During our 11 day vacation in the North Carolina Mountains 

we

were

amused

watching the antics at The Chicken Coop 

and

in

awe

as we took time to Appreciate Nature's Beauty.

We also took Ellie-Mae canoeing down the New River with us, for the second time, which was so much fun.  I think this will be a new tradition for us any time we head for the hills!

The llama were super cute; water dripping from his chin!

Appreciating Nature's Beauty

Nature at its finest, that's what you'll find in the mountains

Beautiful views and lots of critters.

Llama and goats.

Hand hewn fences.

Wildflowers, butterflies and bees.

Donkey and Ellie-Mae amazed by each other.

Scenes from the mountains...

Christmas Touches in the Great Room

I wanted to show you the great room all decked out for Christmas!

This room has Mr. Hearts favorite decorations,

can you guess what they are?

Clutter Solutions

Do you have a spot?  You know, that place where you drop “it”

until you can get back to “it”

or need “it” again?

Our kitchen table is the spot.
A catchall for the mail, my keys, my purse, my scarf, my gloves…clutter!
Are you seeing a pattern here?

Our children are out on their own and my hubby is a tidy fella,
so what’s up with all this clutter?
It’s ME, it's my clutter!

BUT I have found a solution…

Entering our back door, the kitchen table is the first spot available for me to drop my stuff, and the clutter drives me crazy!  There is just no good place to put these things and I need to keep them close because I'm in and out so much,  sooo...

I got to thinking about a small cupboard in the great room,
that it may just be the perfect solution. 

Here it is between these two chairs…

I slid this little cupboard over beside the back door and in it’s place I brought in this antique three drawer chest that was in our den.  The chest is full of family photographs.

These antique mirrors have been stored in a closet because I haven’t had a place to hang them, until now...

Are you wondering how this cupboard is the solution to my clutter?

This basket is used for the mail and the milk glass dish is where I place my keys…

 

and when the cupboard door is opened, voilà ... my purse, scarves, and gloves.  

Being right beside the back door, this is the perfect new spot for all my clutter!

 

Here’s Bella, she was supervising as I moved things around…

 

Here’s the kitchen table now, no clutter…yippee!

Yes, our great room is STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS...check out how we got this far!

 

Ellie-Mae says hi and thanks you for coming to see us...

 So, where's your spot, got any clutter you need a solution for?

Linking with:
HOMES SWEET HOME, FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY, TUTORIALS, TIPS & TIDBITS
OPEN HOUSE PARTY, HOME AND GARDEN THURSDAY, TREASURE HUNT THURSDAY
RETURN TO LOVELINESS, NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAYS, SEASONAL SUNDAYS
MET MONDAY

SPECIAL DAY!

Our sweet little nugget Ellie-Mae turned 1 on 10/10/11!  Yes, we are crazy about her so to some we may seem a bit "crazy", but we celebrated!  No, we didn't have cake, but we sang Happy Birthday, gave her extra treats and she did get a little sumpin' sumpin'.
Here she is on her first day with us...

and as she has grown this year...

Daddy is giving Ellie Mae her little birthday sumpin' sumpin'.  It is a squeaky squirrel toy and she's not toooo sure about this furry little thing...

...but, as you can see, it didn't take long for her to take to it!

This is her favorite place to be and she spends LOTS of time here...with her favorite buddy!

She has added so much fun and joy to our lives...we love her bunches!

Happy 1st Birthday Ellie-Mae!

PET PARTY!

There's a Pet Party and

I'm entering the sweetest pup ever...

Here is our little nugget!

She is precious, adorable, energetic, sweet, sometimes full of mischief and a little naughty,

but always full of lovin'...Ellie-Mae! 

Yes, we are SMITTEN!

Love your sweet comments!

Blessings,

Cindy

Linking With:

SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL

PET PARTY

MR. HEART & ELLIE-MAE

I'm trying to learn how to take good photographs, definitely a work in progress!

There's a portrait party going on so I took some pictures of

Mr. Heart and Ellie-Mae...

They are bestest friends!

My little Nugget...isn't she precious!

Join us at TRACY'S PORTRAIT PARTY!

Blessings,

Linking with:
INSPIRED BY YOU WEDNESDAY
WHATEVER GOES WEDNESDAY
WHASSUP WEDNESDAY

Miss Mae & Pretties

It is a blustery 39 degrees here today and the sky is a beautiful Carolina Blue!

We so love our new baby, Ellie-Mae.  She is a hoot!

Playful, Adorable, Full of Lovin' and

doesn't know how SMALL she is...

Just have to share a couple of pictures with you of Ellie-Mae and her prized possessions:

Miss Mae is all but 3 pounds.  These sticks are tiny but look so large compared to her!

As soon as her tiny paws hit the ground, she picks up something...

Sticks...

LEAVES...

...and more LEAVES

She picks up one thing and drops it for the other, time and time again...so funny!  Our precious little "nugget" is FULL of energy!

She is tiny compared to this Oak Leaf!

A couple of beauties on this cold and blustery day.   



Mikey says, "Hi"!
He was enjoying getting some lovin'

from his momma...Me!   He is the sweetest boy!



So many cardinals and chickadees out today and they are chirping up a storm!

The birds of the sky nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.  Psalm 104:12

So thankful for these beauties in the midst of all the brown and withered plants and grass...



"The grass withers and the flowers fade,
   but the word of our God endures forever.” Isaiah 40:8

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Camera Critters