Scrooge

Do you find the Christmas season to be a bit overwhelming?

Too much pressure?

Too commercial?

 

Or maybe you're just not feelin' it?

 

Then these signs are just for you,

complete with barbwire hangers....

 

 

Ha!

 

Random Thanks

It goes without saying that what I'm most thankful for is God and my family. Actually, it shouldn't go without saying, it should be said every day, and I do make a conscience effort to do just that.

But what else am I thankful for? Well let's see. (in no particular order)

Indoor plumbing. Especially an indoor toilet. And we have more than one! Not that many years ago, that would have been the ultimate luxury!

Electricity.

Random acts of kindness.

Orange juice.

Friends that have become family.

Family that has become friends.

Heat from a wood stove.

Fall leaves.

Laughter and a good sense of humor.

Church.

Good music.

A warm bed that's inside four walls with a roof over the top.

The power of prayer.

The seemingly endless overtime George is working. Because we lived through the days when there was no work, and we are well aware that it could happen again anytime.

The great people who support my store by shopping there and spreading the word about it. Small business owners see their customers as much more than a number. We get to know you, and we care about you.

A son-in-law who makes our daughter smile.

A daughter-in-law who does the same for our son.

Cell phones. Especially when we have to call our daughter and son-in-law when we're traveling to their place. It seems every time, something goes wrong, and we're making the "Um, Brian, we seem to be lost" call. And every time he helps us. We're very thankful that he likes us well enough that he doesn't let us just wander around Washington DC all night.

Daughter Jessica's sweet voice when she calls from so far away. (Ok, it's only 5 hours or so, but when she's there instead of here, it seems she's a million miles away).

Pumpkin pie.

Good memories. And the ability our mind has to let the bad memories dim while the good ones get better and better.

The farm animals that son Kevin keeps collecting. He's starting to live his dream, and in the process, George is getting to play too.

Kevin's bride who shares his love of farming. He didn't think he would ever find her, but like magic, Katie appeared in his life. 

Cooper's Rock State Forest in WV. My favorite place in the world.

Eyeglasses.

Kitty cats and puppy dogs.

My parents. George's parents. We miss them so....

George's love. God blessed me much more than I deserved when He gave me such a good man to share my life with.

And the children we raised together, who grew into fine adults we love more than life itself.

Well......how about you? Do you have a list?

Know what's great? If we take the time, every day, the list can change as we think of the many blessings we have. Even in the rough times, there's so many little things to be thankful for, and those little things add up into big things.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh! That reminds me! I'm thankful for pop-up timers on turkeys!

There's a snowman in that window

I've got a pile of old windows begging to be upcycled. I pulled out 3 and painted snowmen on them:

 

 

 

 

 

I like how these turned out, so I think I'll pull some more out of the pile and paint more snowmen.

Wood boxes, snowman style

I thought it would be fun to paint some old wood boxes,

and this time of year, snowmen come to mind.

On this box, I painted the "think snow" design on one side.

 

And an Americana design on the other.

Suitable for all seasons!

 

 

On this one, I painted snowflakes on one side.

 

 

And stuck with the snowman theme on the other side as well.

 

 

This one is frosty friends on one side.

You can use it with your holiday decor by turning it this direction,

then after the holidays, just turn it around to the unpainted side.

 

I'm going to have to scrounge up some more old boxes!

Blanket Box with Newspaper History

This old box had a purpose in it's day...........

It's a blanket box, the lid lifts off.

All the blanket boxes we've had have been covered in wallpaper.

I'm assuming that served two purposes:

1.Keep bugs out.

 2. Look pretty.

 

I'm sure at one time, that paper was pretty, but now....... not so much.

If you prefer the REALLY primitive look, you could leave it as is.

For me personally, I'd scrape it off.

 

And usually, I'd scrape the inside paper off too, but in this case,

I'd consider leaving it there. Why? Check this out......

 

It's lined with a local newspaper.

The Wheeling (WV) News-Register.

  

 

From Sunday, April 4, 1948!

 

On the opposite side of the box, you can see the date again,

along with a list of the movies playing at one of the local theaters.

(The photo makes it look like there's mold in the top right corner, but it's not mold. It's just a place where the paper is torn) 

 

 

And check out these prices!

A full bedroom set for the grand total of $249.

A baby carriage for $34.99.

 

This box may be an ugly duckling on the outside,

but the inside is a fun glimpse into our past!