25 Days Of Christmas, Day 24

I have spent all month getting everything ready. I think it’s time.  

Looks like we are ready for Santa. 

Or, maybe he has already been here. 

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 23

Christmas decorating inspiration can come from just about anywhere.  But one of my most common spots for ideas is the thrift store. 

I have a photo shelf in the hallway to my bedroom where I display records.  Sometimes record covers with horses and sometimes records from my childhood. 

But at Christmas I change it out to Santas, angels or nativities. 

I have collected them from thrift stores over the years. Sometimes I just like the cover sometimes I like the music.  Some Santa’s are creepy. 

Some are fake. 

And some look, well, drunk. 

Then there is Classic Christmas. 

And finally, unexpected. Who would think of Colonel Sanders as Santa. Well, it is cheap artwork anyway. 
 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 22

The time has been flying by.  But I finally managed to find one before Christmas.  

A pony saddle that is.  I have been looking on Craig's list and Facebook market place for one but nothing has been showing up.  Then I checked on-line tack stores.  But I don't like buying something like that without seeing it.  Then I thought to ask a girl I know that gives lessons if she had a pony saddle she would part with.  And she did!  She thought it was a 10 in seat, but when I measured it, it was 12 inches.  I think it will fit Clyde and if the stirrups are too long I still have those that go over the horn.  So, hopefully it will work out.   After we had dressed Clyde up a couple of days ago, Allie said he needed a Christmas saddle.  I hope they like it.  

And just because the sky was so beautiful this evening...

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 21

Allie woke up this morning saying her head hurt. She had a fever of 100.5.   After much discussion and negotiation, we decided that I would stay home with Allie and Virginia would come pick up Sadie and take her to her regular church. Sadie was very upset to not be able to go to my church. But she finally got over it. 

Allie sat in my lap for a lot of Netflix.  Sher said I was comfortable.  Then she wanted to put on her matching dress that Sadie had worn to church.  She also ok'ed me taking her picture.  

She was a very good model.  

Sadie came back after church and let me take her picture too.  Allie had already changed again so I didn't get their picture together, yet.  Virginia took Allie back home and Sadie stayed to do some crafting.  

Today's crafts involved beads, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, paint, hot glue, glitter, markers, wooden ornaments, gems, paint and wire cutters.  I found out that 1:15 minutes is about Sadie's limit on crafting.  But the next thing she wanted to do was ride Clyde!

                                           

She wanted to lead he to the barn, then do lot and lots of trotting. She is getting so much better at posting.  I may or may not have a saddle update for tomorrow.  

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 20

"When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter...

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, The prancing and pawing of each little hoof."

Not exactly Santa's reindeer, but there was quite the clatter.  Today they started working of the new roof we contracted for 3 months ago.

And they decided to try to turn around a ton truck in the narrowest part of the driveway. 

 

"With a little old driver, so lively and quick," NOT!

 My birdbath is now completely trashed.  

On a happier note, Sadie and Allie came today to spend the night.  They wanted to watch Unicorn Academy first.  But I said, "let's ride a real unicorn."   They decided this was a good idea.  Plus, they had on the proper attire.  

We also decked out Clyde in all the red things I could find in the tack room.  We even tied jingle bells in his mane.  

If you tune up the volume you can hear the bells jingle as Clyde trots.  

Allie still does not want to trot but she does like to walk fast.  

I took over leading her and Sadie played in the sand.  After we finished riding, we make molasses cookies, watched one episode of Unicorn Academy, played witches and princesses, walked to the tiny house, fed the dogs and ate out at CJ's.  Sadie even admitted that she was tired.  

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 19

I got this email around Thanksgiving but ignored it for several days. Most all emails like this are just advertisements and trying to sell something. 

But when I got around to reading it, it seems they are trying to give me something.  I had to order a bird feeder from Kohl’s, write a review, then get a refund. I already have a Birdfy bird house and a Birdfy camera that I can aim at a feeder, so why not get the feeder camera combo. 

