Slaton Christmas Blog: November 2008

Showing newest 4 of 6 posts from November 2008. Show older posts

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

"Close Knit Family" Treee

"Close Knit Family" Tree, 2008

November 26, 2008

I had originally planned to call our family and Hallmark ornament tree "Traditions". But, when we got to decorating it tonight and putting it up, I ended up putting a collection of miniature sweaters and stockings on the tree. And it dawned on me... This is a family and traditions tree, and I'm using the sweater collection on it. Why not call the tree something really cute like "Close Knit Family" Tree? So, the traditions tree has a new name. :) Mom came up to help me do the ribbon and filler/ting tings. I'm not good with the ribbon. It drives me nuts. Mom is amazing with it. I'm glad she came to help. It was a lot of fun. We decorated trees while Tiffani watched a Rockettes DVD, and earlier when Ryan and I were working this afternoon we turned on Christmas Carols and worked for several hours to those. It was great. :)

Ryan and I worked a long time this morning unloading boxes from the barn with ornaments and trees. I ended up getting 3 trees done today, all of which were major ones I was doing. I got the Woodlands tree done, and our Travel tree is done. I'm happy with everything so far. The Close Knit tree is my favorite though.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season so far and has a great Thanksgiving tomorrow! More pictures of today's decorating below. Thanks for reading!!

Keeping Christmas In My Heart,

*Heth*

Close Knit Family Tree

Woodlands Tree

Travel Tree

Woodlands Tree

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Christmas is Coming!

Ryan's "First Attempt Bow Masterpiece"

November 23, 2008

What a crazy few days we've had, but it has been great. We had Ryan's parents coming over yesterday and his grandmother and we wanted the house to look really nice so we spent a lot of time this week cleaning and getting part of our Christmas decorating done (nowhere near all of it though!). I finally had a chance to sit down and take several pictures tonight.

I got our mantle pretty much finished. The stockings for each of the kids need to have a picture added to them, and of course I've got to finish filling them, but other than that the mantle is pretty much done.

I hung a beautiful tea-light chandelier in our bathroom that Ryan's mom had given us. It is so pretty! I'm not too happy with the bow I made for it. I've never made bows before so it didn't turn out so hot, but I did use it anyways. The bow in the picture above is one Ryan did with my remaining ribbon while I was hanging the chandelier. Who knew he could make bows?! He apparently didn't either! lol Little does he know, he's going to be making my bows from now on! He has been so wonderful and helpful with all of the cleaning and decorating. Tonight he installed a new dishwasher (A "Christmas present" for me. :) ) and I'm already loving it. Our other one was just not doing the job, and I was spending as much time unloading and reloading the SAME dishes as I was doing anything else. We also got some electrical boxes and supplies tonight to have 4 outdoor outlets wired in. We've got an electrician who is going to wire them for us, directly from our meter box so that we've got more power for outdoor lights as well. I'm really wanting to get that done before Jody's kids come at Thanksgiving.

I also got my "Cooking Up Christmas" tree finished, and its got a picture below as well. I've worked a lot on my hutch just off our dining area and I've got my tea-tree up in there. It's still got a few ornaments I need to put on it but for the most part I'm happy with it as well.

I don't have garlands up on the bookshelf yet, but the Reindeer Reader's Library is very much in motion. The bookshelf picture you see is entirely Christmas books! It is one of my collections I am most proud of. On the Christmas To The Max group list I am a part of, we are in the process of doing a Secret Santa Exchange. My secret Santa sent me 4 miniature Christmas books this week. I was so thrilled with them! They're with my collection now as well.

The snowman picture is of a Lenox piece I got this year called "Sam's Soda Shoppe". It is sooo cute! I just love it. There are other pieces similar to it, I'd love to start collecting them. The butterfly tree picture is also of a Lenox piece I got. The coolest part is, both pieces are limited and numbered, and I got them for about 75% off at Marshalls this week, and there's not a darn thing wrong with them!

Better get off here for now. I need to get on in bed- Work awaits tomorrow and there's a lot of decorating to do this week as well!

Thanks for reading!!!

