if she minded if I copied this poem from her blog and she said go right ahead. I want to thank D from the blog dsdaydreams.blogspot.com
Stop by and give her a visit.

Have a wonderful day friends.
Hugs,
Jolyn

TREASURED TIME WITH FRIENDS

We did it!!!!We finally got together, and what a relaxed visit it was for me. I so needed this visit and didn't realize till they got here. See Susie and I have been friends since middle school back in the late 70's, as seasons change so does life. Through many years that have past without seeing each other or even talking, our God has a way of putting people, friends back into your life for another season. Only this time at this point in our life our seasons will run together not apart again.
Ron, Susie and the children game over for a visit yesterday. We have been planning on us getting together since the end of July at Megan's sixteenth birthday party, it took us 3 1/2 month's. Much better than the 20 years that past before. Speaking of that, Susie and I were talking at lunch how fun it would have been to have been able to raise our children together since they were young and go through our pregnancies together, I guess we were just chatting about life we didn't get to share and how Blest we are to have our time together now.
After lunch at Hometown Buffet, that's were my Dad works and manages, we got back to our home and sat back talked, laughed, and got caught up on everything. In this picture is myself, Megan, Autumn and Susie. The pillow case Megan and Autumn are holding up is one Megan is cross stiching for her girlfriends wedding next month that Megan gets to be a bridesmaid in. It is so very pretty and they are HIS and HER"s done in navy and gold color. Susie is crocheting an afghan for them as a wedding gift and of course I love the colors, they are Khaki and Autumn Maroon color. To think they said it relaxes them to do this....Not me I want everything done yesterday.

Our fourteen year old daughter's. They are so different and yet alike. They both have their own unique personality's and style and get along so well with their God given sense of humor, they just crack you up. What a bond they share at this age when girls tend to back away from their peers and feel odd meeting someone they don't know.....Not these two, close right from the start their main thing they have in common is their relationship with the Lord. I sure love you both.

Then we have Anna Banana...she is 4 and so very full of energy. Her and Lexi had a wonderful time together. Let's see they both got kiss's and Anna fed Lexi cookie's (treats) and Oh ya Anna was training Lexi to follow her and when to stop and start..she called Lexi something like Bandit- I don't remember it,it was a movie about a dog. Autumn also got out her doll house and little people, some bears and clothes Anna had a wonderful time.

Then poor sweet Ronnie he is 8 I believe, Am I right Ronnie, if not I'm sorry bud..Anyway Autumn got him out, play station and some bi-onicals to play with. Mike took him out and he carried wood in for the stove...but the poor guy was kind of bored....I just love him he has such a special heart and boy is he a hockey fan and loves those Penquins...

As you can see miss Sara and I are intense here..she is my go to for any questions or help I need for my blog. So while she was here I saved her sanity and had her help me change over my fall background to my winter background...I'll just say it got to the point I better make a decision on what I wanted or she was putting what she wanted up....See I needed her to say UGGG to me every time I said no not that...well I don't think...or yukkk or let's look at something else....I said I will take that and went with it....Thank you for being so patient with me...LOVE YOU!! :)She is my comical girl, full of fun and life and very strong in her personel relationship with our Lord. She has her own funky style and would help anyone in a second....

Autumn and Anna in Autumn's room..Anna's question coming from a 4 year old to Autumn was Why do you wear those pants...where is your skirt.....How cute..see they only wear dresses or skirts..the innocence of a child, I so miss that, well sometimes... And Anna loves to give huge hugs..I got some real big ones from her...I just wish I could get some of the energy to go with it.

Now, this is my dear sweet, kind hearted melt your heart you can't help but love her Megan..Look at those beautiful eyes of hers..She is truly a women of God. She is most like me, worry wort's, but has every ones best interest at heart. What a wife and mother she will make one day. She so loves homemaking, cooking and all that goes with doing for others. She is more shy and quiet but when she laughs the room just lights up...Right now she is so looking forward to her girlfriends wedding she's in next month.

Last but by far not leased is the Mother of these wonderful Godly children and my dearest friend Susie...How did we not get a picture of us dear friend. Susie was looking through my Amish cook book called Wooden Spoons written by a 16 year old Amish girl in Sugarcreek. Anyway we started laughing so hard when she said I have a wooden spoon and pulled her wooden spoon out from her bag...one side has a happy face the other a sad face...she said I carried this in the car in case I needed it....It was so funny I'm sure all she has to do is pull it out show the sad face and that's the end of it....Anyway..are dear hubby's of course were here, and we finished off the evening with the most fabulous cake, Susie made for me, it was a white cake with Dutz's icing...You haven't tasted good till you had this ...oh so good, in fact after eating pizza we dug I mean cut into the cake. We were supposed to sing happy birthday to me, Sara, Anna and Mike but I couldn't wait for everyone to get in the room so we sliced it and ewww and awwwwed away with each bite and forgot a picture of the cake AND the adorable slippers Susie knitted me and also gave me some handmade salad tongs...LOVE THEM..Thank you so very much..By the way Susie, mom walked in my office today... you guessed it... with my slippers on you made me and said these fit me look....God love her....

