The twins went home on Monday, but before they left, we had an early birthday celebration.
Panda didn’t seem to care for that first bite of almond flavored frosting, but she got into it.
Tabby, not so much.
Now they are a year old! 🙂 ~~Grandma
Yesterday, DH brought lots of boxes down from the attic. There are fifteen boxes just for the living room. This is the part of decorating for Christmas that looks like chaos to the untrained eye. 🙂
It’s all organized by box and by room. Each box decorates a particular part of the room. For the living room, two boxes hold the decorations for the top of the old square grand piano. One box has the mantel decorations in it, two have garlands for the arches, and there are four boxes of ornaments for the tree.
DH also brought down the living room tree. I put lights on the top part of the 9′ tree. DH will have to lift it onto the trunk, then I can begin on the middle branches. Last year, we decided this was the year to put all new lights on the tree, as several strings were very old and faded.
The lights on the top of the tree will stay on the tree when it goes back into storage after Christmas. The rest of the branches come off (with lights removed) and are stored in large black garbage bags. We have a room in the attic dedicated to the storage of the trees and branches. DH takes some of the trees to storage intact (with lights still on and decorations removed), but the 9′ trees are too wide and too heavy to take up the stairs and through the doorways.
I’ll put more lights on the tree this evening. It takes about six WOman hours to put all the lights on each of the two 9′ trees, one in the living room and one in the library.
Today I make chocolate creams, chocolate raspberry truffles, and baked Sugar Cookie Crisps. I also painted two coats on the laundry room door. One more coat and it can be installed.
~~Rhonda
The new tile in the bath was grouted yesterday, in the midst of getting our son and his family packed and on the road. The tile guy did a great job. The medicine cabinet goes back up tomorrow.
The tile goes around the window, over to the tub.
The view out the bathroom window…the trees are beautiful.
Next Monday, the floor tiles will be installed. We’re making progress! ~~Rhonda
DH make the eagle from the Great Seal of the United States. Ummm…riiiiight…. He didn’t add the extras…arrows, leaves, banners. You get just the basics with DH’s pancake art. ;-D Those other things are "dots," which DD always asks for.
Now that you’re inspired…get out there and vote!
~~Rhonda 🙂
The twins have been angels this week. A dream to take care of. They’ll be heading home tomorrow, which is sad for us, but happy for them and their mommy and daddy.
~~Grandma
The twins took the wagon for a spin again this afternoon.
It’s a beautiful afternoon.
The asters are covered with butterflies, bees and beetles.
The sugar maples are pretty this year.
The twins love to be outside.
And it was great to get out of the kitchen for a change! 🙂 ~~Rhonda
DD took the girls for a ride in the wagon. They went to the nursing home to see Great-grandma. The twins *loved* riding in the wagon. We’ll have to go out again this afternoon. It’s a beautiful day and I’d like to get some fall pictures. I’ve spent the past four days in the kitchen. Thought we’d have the girls in the library, office, and kitchen with the rest of the house closed off. What was I thinking?? I can hardly keep up with both of them in ONE room!
Anyhoo…the wagon ride was a hit! Thanks, Laurie, for the loan of the wagon!!
I sat on the back steps in the sunshine as I waited from them to come back. I could hear them squealing and laughing from the parking lot next door.
~~Rhonda 🙂
She’s a fast one! I did a few dishes, turned around to check on the girls, and there was Panda Bear, helping herself to a powdered formula snack.
~~Grandma :-}
Bath, bottle, bed…in that order. And aren’t they sweet?
~~Rhonda 🙂
Niko feels right at home and wanders all over the house. This morning he found the window between the dining room and the kitchen. He sat there for a while watching us as we worked in the kitchen.
He likes to be petted and he likes to groom you back by licking any patch of skin he can reach.
~~Rhonda 🙂