family

I've officially decided.

I hate winter.

I've always known it wasn't a good time for me, but this year, mere dislike has become a pure, burning hatred.  

Maybe the accelerated loathing was from being cooped up in the house with 5 dogs, some who don't like each other, two that need to be seperated due to a hot spot that won't heal and the other wanting to "help" with it, and one who sheds buckets and buckets of hair.

There hasn't been that much snow, just a few dustings, but there were a lot of days with single digit and below temps.  Not good when your art studio has cement floors. I felt like that cold had invaded my bones, right up through the soles of my feet,  and I spent a some time just shivering and feeling sorry for myself. Then, I decided, to heck with trying to work and flung myself deeply into Netflix and a couple of good books, and so much hot tea that my brain was zinging with caffeine.

Just when I thought I wouldn't make it, or that I'd turn into a jittery couch potato with no interest in leaving my cozy blanket and TV, the weather broke.

And in a spectacular way.  We had bountiful sunshine, warmer days, but still, oddly,  kept a covering of snow for a bit.

We were able to shoo the herd of dogs and girls outside to get some fresh air, and exercise.  The kids used leftover tie dye colors that I'd saved from coloring bottle brush trees, to draw pictures in the lingering snow.

There is nothing like some sunshine to perk me up.  End of funk.  

Not the end of the season, but I feel the will to go on. 

I CAN MAKE IT TIL SPRING.  I think I can, I think I can. I think I can.

Ryan and I are Walking Dead superfans. So, when he wanted a new wallet for Christmas, I decided to special it up by filling the empty photo slots with family pictures.

As zombies of course.

This is my fave.  Dorothy adores Ryan, he could be her favorite human, of course she  had to be included in his wallet.

None of the pictures are monster poses, I just used some previous pics that I had handy and edited them on Picmonkey.

To me, that made them even creepier than if they'd been staged.

HIs other gifts were a Walking Dead book and a coffee table, that he caught me working on in the studio. I'd found it at a thrift store, but the inlaid wood top had pink nail polish spilled on it. 

I sanded down the top only, leaving the legs as is.Then painted the trim grey, coated it all with a dark wax and buffed it out.  He loved the table and was telling me how perfect one like it would be for his room, after I told him that I was fixing it up for someone.  Which he believed, because I used to do painted furniture for my job. But those pieces were usually white and hand painted with roses.  Still, my story worked on him and he was surprised when he realized the gift was for him on Christmas Eve.  

Ry was such fun to surprise.  He doesn't' expect much, but appreciates everything. What a sweetheart!

He loved the wallet filled with edited creatures too.

While these photos might not exactly be, uhm, tasteful, they are from the heart and he was thrilled that I refinished a table for him and turned our family into monsters for his wallet.

Aren't those the best kind of gifts? The ones that don't take much money, just some time, creativity, and knowledge of what will make someone you love surprised and smiling?

We love this pumpkin patch, Pendleton's Country Market.

And we especially LOVE the corn pit.

Even though I might still have corn lurking in pockets, shoes, and underwear. 

Forever.