You are currently browsing the archives for the Holidays category.
I had like the best New Years EVER. Me and my Chris had a girls getaway in Atlanta. It was so much fun to break away from life and spend time with just her.
We did lots of shopping – well I take that back – lots of browsing and trying on.
This is us trying to relive our college days when we got to buy dresses for formal dances.
And we ate a lot of AMAZING food at here, here and HERE!
It’s been a wonderful Christmas. We’ve been so busy this past week that I haven’t had any time to blog. We’ve seen LOTS of family, given and received LOTS of hugs and love and eaten SO much food. In fact I am absolutely miserable as I sit and type this b/c I have eaten so much good food.
My heart, head and tummy is full full full. I am one blessed girl.
Merry Christmas.
As I went to tuck in my middle child tonight, this is how I found her – laying in her bed and “relaxing” (that is what she called it) by staring at the Play Mobil manger scene. She then proceeded to tell me …
Mommy, sometimes I get right beside it and pray. I thank God for (she list all our close family members). I thank Him for my Christmas play that I am in. I thank him for making me a good singer. I thank him for everything.
I snuggled up close to her and closed my eyes. She rubbed her soft cheeks on mine and whispered “I am so glad God made me.”
Precious. How delighted is He that she loves herself and is so thankful to Him for all that He has blessed her with. How precious it is that she finds such joy staring at the plastic baby Jesus. How beautiful it is God humbled himself to come in human form to save us from our “bad choices” (that’s what we can sin in our house).
Thank you Jesus.
Merry Christmas.
Well, it’s done. I really wasn’t certain I was going to like it, but I am very pleased. We bought the tree at Lowe’s but everything else is stuff we picked and collected. I even had time to carve a nativity set from fallen branches we found in our yard (HA! Just kidding!!!!) No, seriously I used my hot glue gun and some spray mount to keep my berries on the wreath from falling off and or course the lights on the mantle and tree are not “natural” but everything else is fresh.
I would like to take a moment to thank our local park for the pine cones, fresh pine sprigs and holly berries. Also, thank you to the little girl scout troop for allowing the me steal a few nandina berries from their bushes that surround their little scout house. Thanks to our relatives who allowed us to pick as many fruits from their trees that we could possibly fit in our car. Special thanks to my friend for allowing us to borrow her dehydrator. Last but not least, thanks to my kids and hubby for putting up with the mess of pine sprigs, smushed berries, the horrible stench of bleached pine cones baking in the oven and not putting up a fuss for taking Christmas decorating in a different direction this year.
Merry Christmas!
Day time
Night time
So, here’s where I stand. I have all my citrus dried, I have pine cones drying in the oven that soaked in bleach all night (Note to self, don’t bother to bleach – it’s not worth the trouble) and I have made a wreath from leftover scraps of Frasier Fur tree branches. Oh, and we bought a small tree yesterday at Lowe’s which is up and half way cover in lights. The kids and I went to a local park and cut fresh red berries from bushes, collected pine cones and fresh green bunches of pine needles. I am almost ready to begin to decorate the tree. I am still not sure if it’s going to turn out as “pretty” as it looks in my head, but we’re pressing on and giving it a good try.
Here’s the fruit. Orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lime and lemon. (lime and lemons don’t dry so well, they get real brown and yucky looking)
I am going to try something a little different this year – our Christmas decorations are going to be very simple and natural. My friend uses dried citrus as decorations for her tree. Since we picked all that fruit in Florida and it was all free, I thought I would try it too. So, right now my house smells very fruity. I have borrow my friends dehydrator and I cut up several grapefruits, oranges, lemons and limes. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out!
This year we broke away from tradition and celebrated Thanksgiving in a whole new way. We went to the beach! Not everyone could make it, (my hubby included) BUT I have to say, it was one of my most favorite Thanksgiving EVER.
Here’ just a few (ha!) photos to document our week.
I love this beach. Long and flat. It’s wonderful for the kids to run around on. We’ve been visiting this beach ever year since I was in grade school.
