It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well, at least in our front yard.

I know I promised more pix of the curio and frames (and just wait until you see the nightstand I found -- squee!), but I gave in to Chicago's oddly warm November days this week...it was almost 70 degrees yesterday! I decided it was a sign that it was time to put up the Christmas lights. I honestly can say this is the first time that I have ever broken out in a sweat while schlepping reindeer around the front yard. It was great.

Of course, Mother Nature is finicky in Chicago and thus she blasted us with icy coldness today. I don't think it got past 40 degrees. Or maybe it did - I really should use this computer to check in on the weather before I make such sweeping statements. Anyhoo, today was a wool-sweater-and-socks kind of day. And my first official day of whining my way out of walking the dog. Heh. Hubs, if you are reading this -- it will happen again.

So, the house...want to see how it looks? Standard issue decorations but I think they look lovely. Oh, and just so you can imagine -- the bushes are all covered in white lights. I will try to take a 'night' pix to show you. Ta-da...

Our buck; Grace says it looks like he is eating the tree.

Our doe, apparently the dog left some pee-mail there. Heh...get it...pee-mail? E-mail? Well, my kids think it is funny. Of course, they are still in elementary school...

Front porch planter -- the red twigs were *FREE*  -- made possible by me slogging through the scrub-weedy field behind our house and clipping them free from their tangled mess. Festive, indeed!

My recent thrift-store find...an old Flexible Flyer. It is not in any usable condition whatsoever (so...why were they selling it with the children's toys???), but I like the effect it has in my garden vignette. And more weed-twig bundles. Oh, and those two little black buggers on my brick -- the water meters. Seriously, they could not have put them 2 feet to the right behind the bushes??

What do you think? I am nowhere near being finished decorating outside, but it is a start. And I don't have to freeze off my little fingertips this weekend. Hooray!

I hope you and your families have a lovely Thanksgiving -- just in case I don't get the chance to write until Friday. Enjoy!