FIRST CHRISTMAS AT SAWYERS RIDGE!!!

CHAPTER ONE .. THE DECORATING!!! 

I have had a struggle this year getting into the frame of mind to get going on Christmas decorations .. maybe it's a part of the aging process????  However, we did finally drag everything out of the basement storage area and up the stairs .. and after a couple of days of driving myself bonkers trying to decide what I wanted to put where I got my rear in gear and things started falling in place!!!  Yayyyyyyy!!!!  I have been promising my dear friend Kathy that when we finally got everything in place in our new home here at Sawyers Ridge that I would take a video tour of everything but alack and alas .. I have failed to complete that promise .. so once the decorating started I once again made a promise .. this time that I would take a video when the decorating was done ... I finally took that video .. we still had a bit more to do outside but the inside was finished .. and the mess cleaned up .. and Kenny was working on his Christmas projects in the basement so .. great time to make a video, right????  It's not the best video in the world .. could use a lot of improvement!!!  This is a 15 minute video so grab a cup of Coffee .. Cocoa .. Tea .. whatever .. sit back and relax and I hope you enjoy it!!!  Click on the link below ..

CHRISTMAS AT SAWYERS RIDGE!!!

And now some pictures for I know there were times when I went to fast and maybe you weren't able to see things well!!!  I'll do better next time .. LOL!! 

The wreath on the front door.  I put this together several years ago .. I have 4 hearts to represent each of my kids .. and 2 more hearts at the top in memory of Mom and Dad. 

The Angel Tree in the front bedroom.  For several years Mom's Christmas gift to her daughters was an angel.  I eventually created a small Angel Tree with the smaller of the Angels I had received.  And when the last few  years Mom was still living in her home I took this tree to decorate her home.  The larger Angel at the top is holding a heart that says "Daughters are special"!!!  A special tree in memory of a very special Mother!!

Our gift wrapping station is also located in the front bedroom ..

Next stop .. the guest bath .. not much happening here but I don't want to leave anything out .. LOL!!!

My snowman collection used to go on my fireplace mantle but this year they have found a place on the half-wall by the stairway .. two of the sleds below Snowman Village were crafted by Ken  a few years ago . the 3rd one is a "treasure hunt find"!!! 

The dining area table ..

These 4 ceramic figures were made by my Mom .. there is one to represent each of my kids!!!  She made one to represent each of her grandchildren .. of course they were given to each family!!! 

And we make it to the Living Room ..

Ken created  the Nativity scene sitting on the mantle and there are several wooden ornaments on the tree in this room that were created by him!!!

My granddaughter Lindsay made the paper garland and the paper wreath in school when she was just a little girl  .. my grandson Jarred sat at my kitchen table and strung the Popcorn for me when he was just a youngster too!!!   They are both in their twenties now!!!! 

This tree has many special ornaments .. this is one my sister Evelyn made one year and gave to each of her siblings in memory of Mom ..

This Angel ornament and the other wooden ornaments  below were created by Ken over the years ..

A Grinch .. Hmmmmmm!!!! 

I'm not sure what you would call this one .. perhaps a beautiful snowflake with hearts all around!!!

Another beautiful Angel ..

A Dove of Peace ..  

And then of course there is the outhouse that he made last year .. I painted it .. LOL!!! 

Hmmmm .. need I say more????  LOL!!!  Everybody loves the Grinch, right?????

And of course .. Santa Claus ..

The "Love Is Born" pillow underneath the tree was hand stitched  by my sister Kay ..

Ken made these two cuties too ..

And this cute little Rudolph ..

And now out to the deck to enjoy the sunshine .. it's hard to believe this is December and Christmas is almost here!!! 

The snowman tree ..

The tree below was  found on our "treasure hunt" as we were on our way to Branson not very long ago ..

My Holly Hobby Christmas collection resides on the Hoosier Cabinet too .. the Holly Hobby girls and the tree they are decorating was a gift from my sister Evelyn .. some of the Holly Hobby glasses and Coffee cups came from my daughters.  The teapot / coffee pot that goes with the cups and sugar bowl and creamer is one of the things I keep hoping I'll find when we're out "treasure hunting" .. what a great find that would be!!! 

Next room on the tour is our bedroom .. yes .. I have a tree in there too .. LOL!!!  My "vintage tree"!!!  This tree is decorated with vintage ornaments .. candles .. gingham bows and raffia ..

And today we finally got the last of the decorating done .. we finished the outside .. Yayyyyyy!!!

And now .. the decorating is done .. time to start making Candy .. and Cookies and all kinds of Christmas Goodies!!!! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FROM OUR HOUSE

TO YOURS!!! 

CHRISTMAS HOUSE TOUR 2015

There's not much happening with our house any more but one of these days I'll get my rear in gear and start dragging out the Christmas decorations and getting the house all decked out so I thought this would be a good place to post the pics from the Christmas House Tour we went on recently!!!

I have always thought it would be neat to go on a Christmas House Tour and this year we decided we would do just that!!!  The first time Ray Paddock .. the "handy man" who has been working on getting the various things that were done wrong or left unfinished on our new home .. he complimented us on the way we had decorated our place!!!  He and his wife Malea loved the "old" stuff too .. Yayyyyyyy!!!  He told us all about their 100 year old home that he has been working on for 27 years!!!  He also told us that their home was on the list of homes that would be on this year's Christmas House Tour in Desoto!!!  Ken and I decided we would be going to check this out!!! 

When you bought your ticket to go on the tour your "ticket" was the booklet below!!!  Their was information on each of the houses on the tour and a map and a schedule of events that were happening throughout the day.  On the back was a "Christmas bulb" for each address .. as you went into the house at that address someone put a colorful paper sticker on the address for that house .. a very clever idea for keeping track of tickets!!! 

