Birthday Update, Christmas Update and Foot Update!

Hello friends --Just a quick update as I am recovering again from foot surgery!!  Whoa -- can I tell you how happy I am that I have only two feet (as opposed to three or four)  -- so am done with this agony once rightie heals!  Let's do some bullet points today, as pain meds are making me just a tad loopy and definitely sleepy!
 

Cboo and Maddy with a fave gift!



• Miss Maddy turned 10 a few days before Christmas!  We went out to dinner at her fave place and she ate her fave dinner -- chicken tenders and fries!  So cute, she had her uniform on from school.  The servers thought I was a little crazy for pulling out the camera.  What??  Have they never heard of the mamarazzi???



• And then it was time for Christmas!   Connor (Cboo), Philip, Catherine and the most adorable Janie and Walt joined us  It was so much fun!  Maddy assisted in gift-giving and was such a good little hostess -- helping Janie and Walt with their gifts.  It was loads of fun!

• And so after all the fun activities of December, I ended the month having surgery on my right foot (as whined about above).  I can't wait for it to feel better!  I never thought I was a wimp, but oh my, foot pain affects your whole body and not in a good way.  It will, no doubt, feel better each day and more powerful pain meds will surely help, right?!

Happy New Year to All!

Merry Merry Christmas!

Sending our best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

to each and every one of you!

Dear Santa . . .

Dear Santa:  Last weekend when we saw you at the mall, my Mom and I were so excited that the line was not very long.  I hadn't had a chance to chat with you yet this year!  As we got closer and closer, my Mom mentioned that it looked like you had a weird outfit on.   Well really, I didn't think it was that strange as my dad (Mr. Tennis) often wears mock-turtlenecks.  But, I did think the color was a little different.  I mean, no offense Santa, but a purple colored mock-t doesn't really look very good with bright red Santa pants!  Was Mrs. Claus not around this morning to give you fashion advice? 

I could tell that my Mom was starting to freak out wonder how the photo would look with you in that purple mock-t!  Luckily, she asked the photo lady to ask if you wouldn't mind, to please put on your Santa jacket for the photo.  I know it was warm and you were probably roasting with little kids sitting on your lap all day, but you must admit, you look a lot better with your Santa jacket than a purple mock-t!  It made my Mom so happy, and you know that it's the little things that Mom's appreciate the most.  Thanks Santa, you're the best!

Love,

Maddy

P.S.  If it's not too much trouble, please don't forget that electric scooter for me and new chew toy for my dog, Muffy!

Weekend Update!

Well, I did it . . . I jinxed our lovely fall weather. 

 Yep, since I mentioned how nice it had been in my last post and re-posted photos from the 

 2009 Christmas blizzard, history repeated itself and the weatherman's predictions were actually right on target! 

Friday night, Mr. Tennis, Maddy and I attended a festive Christmas concert.  Do you remember Mandisa from American Idol?  She and Matthew West put on an incredibly beautiful Christmas concert. 

Loved it!

We were hoping to rake leaves and do power shopping on Saturday, but that's when we got hit by the triple header -- sleet, ice and snow!  It was so beautiful -- but cars were slipping and sliding, especially at intersections!  Not the most confident driver in good conditions, my big red Jeep and I slowly made our way home from the mall and only went out again on foot!

A dog needs a walk even when it snows! 

Gotta love our sweet little Scottie.

Three Word Wednesday!

 Clark Griswold Wannabe!!!!!! 

Deck the Halls!

A first this year -- our house is all decorated and it's not even December!! Woohoo!!



Come on in -- the entryway



  I had a big incentive and deadline as Mr. Tennis agreed that our house could be open on Sunday, Nov. 20,  for a Holiday Open House tour.  Holy smokes, I was sweating it for a while there, but it all came together.  It may be true that Mr. Tennis ignored my "theme" of silver/red/white and threw in some other colors, but it turned out fine.  I put the kibosh on some of his "special" decorating touches and sent him outside to do his Clark Griswold impression! :)

 Reports were that there was a big crowd with a line out the door and down the block to go through the house. Visitors could see five different houses throughout the city and the admission price went to fund a special program for kids at our local elementary schools.  So, it was a veritable win/win -- we (somehow -- late nights, etc.) managed to do our Christmas decorating early and kids at schools throughout the city benefited too.

We decorated each room and even have two Christmas trees up!

My favorite room is the dining room!

Love my red and white dishes!

The stairs with polka dot bows are also a fave!

And love our mantel -- so pretty, but hard to photograph due to a large mirror!

How about you?  Have you finished your decorating? 

It may be a new tradition to get the decorating done early!