Oh the weather outside is frightful

but the fire is so delightful

and since we’ve no place to go, let it snow

let it snow

let it snow!

Finally.

Huh? From “this storm is going to pass us by” to BLIZZARD? I’ll believe it when I see it with my own eyes! Just in case I guess I’d better charge up the battery on my camera, don’t you think?

But while we wait for the the “blizzard” to begin I am going to share some photos of the kids and their Christmas. I hope Rick will put together a video of them like he did last year.

First, here’s a photo of our living room.

On Christmas eve we brought out the new dog bed we really bought solely for Bella so she would not sleep stretched out between us at night. Bella did not get in it but it was a busy bed nonetheless. Alex was the first one to claim it.

Then eBay.

Then Sam joined eBay and it became a cat bed instead of a dog bed. (Sorry for the bad photo.)

Alex grew tired of waiting up for Santa to arrive.

He was glad when morning came and he could take over his job of being “chief package opener.” Bella did a pretty good job this year too. I frankly thinks she just likes ripping the paper off.

Here is Bella with her snowman that plays “We wish you a Merry Christmas.” Gee thanks Auntie Linda and Uncle Phil. With this toy began a new Christmas tradition with “Auntie Linda and Uncle Phil” of who can find the most obnoxious dog toy.

Alex opened his buffalo bone that we bought the dogs when we were in Laramie. Yummy!

Hailey got one too, of course, but she doesn’t do opening.

The cats got very drunk on their catnip pillows.

eBay becomes a nasty drunk and goes a bit crazy.

While Sam just chills out and becomes very mellow. I think he pretty much slept all day.

Bella and Alex chew on their bones together. They are really good buddies.

We hope you had a great day! I’ll keep you posted on the snow report.

We may not have snow, but look at our glorious sunrise this morning!

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope your day is just wonderful!

P.S. We might just be expecting our first significant snowfall tomorrow! And with a sky like that, well you know the old saying: ““Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning.”

The cats got an early Christmas gift the other day. Take a look at our newest iPad app:

The cat chooses which mode to play: laser beam or mouse. So far eBay has chosen the mouse hands down (or should I say paws down?) every time. Every time they hit the mouse he squeaks and adds up points. Such fun! I love that both cats have different approaches to playing with it. Frankly I am surprised at Sam. I didn’t think he was that smart!

What’s next? Surely not an iPad app for dogs! One slap of Bella’s huge feet and the iPad would be history. (That’s Bella’s nose that you can see in the video.)

And, no ... the cats do not have their own iPad ... yet.

Last night we woke ourselves at 3:00 a.m. to view the lunar eclipse. We felt we had to. After all, it rarely occurs with the winter solstice. The last time it did was 1638. It was eerie. I stood there in my bathrobe with my dog-walking-jacket over it and paid homage to its rare reddish color. I tried to take a photo, but of course—no tripod! It was cold and windy, but very clear with lots of stars twinkling. I didn’t stay out long. This is my best effort at trying to capture it.

And, as predicted, the snow is gone from our Christmas forecast. They are saying it might snow the day after, but that’s still a pretty big “if.” It used to drive me crazy if it didn’t snow by Christmas so that there was at least some on the ground, but I think I am finally growing out of that childhood stage. It would sure be nice but it’s not going to happen. After all, Christmas is all about what’s in your heart and not on the ground!

We’ll be alone this Christmas. My sister and her husband are staying home and entertaining his side of the family, while our friend Carolyn is heading to the great Northwest to meet up with her family. I didn’t do a great deal of decorating this year, but enough. The Santa collection stayed in their boxes this year as did the little German village. I’ve been feeling the need to edit and simplify things. With our new landscaping out front we changed up our lighting strategy and used the net lights on the little trees that used to be stretched across the burning bush hedge (which has now moved) and they worked like a charm. I plug in the lighted garlands hung around the doorways inside the house every morning now. Have to get that Christmas spirit UP!

Our Sunday was spent by attending two different open houses on our street. The first was over at neighbor Kim’s and the second was all the way down the street with the folks who run our block party. And, darn it, I missed Fire Truck Santa again this year! We must have been over at Kim’s when he passed by. Why can’t I seem to catch him so I can photograph this silly event? Santa strapped to the bumper of a fire truck is a sight you don’t forget. I would gladly give them a donation for the chance to have my photo taken with him!

Our Christmas tree reflected in my wine glass.

Yesterday marked the last day (finally!) of pottery class. I’ve been trying to get back and glaze my piece for several weeks now but it hadn’t been fired yet. So yesterday was glazing day. She was going to fire last night so I am thinking of going back this afternoon to pick it up. Again, I have kind of an idea what the glaze is going to look like (it’s called Cappuccino Mint) but I did something different on the button and not sure how that’s going to look. Kind of like I was not sure what the inside of the previous bowl would look like and look how well that turned out! If I hate it I’ll just stick it away in a closet somewhere where I don’t have to look at it.

Also yesterday the dogs went to the groomers. They always come home smelling so wonderful and feeling so soft and fluffy. I try to appreciate it fully because it doesn’t last long. Alex is just like Pig Pen in the Charlie Brown comics and dirt seems to follow him everywhere he goes. Hailey usually stays pretty clean because she’s kind of a prissy girl, taking right after her father who was a pretty prissy boy. Now Bella is not a girly-girl at all. Look what the groomer put in her hair! We don’t expect it to last long.

Mom! Get this thing off my head!

So far this morning it’s still on. Now if that bow was on Hailey’s head instead Bella surely would have chewed it off by now!

Today will find me mostly staying home. I need to make cookies and wrap Rick’s presents. Mine are already under the tree and Sam has even opened one! Cats cannot resist paper, at least Sam can’t.  He looks pretty angelic though, doesn’t he? He’s not! I’m sure I’ll have his help wrapping.

We haven’t seen any bears for a long time. After the bear hunt I am sure they are all trying to lay low. We have plenty of birds: blue jays, titmice, white-breasted nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, chickadees, juncos (2 varieties), carolina wrens, cardinals and the red-bellied woodpeckers visits once in a while. I’ve seen quite a few deer crossing the road but they just don’t seem to like our yard. We have plenty of these little rodents though:

Yes, they are cute but we have so many. And they are so very greedy! Bella gets lots of exercise chasing them off the deck and down into the yard.

Well, that’s about it for today. Tomorrow I will hopefully have a photo or two of the latest (and last) pottery piece to show you. Until then, I toast you with some Christmas cheer!