How Fancy Must Your Tree Be???

Have you ever used a cedar tree for a Christmas Tree?? I did once several years ago but it’s almost impossible to decorate with the long scraggly branches.

I almost tried it again this year purely because there are an abundance of them growing at my parents house and our cabin….

It’s almost like a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. Can you love the beauty of it’s non-uniformity and lack of lushness? Or do you need a traditional tree??

I will definitely use cedar branches to fill my urns and other spots I want fresh greenery as free is always a good thing! Plus thinking with a little glitter spray they can be just as lovely as other greenery.

A Glittery and Modern Christmas

I remember stumbling upon this blog post last year and being in total awe.

If only an elf could come to my house while I was at work or asleep and transform my home into a glittery wonderland like this!!!

And the deer decoys painted white and festooned with lights – swanky.


*All photos from Sitting in a Tree, captured by Joielala Photography.

Thankful

There are so many things I am thankful for it would take pages to write them all down. I have a very blessed life surrounded by amazing people. I can’t begin to express my gratitude. So I will leave it at that – I am very thankful and appreciative. Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

The Hunt

Natural instincts are amazing. This precious thing is the most pampered spoiled pet ever.

But stick her out in the wild


And next thing I know she is chasing after pheasants or turkey


Or whatever this is….

Turkey Trot Tomorrow in CB

Perfect way to start your Thanksgiving day and burn off calories so you can indulge with no guilt! I will be there hope to see many of you!

This One’s for the Kids

Our Y Strong Kids Campaign Concert/Fundraiser was a huge success. Especially since it was our first year. We raised $3,500 at the pre-event!!

And we raised another $1,600 on ticket sales from the concert. So over $5,000 raised in one evening to help provide scholarship to those in need so they can enjoy the Y, sports programs, swim lessons, and other productive activities. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all that donated, participated, and volunteered. I am thankful there are so many generous people in our community.

I even overcame my stage freight to play a lil tamborine for the event! Who knew I could be a member of a band with no musical talent!!!

It's Almost Thanksgiving

I’ll be here enjoying friends and family all weekend – what a perfect jump start to the Thanksgiving holiday (and my birthday as we all know I celebrate my birthday for at least a week, sometimes the whole month)!

I am very thankful that I have such amazing family and friends. I am also very thankfully for Niobrara and our lil slice of wonderfulness we have there.

Take a Walk with Me through Fall

The temperatures are quickly dropping with snow in the forecast. In an effort to hold evil man winter back I decided to share a few photos from a recent fall walk.

Come Sit for a Spell

Let the clear blue skies wash your cares away.

Enjoy the colorful leaves squeezing out a few final days of life.


So ready for a relaxing country weekend!

Blackberry Farm is Finally on my Horizon

Can’t begin to express how excited I am to finally get to visit Blackberry Farm!! Just booked a weekend there in August!!

This has been a dream destination for several years now. It’s actually my dream to open something similar (on a much smaller scale) in Nebraska someday….

Glitter Goodness for my Camera!!!

This is something I must steal and recreate!! How perfect is this camera strap?? And just in time for holiday festivities!!

you will need:
course glitter // mod podge // fabric glue // rhinestones

Step One
mix mod podge & glitter, adding one part course glitter to two parts mod podge in a small bowl
Step Two
brush on to strap and let dry
Step Three
apply a second layer and let dry
Step Four
you may wish to apply a third layer [optional]
Step Five
apply rhinestones to the ends of the strap, with fabric or crazy glue
Step Six
and that's it! easy, easy [a glimpse of the finished project here]

I found this idea on this is Glamorous (all images, photography & layout by funkytime, as well as how-to instructions)

Thank You Veterans

Thank you to all of those who have served or are currently serving. Thank you to the friends and family supporting these Veterans. Because of each of you were live with freedom.

Freedom Isn't Free
by Kelly Strong

I watched the flag pass by one day
It fluttered in the breeze
A young Marine saluted it, and then
And then he stood at ease

I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd

I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?

How many Pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, Freedom isn't free

I heard the sound of taps one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill

I wondered just how many times
That taps had meant "Amen"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives

I thought about a graveyard
at the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, Freedom isn't free!

The Leaves are Falling

We are in the midst of fall and unfortunately I think winter is about to come sprinting in.

I have been so busy lately seems I haven’t even had a chance to enjoy the season.

I’m not even close to tackling the items on my fall bucket list! Guess there is always next year.

Beer and Bagel

This was my first year for the Beer and Bagel Run. The morning was pretty chilly but once we started running the temperature seemed perfect. For some reason though I just had no energy for the run and definitely no speed.

I managed to be a klutz and trip over some obstacle at the very start and it threw me off the entire run. Plus the hills were killer and the three creeks we ran through added a lil to my time as well. Final results:

Gun Time: 46:02
Net Time: 44:56
Pace: 11:14
Overall Place: 1355 of 2106
Place in Gender: 683 of 1261
Division F3034 Place: 184 of 321

Definitely nothing to write home about or get excited over. More of a motivator that I need to get back into running on a regular basis and push myself harder. But bad time aside it was a blast! The course is scenic and a lot of people dress up. After the run you are able to get unlimited beer and there was a fun DJ cranking out tunes. Who doesn’t love a party at 10 am on a Sunday???

Tonight is the Night!!!

Chasing Away Vampires

Isn’t garlic supposed to chase away vampires? Anyway, I decided to try a fall planting of garlic in hopes of a spring harvest.

This is the first time I have planted garlic so hoping I did it correctly. Truthfully, I’m not a huge fan of garlic but figure I can share with family, friends, and neighbors.

*I actually planted the garlic in the ground – not to worry – this pic was just as I was laying it out for spacing purposes.