December doings.....

I'm experimenting.....trying a post from my tablet. It's kind of hard to do as  I can't see what I type!  We'll see how this works!  I happened to have some pictures on my tablet I wanted to post.

I started my cardmaking early (in November) and here it is December 13th and they are in the same state they were in before Thanksgiving! (unfinished). What's a girl to do?   I maybe wasn't going to make cards this year, but it felt too weird not to.  I'm attempting simpler cards this year and trying to keep Christmas more simple.

Even trying to keep things simple, doesn't seem to be working for me! Life just keeps tumbling along doesn't it?

Everyone posted such beautiful photos of their Fall and Thanksgiving decorations and I just didn't do too much this year.  My hubby and I had a very simple dinner of ham and (storebought) scalloped spuds.  My mom used to make such delicious scalloped cheesy potatoes for Thanksgiving, but they are a lot of work! So I opted for simple this year. The Reeser's brand of cheesy baked scalloped potatoes is pretty darned close to my mom's! (and I don't usually even like the Reeser's brand).  I didn't even make a pie, which I ALWAYS do, but ended up making some (awesome and gluten free) sugar cookies instead. I just couldn't not have dessert! 

Hubby and I both agreed that these were the BEST sugar cookies we've ever had! And they came from a box! Yup.... good old Betty Crocker has a boxed mix for GLUTEN FREE sugar cookies! Wow.... I must send her a thank you note!  (and of course, my homemade vanilla cream frosting DID help!).

I just wanted to touch bases with my followers.... you have all shared such wonderful Christmas posts of your decorations, trees, houses, etc. and I have enjoyed them all, and try to comment when I can. Sometimes I'm using my tablet, so my comments are short. I feel so remiss regarding my Christmas decorating, but......... my (faux) tree is up and lit. I have yet to decorate it though. 

These last 2 or 3 years, I just haven't gotten the mojo for Christmas decorating.. but I'm trying this year as my sister and her husband are coming for Christmas day. 

My ceramic nativity scene is not even out yet, but I did get the box down from the closet shelf! When Christmas decorations are stored hither and yon, it seems like we are apt not to lug them out, am I right?

We did manage a (late) trip for Thanksgiving to my son's place in Astoria, Oregon, which happened a week later than planned, as I was sick, and then hubby got the bug, so we had to delay the trip. I shot some photos of Multnomah Falls, which was on our way, one of the tallest waterfalls in the U.S. (I think?). See the quote below. They are east of Portland, OR and I used to drive by them all the time when I lived in Portland, but haven't been there for at least 15 years. What a sight..... I had forgotten how majestic they are, and my camera just did not capture their splendor.

This is the "upper" falls.

Here's a quote from Wikipedia: The falls drops in two major steps, split into an upper falls of 542 feet (165 m) and a lower falls of 69 feet (21 m), with a gradual 9 foot (3 m) drop in elevation between the two, so the total height of the waterfall is conventionally given as 620 feet (189 m). The two drops are due to a zone of more easily eroded basalt at the base of the upper falls.^[5]

See the (teeny tiny) footbridge in the lower middle of this photo? That is where people can walk to to view the upper falls!

Here's that footbridge close up, and the "lower" falls. This area was closed for the winter so I couldn't get as close as I wanted to.

Here's another quote from Wikipedia: Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon. It is credited by a sign at the site of the falls, and by the United States Forest Service, as the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States.^[6] However, there is some skepticism surrounding this distinction,

And here's the photo that is on the Wikipedia website... so much better!

And here's the "historic" Multnomah Falls Lodge. It's still in operation today as a restaurant and gift shop. It was completed in 1925. 

We had a great time in Astoria..... were there 3 nights and tried to squeeze so much into a short trip. My son's fiance and I cut holly and fir boughs from their property and both made a grapevine wreath. This was my first attempt at a wreath!

My son's fiance has the most beautiful dark brown hair with purple streaks in it! I love it.. and jokingly told her I should do mine that way...... and then I thought, why not? I'm 70... I can do whatever I want right? I did decide though, on pink rather than purple!  She put the color on and I think it came out just right (below).  The new me!

When we got home, I got busy on making a few new items for my Etsy shop FOUND HERE , and I'll do a share in my next post.

Bye for now.... have to get busy finishing up those cards!

~Marilyn~