In 2011 ...

… Roxy played in the snow for the first time.

… Jonathan and Chuck built an addition to our deck.  It was my idea and it was a good one, if I do say so myself.

…  Randy and I completed the project of putting up all the window valances and blinds.  Something that we never seemed to accomplish in any of the houses we lived in before this one.

… We bought my most favoritiest boat of our entire boating career.

… I tried vinegar pie.  It's kind of like pecan pie without the pecans.  The same only different.

… We went to Hot Springs and saw the famous bath houses.

… I showed Debbie that there are trees in the Ozark Mountains.

... Randy put Tom to work.

... We kidded, laughed and loved every minute of the time we spent with Jack & Teri and Jim & Marcia

… I learned in an expensive way that artificial nails aren't for me.

… Roxy met her first (and more than likely only) boyfriend, Charlie.

… I accidentally slammed the garage door opener rope thingy in the back car door (after I was advised (told) not to.  Lucky for me, my in-house garage door repair person was able to repair the damage.

… We had our downstairs carpeted and now it is so very warm and cozy.

… Roxy paws felt river water for the first time.

… I made many hummingbird friends.

… Randy and I seriously considered a sibling or two for Roxy.

… Randy disposed of an old new toy ... 

... and got himself a new old toy. 

… After four mini purges in the past five years, I finally took a deep breath and got rid of most of my old office clothes.  Just like a song, memories of office 'stuff' were tied to certain pieces of clothing.  Once I got started getting rid of everything, I didn't stop until every last bit was gone.  It felt good!

… Squish Baby gained a new brother.  Or sister.  It could very well be either.

… Randy and I became 'those people' who take their dog everywhere and thinks she is cute and adorable no matter what she is doing.

… We didn't move.  We didn't talk about moving.  We stayed put.  Thank you, God.

Have the BEST 2012 ever!

~ Dorothy

Girls Day Out

Roxy and I decided to hit the town and do some shopping before Christmas.  It was just one of those days where we both felt the need to get out of the house.

Our first stop was to see our friend, Miss Tammy.  Miss Tammy has been feeling poorly, but still had to go to work.  Roxy thought it would be a nice idea to try to cheer her up.  Besides, I owed her some money.  Roxy loves Miss Tammy and was very excited to go into an actual beauty shop.  She was very well-behaved while we were there and stayed (mostly) just inside the door on the mat.

Ah ... Christmas

What a beautiful and sunny Christmas Day.  Warm enough for Randy to consider digging out his shorts.  The kind of sunny that when it shines through the windows I realize how much dust and Roxy hair is everywhere.  Everywhere.  And I have Roxy nose prints on more than a few of the windows.

Princess Roxy spent Christmas morning sunning herself in her favorite spot ...  on a blanket in front of the garage.

'Twas The Monday Before Christmas

Our shopping resources are very limited in these parts.  I can honestly say that is the one thing that I like the least about living in a remote area.  Last Monday was a grocery shopping day and because I dislike immensely the WalMart in Mountain Home, Randy and I decided to drive all the way to Flippin to test the WalMart store there.

I was told by my friend, Tammy, that the selection was better at that store.  Really, I am just hoping for a few less older people racing each other with their shopping carts and a few more items on the store shelves.


Flippin WalMart ... how many times to I mumble that under my breath as I leave Randy and the cart behind and try to make it to the peanut butter in one piece?

O Tannenbaum

I have never been one to get really excited about decorating for Christmas.  I do love the holiday season and all that comes with it.  But the thought of hauling out multitudes of plastic bins of decorations to scatter around the house just to put them all back within a few weeks just doesn't appeal to me.

Until I am done.  Then I am glad that I spent the time to decorate.  I should say 'we' because it was a family affair.

Saturday Odds and Ends

Our Christmas tree sits naked downstairs, drinking up water like a sailor on leave.  I keep assuring it that we will get the pretty and sparkly trinkets on it soon.  I just haven't defined 'soon' yet.

What Goes On At Our House ... or ...

... I have way too much time on my hands.

Opps, I hit the wrong button on the remote again.
Really?  That was you?
Yeah, I had the remote upside down.

Sticky Ginger Squares

My domestic skills were severely tested the weekend before Thanksgiving.

My bread maker put out this poor excuse for a loaf of bread.

The Honeycrisp apples that I thought I had bought for Randy turned out to be something called Ambrosia apples.

A batch of cornbread that I baked mutated into something really nasty.  I found out later that I had used four tablespoons of baking powder.  The recipe calls for four teaspoons.  

Devoid Of ... Bereft Of ... In Need Of ... Color

The weather the past couple of days has been ...

... Blessedly beautiful ...

... Splendedly sunny ...

... Wonderfully warm.

That wasn't the case earlier this week.

It looked as though all the color has been drained out of my life.  Overnight the beautiful fall colors turned drab and dull.  It was dreary and grey here, well, it seemed like forever, and my disposition knows it.  I was lacking all kinds of motivation to do anything, but was able to find all kinds of motivation to do nothing.