So dear friend thanks for coming from Pittsburgh to Ohio to visit us. I hope Ron got some rest before he went into work...All our love. We are looking at our next visit from Ohio to Pittsburgh very soon.

UNEXPECTED GREAT NIGHT OUT

Last was a wonderful time. Around 1:30 pm hubby called asked do I want to go to the Cav's game tonight we got 6 tickets...Inside I was thinking no, I have to get my hair washed and .....But I said wow six that means we can all go. He said they are VIP tickets. So I called my Dad at work to see if he and mom would be interested.....sure that sounds great. So I got myself moving thinking I need to get out after all this itching and being in the house. Everyone was home by 4:30 and away we went. we stopped up to meet with Joe a great friend of ours and picked up the tickets and headed to Cleveland for the game. We got a wonderful parking spot and it was a nice evening out.

Headed up to our seated area and of course all the food was free and boy did everyone eat. They had prime rib and potatoes and green beans and salad at one area, Then pumpkin ravioli at another. wings, hot dogs and cheese and crackers along with a huge ice cream sundae area. If that wasn't enough at half time they brought out all kinds of desserts and coffee's you just get what you want sit at tables or take to your seats. We all so enjoyed and of course over ate...
The game itself is always entertaining and fun and we WON.

I'm so thankful to times that are last minute and work out so good and we can all be together..

REMEMBER YOUR FIRST CONCERT??

Wow how time flies, I was thinking back to my first concert, how old I was, who I saw and who I went with. It was Neil Diamond and I was 17, I went with a guy I truly loved (so I thought). It was in Cleveland Ohio. Remember when Neil Diamond came out with the Jazz Singer..I am showing my age..The second concert I went to was Journey and I did go with my one and only true love this time at 17 years old.
So all that to say, my baby girl went to her first concert Sunday night with out her mama. Her daddy got her and her friend Kylie tickets to see Mylie Cyrus. I guess I wanted to be there and experience it all with her, didn't work that way. Not only was I not there no parent was there, but hubby assured me it would all be ok, he had it worked out. See I have a hard time with letting him work it out or handling my children (I mean our children). Mom always knows best or so we think or I think, anyway he handled it. He and His friend got 4 tickets 2 for his daughter and two for ours. Now his friends daughter is a senior and older, I felt better. The one Dad walked the girls up to the Q and got them inside while the other drove around. Then the Dads went across the street to Winking Lizard to eat and watch football till Concert was over. Great job you did Dad's and the girls had a wonderful time.
Here are the girls my Autumn 3rd from left and her friend Kylie last on right.
Here she is Mylie Cyrus herself.

Autumn enjoyed the concert and dancing to the music.

I really enjoy some of Mylie's songs also, The Climb, Party in the USA, Hoedown from Hanna Montana movie.

A true memory my Autumn will never forget. They got home a little after 11 pm and we let her sleep in the next morning till 7:30 and then to school she went.

OUR TRIP TO PUERTO RICO

Finally I am posting sorry I have been gone for 2 weeks, I thought where do I start...I guess right where I left off...at our resort in Grand Malia Puerto Rico. Here we are on Monday morning. How beautiful everything is here. we are at the main pool area this day. This day I was out of commission, I was up all night with hives and itching awful. So when Mike was at our private pool area this was going on while I was finally sleeping...This model they were doing a shoot for Trump..He is building a golf course and villas next door...

It was great seeing our guys having fun acting like boys and enjoying them self relaxing.. You see them all year working so hard, that it fills so good to see them play and have fun.

This was our last day before we left I was walking around the resort, you know how the last day feels, back to reality and cold weather with winter ahead. This was the first day that had very high dew point and tropical. there was a hurricane out there and the bands were to hit this area in the next couple days. God sure did give us a fabulous week.

Some of us checking out and waiting for the bus to take us back to the airport. Hubby was so hot running around to get bottled water for me...

This was the view out our patio that we woke up to every morning. Or my case slept thru two mornings from hives.

This was our room. Isn't it so pretty, Mike looked at the bed and said I don't know if I can sleep with that over me. haha..

There was a lot I didn't get pictures of since the first night when we went to bed I said "wow my head itches so bad like I got bee bites" Well who knew that would be the start of as of now 14 days of hives from an allergic reaction....Hmmm that will be my next blog...

But we had a wonderful relaxing when I could trip, great uneventful flights and we are home safe and sound...

LAST NIGHT FOR PUERTO RICO

I am just relaxing in between benadryl and itching....I have had horad hives this whole week all over....but we still have had a wonderful exciting relaxing.....week. I have alot of pictures to upload when we get back...

HUGS TO ALL,
Jolyn