Bless This House 2010

As my final post of 2010,  I am featuring a beautiful blue and white Bless This House 2010 by Wedgwood.  It is a gift from my Calif sister and her DH.  She selected it for my blue and white tree.   Today I will begin to pack away my Christmas goodies and prepare to greet 2011. 

Happy New Years to all my friends in blogland.  I appreciate your comments and good wishes.  Let's toast the New Year!!!!

Get Well Balloons

A Get Well Balloon arrangement arrived at our home yesterday.  Aren't they lovely!  They are for my DH.   He had heart ablation on Monday.  There were some complications but he is home and continues to feel better each day.  It is amazing what modern technology can accomplish.  He spent Monday night in the heart hospital ICU and was released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon.  Amazing!  Really messes with your head when your loved one is critical but you are told they will be going home the next day.  We're hoping for a successful ablation but won't know for a few months if the procedure was a total success.

We are so fortunate to have wonderful friends.  Gayle and her mother, Liz, sent the balloons.  Joe and Pam brought us a delicious dinner this evening.  We appreciate all their prayers and messages of concern.  We are looking forward to a New Year.  This fall has been a difficult one for my DH with knee replacement and then the heart.

VTT - Let's Play

My first Vintage Thingie Thursday Post.  I have been reading Vintage Thingie Thursday posts for quite some time and decided to join the fun this week.  Thanks to Suzanne the hostess of the weekly party. 

 My granddaughters spent two days at my house last week. They spent hours playing dress-up and it reminded me of this lovely old children's book I have in my collection. It is dated 1952.   I love the images in the book. Today I am sharing the first four pages of the book.

Below are photos of my lovely granddaughters as they played dress up.  One was the Fashion Photographer and took pictures of the other, A Fashion Model.  They selected outfits from  Mema's playroom and modeled them for us.  Aren't they lovely.  I too can remember hours of fun playing dress up as a child.  Some "Let's Play" activities never gets old or out of date.  Much more fun than a video game!!!!!!!!!

The Countdown is Officially Over It's Day 25

There are now 25 matchboxes on my CountDown to Christmas Display.  I decided to display my little treasures on this vintage tray.  I mounted game piece letters on magnetic strips and placed around the upper edge of the tray.  As I opened each box, I added magnetic strip to the back of the box and placed it on the tray.  The tray hangs on my dining room wall.  Thanks to everyone that participated in this swap and thanks to Linda the hostess.  It was a wonderful way to countdown to Christmas.  And my granddaughters loved it.  Wonderful conversation piece.  Everyone that entered my dining room this holiday season wanted to know about the matchboxes.  I had fun explaining the swap.

Day 25 matchbox comes from Lauri.  Isn't it lovely with the Christmas paper clip attached to the box.  Inside I found this lovely angel charm.  Thank you Lauri for making my Countdown complete.

Happy Pink Saturday (the last for 2010)

We have been asked "What will we be going Christmas day?"  We will begin the day with a special family brunch with my DH and son and his family.  The table is set.  I decided to use my vintage Disney posters of Christmas in various countries as placemats this year.  I ordered these free educational posters from Sears in 1974 and gave them to my mother who was an elementary teacher.  She had them laminated and used them in her classroom.  After her death, we were going through her teaching things and I found these posters.  I was so excited to find them and now I use them as placemats at Christmas.  The granddaughters love to look at them and talk about traditions in other countries.  There are 12 in the set and 6 are on the table for brunch.  Below are a few closeups of the posters.

For our brunch I will make one of my son's favorite dishes, Green Chili Casserole.  I blogged about the casserole last year and posted the recipe here. 

For more Pink Saturday posts please check Bevelry's How Sweet the Sound. 

Merry Christmas.

Prickly Pear Margaritas!!!!!

Our friends just left after a delicious lunch of tamales, rice, beans, and Margaritas.  Our friends brought Prickly Pear Margaritas.  My first time to sample these wonderful drinks.  They harvest the prickly pear fruit and process it into a juice.  From the juice she makes prickly pear jelly and uses the juice for margaritas.  They were delicious.  Here is a link to a prickly pear treats site.
Oh by the way we had lunch outside on the patio.  What a wonderful time to live in the desert! 

Wishing each of you a Merry Christmas with family and friends.

matchbox 24 - Christmas Eve

My Christmas Eve Matchbox comes from Ruth.  Ruth's blog is not operational at this time.  I'm sorry I can't think her personally.  But I do thank her for the lovely earrings and the beautifully decorated box.  Only one more day and my Countdown to Christmas display will be complete.  I hope to have a pic for you tomorrow.

Happy Christmas Eve.  I'm off to prepare  a Christmas Eve luncheon with tamales and margaritas.  Our former neighbors and my son's family will be here at noon.