Keeping Christmas In My Heart,

*Heth*

Reindeer Reader's Library Shelf

A One-of-a-kind Raggedy "Chloe" I got at Canton Last Month

"Sam's Soda Shoppe" by Lenox

Top of my Reindeer Readers Library Bookshelf

Our Wreath at the back door (Why its crooked in the picture, I'm not sure)

Lenox "Butterfly" Tree

Peppermint Candles by our tub

Soaps basket, featuring Ryan's bow

Our Chandelier from Ryan's parents

Another one of Ryan's bows

Dining Area Hutch

Tea Tree

Kitchen Table

Our Fireplace and Mantle

Monday, November 17, 2008

More Nashville Fun!

One of Santa's Elves at Bass Pro Shops

November 17, 2008

VIEW MY ENTIRE NASHVILLE PICTURE COLLECTION HERE

We are on our way home from Nashville tonight. I miss the festivities already. We went on the General Jackson Showboat for a luncheon cruise yesterday and got to see Tim Watson, a wonderful fiddle player! He did a great Christmas show and was so entertaining. Ryan, Tiffani, and I got to meet him after the show and get autographs. A picture of Ryan and I with him is below. If you ever get the chance to go to Nashville, make sure he’s going to be performing that day! It’s so great.

Ryan, Tiffani, and I went shopping afterwards (again) at Opry Mills mall. We went and took pictures of the Christmas decorations at Bass Pro Shops and the Christmas Shoppe in the mall. I found some great elf ornaments, and I am going to do a small elf tree. I’ve got a lot of work to do when we get back home! One of our last stops in the mall was Build A Bear Workshop. Tiffani made a teal bear with a Nashville shirt, and Ryan and I made a Mr. and Mrs. Claus Moose. They are so adorable! We named them Nicholas and Sarah. (What we want to name a son and daughter one day, Lord willing)

Then last night we got to see Louise Mandrell at her Joy To The World dinner show. It was good, and we got several pictures. We left before it was fully over, because Ryan and I had a massage scheduled so we wanted to get to it in time. We also took a boat tour around the hotel. It was really fun.

The luxury we experienced at the Gaylord was unmatched by anywhere we’ve ever been. Expensive? Yes. Worth it? Definitely. We did not encounter one rude employee at the Gaylord, and everyone was so helpful. Even for people touring inside the hotel and not staying there, we never saw the staff acting anything but professional.

Today before leaving Nashville, we went to the Hermitage and toured the home owned by Andrew Jackson. It was a great tour, and was really special to see because Ryan’s mom’s side of the family were Jackson’s and somewhere along his genealogical line go back to Andrew Jackson’s family. I’m not sure of the relation, because Andrew Jackson had no biological children, but there is a connection there somewhere.

Our final stop on the way home, was to the Gibson Guitar Factory in Memphis, TN. We got to take a tour of the factory and see how the guitars are made. Tiffani, being a guitar and piano player loved it. She got to play piano on the Grand Piano in the Gaylord main Lobby as well. She absolutely loved it.

I’ve got a link above, but in case you didn’t see it, and want to view all of my Nashville pictures, you can do so by going to the link on the right in my link list, or by clicking the photo link at the beginning of this post.

Enjoy the pictures, and as always, please let me know what you think!

Keeping Christmas In My Heart,

*Heth*

A view of the water from the General Jackson Showboat

Ryan and I with Tim Watson, Fiddle Player on the General Jackson Showboat

A Wreath in the Gaylord Delta Hall, that I loved

Louise Mandrell Performing at the Gaylord, Joy To The World dinner

Bass Pro Shops Display

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Nashville Christmas Fun!

The Grinch Ice Show (Yes, that is ALL ICE!!)

