Slacker!!

 I feel like I have been a certified blog slacker lately...

But in my own defense, I have been busy at home.  In the past week, my son and I have put up the Christmas tree, minimally (my style this year) decorated the house for Christmas, put the Christmas lights up outside, tormented the dog.  Just the usualy stuff!

This year we went with the unlit fake tree that we have had for a few years.  I love a real Christmas tree but after last year's experience, we decided to use what we had (yup that is the easy way out!).  So out of the coffee table (which is a blanket chest that my grandfather made) came this beauty.  Well, it wasn't so beautiful until we wrapped 400 lights and hung a zillion oranments on it, but you get the idea.

Now, in the Christmas box we have some special seasonal items for our dog Rachel....she is not so fond of these items and wishes they would just stay in the closet!  So here is Rachel with her Muttluks and winter coat on.  She walks funny while wearing the boots so we always get a kick out of her performance.  We only leave them on her for about 15 min (well she actually only leaves them on for that long!) and then we pack them away until next year!

I hung the snowflake wreath on the front door (which badly needs a paint job). 

And pulled out the brown accessorized snowmen my niece Ruth gave me for Christmas a few years ago...

I made an arrangement on the front deck with lights inside it...it is a giant red pot with evergreen boughs and some greenery with jingle bells and a giant strange looking poinsettia stem.  I put 100 lights and some pinecones inside the pot, so even though you may not be able to tell in the picture, it looks great day and night.

A view up my driveway that evening.  It was a lovely day and we got a lot of pre-winter chores done outside.

And last but not least, Rachel got to wear her jingle collar.  She isn't so sure she likes it, but it makes her look like such a party dog!!  And it is much safer for the squirrels she chases since they can hear her coming a mile away!

I also made this cool banner for my blog for Christmas using Picnik.com!  And I did it myself, all alone!  I also made a banner for my etsy shop...

and a button for my blog, although I can't figure out how to "share" it...

Anyway, I am ready for Christmas, are you?