Our Christmas

Our week before Christmas was full, but nice! It started off with the church choir performing on Sunday. The music for the most part was the same they do every year, but a new addition was "It's bout the Cross". I love this song! It's so good! The concert ended with the Hallelujah  Chorus. Which is always good!

Sunday night we had several friends over to play games. I was able to get two games of Ticket to Ride in - won one; lost one...  The teenage boys played Risk. One set of friends played Canasta.  All in all, I think everyone had a  good time.  And we had several yummy treats!

Monday was a day Melissa and I had been looking forward to for months!! A dear friend of ours had here baby! His name is Gabriel and Melissa and I adore him!  He's so cute!!  We're looking forward to holding him again!



Tuesday we attended a friend's retirement from the Air Force. It was a beautiful ceremony. Later that night I was able to delivery my niece's t-shirt quilt finally done. She gave me her high school t-shirts back in August. I told her then I would try to get it done by Christmas.  I finished earlier in the month - I'm so glad it came out well!. She loves it!

Wednesday Melissa and I had another we had been looking forward to: her senior year portraits.  A friend of the family's is a great photographer and we had her do them. She had some inside and outside.  We'll go back in a few weeks to see the proofs. I have a feeling it's going to be hard to decide which ones to purchase....and Drew has already given me a budget....

Thursday I cooked for the friend with the new baby....we just had a relaxing day. And got to see the baby again.

Friday Drew took the day off! - yea!! I love it when the alarm does NOT go off at 5:40!! Drew and the boys went out for lunch the saw the newest Star Wars movie: Rouge One.  We all enjoyed it - the lunch and the movie!

Christmas Eve we stayed home and cooked.  I made gingerbread and sugar cookies while Drew used his new electric smoker to smoke salmon for our Christmas Eve dinner. The salmon turned out a little more salty than we all liked, but not a bad try the first time to smoke fish.  After our dinner, we attended our church's Christmas Eve service.  Instead of the normal candlelight service, this year the service had a  festive feel instead of a sacred one.  After we tortured the kids after church by driving around to look at Christmas lights, we opened our presents when we got home. I think they were overall happy...nothing too big at this time. 

Christmas morning we had to wake up the kids.  That's like with teenagers... the days of them waking us up at the crack of down are over!  William's big gift was a chair for his dorm room he asked for, Melissa got a new cell phone, and Benjamin got money.  He never could come up with a gift we would agree to, so he got money. 

After church in the morning we drove over to my parent's house for the afternoon. It was a nice time with my family...and of course, good food.

Today - Monday - we enjoyed sleeping in again!  Sadly, Drew's alarm will go off early tomorrow morning again, so we definitely enjoyed sleeping in today. We both did some more cooking. Also, a neighbor came over to taste our food and play a few rounds of a new game Ben gave Drew for Christmas called Sequence.  I have yet to win!! May not be my game..... 

The kids are currently out shopping to spend some of the money got received from Christmas while Drew and I are watching a movie.  I am contemplating de-decorating the house....but just contemplating it...got all week, right?

Alive and Well

Yes, it's been awhile since I've posted...we are alive and well.  We really enjoyed our holidays....we really didn't do anything major....just stayed at home and enjoyed family and life. 

I've already posted on how our holiday started: by learning that Melissa earned a 29 on the ACT. She was pretty much on a high from that for all of Christmas break!  Still in - in fact yesterday when she went back to school, she made sure to stop by a few of her teacher's room to let them know. 

My parents came over and spend several nights with us.  My brother and his family came over for several hours Christmas Day.  I have to admit: it was extremely nice not to travel.  We all got to be good and lazy!

We did see several movies.  Drew and I saw Unbroken.  Very good!  But I would say, read the book before you go.  Of course, the book is better, but, also, it explains the change in Louie's life.  He met Jesus and his life was changed. The movie glossed over that...sadly....but not surprising as Hollywood doesn't even want to admit there's a God much less that His name is Jesus.

We, also, saw Night at the Museum Three. I enjoyed it.  We thought the kids would go with us, but they all found some reason not to be seen with their parents in public.  Yes, they are teenagers!  I did take Melissa and a friend to see Into the Woods (but Melissa asked me NOT to sit with them - like a dagger to my heart, I tell ya!!).  I enjoyed it as well - neither of these two movies will probably win any awards, but they were fun to see.

We, also, watched lots of TV...movies....cooking shows....football (but not Ole Miss as they seemed to have NOT SHOWN UP TO PLAY....very, very frustrating!).  Melissa and I did do a little after Christmas shopping but not much...I didn't brave the mall.....too much craziness for me.

The kids seemed happy with their Christmas presents.  William got a video camera, Melissa concert tickets, Ben got some Minecraft stuff , and they all got a small Ping-Pong table.  Of course, the boys are enjoying that more than Melissa!

The other big event is Melissa getting her driving license.  She has had her permit since the summer and as of January 3rd was eligible to get her full license.  Which, of course, she wanted!  My plan was for her and William to share a car for several months to six months before we bought another car.  Well....I got out voted.  Drew bought himself a new Toyota Camry.  It's a very nice car!!  So, that means William got the blue Camry and Melissa got the white little Matrix that William had been driving.  They all are very, very happy!!

