Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 156

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Let's go on a walk through my 'hood shall we?!...
1)
The Blue Ridge Parkway...visit HERE for some interesting history on the building of the Parkway...

2)
This little workshop/shed/storage building always catches my eye...something about how the sun shines right through the windows at the right time of day...

3)
A couple of hitch hikers along the Parkway ;)

4)
I found this little cross...

5)
Christmas Eve at our house...Let me introduce you...Back Row: Nick to the left and Christian on the right...Front Row: Xeno (Ashlyn's boyfriend), Ashlyn, Madeline (Christian's girlfriend), Kaile (Dalton's girlfriend), Dalton & Braden...Down in front: Me and Ozzy! Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas!

That's my 5 this week! The last Willy Nilly of 2017, can you believe it?!! I would love for you to join in if you have the time! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others! Have a great weekend :)

House In The Woods

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Blue Ridge . Botetourt County

Today I am thankful for good books! Last night I laid on the couch and read for a couple of hours...something I don't do enough of...I started this book, Daisy Fay & The Miracle Man by Fannie Flagg about a year ago but it kind of got lost and I just found it again...it's a fun little read and makes me laugh! What are you reading?

Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Black & White Wednesday

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Blue Ridge . Botetourt County

Yesterday the boys and I went for a little walk...We walked over to the bridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway, then followed the Parkway to the next bridge and got off and walked back home...in all it was probably just a mile or 2...I don't know...it was cold though...my face was frozen by the time we got back in the house!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas...sorry I wasn't here for Willy Nilly Friday...was swamped! Now today's task, get the house back in order!

2 Chairs & A Windmill

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Blue Ridge

Remember last week I was thankful for a snow day? Well this week I am un-thankful for a make up day :( ...Yesterday was supposed to be our last day of school before Christmas break and we have to make up that day off today...how grinchy right?! With that being said, it will be a fun day at school...we have our little Christmas party and it will be a laid back day...Thankful today that I work with friends! Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

And another thing to be thankful for is the fact that yesterday they had a drawing...all the names of staff at school were entered and my name was picked! I won a Chick-fil-A gift card...yay me!

Have a great day!

Black & White Wednesday

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Day Creek . Blue Ridge

When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.
- Barbara Bush

Blue Ridge Mountains

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View from Day Creek . Blue Ridge

This was the view as we were leaving Day Creek last week...driving down the little gravel road and then all of a sudden this popped into view!

Linking up with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

City Market Building

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Downtown Roanoke

Friday was the 3rd and last Dickens of a Christmas for the year...The boys and I went down there along with Dalton's girlfriend...a trip to Benny's for a slice of pizza for dinner and then the candy store for some dessert! There was a dog costume contest we tried to watch but it was so crowded we couldn't see a thing...there were lots of cute dogs walking around though :)

Linking up with Mersad's Through My Lens

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 155

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To get in the Christmas Spirit, I'm going to show you around last Friday's Dicken's of a Christmas...
1)
The Christmas Tree in the lobby of Nick's office building, Wells Fargo Tower

2)
Working on a masterpiece...

3)
The view from the 12th floor of the Wells Fargo Tower...that's Nick's floor...I was having trouble with the reflection in the window so this is the best I could get, plus I was getting hurried along...what a pretty view though huh?!!

4)
Me and my boys at the Hotel Roanoke

5)
The Hotel Roanoke has a Christmas Tree display each year to raise money for charities...this area always gets a BIG display...I've seen a huge gingerbread house and a scene from Finding Nemo before among other neat themes...I don't know if you remember or not but I've shown you a few different ones in the past...for more info on the trees you can read a little news story HERE

That's my 5 this week! I hope to see you join in too! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others!! Have a great weekend!

First Snow

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Day Creek . Blue Ridge

On Saturday we got our first snow! So later in the day we decided to take Ozzy out for a little hike...Ozzy loves the snow...and so does Nick...I love the snow but really prefer it from inside the warm house and looking out the window at it...Nick wanted to "picnic" in the snow so we packed up the camping stove and some beef stew so we would have a hot lunch to enjoy after freezing our butts off frolicking through the snowy woods...it was a nice afternoon, even if I couldn't feel my fingers or toes by the end of it all haha...this is the same area that LAST WEEK'S picture was taken...

