We’ve been busy around here, like everyone else, but not over-the-top-busy. We’re going minimal on the decorations this year, and I gotta tell you it feels good. Big tree, greenery, stockings, holiday knick knacks—nope. All those boxes are still in the garage. The wreath, window lights and a Charlie Brown tree are the only things that made the cut.
My talented cousin Beth makes all the decorations…one for each animal in the barnyard. Look at Tia, at the top 🙂
I love lights.
Very Excellent Husband Don started putting lights on the tree, but lost interest. It was like this for about three days before I finished it. And yes, we don’t have a fireplace, but that’s the next best thing, I guess.
Half of one strand of lights…come on honey, feel the spirit!
We’ve grown to love the tree just like it is. I don’t even think we’re going to get out ornaments. It is a very, very, brave tree.
I believe the lights weigh more than the tree.
I know for the people who go all out with decorations, this must seem like a travesty. But it works for us. It feels good.
Oh, this was a surprise for Very Excellent Husband Don. His passion is cycling. I got an old bike from a thrift store and went nuts with lights. I was laughing when I was trying to get it up on top of the coop. He and his friends measure the weight of their bikes in grams, and you can pick one of his bicycles up with a single finger. This bike? I think it weighed a ton. At least. Ladder, snow, slippery metal roof, heavy bike with light strands catching on everything…what an adventure that was!
Up on the rooftop…
The kids are all home. Don is preparing a massive Christmas Eve meal. Inside, we will be warm and cozy. There will be jigsaw puzzles. And movie watching. And family. And friends.
Outside, it is cold. Snow is predicted for Christmas Day. I will fill the feeders with extra hay, put more straw down for Doink’s nest. My little backyard menagerie will get extra treats at dinnertime.
It’s the early bird dinner crew, waiting for the restaurant to open. At around 4pm everyone is looking for The Lady.
It has been a good year, filled with its share of ups and downs. But we are lucky. I am lucky.
Doink is concentrating very, very hard to wish each and every one of you a happy holiday!
**Shared at (mis)Adventures Monday**
I love your holiday photos the most of all the blogs I read! Fun! Simple! And the ANIMALS!! Oh my goodness you live a charmed life! Merry! Merry!
I am a very lucky girl indeed. The animals and I appreciate you stopping by! Happy New Year 🙂
Happy Christmas to all of you! Thanks for letting us share your life.
I love sharing the lives of the animals. Hope your Christmas was bright!
Everything sounds and looks good to me…wishing in my dream that I am also there to experience the great fun of your family and friends…
To cutie Doink: don’t take it all seriously…just chill out!!
Joan, wishing you and your kin…the very best of of what’s in store in year 2016:)
Annie! Happy holidays to you and yours on the other side of the globe! Have a wonderful new year 🙂
Everything about this seems ‘most excellent’ to me. Great job, and best to you this holiday season!!
To you and yours as well. Here’s to a great 2016 for all!
Merry Christmas to you and all the barnyard…from me and mine. With 4 miniature horses, 5 miniature donkeys, 2 mustangs, 1 old milk cow, 1 pot bellied pig, 22 chickens, 1 blue and gold macaw, 1 rottweiler, 1 pekegnese, 1 conure, and 1 cat…I share your challenges…and the joy…. of the feathered and furred children that came here needing a home. I do so enjoy sharing your ups and downs, it is as encouraging as it is entertaining. Happy New Year and God’s Richest Blessings.
What a wonderful menagerie! (I had to look up what a conure was 🙂 ) Here’s to a happy and healthy 2016 to all our humans and animals!
Merry Christmas to you!
Happy New Year, Tia. We watched the 5th grade graduation movie of the kids on Christmas…it was fun to see your little one there, too! The best to you and yours 🙂
Thank you for entertaining me with your writing this year. I love the stories though I don’t read them every day, I won’t delete the emails until I have read them. I love how all of the critters call you “the Lady”. Just one of my favorite things about your posts!
Merry Christmas to “the Lady”!!
Those animals are quite entertaining, I love sharing their stories. Thanks for stopping by and reading about them! Happy New Year 🙂
It all looks great! I’m downsizing more stuff this year too…
Nancy @ Little Homestead in Boise recently posted…Merry Christmas!
It made everything easier this year. I don’t think anyone missed all the “extras”. I think it’s going to be the new family tradition!
Joan Hobbs recently posted…A Simple Happy Holiday
Merry Christmas to you and all “our” barn yard friends. Thank you for sharing your life with us.
Thanks for following along in our little backyard barnyard adventure! I love showing their personalities to everyone 🙂 Happy New Year!
I love it all. I also love that like me you include your animals in a Christmas post when some people don’t have time while getting caught up in the Christmas rush. They are, after all, a huge part of our life. Happy Christmas and New Year to all your “family” and followers.
Carol Caldwell recently posted…Happy Christmas
I wish I could have brought them into the house to share in our holiday dinner! It’s been very cold, so we were out many times a day making sure they had fresh, unfrozen water. It was fun sharing them with all our visitors, too. Doink loved the extra treats! Happy New Year, Carol 🙂
We had a small tree this year too, due to 3 small kittens. Don’t think I could handle three kittens running up the big tree. Merry Christmas.
I bet kittens made the holidays extra-special for everyone!
wonderful post – thank you so much for sending. so much love wrapped up in every one of the pictures/presents. i think my fave is the early-bird dinner crew – great moment in time with all the different angles and faces and layers, all the way to the back. clapclapclap, everyone. –suz in ohio
Who’s to say that Simple is not the best way to go? Looks like you folks had everything you needed for a Merry Christmas. Hoping you all had a great one together with family and friends and your always darling critters! Wishing you all a very Happy New Year too!