Silly PWD

This is Dover. He's my Portuguese Water Dog. Or should I say Portuguese SNOW dog??? He turns one on Jan. 1st!

Maddie performing, Bridget waits in the wing for her turn.

Bridget singing.

Maddie got to sing and do the xylophone!

Elizabeth ready for her preschool Sing and party.

Merry Christmas from the Bungalow! These are just a few images from a recent Holiday Sing and a cozy fire we made last night while watching "It's A Wonderful Life." God Bless Us, Everyone!

It's Snowman Building Time

The girls had such fun yesterday and today playing in the snow! They made a snowman and a snowdog to accompany him! Maddie and Bridget, Snowman Constructors.

Dover dog, enjoying the snow, stealing as many boots, gardening clogs, gloves, hats, and mittens as possible during his favorite outdoor game called "keep away."

The Bungalow at Christmastime

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...

Cute Little Tin

Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa's giving Mrs. Claus a hug before he goes off to check on those elves! He has a lot to do these next few days!

O Christmas Tree

Some more pictures of my Tree... lit up at night. I just added a ton of presents - these pictures look bare now!

Stockings hung by the chimney with care...

Can't wait for Santa to arrive!

Candles lit, Christmas carols playing.

All is calm, all is bright.

More tomorrow...if I have time!!! Merry Christmastime to all!

Some Christmas Decorations

I'm not ready for Christmas!!! I have SOOO much to do. But I refuse to get too stressed about it. I want to savor the moment. Try to slow down and take it in. All we have is today. So I'm going to take my time and know that I will get it all done. Christmas is a time of goodness and joy!

I love old Santas. I have a bunch of Santas around my house. They are so sweet - a reminder to have that childlike heart at Christmas.

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas

Hi everyone! Hope you are enjoying the wonderful Christmas season. I can't get enough of Christmas Music and the fun decorating books and magazines that I dig out and look at over and over. I have to get going on my cards! I plan to take the girls' picture tonight in front of the tree. It's bitter cold here in Chicagoland!!! But inside it's warm and homey. Here's what's been happening in the Handley Bungalow during this wonderful season:

Homemade Gingerbread House - from a kit - sort of lopsided! The girls did this last weekend when we visited our cottage in Lake Geneva, WI...my hubby had to split a bunch of wood. Great weekend because this week they had a HUGE snowstorm there!

Our Tree - the kids had so much fun decorating it! I need to take a better picture of it. I used some grapevine on it this year. I really like it!

Christmas songs on the piano...getting ready for their Holiday Sing performances. Here's "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer'! We've been also reading Rudolph books from when I was little. My mom saved all my Christmas books! So fun to read! We have a ton of Christmas stories.

Drinking Hot Chocolate - complete with marshmellows! Little Elizabeth loves to stir it up herself.

My entryway. The plaque has some lyrics from the song "I'll be Home for Christmas" - I got it at the Summer Sidewalk sale at the local Hallmark store for 75% off! I bought my sister-in-law one, too!

Some antique candleholders I inherited from my aunt. I think they're really old and some sort of Swedish decoration.

I dolled up my chandelier in the dining room. I added live greenery, beads and hung some antique glass ornaments on it. The wreaths in the background are vintage from my mom's house.

Coming in from playing in the snow! Elizabeth has been looking forward to making snow angels for weeks! So much fun!

Dover likes playing in the snow, too!

I found this old sign at an estate sale last summer. Cute! It's big, too. I wonder where the previous owners hung it. Maybe for a Christmas Party!

The mantle all fancied up for Christmas and Santa's arrival! I need to take a picture at night. You can't really see all the twinkling lights!

This is "Little Red" - he's our "Elf on the Shelf" - also we were able to send "Little Red Jr." back with Little Red to get his "magic" back. Now they BOTH leave at night, give a report to Santa, then return each morning in a different spot!! It's fun to look for them in the morning!

I like this Santa - I don't know why my camera took a blurry shot of him! Aren't vintage Santas sweet! I have a photo of my mom on Santa's lap - taken sometime in the 1940's. I also have a vintage postcard Christmas card with a little girl and Santa. The girl is sitting on a horse!

Snowsuits, Mittens, Hats, Boots, all over my house.

A chocolate Advent Calendar! Santa's coming soon! Isn't Christmastime magical! Blessings to all! Enjoy this wonderful time. Take it in. Don't work too hard! It's easy to become distracted from the beauty of the Season with so much going on. Love, Ann

School Play

My two middle daughters were recently in a school play. Bridget, on the left, is "Shel-vis" - a combination of a fish that is a celebrity impersonator who happens to be Elvis. Maddie, on the right, is a Mariachi Band Player - see the pink "Barney" maracas? They did a great job and worked very hard to give a wonderful, entertaining performance!