Still snowing and it is beautiful...

Well the forecasters were right - it is going to be about a full on 24 hour snowfall.  I wish it wasn't so windy because I really wanted to go outside and get some really beautiful pictures.  But the winds are howlin' and it is like 10 below zero and the camera isn't cooperating.  

This Christmas tree was my prize when I won my village's decorating contest a few years ago.  I had to go to the City Council Meeting and receive a certificate from the Mayor.  It was pretty cool.  It is a commercial grade holiday tree and I was always sad because it had colored lights and I really love white lights on the trees in my house.  

Since I always put a Christmas tree in the fountain base because I love the way it lights up the whole back yard and looks so cute from the kitchen and dining room, I decided to take colored lights tree and put it outside to enjoy it.  OMG - I LOVE IT!

I took down all of my outside lights a few weeks ago but I love to keep the backyard tree up until Spring because it keeps January and February a little bit brighter.   Every Spring my neighbors tell me how much they enjoyed seeing it out their windows as well.  Just wanted to share a few pics - I love the way twinkle lights look when covered with snow.  So pretty!

I think the birds like the pretty winter lights too!  :-)  

I like when the camera flash catches the snowflakes falling.  SO cool!  

Winter Storm Warning....FINALLY!

Born and raised in the Chicago area, we EXPECT January to be cold and snowy!  But, this year,  that is SO not the case.  We had a green Christmas, have only had 1+ inches of snow this winter, and yesterday, it was 50 degrees!  But today, we are under a winter storm warning and are expecting upwards of 8 inches with blowing and drifting.   If you have never witnessed "blowing and drifting", you are missing out on one of the most amazing things as the artistry that is created by mother nature can be breathtaking!

I love snow!  I always have.  I can sit and watch it fall for hours and I find it to be so beautiful.  Tonight when it is a winter wonderland, I will go outside and play.  I will make a snow angel in the snow just like my Mom and I always did and I will just enjoy the general splendour of it all.  I can't wait!  ETA is about 10:00am and it is supposed to snow for about 24 hours straight.  A very good thing!  

Love Thee Notre Dame! Go Irish!

Love Thee Notre Dame! Go Irish! by tennnischik featuring velvet shoes

Bear Down Chicago Bears!

Happy New Year! My 30 day eBay Challenge...

Have you ever been just leisurely browsing in a store and you get blind sided by something you simply have to have?  Like it was made for you?  Like you absolutely have to have it?  Well, this happened to me the other day.  I was in HomeGoods in South Bend, Indiana, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw IT!  The most glorious chair ever.  The sparkling rhinestones, the plushness (is that a word?), the gorgeous charcoal grey velvet, and the silver shining chrome studs!

I walked away.  I went up and down the other aisles but it continued to sit there, in all of its general splendour.  Then some women started to ooh and ahh over it.  Oh no!  Someone can't possibly buy MY chair.  After they walked away, and I swooped in and finally sat in it.  I could hear the angels sing.  It is one of the most comfortable chairs EVER!  And the lovely tufted pillow is discreetly tethered to the chair.  

I struggled with the decision to purchase and finally came to the assumption that I had to have it!  I could only imagine it sitting in the corner of my guest room adorned with a throw or a silver package at Christmas.  The problem is that I really could not afford it.  This is where eBay comes into play.

I have decided to make a deal with myself.  I have 30 days, until the last day I can return it for a full refund, to raise the money to pay for it in full.  I have clothing, dvds, cds, collectibles, etc. that I don't want as much as this chair.  I am going to list many items over the next month of January to see if I can raise enough money to pay my credit card bill.  If not, the chair gets returned.  No ifs, ands, or buts about it!

This is all part of my de-cluttering, shedding the stuff I don't need, and becoming more financially accountable.  I am very frugal with money, but we all have those times when we buy something we didn't need or didn't want.  I need to second guess and third guess every purchase in 2012.  This is ONE of my New Year resolutions.    

Can I do it?  I hope so!  I have bought and sold off of eBay since 1997 and have had success in the past.  I am confident that I can pull this off.  Happy New Year to all of you and I look forward to a wonderful year in Blog Land!  :-)