Angelrose's Journey

[reelmom]

Your decorations are beautiful and Jesse is such a cutie! I hope that you are having a better day today.

 

[Angelrose]

Thank you chell and reelmom. Today was a better day. I did some yard work this afternoon.

I had a strange thought today. I was thinking about how Jesse gives me such a big hug when he sees me. Now this is something new that started this summer. I don't know if it's because he is seeing more of me or maybe it's Ron telling Jesse to give me big hugs because he isn't there to do it? Am I reading something into it? I guess I'm grasping at straws. Anyway, Chuck will be here tomorrow to help me with hauling the trash away and doing some odd jobs.

If you are ready, I have lots more Christmas decoration pictures for you. I was a snapping fool today.

this is the right glass table in the big living room

more

latch hook Santa

left hand glass table

my stuffies and table with Hallmark ornaments

 

[Angelrose]

Front of table

Desk, latch hook wall hanging and wreath

This snow couple I made out of Glade candle jars sprinkled with diamond dust. Ron made the box and put a light inside.

 

[Angelrose]

This is the Christmas house Ron made for me years ago with Chuck's help. Each window has a Hallmark ornament in it with a Christmas card as the backdrop. Each window has a light and there are lights around the columns in the front.

Dining room table

This is my fridge with a few Christmas magnets

and the bottom part

That's all folks.

 

[chell]

How long does it take you to put all of that out? You have a ton of decorations! They are all so beautiful. I would love to see a picture of the house Ron made you with the windows with the Hallmark cards in the back turned on at night.

Your theory about Jesse might not be so far off. Personally I don't think you are over thinking it. I think you are correct.

Glad that today was a better day for you.

 

[reelmom]

WOW! That is a lot of ornaments. I love it. I think you are right about Ron and Jesse. Ron is always watching over you.

 

[Angelrose]

Thank you chell and reelmom. I do love to decorate. I can only do do a few hours a day decorating so it takes me a while. The big living room takes about 3 mornings. The rest of the house takes a couple of hours each. The tree takes me three or four mornings depending on how I feel. I start taking down the Halloween decorations "usually" the day after Halloween. This year I did it on Halloween morning. I knew I would be too tired after spending the evening with the kids to do it the day after. Then I clean the whole house. The next day I start. I finished pretty much everything last week. I still have the cards to do and dress all 10 of my Cabbage Patch dolls in the Christmas finery. I even decorate the bathrooms!

Here is a picture of the house with the lights on. You can't see it very well. I'll try and get a picture tomorrow night with just the Christmas lights on.

 

[chell]

Thank you for the lights on picture! You are such a sweetie!!! It is a good think you don't have a cat. Nothing would be where you put it. We are wondering about our tree this year with the kitten.

You aren't the first person I've heard of decorating their bathrooms.

What are your big Thanksgiving plans? I'm sure you are going to Chuck & Karen's. Do other family members come over too? Do you help with the cooking?

We are going to my sister's house. She has decided to make this a completely gluten-free Thanksgiving even though she doesn't have her test results back yet. She says it is more healthy for everyone anyway. She is a great sister! Maybe she is trying to suck up to me for backing out on our trip.

I hope you had a great day today. I'm tired! We went out to run a few errands and came back home about 8 hours later. Whew!

 

[Angelrose]

I couldn't get any better pictures of the lights in the house. You will just have to come up here to see it in person!

I am going to the kids house around 9am on Thanksgiving and staying until Jesse's bedtime at 7pm. Karen does all the cooking, thank goodness. She is a wonderful cook. It will just be the four of us this year. Usually she has her sister and her family over, but her sister has other plans this year. (YIPPPEEE) Was that mean?? Now Christmas will probably be another story. Then we will probably have her sister's family and maybe some other family. Not sure just yet. I am looking forward to having the whole day with Jesse. Oh yes, my son and Karen too.

 

[Angelrose]

I thought you would like to see a couple of pictures from Jesse's birthday party.

Here he is after blowing out the candles (with a lot of help from Momma). He was so excited!

I got my stitches out this afternoon and it looks a lot better than it did before. Hopefully it will stay closed.

As soon as I got home, the phone was ringing. It was Karen. She told me they were taking their Christmas pictures on Black Friday and would I like to come along. Of course I said yes! Then she asked me if I would like to be in the picture with them! I am starting to tear up again just telling you about it. I said yes and she told me what they are wearing and I have something that will coordinate with them so all is good. I am so blessed to have such a thoughtful, sweet, caring daughter in law.

 

[reelmom]

Just when I thought Jesse couldn't get any cuter, you post these pictures. How adorable. That is very thoughtful of Karen to ask you to be in the pictures. You will have to post them.

 

[minniecarousel]

awwww.....Angelrose, what cute pix! He is a darling boy! So sweet to be included in your son's family picture.

Lordy, I don't know that I've ever seen so many Christmas decorations in one house! What a lot of work - so cute.

 

[Angelrose]

Thank you reelmom and minniecarousel. Do you know he can count to six? Karen asked him how many lines were on a page in a book and he counted to 6! I am impressed.

We all went out to the mall to find something for me to wear for the pictures. The top I had really isn't nice enough for a picture. So Chuck picked me up and we met Karen at the mall. Jesse was so happy to see me. We had dinner at Johnny Rockets. YUMMMM Then Chuck went to the Electronics Boutique and we took Jesse and went to Penneys. I found a nice white cable stitch cardigan and then I found a ruby red chenille-like sweater. I found a sleeveless ruby top that is so soft and silky. Everything was 50% off so I did well. I'll bring them all over on Thanksgiving and see which combination Karen likes. A white top with the red cardigan or the ruby top with the white cardigan. I'm leaning towards to the ruby top. I also have a gray cardigan with a red cardinal on it. I'll bring that over too. Karen found a nice sweater that went with all our things too. After that Chuck took me home.

