Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Lighting Up 2021

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Happy Holidays to All,

We are finally getting it together here, still without snow

but, I just had to share the photos of our yard and our have-to tradition.

Our home sits second in the subdivision, so when you turn in ....there we are, 

the Christmas Musical light show.


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Remember last year---we purchased these fun guys---here on this POST HERE

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They stand guard at Santa's Workshop(the garage), and are securely tied down---or they will walk around the corner of the garage with our windy weather.

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Earlier this year, I showed you the re-do of our herd of reindeer. Many had been damaged by a falling tree limb.

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Here's Santa---and all nine of the reindeer, pulling the  sled.

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A view from the house, shows the entire 'mound'. 

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Greeting our family on Cookie Day-Sunday, will be this great Gingerbread man on the front porch.

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We used less lights around the house this year and concentrated on the 'mound'.

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The Walkway to the house with a snowman greeting you at the end in our biggest flower pot.

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The Mailbox, has some snowflakes that are simply gorgeous and they change colors. 
I literally couldn't pull out the green plants because of their root systems, so I left them and added some twigs for the lights to hang from.

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In the background, the arbor and my hubby's imaginary hill for the penguins to slide down.

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Under the Hawthorn Tree, we have some of our oldest blow mold soldiers.

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It's hard to get photos as the lights change with the music, so everything isn't always lit.

Our HUGE  Snow Bear blow-up, passed away last year, so hubby found three new ones to place around the yard,

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The Reindeer Petting Zoo...this is really cute in person. Our house is a neighborhood walking destination...and the little kids love it!

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Another classic Santa...again the bush blinked off!

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The white blob is a snowman---that of course blinks off  and on too. We really need some snow to hide all the wires. 

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At the end of the driveway is the elf mail box, and our lampost with a great green wreath.  

This is a LOT OF WORK  more than 5 days to put up---and we are hoping we can continue the tradition, even though we are deep in our 70's now. But the smiles and waves from the kids and parents in cars are worth it!

What is YOUR
 Have-to-do Tradition for the Holidays?!?
Please share in comments, I'd love to hear from you!

If You enjoyed this post please FOLLOW IT in the upper right hand corner, to get just one email of each new post.

Thanks  ALWAYS  for visiting,

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. Please do not use my photos without permission. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts, or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thank you for your cooperation,


Sandi 






Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Time Travel for the Holidays!


Hi, Dear Readers. I have been doing more than blogging this last few weeks. We had Thanksgiving and then slid into full blown Christmas prep---going through everything--jarring memories--and rearranging, culling, cleaning. I'll be able to post more soon.

An old 'memory' that popped up 

on my FaceBook from 7 years ago. 

We only have one grand girl. And from the beginning we always did things with her when she visited.

Here she is at just two all ready for making 

Christmas cookies.


We pretty much left her alone to do what she wanted on Family Cookie Day...where we make cookies with 4-5 families around our island and huge kitchen table.


She was very quiet, content in the high chair and busy. I'm always a believer it is the process that is to be enjoyed, and not the final result with children. 



No one paid her any attention as tray after tray of cookies went into the oven. Meanwhile, Grampa was giving her more flour and more 'child safe-no-fresh-eggs cookie dough'.


These were her mom's photos

Probably two hours later....
"OH, Dear....I have flour in my hair, and I'm all sticky..., I'm not sure I like this."

Like I said, it's the process....lol.


Everyone else was very busy, too! 



Do you have a favorite 
Family Holiday Group Do-Together?

Please share in comments, I'd love to hear from you!

If You enjoyed this post please FOLLOW IT in the upper right hand corner, to get just one email of each new post.

Thanks  ALWAYS  for visiting,

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

I will post at the following Link Parties, I hope you visit them.


All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, unless otherwise designated. Please do not use my photos without permission. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts, or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thank you for your cooperation,


Sandi