Farewell 2009

I'll end the year the same way I did last year, with a shot of our discarded Christmas tree.
I was looking back at all my blog posts and reflecting on 2009. I'd have to say I'm most thankful to Medtronix, who manufactured the internal defibrillator that saved my dad's life this past summer. I know health care is a mess, but I'm so grateful that modern medicine has allowed me to spend more precious time with my dad. Unfortunately, my parents each lost a best friend this year, and we hope for a better 2010 for those families. Here at home, Cam turned 16 and got his license, then smashed up the car on icy roads three months later (no injuries, thank God). Delaney turned 13, so we became 'parents of teenagers'. We were able to take two family vacations this year, to New York City and to Canada. In October we welcomed some family members back to Maine after eight years away. I sold some photos. We got a new puppy.

Looking forward to 2010, we'll be welcoming two more nieces/nephews into the family. We thought one might make her appearance before the end of the year, but she has other plans. In 2010 Delaney will start high school, and Cam will be a senior and apply to college. My husband is going back to school to get a Certificate in Public Health. I'll be here, taking photos of flowers and dogs dressed up in silly outfits. Whatever else God decides to throw our way, we'll do that too.

So this is the second year in a row that I posted every day, with only one day this year without a photo. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to do it again in 2010. I'll see where the New Year takes me...

Happy New Year!!!

Vera Bradley Christmas Stockings

Is it going overboard with your love of Vera Bradley when you buy your daughter a Christmas stocking and your mother buys you one? If so, don't care.
So I made the chicken fried steak from Pioneer Woman's cookbook for dinner tonight. I've never even eaten a chicken fried steak, never mind cooked one. Most of my "chicken fried" fell off the steak into the pan, and I oversalted the gravy, but it was still pretty good. We're just sitting around listening to our arteries harden now.

Kindle love

Thank you, Santa, aka the best husband ever!

He also satisfied my yearning for glossy, full-color photos:

I love my new Kindle! I'm reading Stephen King's latest, Under the Dome, and have downloaded free samples of approximately 3,245,978 books on my wish list. You might not hear from me until next Christmas.

2009 Ornaments from my mom

Every year my mom attaches an ornament to our Christmas gift as a clue to what it is or who it belongs to. Even the dogs get presents from Nana :-)

Candy

Before being sprinkled on our gingerbread tree:

Gingerbread Tree

So much easier than a gingerbread house and therefore more enjoyable.

Merry Christmas

I was trying to capture one of those adorable "puppy in a Christmas stocking" photos. Things didn't turn out quite like I'd hoped:

Merry Christmas!

I've photographed Easter Peeps and Halloween Peeps, now it's time for the Christmas Peeps:

Merry Christmas or whatever winter holiday you celebrate to each of you!

O Christmas Tree

I asked my wonderful husband to get me some jewelry from my friend Lisa at islandseaglass.com, and he gave me this pin early so I could wear it up until Christmas. I love it! Lisa is so talented--check out her website, or even better, make a trip to Maine and see her stuff in person at her shop or at one of the stores or United Maine Craftsmen shows she's in.


My baked Christmas trees from yesterday were just a joke. I can't pipe frosting to save my life. Those were Little Debbie cakes. :-D

Holiday Baking?

My holiday baking:

Not really, but maybe next year. I didn't enjoy it a bit this year and gave up halfway through the day yesterday.

I can't tell you how the mice tasted--I didn't try one because I don't like maraschino cherries. But everything my sister-in-law makes is really good, so I'm sure these were too.

Christmas mice

My sister-in-law and niece brought these little mice treats to our family Christmas on Saturday. The body is a maraschino cherry dipped in chocolate (with the stem for the tail) and the head is a Hershey's kiss. The ears are almonds, and the eyes are gel frosting. They sit on half an Oreo.
Aren't they cute? Annette and Emily are Bakerella-ish (www.bakerella.com).

Doggie Scandal

Have you heard the rumors? Baxter and Phoebe are sleeping together.
She looks guilty, doesn't she?

New Ornament for 2009

My Christmas tree is definitely not one of those beautifully color coordinated ones with matching ornaments. My ornaments are a hodgepodge of ones given to us, ones the kids made or we bought for the kids, ones from my husband's and my childhoods, and some that we just liked. We also add at least one new ornament that has some kind of meaning to us each year. This is this year's. It's East Quoddy Head Lighthouse, one of the places we visited on our summer vacation this year.

C'mon!

I know it's the season of sharing, but I don't know why Baxter is putting up with Phoebe stealing his bed.

Christmas lights

I love taking blurry photos of Christmas lights and seeing all the patterns and colors in the intersecting circles that emerge.

Our Family, in ornaments

I'll have you know, Sharon, that the pink toy in yesterday's photo is Baxter's, not Phoebe's. ;-)

Phoebe's first month

We've had Phoebe for a month now. I'm kind of surprised how much I like having two dogs.
How could anyone resist this face? Delaney had her doing a fashion show that day.
She's kind of like a cat. She likes to sleep curled up on my desktop.
She won't wear the hat, though. She doesn't share my affinity for elf culture.
It doesn't look like it here, but she and Baxter have become best friends and play together all day long. And I've discovered how hard it is to get a photo of two dogs at the same time.
Seriously, if you can resist this face you're probably dead inside.

Blue Jay

It's been a while since I posted a bird photo.

Ornament

Ornament from my alma mater, the University of Maine.

My Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree, how evergreen your branches...at least until I forget to water you and your branches turn brown and become a fire hazard.

Wooden snowman

I don't know how anyone with little kids keeps up with a photo a day. All I did is get a puppy, and I've hardly taken any photos (except of her) for the last month.

So here's a lame-o one of one of my Christmas decorations. He's all of about four inches tall.

Christmas Wreath

Dude, I am soooo tired!

Pardon the harsh on-board flash, but I was in a hurry to capture the moment before she moved. Turns out she didn't move for about 3 hours.

A thing on my wall

At the vendor fair I participated in a couple of weeks ago there was someone from At Home America setting up her booth near me. She was struggling trying to get this candle thingy to fit in her display, and when I said, "Hey, that's really pretty," she told me I could have it for 10 bucks if I took it right then. Sold! I apparently got a good deal. She told me after the fair that she had been planning on selling it for $40. I've got it hanging on my kitchen wall.

Sunrise Snowfall

Sunday morning after our first plowable snowfall. The good old tire swing in my yard again.

Peace

My version of a Starbucks yarn wreath

Last year everywhere I went on the internet I seemed to be hearing about the wreaths Starbucks had up in their stores for the Christmas season. I thought they looked pretty cool, so I decided to try making one this year. You can see a photo of one of the Starbucks ones here:
Starbucks yarn wreath

Here's mine:
Closer view:
You can find tutorials online really easily. Some used floral wire and pins, some used hot glue. I used a combination of both. If I make another one, I'll look for a cheaper alternative than the styrofoam balls I wrapped the yarn around. They're kinda pricy. I used shatterproof ornaments from Walmart. The glittery ornaments are from Walmart too.

Peace on Earth

Another Christmas candle shot.

Doggies

Do you like the new hairdo Baxter tried out yesterday? It looks very avant garde to me. Or maybe it's an homage to Christ.
Phoebe had a good time pulling the sticks out of his hair and chewing on them. She spends most of her day chewing on poor Baxter. Here's a picture of her butt:
I like the little butterfly/angel wings thing she's got going on there.

Christmas candlelight

Inspired by my friend Jeanie:
Jeanie's Smugmug

Phoebilicious

You've been missing her, haven't you? I trimmed the hair around her eyes and now you can actually see them, although my focus is off in the photo.