Why am I not in the mood for Christmas?

Christmas is in 3 days. And I'm not in the mood for it. What????? Not in the mood?


Nope. Nada. Nothing.


I've tried.

I've decorated my family room and kitchen. I even decorated my living room. I even went shopping for cute vintage Christmas stuff at thrift stores and antique shops.

I even got to go on a almost free to me vacation to Phoenix a few weeks back where I found all this great Christmas inspiration.

But I'm still not in the mood for Christmas. And I hate it.

I normally get all excited at the anticipation of Christmas each year. It makes me feel like a child. I love the decorating, I love the lights. The entire build up to Christmas is what I love and adore. But this year, I feel nothing.

Not really sure why. Maybe it's the lack of funds to do what I want for Christmas.

Maybe it's the whole economy thing. Or maybe it's because my husband has hardly worked at all in the last 6 months and doesn't qualify for unemployment.

Maybe it's because I am afraid I will lose my house.

Maybe it's because someone broke into my car last night (well we left the door unlocked) and stole my GPS.

Maybe it's because I tend to procrastinate. All I know is that I haven't felt like shopping for gifts (so unlike me), I've gotten a few things, but still need to get a few more things. I haven't wrapped anything. I haven't sent out my Christmas cards. I haven't even hung any stockings on the mantel (I hope that I don't have to use last years stockings again).

Maybe I just need to fall to my knees and thank my Heavenly Father for the best gift ever. And remember that Christ is the reason for the season.

Maybe then I can get my Christmas joy back.

Until then, I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!

Favorite stores in Cave Creek Arizona

A few weeks back we were in Cave Creek Arizona on vacation. I've already shared with you one of my favorite places to shop there. It was called The Town Dump and you can find my post about it by clicking here.

Today I want to share 3 more shops that I loved. The first is called Valerie's Furniture & Accents. It is located in downtown Cave Creek. If you love western or cowboy furniture or decor, this is the place to go. Everything is on the pricey side, but most everything is in Cave Creek.
I want one of these windows in hang in my house.

And I would have loved to take home this faux fireplace mantel & mirror. I'll bet I could get hubby to make me one. If I only had someplace to put it. Maybe I'll have him make a larger version to go around the fireplace we do have. Now that's an idea. Oh hubby......

I love how this iron bed is painted red. Especially against the blue walls. I wish I were brave enough to go that bold with color in my house. I love the lamp on the left. And I love how they have rolled up an old blanket with a belt buckled around it.

And I love, love, love this couch. I love the combo of the leather with fabric. I love the leather on this couch. I think this couch was about $4000. Too rich for my blood. But a girl can dream. Needless to say, I didn't buy anything from this store. Let's move on to the next.

The next store is called The Lazy Lizard. They carry an eclectic collection of new & recycled home furnishings. They also do consignments. Here are some of my favorite items in this store.

Loved this hutch as it had hand painted roosters on the cabinet doors. I'm totally into black & white roosters right now. I wanted to take this home, but alas, it wouldn't fit in my car.

Loved this blue hutch as well. It wouldn't fit either. Dang it!

I thought this was a cool chandelier. Not very girly. But what man wouldn't want a chandelier like this?

Wouldn't this be a cool item for your house? I love it!!! Still wouldn't fit in car. I didn't buy anything in this store either. Everything I liked was too expensive and too big.

And the last store I want to show you is called Big Bronco Wild West Emporium. They specialize in new and vintage treasures in the spirit of the old west. This store is at the east end of town. But still on the main drag.

Isn't the front of this store just too cute?

This tee pee & horse weren't actually part of the store. They were out back next to a couple of smaller buildings that used to house other stores.

I loved these lunch pails (still too pricey for me). And I love the "Cowboys are like outhouses" sign. Too funny.

I loved this idea of wrapping barbed wire around a candle. Very rustic looking. Just don't get too close.

And I loved this light fixture. This would be cool to have at Halloween.

Here is my step son relaxing in one of the chairs. The men in my family loved this western furniture.
Hubby is enjoying some more of the furniture. He is really thinking "When will that woman ever get tired of shopping?". I didn't buy anything in this store either. Really not my style, but I would love to have a cabin in the mountains & decorate in this style someday. If only I would win the Lotto!!! Chances are slim to none since I don't play the Lotto.

Well I hope you have enjoyed my little tour of some of the stores in downtown Cave Creek Arizona. If you ever go to Phoenix or Scottsdale, be sure to take a side trip to Cave Creek. It's a cute little town & has some fabulous shopping. Even if you only go to look & don't buy anything because you are cheap like me.

I'm linking this to Three or more Tuesday hosted by Tam at The Gypsy's Corner. Better late than never I say.

Thanks for visiting & hopefully in the next day or so I will post about my favorite stores I found in Phoenix on my vacation. They were more my style. So stay tuned!!!