The boys entertained themselves by throwing snowballs at each other...

Look how different this spot looked over the summer...the road had recently washed out...wonder if they will ever fix it?


Today I am thankful for a snow day! Although there isn't any snow haha...yesterday was soooo windy that the snow was blowing sideways...not much stuck but I imagine there are probably some icy roads...I hear Dalton in the shower, he is going to spend the day at his girlfriend's house...it's just me, Braden and Ozzy...maybe I can finally get caught up on some Christmas present wrapping! Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday and just as I typed that I realized it is only Wednesday haha...oh well...I'll save this for tomorrow :)

Black & White Wednesday

Snow cones at Day Creek ;)

Our first snow came on Saturday!

Hotel Roanoke Christmas Tree

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Hotel Roanoke

The Hotel Roanoke was built by the railroad back in 1882...it is now owned by Virginia Tech...I've blogged quite a few times about the hotel like HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE and I'm sure many more to come haha...linking up with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

To learn more about the hotel, you can A) read my many posts lol, B) click the link under the picture which will take you to the hotel's website, C) check out their Wikipedia page HERE or D) All of the above :)

Have a great Tuesday and keep warm...we are looking at super freezing windchills tonight, oh boy!

O' Christmas Tree

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Downtown Roanoke

Friday night we went downtown to check out the annual Dickens of a Christmas...they had a winter carnival going on...last week was the lighting of the Christmas Tree...doesn't it look pretty?!

Linking up with Mersad's Through My Lens

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 154

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1)
Heading down 220 in Daleville...this morning after dropping Dalton off at school for weight lifting...Braden stayed home "sick"...we'll see...not sure if he's just trying to get a sick day since Dalton was out sick on Monday...they have to keep it even haha

2)
Also from this morning on my way home...this old farm is on Humbert Road...We might be getting some snow later today...not much but still...although I prefer snow when it falls during the week and we can get a snow day out of it...not on a Friday afternoon...boo!

3)
Another from this morning...this old farm is about a half mile away from the last one...I've shown you this house before on a Tuesday's Treasures post...this is on Mountain Pass Road...

4)
Just a little further down Mountain Pass Road...it even looks cold outside doesn't it?!!

5)
We're almost home now...that bridge is the Blue Ridge Parkway!
Now it's time for me to jump in the shower and head back to school...I'm wearing this road out!

There's my 5 this week! If you have the time I'd love for you to join in! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others! Have a great weekend!

Nature

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Day Creek . Blue Ridge

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.

Lao Tzu

Today I am thankful for radio stations that play non-stop Christmas music...I know, some people find that annoying but I love it...it makes me so happy and relaxed...especially the old classics...not much into new stuff, give me Frank, Bing and Burl...I remember coming home from school at Christmas time and my mom would have those old Christmas albums playing...I wish I had that old collection! Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Black & White Wednesday

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Day Creek . Blue Ridge

“The mountains are calling and I must go.”
― John Muir

Christmas Wreaths

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Daleville . Botetourt County


"At Christmas, all roads lead home."
Marjorie Holmes

Linking with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Have a great day!

Crunchy Leaves & Moss

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Day Creek . Blue Ridge

Yesterday Nick and I took Ozzy for a little hike around Day Creek. We come here fairly often, usually when I need some rocks to paint for the rock group I'm in...Dalton wasn't feeling well so Braden stayed home to play XBox take care of him if he needed anything...I kept him home from school today...hopefully all this extra rest will have him back to regular!

Linking up with Mersad's Through My Lens

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 153 & CDP Theme Day!

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Wow, City Daily Photo Theme Day and a Willy Nilly all wrapped (excuse the pun!) up in one! The theme for this month's theme day is gift...since I'm also doing a Willy Nilly I'll play the part of the Ghost of Christmas Past and show you our last 5 Christmas's...come with me!

1)
Christmas 2016...This is Ashlyn's little dog Riley...look how patient he is waiting to open gifts! What a good boy!

