Christmas Tree... Not

A different spin on the Christmas tree this year

With a little photo editing fun!

5x7 Folded Card

Picture In Landscape Christmas Card

Customize your Christmas cards this holiday at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Christmas Tree Alternatives

Thinking of something new for Christmas this year. Throwing out the artificial tree and doing something a little different. There are too many people in the family with allergies 

to use a real tree, so creativity is a must. Oh yeah!

#1  I really like this one. I'm thinking of using some Cedar limbs from our trees to create this look.

#2 Lord knows, I have enough books to make this one! I think this one might go in Annabelle's room. She is the bookworm of the family and I know she would really enjoy this. :)

#3 I think this one could go just about anywhere. It would be perfect sitting next to our wood burning stove. Smaller versions would make cute table top or buffet decorations too.

Sheep?

We'll be fencing our property soon. My brain is thinking... Sheep! Not just the run of the mill sheep either. I LOVE this funny looking creatures. Now to figure out where to find them. 

Aren't they cute?

Tiny House Floor Plans

I think this is the one we'll use as our little cottage guest house. This plan is for a 300+ square foot house which isn't too bad, but we'll up the square footage a little so there is more storage and floor space.

One of the reasons I picked this floor plan is because the bathroom has an entrance from the living area AND the bedroom. That's a much needed option. I like the desk area too, although we may opt for a stackable washer and dryer in the area instead. I think a food pantry in place of the entertainment center that backs up to the refrigerator would be better use of space as well. The only other thing I want to change is to put French doors in the bedroom that open up onto a deck. I think it would give the bedroom a lot bigger feel with the large glass doors instead of a window.

Tiny Houses

I love tiny houses! There is a new movement to make people more aware of the simplicity and economical benefits of living small. I think those things are important, but I'm also intrigued by these little cottage type houses. Where would I put everything I own? I'm coming to the conclusion that I own too much.

I'd really like to build one of these as a guest house / our kids need a temporary house / never know when someone might need a place to stay house and our parents will one day need someone to take care of them house. Who knows, maybe one day we'll build one for ourselves and rent out the big house.

I've looked at lots of one bedroom floor plans. Below is one I think would provide everything a one bedroom house needs and plenty of floor space.

Love these little houses!!!

Brownies & Swimming Day

Anna and I are off to go swimming with my favorite aunt in the whole world... Auntie Gloria!!  :)
We'll be sporting lots of sunscreen and totting a big ole pan of homemade brownies to share.

Lil G

It was a busy day of errands, orthodontist with Anna and then home for some Graham time. SO much fun! Now I need a nap. lol

Graduation from U. S. Navy Recruit Training Command

After 8 long weeks of waiting... GRADUATION and some time with Jacob. WooHoo!!!

 All 875 Sailors about to march in for Parade in Review - PIR.

 Jacob's Division 198 is standing outside to the left.

If you really look, you can see him!

"VIDEO"

Jacob's division marching in. Jacob is on the far side, marching in front of a really tall black soldier. Keep watching, the group turns and Jacob ends up on the near side.

 Sister Divisions 197 & 198. They worked together all through boot camp.

 This was our view of Jacob. Tall ones in the back. ;)

 All 875 Sailors saying the Sailors Creed was pretty awesome!

 Prayer for all the graduating Sailors.

Group photo of Jacob's Division.

He is in the back again, top row, 3rd from left.

 After Graduation with Jacob for pictures. I wish this guy would smile. lol

Jacob is off to Pensacola Florida for Air Traffic Control school. His school is 16 weeks long, plus however long it takes for classes to begin. Right now they are waiting for more graduates to start a new class of ATC. Jacob is loving his new place and some freedom from all the crazy boot camp schedules and training. We will be visiting him in Florida this August. I'm SO looking forward to time with Jacob and that beautiful Florida coast!

OH! And did I mention, Jacob was promoted to an E3 while in boot camp.
Off to a great start already! 

This is where it all began... http://www.navalaviationmuseum.org

Little did we know our little boy would become a Navy Sailor or be telling giant air craft what to do.

Jacob had just turned a year old when we visited the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. He was so excited seeing all the airplanes. He ran all over the place pointing and making us chase after him. It's so strange to think that 20 years ago, a toddler was looking towards his future.

Everything is Growing!

