12/29/09

A Most Awesome, Beautiful, Spectacular Display of Lights!!!



It's 2.6 million lights to be exact!  This awesome display, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin  is set up every year by the local Rotary Club and it keeps growing and growing! 


Every year, Dan and I try to make the trek down to Riverside Park to see this fabulous display!  LaCrosse, Wisconsin is a city of about 50,000 in our neck of the woods!  It's located on the beautiful Mississippi and surrounded by gorgeous bluffs!


Riverside Park is located right next to the Mississippi, of course!  It's a gorgeous park and the perfect set-up for this spectacular display! 


Music is piped in and manyof the lights are sychronized to the music. See the fire breathing dragon!




Dan and I drove through last night and then we parked and walked through.  It was cold, but oh so worth it!




Come along as we work our way around.




So touching.



The lights are synchronized to the music, it is so cool!




One of the snow domes where you can go inside, warm up and even purchase some hot chocolate!  Many evenings they have local choirs singing inside!


Med-Link 1.


A Riverboat on the Mississippi, well of course!


In honor of our Hero's.














It's a Winter Wonderland out here but getting chilly.  Let's head over to one of the  Snow Dome's to warm up!



 Here we go....


I have a red nose, but it's blasting warm, moist air in here and I love it!


Back to our car...


As we head on out......






Oh, I love it here!


The tree beckons us



A Happy Display....


 As Frosty bids us farewell!  WE WILL BE BACK AGAIN NEXT YEAR!
I am joining our hostess Susan for Outdoor Wednesday, check it out for some Outdoor Fun!
Happy New Year to all my wonderful friends!  Blogging has been such an awesome experience and I so appreciate all your comments and friendship!  
Cindy

12/28/09

What you can get for the MOOLA! Old Houses and After Christmas Sales!


I love getting deals and I love looking at real estate from around the country!  I stumbled upon some of these homes on the internet and just take a gander at the great prices!  This beauty above is a 1880 Greek Revival in Beebe, Arkansas.  The home is 4100 sq. ft, with many updates!



The dining room with a real working fireplace, how cool is that?



Another fireplace in the family room with leaded glass windows!  This home has 5 bedrooms, 2 baths and get this, asking price is 169,000!  I think I need to move to Beebe!


Another town I might need to move to is Marlin, Texas.  This 2300 sq. ft., 1880 Greek Revival home has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a seperate apartment over the garage. 



Gleeming hardwood floors and natural fireplace.



Look at these windows in the Master Bedroom!


And the storage!


The gorgeous dining room and the best most amazing part is the asking price!  Only 140,000!


Or how about this lovely home in Cordele, Georgia!  It's a 1912 Cottage style home with 2890 sq. ft. on one level!


Look at the charming picket fence! 


Fireplace and gleeming hardwood floors in the dining room!  There weren't too many pics of this home but it features hardwood floors, pocket doors, original working fireplaces and the asking price?  Only 159,000 !
So maybe I would like to live in Cordele, GA!  I guess I need to do some investigating! 



And yesterday, while hubby watched the Green Bay Packers whoop the Seattle Seahawks 48-10, GO PACK!  I was busy spending a few gift cards!  I found this darling shepard/bugle boy for only $5 at TJ Maxx.




And for another $5, I found this adorable stand for selling Hot Cocoa!  Isn't he just so cute!

Our Christmas went well, everyone made it in spite of the weather and now only one more to go!  We celebrate Christmas with my very large extended family on January 9th.  We usually go to Wisconsin Dells and do the waterpark thingy but this year were going to try an afternoon of snowtubing!  Should be fun!  Have a Great Week Everyone! 
Cindy

12/24/09

Merry Christmas! And I won a neat give-away!!


Merry Christmas Everyone!  We are right in the path for a Major Snowstorm!  It's nasty out there.  I have about 30 people coming on Christmas Day, that is if they can make it through the snowstorm!  I may have to send out some dog sleds! My sister-in-law and hubby are supposed to leave our house on Christmas Day to head to Minneapolis and catch a plane to Hawaii!  Poor things!  The only catch is Minneapolis is expected to get up to two feet of snow!