Tomorrow I'm going to get a couple of desserts to bring to Thanksgiving. Then I'll probably do a load of wash. I'm starting to get piles of clothes and things to take to Disney. Next week, I will probably pack everything up.

 

[chell]

He can already count to 6? That is wonderful! He is so adorable. Those pictures are just too cute. Thank you for sharing them with us.

It was so very sweet of them to ask you to be in the Christmas picture. They are so wonderful. You do have a great family.

Sorry you couldn't take a good picture with the lights shining. You'll have to leave it up until I can get there. Can you believe I was looking at a concert in that area so we could try to schedule a meet with you too? Yeah, I'm crazy.

No, you aren't bad at all for wanting it to just be you all tomorrow. I'm glad that it will just be us with my sisters & the boys tomorrow. It is so much more peaceful that way. And you get more time with cutie pies that way.

Sorry if I left something out.

I know you won't see this before you go over but I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I'm very thankful for you! I'm so glad that we have become friends. You are one of my special blessings!

 

[reelmom]

I hope that you have a blessed Thanksgiving. I will be keeping you in my prayers today.

 

[TinkandAriel]

Angelrose, I've read along with this post since the beginning and today just felt compelled to comment...I wish I lived near you so we could "adopt" you!! You are such an inspiration and I wish you the very best Thanksgiving possible!

 

[chell]

Thinking of you today and knowing Jesse is giving you those extra tight hugs.

 

[Angelrose]

Thank you TinkandAriel. I wish we all lived closer so we could all visit one another.

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Exhausting, but wonderful. Jesse was so happy with the little truck I gave him to keep him occupied while Momma and Daddy did the tree and the rest of the decorating. I got down on the floor and showed him how you had to push it back and then let it go. It really did goooo. He laughed and kept saying "I got it". He was so funny. After about a half hour I had to get up off the floor. Well that lasted maybe 5 minutes. He came over to me and grabbed my finger and led me back to the floor. That went on for a while. We would play on the floor and then I would need to sit on the couch, he would grab my finger and back to the floor. Karen suggested we go down to the basement so he could play with all his toys and I could sit in the recliner and watch the parade on their big tv screen. Yeah, that lasted about a half hour and I got the finger treatment again. Back and forth. FInally I told Jesse, that I HAD to sit down for a while. OK. The next thing I hear is Karen saying "Jesse, what are you doing upstairs", EEEEEEKKK it was just two minutes and he went up those stairs by himself! It was lunch time, so I came up and we all had a light lunch. Then it was time for Jesse's nap. They started cooking the turkey and finished decorating while I sat and watched tv. I needed the rest. Dinner was almost ready when Jesse woke up, so we watched Mickey Mouse Playhouse. He is mezmerized by that show. Dinner was fabulous. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, broccoli with cheese sauce and green bean casserole. I ate way too much. We cleared up everything and then sat around and talked for a while. Then it was time for Jesse to wake up and we had dessert. Jesse loves his cake, but didn't too much of the pumpkin pie. We played some more and then it was time for him to go to bed. He cried because he didn't want to leave his grandmom. AWWWWWWW After that we watched Angels and Demons. I got home around 9:30. Even though I was so tired, I didn't sleep well. Probably because I ate too much. LOL I was up bright and early this morning. I'd better stop here and continue in the next post.

 

[minniecarousel]

Sounds like a great day, Angelrose.

 

[Angelrose]

I was out the door by 7:20 and was at their house by 7:40. They hadn't come downstairs yet, so I waited on the porch breathing in that cool air. It was wonderful. Pretty soon, they were all downstairs and Jesse gave me a big hug. We had a big day ahead of us. First we stopped to get the pictures done. Jesse wasn't too happy about it but the girl there was excellent in getting those good shots in. Then we went to the Disney store and I got Jesse a Christmas Mickey and Chuck a Toy Story set with three of the little aliens for his birthday. We stopped at the jewelry store because Karen wanted her rings cleaned and I found some charms for our bracelets. Chuck got her one red glass bead and I wanted to get her a blue bead, but she wanted to wait until she went to a hobby seminar that sells beads to see if she could find anything she liked better. I found a bright green bead that I was going to get, but the kids said they would give it to me for Christmas. I reminded them they had already gotten me my Tink charm. So Chuck said it would be my Kwaanza present. LOL By that time the pictures were done and we went back to pick the ones we liked. That took another hour. They got some beautiful pictures of us all. Here is a free sample of one of Jesse on a post card. Karen picked out a different design for hers.

We were all starving so we went to Olive Garden for lunch. I didn't want anything heavy so I got the soup and salad and we shared the artichoke and spinach dip. YUMMMMMMMMM It hit the spot.

Next we went to BJ's to find a Christmas tree, LED prelit multi color. They are very hard to find. But we found a nice one with 700 lights. We both got the same tree. I still wasn't sure because I had seen another tree at the garden center with fuller branches but only 600 lights. So after BJ's we went there. Karen said we could always return the BJ's tree. Well, I looked at it and decided I would stick with the one I got at BJ's. It was cheaper and had more lights. I could do without the fullness. I also bought another elf (sorry chell) Then we headed home. We were all exhausted. Jesse was falling asleep in the car. Chuck will bring my tree over on Sunday. I was so tired when I got home that I actually fell asleep while eating dinner. I was in my recliner watching a movie so nothing fell. LOL