2)
Christmas 2015...That's the Buchanan Christmas Tree...you can fit a lot of gifts under there!

3)
Christmas 2014...Appalachia Press in downtown Roanoke...I bet you could find a unique gift in here!

4)
Christmas 2013...Awww look how little the boys were! This was their favorite gift that Christmas...new tablets!

5)
Christmas 2012...Here comes Santa Claus (Fincastle Christmas Parade)...He's a busy man this time of year! Have you been naughty or nice? Will Santa bring you a gift or coal?

Well that's my 5 this week friends! I hope you will play along too! List 5 randoms, link back and visit others! Have a great weekend!


And to check out more Theme Day posts, visit City Daily Photo

Visitor Center

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Woodpecker Ridge . Stoney Battery Road . Troutville

This is perhaps the tiniest visitor center I have ever seen!

This has been a nice week for me and the boys...since football is over now they have had the week off for weight lifting (although that starts back up on Monday) so they have been able to ride in with me in the morning...that also means I have to get to work 15 minutes earlier which also means I actually end up being on time haha...on Tuesday I let them come home early and we stopped at Sonic for shakes and then came home and hauled out all of the Christmas decorations and started on that...you know how much I love my time spent with them so this is what I am most thankful for this week! Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday & Signs, Signs

Black & White Wednesday

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Woodpecker Ridge . Troutville

65 is going to be our high today! As much as I want some snow, I'm also pretty excited for a warm, pretty day! The boys came home from school early with me yesterday since they don't have practice this week and we started hauling out the Christmas decorations...Maybe I can get that finished up today!

Have a great day :)

Perfect Duo

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Stoney Battery Road . Troutville

An old barn AND a coke sign...SCORE!

Linking up with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Woodpecker Ridge . Troutville

Good morning! I'm up bright and early getting the turkey ready to pop in the oven! In just a few minutes I need to get the boys up and fed and drop them off at school...they have football practice this morning, just a couple of hours...they won the playoffs last week so no rest for the wicked ;) Ashlyn will pick them up on her way over to help me cook...then Christian and Madeline will stop over in between their other Thanksgiving visits to Madeline's family...Ashlyn's boyfriend will also stop over in between his running around...I remember those busy holidays of having to visit family on both sides! And for all this, I am thankful today! I am also thankful for you, my blogging buddies...I wish you all a super holiday, and for my non American buddies, have a great day!! Take care!

Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Black & White Wednesday

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“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you are travelling for Thanksgiving, be careful!!

Train Trestle

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Stoney Battery Road . Troutville

This train trestle is HUGE! It's quite impressive as it pops into view and you drive under it!

Linking up with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures

Red, Yellow & Asphalt

“Autumn brings the falling of leaves and cool days.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita

Okay Captain Obvious ;) ...while looking for quotes this morning this one just made me laugh for some reason!

Happy Monday!

Willy Nilly Friday 5 No. 152

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1)
A bird nest on my back porch over the summer...aren't birds amazing that they build these perfect little nests without hands?!

2)
A blackberry bush in my backyard...yum!

3)
My sweet boy Ozzy is very nosy ;)

4)
South 16 Apartments downtown...aren't they colorful?

5)
You can lose your shirt but never lose hope...found at Day Creek...

That's my 5 this week friends! Hope to see you join in! Post 5 randoms, link back and visit others as time allows! Thanks for visiting and thanks for joining! Have a great weekend!


Running out the door...Friday's are early breakfast at school for the boys to eat with their team...playoff game #2 tonight against Magna Vista...this team kicked them out of States a couple of years back so should be a good game! Won last week's playoff 51-7!

Wholesale Row

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Downtown Roanoke

Looking at the backside of the Roanoke Warehouse Historic District, also known as "Wholesale Row".

Today I am thankful for early morning texts from my daughter Ashlyn! Her boyfriend's best friend found one of the rocks I had hidden for our Facebook group Botetourt Rocks so she texted to let me know he found my rock haha...it's a small world! Also thankful for sunshine! It's going to be a beautiful fall day with lots of sun and blue skies!

Linking up with Michelle's Thankful Thursday :)