Rentzville

I'm putting Rentzville away today.
I'll miss it.
It will never look like this again.
Every year I marvel at the way Ryan creates it.

It's fun to look at.
Especially at night.

Nearly every night before I would turn it off,
I'd get down at eye level.
And imagine myself in the scene.

Next year, we will have a new Rentzville.
It's never the same twice.
For a couple of reasons:
1. We usually get a new piece or two for gifts every Christmas.
This year we got 3 new accessories.
Well, two new ones really.
And one replacement piece of sorts.
A few years ago, a little girl came into my house
before school one morning,
whipped her stocking cap off...
one of those stocking caps with the extra long top...
Good morning, Gina!
As her cap swings in the air and swipes Father Christmas.
To the ground.
In pieces.
I've looked at buying a new one for a long time.
But just couldn't get myself to spend the money.
My hubby's brother and his wife bought it for us this year.
I was so excited.
And the 2nd reason Rentzville will never be the same again:
My guy is way too creative to do the same thing twice.

So, farewell Rentzville.
Until next year...

The Halls Are Decked

A little taste of Christmas at our house.Our real tree.
Bought it at the grocery store.
It's one of the prettiest trees we've ever had.The reason we celebrate.
Amazed at the love of God.
To send His only Son.
To be the Savior of the world.
To be my Savior.We have lots of Christmas books.And music.
Pandora.
itunes.
CD's.
Radio.
You name it.
I listen to it.Christmas pictures for the fridge.
Jobe's.Ezra's.Ornament from Germany.
(Someday I'm going to commit myself to getting a new camera.
And becoming a better photographer.
Someday.) Entzville.Are you bored yet?
Just a bit more.The mantle.I love the little tin.
A birthday present from a dear friend.
Thanks, Danielle!
(And Amy for giving her the idea.
And another Amy for making it.)Our white tree.There's lots more.
But I'll spare you the rest.

We bought a cheap 6 foot tree for the basement.
And some purple and gold ornaments.
(The colors of the college Ryan works for.)
Brookie and Jakie stayed up until 1:00AM or so.
Setting it up and decorating it.
They maybe can get along sometimes.
There's hope!
Ha!

Ok.
I gotta go.
I really shouldn't be blogging even.
But I miss everyone.
Haven't even been reading blogs lately.
I don't know how I can be so busy.
It's ridiculous really.

I'm going now to clean the little boys' room.
Blah.
It's...there's really no word for how bad it is.
But we're having a party here Sunday evening.
50-60 people.
Good motivation to get some cleaning done.

Go me!
(Sometimes you have to be your own cheerleader.)

I'm So Crafty

Gorgeous weather here today.
One last chance to clean up leaves.
But I was, of course, smart enough
to wait until the kids got home.
There were a lot of them.
Leaves, that is.
Well, kids too.

I still had potted plants.
And pumpkins.
On the front porch and patio.
The plants were pretty sad looking.
The pumpkins looked great.
But they didn't really fit in
with the wreath on the front door
and the Christmas lights on the roofline.
So I tossed the pumpkins in the garden.
Pulled the dead plants.
Then wondered what I could do with the pots.
They are heavy when they're full of potting soil.
I didn't want to haul them all to the shed.
So I came up with something else.I walked around our yard.
Clipped evergreens.
And some red berry things.Then just stuck them in the potting soil.
Along with some pinecones.Maybe it's nothing that impressive.
But for this uncrafty, uncreative girl
it was kinda' fun.
And free.
Yippee!
Plus, I didn't have to move the pots.
Yippee yippee!

Thanks, But...

A few weeks ago I asked for a little help.
With a decorating dilemma.

And while you all had great ideas:
Spray painting branches.
Easter eggs.
Lemons and limes...my overall favorite.
Not to mention this particularly practical one:
Feeding trough for my kids??

I did something different.
It was free.
It was easy.
And I actually came up with it on my own.
Tell me if it looks stupid.
Really.
I don't want stupid decor
to greet people as they enter my house.I placed a votive holder with water in the center.
Went out into the windy, cold day.
Rescued some daffodils from certain destruction.
Bound them with a twist tie.
Trimmed their stems to a couple of inches.
Placed them in the votive holder.
Dug a bag of spanish moss out of a closet.
And filled in all around the flowers. Voila!
I'm trying not to be too impressed with myself at this point.
But tell me if your not equally impressed.
I'll only cry for a day or two.
And what little confidence I have
will be shattered...

Ideas Please

I need help.
And this is really critical.
I don't know what to put in this.
Don't want a candle.
Got plenty of those. Don't want anything expensive.
Cheap would be great.
Not like in magazines
where they show you the "bargain" version
and it's still 100 times more than
I would pay for something.

By cheap I mean under $10.

Free would be superb.

(I love the outlet cover sitting on the window sill.

Doing a lot of good there.

I don't even use that outlet.

So, not sure why the plug thingy is out.

Hmmm.

Maybe that explains the little boys staticky hair lately.)

I've got orange decorative balls.
Tired of those.
For Christmas I had ball ornaments.
Tired of round.

I'm boring.
And bored.
And I'm begging for ideas.
Please, please, please.
Somebody help this poor decorationally challenged girl.