Day Three Hundred Thirty Seven

Please Don't Eat The Candles

My candy cane candles look good enough to eat--except maybe for the wicks sticking out the ends. They sort of look like fancy firecrackers. It's s-l-o-w-l-y starting to look like Christmas around here.

Day Three Hundred Thirty Six

'Tis The Season

I'll be the first to admit that Christmas is not one of my favorite holidays, so I have to warm up to the idea of decorating and ease into it. Today I took down the Thanksgiving flag and put up the Santa Ho Ho Ho flag (which says oH oH oH on the flip side).

Found this small berry and pine cone wreath half price at Hobby Lobby not long ago and hung it on the pie safe in the dining room. Festive, isn't it? I know. It's not much. But it's a start. Tomorrow, I just might break out the candy cane candles.

Day Three Hundred Thirty Five

Never Ignore Anything In The Shape Of A Heart

Impossible to ignore this perfectly heart-shaped leaf. It caught my eye as I was pulling out of the driveway at lunch time today. Since the leaf isn't much longer for this world, I thought a portrait was fitting. A valentine in December.

Day Three Hundred Thirty Four

Sweet!

Grand daughter Shelby's third grade teacher picked up on the fact that Shelby loves the whole 'Twilight Saga' stories. Of course, Shelby has made no secret of it. When Shelby got in from school this afternoon, she couldn't wait to show me what her teacher had given to her today--a package of Twilight New Moon creme filled chocolates. No kidding. Shelby was so pleased and excited that she immediately began to create a thank you card for her teacher.

The one she opened was inside a Bella wrapper. It says Bella on the first heart and Cullen on the second heart, along with the Cullen family crest. How cool is that! Shelby says her teacher told her she found these at K-Mart. What a sweet thing for a teacher to do for a student. This teacher is obviously paying attention. And, yes, Shelby thoroughly enjoyed her chocolate!

Day Three Hundred Thirty Three

Christmas Tree Shopping

It's our family tradition to head out to Savage Christmas Tree Farm near Baxter, Tennessee, the weekend after Thanksgiving to pick out our Christmas tree. Just follow the sign ...

Our traditional tree is White Pine. We like the long, soft needles. The tree farm seems to be trending toward the Frazier Fir, though. Cutting down a tree that is specifically grown to become a Christmas tree is best for the environment they say and will certainly stay fresher longer, especially in a house with a wood stove (which keeps us toasty all winter).

Such a beautiful day for tree shopping. We were thankful for the mild, dry weather this time out.

The one. We tagged this one and will return for it in a couple of weeks.

Can you see the Mockingbird perched atop this huge Frazier Fir like a tiny ornament? That little bird was happily singing its lungs out. So sweet. Probably some Christmas carol. It's that time of year again.