It came a couple of days ago and was very easy to assemble. 

Since I already had the app, adding one more device was a piece of cake 

The only problem has been the 40 mph winds.  Hopefully the wind will settle down by tomorrow so I can put it up outside, write my review and get a refund. 

Merry Christmas to me!

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 18

I started getting Facebook posts from “Pet Portraits by Hercule” over a year ago.  He draws pet caricatures for donations to a homeless charity and a pet charity in the UK.  The drawings and commentary are very humorous.  Today I saw that he was giving away a Christmas coloring page. 

Since I was at work I was able to download it and print off a couple for Sadie and Allie.  

Unfortunately, I did not see that last year’s was also available until I got home.  My printer doesn’t work so I won’t be doing this one.  But it has a unicorn. 

He also has a shop and sells Christmas cards, calendars and a variety of other merchandise.  If you want a bit of a laugh check out his website HERE or his Facebook page HERE.

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 17

Santa’s Mail!  Everyone in my family knows this one. 

Mama made this one from this Bucilla kit 60ish years ago. As children, it was always special to write our letters to Santa then put them in the Santa’s Mail. They would magically disappear overnight. I’m sure flying  straight to the North Pole.

Then in 1997 I decided to continue the tradition with my girls. Not surprisingly, Mama still had the original instructions. But since it had been a kit, I needed to round up all of the supplies. 

Now my Santa’s Mail is one of the first things I put up every Christmas and the last thing I take down.  But I did not stop there.  

I made one for Linda, 

Ann, 

Mitchell, who is always a little extra, 

and Carol.                                                                                                                                                        

Then, when Virginia got married, I made one for her. 

And last year, after Emily got married, I made one for her. 

The cutest one however, Carol made for Mama's stocking.  I am in love with the miniature proportions.  I also think it would make a fantastic Christmas tree ornament.  Just for fun, before writing this post, I ran the Santa's Mail picture past Google Lens. 

This odd thing appeared.  I don't know what is going on with that mustache and eyebrows.  But when I clicked, the link is said it wasn't safe and to go back.  So I don't know the story on that one.   

But I found this one on Ebay.  You can see with the original Santa has a pompom on his hat.  I substituted a bell and left the bells off the bottom.  The original also used trim to write Santa's Mail.  I did a shortcut and used glitter glue.  

The one on Ebay is selling for $35.61.  I found where one sold for $44.99.  

 Mine however, is priceless.  

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 16

I was doing a little Christmas shopping for Sadie and Allie when I ran across some Barbies at Rural King.  Sadie and Allie love playing with Barbies at my  house. 

This is the new vet Barbie.  My question is, why are her hips so big?  

The next Barbie over didn’t have big hips. She was a dog washer Barbie. I am not sure why she had a bandage in her left arm. Not a good sign for a dog washer. 

It looks like Barbie became a vet around 1985.   Here she had Barbie proportions. 

Pet doctor Barbie came out in the 1990’s. I have this one.  She is very Barbie like. 

The 2000’s version is looking a little frumpy. 

But nothing like the frumpiness of this one. I I’m not sure this would encourage any young girl to be a vet.  Maybe to get to wear pink boots but that is about it. Spoiler alert, I did not buy the 2025 vet Barbie. 

 

25 Days Of Christmas, Day 15

Today I tried a photo shoot with Kit Kat.

First, I tried during the day.  He looks mad but he is actually very happy to be getting some attention.  He wasn't very good at staying still though.  

Then I practiced at night with a stand in.  It is a lot easier when the animal stays still.  

After multiple times of telling him to stay, scooting back, setting the camera, squatting down, just to have him get up and come over to be petted, I finally got a decent picture. 

This one wasn't too bad either.   I would like to try to photograph Sadie and Allie at the tree the next time they are here.  

As for Kit Kat,  I think he is done.