November 15, 2008

We have two days left in Nashville, and I must say, this has been one of the best trips we've been on! Nothing tops our Honeymoon, and we had a wonderful Anniversary trip, but this one is right up there with those. So far, we got to see (AND MEET!) the Radio City Rockettes, attend the Grinch ice sculpture show, attend the Grand Ole Opry, view the lighting ceremony at the Gaylord Opryland, and still have two days of shows and events left. We are here with my parents and sister Tiffani, and the first night here, my dad surprised Mom, Tiffani, and I with Swarovski crystal pieces he got here at the Gaylord. Mom's was two foals (baby horses), Tiffani's was a grand piano, and mine was Winnie The Pooh. They are so gorgeous! Then today, Ryan got me a set of 3 pearl neckalces (they stagger in sizes so you can wear them all at once, I love them!!). I've got a pearl necklace from my grandmother, one from Ryan's parents two Christmas' ago, and Ryan got me a set of pearls on our Honeymoon. I guess tradition carried itself on here in Nashville. I wore them today with a Christmas sweater I got. They looked so pretty. :)

To give a brief run-down for those of you thinking about visiting the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, TN this year (or any other Gaylord, for that matter) on our first night here, we got to attend the lighting ceremony. It was great. They had a Rockabilly Christmas band there playing, an Elvis impersonator, Robin Meade (who is the host of CNN Headline News) and Louise Mandrell host the lighting ceremony. We were surprised when the Radio City Rockettes came out and did a special dance at the lighting as well! It was so beautiful to see. Being the Christmas nut that I am, it brought tears to my eyes. I turned to Ryan and said "Now THIS, is my kind of vacation!" lol

The same day, we also got to meet Christmas book author Harry B. Knights. Tiffani and I got his books and he signed them for us, and he was even nice enough to take a picture with us. One of his books, "The Boy With A Wish" is one of the only religious and Christmas themed books that is approved for both school and church children's readings. He was such a great author and wonderful to talk to. I would highly suggest to anyone looking for children's Christmas books, to look his way!

The next day we went and toured the Belle Meade Plantation. They were all decorated for Christmas, it was really pretty. I learned a lot about Victorian Christmas Tradition as well. I'll have to post when I get back home, the Christmas traditions they shared with us there. Very interesting.

That night we got to see the Radio City Rockettes. This was probably my favorite event of the entire trip so far. They were outstanding. I wish I could've taken pictures but they weren't allowed at the show. If you EVER have a chance to see the Rockettes, please do! They are so great! We also got to meet two of the Rockettes and get their autographs today. That was VERY cool. The two Rockettes we got to meet were so very sweet. They weren't uppity at all, which is nice. Usually, people with such talent and who are performers, are on the snobby side. Not these girls at all!

Today, we went to the Grinch Ice Sculpture Show. It was so impressive! It was 9 degrees in there (COLD!! lol) but they gave us Parkas to wear so we were able to keep fairly warm. All the sculptures were made of ice, and they did such a good job on them. We were told this is the last year Gaylord Hotels are hosting the Grinch Ice event, so if you can get a chance to go to one, it is VERY worth it!

We went to the Grand Ole Opry tonight. It was fun. It had a lot of older artists I didn't know, but we did get to see Diamond Rio and Jamie O'Neal, both of which I really like so that was fun.

A funny story, at supper, we had Hard Rock Cafe to eat, and our waiter was asking me why I was wearing a Christmas sweater so early in the season, so I told him I prepare for Christmas year-round, not to mention run this blog and am a member of several Christmas lists, namely, Christmas To The Max, that all have people who love Christmas year-round like me. So he goes "Well maybe I've been a scrooge then! Hang on, I'll be right back!" so he runs to a back room, and comes out with a Santa hat and puts it on so he could "Be In The Christmas Spirit too!". It was so funny! :)

I will be posting several more pictures thruout the week, especially when we get back home, but I just had to give you all an update on what had been going on this week. It has been great and I am having a blast. I'm so thankful to be here with Ryan, Tiffani, and my parents. We are having a great time and I hate to see the trip end. We've most definitely got to go back again! I would love to go see the shows in Grapevine at the Gaylord there this year too. We're not but about 3 hours from there, from home.

Please let me know what you think of the trip pictures! I've got probably 200-300 more I will be putting in a photo album soon!

Keeping Christmas In My Heart,

*Heth*

Angel Ice Scuplture at the Grinch Ice Show