Some of the fruit on our property is wild. We have wild grapes vines, one wild plumb tree, a couple of mulberry trees and lots of dewberry vines growing on the fence line. We never get to do anything with the fruit because the birds and squirrels usually eat all of it. I've tasted all of them and they're so good, but by the time all the fruit is in full bloom, the animals have found the trees.

Our not wild fruit is from our blueberry bushes we planted this spring. They're already producing and we do eat those. Unfortunately our pecan, pear and peach trees all get visited by squirrels too. We have to figure out a way to diminish the squirrel  population!!!!

All of these pictures were taken 3 weeks ago, so everything is in full growing mood now! 

Left to Right... Blueberries, Strawberries, Mulberries & baby Pears

#1 Wild Baby Grapes just starting to form, #2 Wild Plums #3 Peaches, #4 My Favorite Pear Tree, 

#5 Our First Cup of Blueberries #6 Celery Growing From a Cut Stalk #7 Deer in Our Pasture, 

#8 Some of Our Tomato Plants and #9 One of our visiting Woodpeckers

Memorial Day 2012

I wanted to make something Red, White and Blue for a little patriotic feel since it was Memorial Day. Normally May 28th we'd be celebrating Jacob's birthday, but he's in Great Lakes Illinois for Naval Basic Training right now. He missed a good time with the family, but we will celebrate his birthday when we see him in June.

I searched Pinterest and found a great looking "Patriotic" cake, but the recipe didn't sound so yummy. I chose a lemon cake recipe instead with cream cheese frosting. Everyone liked the lemon taste and the red, white and blue layers inside. Surprise!! 

I didn't get a chance to take a picture before we had already eaten more than half the cake, so I'm using the picture from Pinterest. Sorry, I don't know who took the picture or where the picture originated from.

It was DELICIOUS!

Lemonade Cake

INGREDIENTS:
1 boxed white cake mix
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. oil
3 eggs
1/2 c. frozen lemonade concentrate (thawed)

Mix all ingredients together. Bake as directed on the box.

Lemonade Frosting

DIRECTIONS:
8 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat cream cheese is fine, just don't use fat-free)*
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
Zest of one lemon (about 2 tsp.)
1 Tbsp. frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

I will be making this one again. Next time I'll get a picture too! :)

Camping with The Family 

At Shady Lake Recreational Area in Arkansas

 We've been camping at Shady Lake since 1984. We've taken all four of our children for many of our camping trips here and it's still a favorite of all the Zieleniewskis. 

This camping trip, we took the new additions of our family. :)

 Abby and her sweet baby. He loves riding in her backpack.

The Zieleniewski Gang

Barry Carson, Baby Graham & Mandy, Nathan Cruse & Abby,

Dad, Anna, Jacob & Kylie Thompson

This isn't the trail but some of us just have to go the hard way.

Abby giving the thumbs up for this GIANT fungus.

 

This was our Grandson's first hiking trip

Yes Graham, these are some funny girls.

Jacob & Kylie

Dad (Nathan) & Mom (Abby) have to take a break

from all the hiking. Mousie looks like she's ready to go. 

 

Yes, we hiked both of these trails!

  

 

Top of Tall Peak Trail

The fire lookout station is looking old these days,

but it's still a great place to take a break after a very long hike.

Hiking back down the trail.

 Our camping trip with all the kids was SO much fun!

I don't know when we'll all be together again for a family vacation, but I'm so thankful we got to do this before Jacob shipped off for his Navy basic training camp. 

It was a special time together. 

I love my family!

I saw this on Charity Navigator's Facebook page. I totally agree with this statement! What a waist of time and money we all use, trying to impress others when we could put that effort into something way more worth while.

Graham & Tired Me

Oh my, this grandma is SO glad my grandson, Graham likes to take naps with me. This has been a really long week!

A little Sunshine in the Winter

Some of my favorite pictures from our trip to Akumal Beach Resort in Mexico.

I'm so ready to go back again. Five more months and I'll get to use my limited Spanish

and snorkel in beautiful Akumal Bay!

 Snorkeling with the turtles

 So many turtles! One day we saw 10 during one swim.

 Dory! I think these were a type of Parrot fish. ??

One the many birds we saw fishing near the water.

Fishing boats in Akumal Bay

Swings at Moon Rise Bar. These were fun.

Mandy & Abby

So many beautiful views and so much beach & blue water!