Where did 2012 go ??

I mean REALLY......where did this year go?????  Spent the day trying to tone down the Christmas look into a more general winter look around the house...except for the above tree, which Chessa has taken possession of and it's just hitting me that tomorrow is the end of 2012 !!!!!  Yikes!!  I guess it's another special "perk" of growing old !!

Since we don't have kids, we always do the traveling for Christmas.  Here's John and I with Nick, Jenny, and Jonathan (3 of our 13 nieces and nephews) on Christmas Eve at my brother's house.  Spent the afternoon with them, then dinner with old friends and their family and then Christmas Day with John's sister and family......and in between talked to most of the out of state family members while traveling the "Wisconsin Christmas Circuit".  It was a hectic, but really fun two days!!!!

Woke up this morning to bright sun and a sparkling cover of frost on all the trees......the pictures don't do it justice, but trust me, it was truly SPECTACULAR!!!! 

Spent most of the day "simplifying " to a look that will get me through to Spring.

My favorite part is that I actually got my paper whites to bloom at the right time.......they just add such a fresh look to a room!!

 Every time I see them, they just makes me smile!!!!

And the entire time I've been changing things around, hauling stuff up and down two flights of stairs, my normally VERY curious kittens have been in the same spot and nearly the same position...as evidenced by the following pictures!!

These were honestly taken over the course of the day.

As this will be my last post of 2012......I'd like to thank you all again for your loving support and encouragement and wish you a very happy , healthy and Blessed New Year!

Finally, it's looking like Christmas!!

Last week, my BFF Jeanne and I made our annual trek in search of  "Christmas".......which entails a trip to Monches Farm (outside of the Milwaukee area) for fresh greens and other wonderful goodies.

Even without the snow, just walking about all the tables of outdoor gift ware and greens always puts us in the holiday mood.

There's always a lovely bonfire going where they sell Xmas trees , so we alternate between scooping up arm loads of treasures and warming our numb fingers.

This year I even got into a conversation with a rooster who felt free to make editorial comments on my purchase pile.

And FINALLY , yesterday it SNOWED!!!!!!

A view out into the back yard.............

the back deck.............

and out our bedroom windows (yes, I sometimes feel like we live in a tree house).  It was absolutely wonderful!!!!

Now I'm ready for the holidays!!!

Chessa spent the day watching the birds swoop in and out of the feeder and finally settled on a small piece of bunny fur in the laundry room .  It's positioned over the heat duct in the floor near the wood burning stove and is the warmest spot in the house.......of course!!

When I could finally tear my eyes away from the falling snowflakes, I did manage to pull out my Christmas projects and get some stitching accomplished .........ahhhh, yes, life is good!!