Mama K and cousin Rachel- my only girl cousin!
My girls, my cousin and aunt.
#3 brought in this shell, later we discover it had a lizard living in it. It escaped while I was trying to take a photo of it. He jumped on my cousin Rachel’s leg and then ran under the frig. Later that night my aunt found him in the half bath. We returned him to the outdoors along with his shell.
We got to drive around in “classy” old cars. This is my uncle. He cracks me up. He’s one of the funniest people I know.
The kids were outside in their bathing suits washing cars and playing with the hose. Rachel had the idea to take a photo of their silhouettes .
I LOVED cooking the Thanksgiving meal all together. My grandmother’s dressing will beat yours ANY DAY!
My girls made the place cards. I wish I had a picture of all the food. I ate so much I was almost sick, seriously. The hurt would let up just a tiny bit and then I would eat more.
The kids got to swim in a nice warm pool.
This is me, my kids and my parents.
I love this shot!
I love my kids!
We picked so many oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruit. The kids had such a great time.
So, now we’re home. It’s rainy and I feel lazy. The kids are playing nice and quietly with all their stuff that they missed. I have two birthday parties I need to get prepared for but I am having a hard time getting back in the groove.
Happy Thanksgiving!
We had the best day.
We clearance shopped at K-mart – they had some amazing deals.
We had friends spend the afternoon at our house.
We spent the evening with cousins – trick or treating in a local neighborhood.
Then the kids all camped out in #1’s room and watched Nemo until they fell asleep.
Indiana Jones, Angel (costume only $7 at K-mart) and cowgirl (This was a last minute throw together because she couldn’t find her pirate costume.)
Happy Birthday America! Wow, when I realized how old our country is … it hits me … we are a very young nation (compared to like China and other countries!)
I’ve been listening to Neil Diamond’s Coming to America and Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA the past couple of days and I have to admit, I got emotional singing along with the songs. My kids have grown to love them as well. It’s like Christmas music to me … you can’t have a July 4th without some Neil Diamond.
We spent the day at the pool with my man’s local family.
Hope you had a fun and safe 4th!
A wet kid
A bunch of wet kids and a loving patient Poppy
Chicken fights.
Can’t have a cook out without corn! Sweet brother and sister sharing an ear!
We got in last night from spending several days at my mom’s house. So here’s some random tidbits from my time away.
Saturday my favorite (and ONLY) girl cousin graduated from UGA. We celebrated with family and friends that night with a cookout at her parents house. I got to hang with these cousins and these friends and this friend as well. We had a great time.
My man came in town for the party and also to be with me to celebrate Mother’s Day! So, Sunday we went to our old church. (wow – I have really missed that place) and then we met my parents for lunch at where else but Longhorn’s (our family favorite). There I ran into a guy from grade school. Pretty crazy seeing him since my most dominant memory of him would be – all his friends in my first grade class holding me against the playground fence so he could come up and kiss me. lol. After lunch my man headed home and we stayed behind. (I still get teary eyed every time he leaves!)
I was so happy to be at my mom’s house for Mother’s Day. I am very fortunate that we live close enough to travel and see each other often, something I know I take for granted. My mom really is amazing. She has the biggest servant’s heart of anyone I know. She loves to pour her life into others and there is nothing she wouldn’t do for a friend in need. Thanks mom for being so good to me … I love you!
The next day we attend a funeral for my grandmother’s husband who past away this last Friday. It was a beautiful service and my dad sang. I loved hanging with my family afterwards. I wish I had taken pictures. We’re hardly ever all together and I am kicking myself for not capturing and preserving the moment with my camera.
I know these next couple of weeks will be hard for grandmother as she transitions to life being single again. Grandmother – I know you read my blog … you never comment : ) but you’ve admitted you read it … I am thinking and praying for you and I know this loss is hard for you – harder than I could ever imagine. I love you.
Well… its back to normal day to day stuff. I am off to teach a math lesson.
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
© 2005-2010
