I'm outta here...

Leaving tomorrow AM for our mini-vacation to Sarasota, FL. 

Where I hope to enjoy all of the below:

(all images found via google searches - not mine)

Hoping to take lots of pics to share with you all.  

Thanks so much for sharing all your wonderful holiday photos, every time I've been able to sneak a few minutes online I've been devouring them with my eyes.  

Sorry I haven't had time to comment, 

I promise to make up for it soon!

Giveaway Winner!

First a big THANK YOU to all who enterred! 

Second a big SORRY that I'm late posting the winner! 

Last, but certainly not least, our winner:

Just a BeachKat

Congrats!!!

If you haven't checked out her blog yet please do.  

Her home, and her blog, are amazing.  

Don't just take my word for it, see for yourself!  

I'm trying to work on my post for all the home tour parties, as well as comment on the tree parties, but we've got some health issues goin' on in our house right now, ack!  

Goodwill - $1.06 - and a few ornaments I already had...

Wanna take a gander at our tree?

Well then, here ya go:

Our Tree - 2008

No tree topper this year because unfortunately it's not actually our tree anymore...

It's their tree fort.  

Can you tell what they're thinking?  I know them and can tell that they're asking me exactly just what do I think I am doing, and could I please back away from their tree fort...like now.

I keep having to pull the tree skirt out from under the pool table, and lay it back under the tree.  I don't dare tie it up because then the whole tree is coming down.  To be on the safe side the tree topper is in Li's room on her little tree this year, where it's safe, hopefully.  In it's place I tied a big ol' bow on top instead.  It's like the tree is a present...for the cat & dog.

Some of our ornaments:

I painted it myself...

I call this one John Mayer...

Snew made this years and years ago...

Santa's chillin' in FL...

Look familiar?

You know I just had to...

So glowyyy...

Can't get enough of checking out other families' Christmas trees?  Me neither.  Head on over to We are That Family's Tree Linky Party thingy majiggy as well as Thrifty Decor Chick's for even more!!!  

Now I'd like to see your tree, tree fort, giant cat cheek scratcher, etc.  Pretty please?  With a big (huge) bow on top?

(Giveaway now closed - but check back soon!)

Remember when I said that your blog is inspiring?

Well, it's so inspiring that when I saw a star with a capis looking finish on clearance at Marshall's for $5.00 because something was missing from it's center,  I felt like I could make something with it.  Something Christmasy.  It's all your fault...I mean...thanks to you! 

Star w/ a Capiz looking finish...

Little white dove, with some golden berries, that I had at home already...

4" pretty green ribbon I had bought at Tuesday Morning a couple of weeks ago...

I added a few red berries and some greenery borrowed off an ornament...

Then I hung it over a mirror...I'm unstoppable now.

Now for a couple holiday decorations I purchased at 

Target 3 years ago but still love bunches:

I added this hanging snowflake made of greenery to the center of a piece of ironwork 

on the wall of my entryway to give it a festive look.

My Front Door Wreath

The front door color is my current fave Martha Stewart's Shiraz. I was a little worried about how the wreath might look now that the front door isn't red anymore, but I think I like it better.

  Please stop by The Inspired Room 

and check out all the talented bloggers who have added their links.

Thanks so much for visiting today!  

Please don't forget to comment on my Giveaway Post!

Some Florida curb appeal I find appealing, IV...& Giveaway!

Today's the final day of pics...I had fun posting them and have ideas popping in my head (along with the sugar plums) of other types of posts I could do showcasing the variety of homes found around Spring Hill (ex: brightest houses).  At the end of this post is a GIVEAWAY!  Why?  Because the kids like picking a winner, they're lots of fun, and I like giving you stuff.  

Rare two story...how big is that window?

I'm pretty sure that's the biggest window I've ever seen...

This one has a different look...I like the stone in the entry...

and the cathedral style windows...

This house is so big it's more like a hotel...

A big balcony...

Archway over the driveway...

Detached garage with RV door...

Now it's Giveaway time.

  All you need to do to enter is comment this post and let me know which home was your favorite!

That's it.  Have more than one favorite?  Post more than once! 

( Enter up to 11 times)

What am I giving away?  Well, something I've become addicted to recently, thanks to Cherry's Jubilee.  She posted about how good Glade's Clean Linen smells (just like Snew's favorite YC Clean Cotton!) and I picked some up and discovered she was absolutely right.  Here's your chance to check it out for yourself - on me.

1 Glade Scented Candle Holder, and 1 pack of refills in Clean Linen,

and a $10.00 CVS gift card.

These will come wrapped so you can put them under your tree as a gift from me,

or share them with someone else this holiday season!  Good luck!

Contest open until this Saturday at Midnight...Girls will be picking a winner Sunday afternoon.

Some Florida curb appeal I find appealing, III...

Thanks for checking back in on day three of my posts showcasing some of the homes in and around Spring Hill, FL that I enjoy looking at.  I'm hoping that you do, too. 

I love reading your comments on them and hearing about which you like.    

And now for day 3's homes:

I like the square lines and covet all that garage space, unfortunately I caught it on trash day...

Very cool fountain...

This one is absolutely stunning in person...

I like the turret feel of the bump outs, and the corbels at the roof line...

This one is set back on a large corner lot...

I like the stonework on the columns and garage...

Circular courtyard feeling driveway leading to garage and entrance...

More of those corbels I seem to like, and the fountain I love...

Any new favorites?

Mine is still the first house from day 1.

Some Florida curb appeal I find appealing, II...

Photographer I am not.  If I had let Josh break out his mack daddy camera and take these pics for me they'd be much nicer.  I didn't want to freak out the homeowners though, so I snapped all these with my little camera.  Have you ever checked out Hooked on Houses?  Now Julia knows

 how to blog about houses the right way.  

In any case, here are a few more pretty houses for you to take a gander at.  The first house on yesterday's post is my favorite so far.  Thanks to those who've posted their picks.  Keep checking back as I share more.   (Pssst...There will be a giveaway on the last post!)

Let's see if we can't find one you like today:

Beautiful tile roof, and the balconies call to my inner Juliet...

Entryway...the Florida sunshine was working against me...

Wrought iron fence and pretty posts...

I like the trim work around the windows, and the elegant entrance way...

Entrance with arched transom window...

A very similar balcony on another home, the bump out on the left catches my eye...

Close up of the balcony with double doors leading to it...

It is hard to capture the size of this home in a photo...

Covered breezeway leading to garage...

Hope you enjoyed today's homes, I've got a few more to share with you. 

 I'm off to get the Tea for One prize sent to my winner, Pink Ink.