Out with the Old/In with the New: Part 1

Oh the joy of getting three full sized cookie sheets in the oven!

They arrived at 7AM.  Two "oven guys" and an electrician to change out the power from 60 to 20  amps.

 Took the old out.

 OK here's where blogger WILL NOT rotate the picture ...but that's the hole sideways.

 Measure twice.

Cut once.

In with the new

 Oops ...  measure the unit too!

 Cut some more.

 And in she goes.

 Perfect.

I think I'm in love with my new Kitchen Aid 30" Convection/Micro/convection ovens.

Done and gone by 8 AM.  Gotta love 'em.  Baked lotsa Christmas cookies.

Festive Flowers

Some seasonal arrangements at my house.

 

To see more flowers from around the world visit Today's Flowers #125.

Before and After

Happy birthday to our boys. This DIY transformation project has gone from this ...

 

to this.

How time flies.

O'Tannenbaum

The Tree

 

I've never understood "decorator" trees.  They have no soul.    I must admit in the interest of longevity we do have an artificial tree.  (But it was my Mom's.) Trees should tell your family story.  The boys did all the decorating this year.

 

It's magical.

 

I give ornaments every year...twin ones to the twins...so they each will have one on their trees in the future.  Bird, angels and bears are recurring themes.

Some of my favorites are the ones my mom gave us for our first Christmas tree,

 

 

the ones my kids made (most of them have gone to their homes along with two angels like this little angel from the straw mobile in their baby room,

some come from our first Virginia Christmas,

 

 

and some we collect on trips to remind us of good times.

 

This is always first to go up and last to come down.

 

We have a second tree for all the White House ornaments we've collected over the years.  Again, E did it all.

Worn and tattered cardinal top to bottom.

These trees have a story.  I hope your stockings are full this Christmas morning.  Have yourselves a merry little Christmas!

Foxy Loxy

Foxy Loxy comes to call.  He's checking out the bird feeders for his dinner.

 

 

 

 

 

Left empty handed, too bad he didn't bag a squirrel!   He is the reason this area is called Fox Chase.