All of the homes on this tour were  at least 100 years old!!!  You know me .. I love old stuff .. I could hardly wait until the date came for this Christmas House Tour!!!  We had pouring rain all day Friday and I was so afraid we would still have rain Saturday!!!  We did get some rain but when it came it was just a drizzle .. Thank You Lord!!! 

Our first stop was the Johnston Residence ..

This house must have been a last minute add-on for there was no information in our ticket booklet on it!!! 

We had pouring rain all day Friday and throughout the night.  And it was still drizzling rain as we arrived in Desoto for the tour!!  As you went into the house not only did they stamp your ticket book but they handed you a pair of  paper "booties" to put on over your shoes to protect the floors of the house or you could just take your shoes off and go in your stocking feet.  This created a bit of a pile-up inside the door but I don't blame the owners for wanting this done!!!  We carried our booties with us from house to house!! 

Ken has taken his booties off and is waiting  patiently for me to stop taking pics and take mine off .. LOL!!! 

The second home was  The Hughes Residence ..

The information you will find before the pictures of each home is from the ticket booklet .. I hope you are able to read it okay ..

Mr. and Mrs. Hughes ..

the gave some of the history of their home as people came through .. a very nice young couple!!!

They had covered their chairs with their collection of  ugly Christmas sweaters .. LOL!!! 

And just a few steps down the street .. The Victorian Duplex .. this duplex is also owned by our Sawyers Ridge "handy man" Ray .. and he has spent a few years remodeling this structure also!!! 

Ken runs into old school mates, neighbors and friends everywhere .. LOL!!!  Funny .. She told him her name and they used to be neighbors but he's still trying to figure out who she is .. LOL!!! 

Finally we come to Ray and Meleah's home .. all I can say is .. WOW .. WOW .. WOW!!! 

After I snapped this picture the lady at the door said we could not take pictures .. but I snapped this next one anyway .. couldn't resist a pic of the tricycles and wagons on top of the cabinets ..

Meet Ray Paddock ..

After talking with Ray he said I COULD take pictures .. he just didn't trust everybody taking pictures because there might be people taking pictures in order to come back later and steal some of the things they had seen. 

The Master Bedroom ..

It was so neat that they had someone in period dress in each room to tell you all about the furnishings in the room!!!  We had to explain to each of them that we were friends of Ray's and he had said we could take pictures!! 

This is a collection of old purses ..

Love the two old top hats sitting on the  dresser .. and there's another one sitting on the stack of round boxes sitting in the corner ..

A wardrobe crowded with period clothing ..

Back downstairs ..

Besides the ladies in period dress in each room they had a young gentleman playing Christmas songs on the Violin in the parlor ..

And a young lady playing Violin in the dining room ..

Ray and Meleah Paddock ..

And their beautiful home ..

It makes my heart swell to even think about how wonderful it would be to live in this house with all it's wonderful vintage furnishings and decorations!!!  And just a bit more about this wonderful house .. Ray also told us their house has a ghost!!!  A story was posted in our local paper a couple of weeks ago about the ghosts in some of the houses in Desoto and it told of the one in this house.  I am so made at myself because I no longer have that paper with that article in it!!!  Ray said he and Meleah have seen the ghost .. however, when Meleah sees it she sees a young girl .. and when he sees it .. the ghost is a grown woman!!! 

Next stop .. the Pipitone, Donnelly Residence ..

A close-up of the glass in the window at the bottom of the stairway ..

Their was a violinist in period dress in this home also ..

This house had 2 stairways .. the one of the main room at the front of the house and when you went into the library and walked to the back of the room to the windows there is a stairway to the right where these people are headed .. to the third floor!!!

My granddaughter Summer collects Nutcrackers .. this picture is for you Summer!!!! 

And then to The Arlington Hotel .. now called The Arlington Event Center ..

Whoops .. didn't get the name of this room ..

And back downstairs to the bar in the lobby area ..

And then we head out of town and out to the country .. to the Matheny farm home on Flucom Road ..

I believe this next room did NOT look like this in 1910 .. LOL!!! 

How would you like to take a long hot soak in THIS tub??????

Finally .. a chance to get a picture of  Ken and I together .. unbeknown to me I got not one but  THREE pictures of us .. LOL!!!

And our final stop not far down the road from the Matheny home .. the Mount Olive United Methodist Church ..

In spite of the expansion of the building they still hold services in this sanctuary!!! 

Free Coffee and home made Cookies were served by the ladies of the church ..

A Craft and Gift Shop was set up in the room off this main area .. Ken headed for the Cookie table .. I headed for the Gift Shop .. LOL!!! 

A big bag of Pecans .. a couple of adorable little sleds .. and a set of Christmas coasters .. I knew you would want to see what I bought .. LOL!!! 

I've been trying to think of a centerpiece for my dining area table other than just putting my usual kerosene lamp on it .. something like this would be neat with some flake snow inside the wooden box around the lantern .. Hmmmmmmm!!!! 

And I thought this Christmas tree might be a good idea for a project for my dear husband for next year!!!  You could make it any height you wanted it!!!  The X and O game might be a good project too!!! 

There was supposed to be a Civil War Encampment set up here with various activities going on throughout the day but since it had rained all day the day before the ground was very soft and soggy  and the day was very cold and it was decided to cancel this part of the festivities.   In spite of that bit of disappointment this Christmas House Tour was GREAT!!!  I'm thinking we just might need to make this a Novak Christmas Tradition .. loved it!!!