Kim

The Town Dump

Do you have a town dump where you live? I am 51 years young & I have never been to the dump. That is until visiting The Town Dump in Cave Creek Arizona. Now this is my kind of dump.

We just got back from our vacation to Cave Creek Arizona. When I mean we just got back, I mean it was more like 10 days ago. And I can hear you gasping in the back. You are thinking, "Why in H-E-double toothpicks would you go on a vacation to Arizona in the hottest part of the summer?". I will tell you why, it was a "free" vacation. Well, almost free. We didn't have to pay for a place to stay. My parents invited us to stay with them in their time share condo. We would only have to pay for gas from home to there and back as well as our food. And since we were in a condo with a kitchen, we could cook.

And since it was going to be in the 100's at home, why not go to Arizona where it would also be in the 100's. At least it would be a change in scenery. And another perk, someone other than me paid for air conditioning!!! That was a big incentive.

So off we went to Arizona to spend 6 fabulous days doing nothing more than shopping, relaxing, eating and more shopping. My kind of vacation. And I know there is someone thinking, what about visiting Sedona or the Grand Canyon? Been there, done that, numerous times. This year, we were going to skip the touristy places & just relax!!!! With a lot of shopping and eating thrown into the mix as to not get bored.

So the first place we went shopping (or in my case, window shopping) was The Town Dump in Cave Creek. This place has everything!!! Not quite, but close. Lots of cool stuff that I would love to take home. But things can be a bit pricey here in Cave Creek.

Lots of rusty items.
Need a coyote? At least this one doesn't make noise.

Old iron fences.
Lots of rusty iron garden decor and arbors.
The bench of many colors.

Lots of old bird cages.
Lots of old doors.
More old iron fences. I would have loved to take one home. But a little too rich for my blood. But then I'm cheap.
Here I am with hubby.

Pink flamingos in the tree!!!
This Pegasus unicorn is my favorite. I tried to get someone in my family to buy it for my birthday. But at $400 it's a little too much. Last year I took my photo with it. This year I couldn't get near it.
In need of a coffin?
Or how about a helmet? I thought of Monty Python & the Holy Grail when I saw this.
They have lots of rusty outdoor sculptures here as well. Loved this eagle.

If you want to read a more about my exciting (not) vacation to Cave Creek, you can follow my adventures over at my family blog Manning Family Tree. I posted more about The Town Dump there.

And if you ever get to the Phoenix or Scottsdale area of Arizona, be sure to take the drive up to Cave Creek and spend a few hours shopping. It's a cute little town.

Hopefully tomorrow I will share with you a few more stores in town. I'm really a shabby chic or cottage type of gal, but I was really digging the western decor while I was there.

And later on I'll share some fabulous stores I found in Phoenix.

Be sure to visit Susan at A Southern Daydreamer to see this weeks participants in Outdoor Wednesday.

Outdoor Wednesday-Skies of Arizona

Time to participate in Outdoor Wednesday hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer. Be sure to visit her blog to see her fabulous photos & see all the other participants for this week.

Last August my family went on vacation to Arizona. Arizona in August, are you crazy? Apparently so. Yes, it was hot. But totally worth it. We stayed a week in Cave Creek Arizona which is next to Scottsdale & not that far from Phoenix. While there we went to Sedona & the Grand Canyon.

The best part about Arizona in the summer is that it is monsoon season for them which makes for some beautiful skies. Now we live in southern California. We don't get much rain here. Therefore not much thunder & lightning. So my son was a happy camper to have this type of weather while in Arizona. You see, my 25 year old son Brandon is a weather nut. That is the only thing he hates about living in SoCal, not much weather.

All of these photos were taken by my son last August. You can imagine how happy he was to have such beautiful skies to take photos of. You can click on any photo to enlarge it.

Sunset in Cave Creek, AZ

Saguaro cactus are everywhere.
Clouds starting to build up to a thunderhead.
Sedona started out with a clear blue sky.
Afternoon brings a thunderstorm to Sedona.

The sun is playing peek a boo.
These are my favorite clouds.
I love the color on this cloud.
This photo makes me happy & relaxed for some reason.
Brandon loves trying to take photos of lightning. These 3 photos were taken in Cave Creek, Az
I love this photo as the top has some blue sky & the bottom of the photo is so dark & stormy with lightning.

And you can't go to Arizona without seeing the Grand Canyon. The skies over the canyon are beautiful in August. I love the shadow of the clouds over the canyon.
Thunderstorms roll in. It can be sunny where you are standing, but over a little ways it looks like this.
The Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

The sun is starting to set & casts an orange glow on the canyon. I love the contrast with the blue grey sky.
I hope that you have enjoyed looking at the skies of Arizona. If you have never been, you need to go. If you go during the summer, be sure to take sun screen & an umbrella. We loved it so much that we are going again next month. Mostly because my parents are letting us stay with them in their air conditioned time share, so it's a free vacation for us. But you can't beat the scenery. Who knows what we will see this time.