See the lovely little angel ornaments?  They are from Glenda, @ Dab of This and That.  I was the lucky winner of her recent anniversary give-away!  I am so lovin these little angels, Thank-you Glenda!



Look at all my Loot!



Some neat coasters, wine napkins and more.........


Some little writing journals, notepads and a neat recipe book!   Thank-you Glenda!  And Thank-you for stopping by, I will be thinking of you all this Christmas Eve.    Merry Christmas,  Cindy

12/20/09

Met.Monday,Vintage Monday,Deck the Halls, Gifts from Blogger friends and a Merry Christmas to all!


As we scurry around like little Christmas mice, I couldn't resist sharing a few more pics and a Christmas Greetings to all of you!   I am also joining Susan @  BetweennapsonthePorch for Met. Monday, Joan @ Anything Goes Here for Vintage Monday and on Tuesday another Susan,  for Deck the Halls.  Please visit these ladies when you have time.  Hey, I know we're all busy but blogging is such a great stress reliever isn't it?  But first, I wanted to share with you some awesome gifts from some awesome ladies!  Dan and I were last minute Christmas shopping yesterday, and when we came home there was a little package hanging on our mailbox.    Inside, was a lovely card and note and this oh so cute tassel made by our one and only Gloria!  Gloria, whose blog is Happy to Be is well known in blog land but if you have missed her blog just follow my link above.  She is one of the most thoughtful,kind and giving ladies ever!  She also has the best sense of humor and will have you in stitches!









  Gloria made this tassel just for little ole me!  Isn't it just the cutest thing with the apple on top!  I love it Gloria and it looks so nice on our Armoire!




Isn't it beautiful?   She is also one talented lady!!

Last week-end I had the pleasure to meet Jane aka (Blondie's Journal) .  Of course we came bearing gifts!  Jane brought me some of the cutest Snowman Christmas ornaments!  I hung them on the tree the other day and they look like .....


This....

And this....

Wait there's more....

This cute little sled nestled amongst a lot of red!    Thank-you Jane, I sure am loving them!  Aren't bloggers the most generous people!!!


My Met. Monday is this little wreath that I recently made for my front door, only it's the inside wreath.  I am new to making bows, so please be kind.  The straw wreath was purchased at a craft store for $2, the sled was $2 and the candy cane picks were a dollar a piece!  The ribbon and bells were ones I had on hand!  Total cost to me:  $6.00!  Something like this is so simple, just use floral wire and ribbon and presto, a new wreath! 

I also changed out my cheese dome I mean cloche, to a coffee table display.   I added faux snow, some glittery ornaments, ribbon and an inexpensive Christmas ornament from Wally World!

Another view, I don't think I will ever get the hang of taking cloche pics well. 


By the kitchen window I added a Santa and Reindeer, garage sale finds,some faux snow, ornies and bottle brush trees.  But the best part may be my view out!   See Lily, my snow kitty,  she thinks she's a snow bunny and she is hilarious looking as she bounds through the snow! 


She is one curious kitty!  But never fear, she has a Cat Door in the garage so that she can come in and out as she pleases.  She is a very Country Wise Kitty and as quick as can be!


My little Rooster Bench is fluffed up for Christmas! 

This darling gingerbread family that I won past summer from Traci @  Beneath my Heart!  Isn't it cute? 

My favorite Skating Ornament!

A Christmas pillow that I bought several years ago at TJ Maxx.  I love the vintage look!

In the living room, I have my Santa that moves!  He was purchased about 15 years ago, and he still works great and I love his Old Fashioned Appeal!


He sit's on top of my Vintage Sewing Machine Table!  


Right next to our Christmas Tree.

A little table filled with GW finds!

A few of my favortie ornies!  This one was a gift from my daughter the skater!

A pink Victorian looking skate!

And this little one was made by a relative many moons ago~  It's only about an inch in diameter and the little tree is needlepoint!   It must be about 30 years old so nearly vintage! 

I have about 30 guests coming on Christmas Day.  It's my turn to hostess Hubbies side of the family so if I don't post  before then, you'll know why!   I will be scurring about like a Christmas mouse cooking, cleaning and wrapping presents!
Here's to a wonderful Christmas to all of you, may it be shiny and bright!       Remember the reason for the season!      Cindy