What a difference some ribbon can make!

At suggestion of one of my good friends I decided to add  touch of red to my our main Christmas Tree.

AFTER

BEFORE

 

 

 

I was a little hesitant but am very happy with the results. (As Kelsey and I always say: Anna is the the crafty one with style and she and I spend a lot longer trying!) The red ribbon on the tree ties together the whole room, just like Anna suggested~

Happy Holidays 2011

Holiday Festivities

I am enjoying some vacation time and Stuart and I were able to go to several Christmas celebrations last weekend. I am off again this weekend and we plan to host friends for dinner on Friday and then Rachel comes home from Italy late Saturday night! This the season for staying busy and we are looking forward to hosting a large family dinner on the 20th and that the Carnahan Family will be joining us from Albuquerque.

Connor playing music on the piano at the Williams Spanyer Christmas

Beckham was less enthused when the music turned into noise!

View of the 2nd Street Bridge

Our first visit to the Yum Center thanks to the Bird Family

In Hodgenville at Kelsey and Rhett's Ugly Sweater party

trying to show off my socks

the host and hostess

Girls night Christmas Celebration (Anna even had Billy babysit!)

Outdoor Iceskating rink in Jeffersonville, IN

It took a few minutes but I remembered how to skate or maybe we should call it staying on my feet

Christmas Decorations

It only took about a week (thanks to my new addiction to pinterest and that we only decorated in one room of bigger house last year) but Stuart and I are proud to show some of our Christmas decorations. We had a blast decorating and hope many of you get to come by and see our hard work in person because pictures just don't do justice! 

Christ the reason for the season!

The bar all decorated with "snowpeople"

Center piece: attempting to use what we have (thanks for giving me courage pinterest!)

Peppermint cheesecake and white layer cake

Our big Christmas tree that we inherited from Grandma Clemons

Ball ornaments (idea courtesy of pinterest)

Entryway tree

Hall tree with keys saved by Grayma

up close view of one of the keys

We love our dining room table (one of my best Craigslist finds)

First attempt at the mantle, we loved the candy canes but even with polyurethane they didn't hold up to using the fireplace

So we had to settle for just the stockings (so happy that I bought them as an after thought at the Ballard craft show!)

The canes got a new home over the doors

Peppermint tree made my Stuart as a present for me!

and a candy cane wreath also made by my hubby for me!

Thanksgiving

At my parents on no sleep after working. Some how this was the only picture we took!

Baby Beckham was so much fun to play with!

The men watching football

helping Ellen Cook

Connor loves his numbers

Even exhausted Connor always steals the show!

Denver

Stuart and I took a trip back in November to Denver Colorado. Stuart was attending a conference and I tagged along.

Chili Beer was awesome, too bad we can't get it in KY

We loved the Rail Yard Mustard so much that we ordered some for Christmas presents!

While Stuart was busy the most exciting thing I did (beside shopping)

Clownfish and Sea anemones (remember how they work together?)

400 pound grouper letting a cleaner fish clean inside its very large mouth

another view of the grouper

Feeding the archerfish: they spray water to knock bugs down into the water

close up view of the archerfish

Moon Jellies

another amazing meal at Wynkoop Brewery

 We both enjoyed the trip but were very glad to come to good ole Kentucky!

Happy Halloweeeeeennnnnnnn

Those of you that know me know I'm a sucker for all thinks pumpkin. Pumpkin creamer, pumpkin butter, pumpkin coffee,  pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin ice cream...You get the picture!

At Kelsy and Rhett's Halloween Party in Hodgenville

Heff and his bunny

I'm actual starting to bake cookies from scratch: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip

Neighborhood Halloween Party

I love that my neighborhood does this

cute little girl at the neighborhood "after party"

all decorated except we only had one trick or treat er since we got home so late!