CHRISTMAS AND EVERYTHING ELSE...

I know I haven't posted for a LONG, LONG while.  I finally and hesitantly entered the world of Facebook and it has just been a whole lot easier to post little nuggets there than do a whole big blog post here.  However, I had taken a long hiatus from FB for the holidays and have decided that I like the virtual peace and quiet so much that I may get off the FB train for good....or at least for a while.

I have found that I really don't like knowing everyone's day to day business or their opinions about every.single.thing.in.the.whole.wide.world.  Is that bad?  I especially don't like those posts that asks everyone to like, share or comment on every.single.thing they like or dislike.  I am one who generally keeps my opinions to myself and I like it that way.  So, other than the keeping in contact with close family members to see what's up in their world, I will probably not be seen on FB much at all.  Whew!!  Now that I have gotten that off my chest, lets get on with more important stuff....like what's going on at Beyond the Portico.

We decorated...we had Christmas...we undecorated....YAY!!!!  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  Hahaha...

No really, I do have a few Christmas pics to share with you today.  As usual I loved Christmas...BUT so very GLAD IT'S OVER and that all the decorations are put away!!!  The house is pretty much back to normal and it feels good.  Glad to have made it through another year...WHOOOO HOOO!!!.

I will also share here some of our future plans on the house since it didn't sell this past year.  Yes I was terribly disappointed it didn't sell and that I didn't get my house in the country, but I am completely okay with staying put....so long as we make a few updates.

So now without further ado here's a little look at Christmas 2016 for us...

A peak at the dining room first...

I decided to put Bambi on the table and I used some left over greens from the real Douglas Fir tree we put up in the living room to make a nice large centerpiece.

This years tree...7 ft. Douglas fir

So glad we went with the Douglas Fir instead of the Scotch pine this year.  The needles were SOOO much softer to the touch and it was totally gorgeous.

I am totally ashamed that I never got around to putting a tree skirt around her.  UGH!  The mantel turned out lovely though...

You may notice a "special" stocking there.  It was for the kitties...I figured they "needed" a few toys for Christmas since they had to be banished to the basement for most of the holidays to prevent them from climbing...and knocking over...the tree.  LOL.

Notice the new sliding barn door in that pic?  Yes? The hubs and I built a pair of sliding barn doors to hang on the wall over the sofa a few months back.  I hesitate to tell you why, but what the hay...

The hubs decided (demanded) to bring the TV we use for games up out of the basement. I have been FIGHTING him tooth and nail on this; because, for one TV's are completely UGLY and for two, there was really no suitable place to put a TV in our tiny living room.

For 6 years he has thought of EVERY possible place for the thing, including putting it inside the fire box...which he tried at one time....it did make a good YouTube crackling fire for those cold winter nights....Hehehe...remember this? (Christmas 2014)...

Oh yes, the fire looked good but otherwise this was SOOOO RIDICULOUS!!!

When the firebox wasn't working out he wanted me to get rid of my horse painting (which is normally there)...and the sconces...so he could put it on top the mantel...by which I REFUSED!!!!  I mean really, the sconces are hard wired and leaving two big holes in the wall was not an option...PERIOD...and especially not for a big ol' TV!!

Anyway, he was getting super angry and frustrated after 6 long years of not being able to comfortably relax in our living room...and then when the house didn't sell...and the opportunity for a more accommodating living room fell through...I had to compromise with him...after all this is his house too...and retiring every evening to the dank, dark, unfinished basement to play games is a big bummer for everyone.  So...I gave in and said he could hang it on the wall behind the sofa where the big mirror was.

It was the only possible place it would work out...my only demand was that we had to do something to make it look "good", disguise it or hide it...or all of the above...so the gorgeous barn doors...which go so well with my horse picture...were built and installed.

They're not perfect but then again does a barn door have to be perfect? No! We did an awesome job on these though and in my opinion they look GREAT. I will share full pics of them soon!!!

Now for future house plans (that will hopefully be accomplished this year)...we are going to knock down the wall between the kitchen and dining room (which is load bearing by the way....can anyone say SCARY)!!

Then we are going to gut the entire kitchen and remodel.  I have figured out a plan that will give us more counter space and a proper work triangle...something this house DESPERATELY needs.  I see quartz counter tops, cute tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances in 2017.  Wish us luck! WE ARE GOING TO NEED IT as we are DIYing ALL of it.  However we will probably not begin this project until warm weather because we will be eating a lot of meals outside off the grill. Hehe.

We are also going to try doing as much of this project as we can without taking out a big loan...not sure how that's going to work but we are going to take every penny that ain't nailed down for other things to accomplish this.

Anyway, I will be back later this month with views of the barn doors and the new kitchen layout for you to oogle over.

Ciao for now!