And I'm still driving a mini-van.  Oh, well.  A few more years of driving soccer plays and giggly girls around, then I can down-size. 

One of the gifts I was excited about was fabric. Yes,  I got fabric for Christmas and I was very happy with it all.  In the last week I have pieced a quilt together for William.  It's green.  No surprise there for anyone who knows how much that boy likes green.  Today I was able to piece the back together, but not quilt it as I need to get some green thread.  Hopefully, I'll be able to buy that tomorrow and if I don't work on Friday, then get to the actually quilting.  So, now I'm looking at patterns for my next quilt....fun stuff!

Independence Weekend

We  had a very nice long holiday weekend.....even if there were a few bumps along the way and that it didn't have the best ending.

Thursday afternoon we drove north to Hot Springs, Ark in time to have a nice dinner and to see a magic show.   Several years ago, Drew and I were in Hot Springs for a marriage retreat and saw this show - we loved it!  What I really loved was how family friendly it was. What a rare find! So many times a show or movie has a comment here or there that you just hope flies over the kids' head so you don't have to explain something you know they (or you!) aren't ready to know just yet.  Maxwell Blade keeps in  mind who in is his audience.  I, also, love how at the very end of his show, he tells how his life was in a very bad place and Jesus saved him.  He doesn't hit you over the head with the Gospel, but just says Jesus is the answer. Then he finishes up the show.  He just plants the seed and lets God grow it.  Love it, love it, love it!!

Based on how attentive my kids were, I think they enjoyed the show as well. They were trying to figure out how all the tricks worked.  We think we know how some were done...after all, Drew used to be a magician...but there were a few we weren't too sure about.  Good stuff!

Friday the boys just stayed around the hotel, watched tv....stayed lazy...which they all loved!  Melissa and I walked up to the main street and went shopping.  We both ended up with a few bath soap items. Melissa found a great top for less than $10. Then we meet the boys for lunch and some geocaching. (We found three.) It was just one of those easy - no rush days.  We went back to the hotel to watch some of the World Cup....take a nap....continued being lazy...catch some fireworks out of the hotel room window....just a great day.

Saturday we spent at the local amusement and water park.  While none of us are big on roller-coasters, everyone enjoyed the water slides.  Well, everyone but me. I'm more of a wave pool and lazy river type....that way I don't have to go underwater...which I'm not very fond of...after all, I have no gills so I'll just say on top of the water, thank-you-very-much. 

Drew spoiled us by renting a cabana...that even came with a tv....so we got out World Cup soccer games in...along with plenty of shade. So worth the money!!!

Off and on during the day, Melissa said she had a headache....yeah, well, so did I...but I had no meds so we just toughed it out.  Once we got back to the car around six in the evening, she took her migraine medicine...but it didn't work.  About eight-ish she took some more...and then started to throw up.  Thankfully, we had brought a bucket! (One of the things the cabana came with was a bucket with ice and water bottles...while I didn't really want the bucket, I knew it just might come in handy with a child and a migraine. As William said as we stopped along the road to take care of Melissa, "good call on the bucket, Mom!!"  See. We moms do know a thing or two!)

After we got home around nine-ish, Melissa just couldn't keep anything down and was still in massive pain.  So, after a twenty minute phone call to our insurance getting permission (twenty minutes!! I had to talk to three different people!! I'm trying to focus on the fact that I have great insurance - and I am VERY THANKFUL for that, but it's a loooong twenty minutes when your child is in pain.) to take her to the ER.  We got there about 10:45 and got home at 2:30.  Not a short trip....but it could have been so much worse, I guess.

(On a side note....there is some weird stuff on the tv that late at night.....unless you believe in alien adductions.....)

They gave her an IV for the dehydration, medicine for the nausea and two different kinds of meds for the pain.  About ten minutes after the medicine was given, I asked her how she was feeling I got a "I feel happy!" response in a sort of a loopy voice and a slight smile.  Very funny!  And she was still feeling happy Sunday afternoon. (I, on-the-other-hand, was not....I should have asked for some of that happy medicine, too. Thankfully, my head is clear this morning. Oh, how I hate migraines!)

So, our weekend ended with Melissa and I staying home from church and sleeping.  By supper time we both were functioning almost at normal. While it wasn't a trouble free weekend, it was still a good weekend....just next time I'll take some headache medication with us and try to get her to drink more water. Live and learn.

Mother's Day

It's been a very nice Mother's Day.  Church was a great time fellowshipping and worshipping.  Then we had a nice lunch out where we saw several friends and neighbors- and good food!  And best of all? We got to eat our meal outside. I love having a meal outside (as long as the weather is nice like it was today!)

After we got home, the boys gave me a nice blouse (I'm sure Drew helped some!). Before we left for church, Melissa game me her presents: a nice tote bag and blue nail polish. Yes, I love blue nail polish!  Yesterday, Drew came home from the store with a bouquet of flowers.

After gifts, I got some time to read a book, take a nap, read some more....watch Amazing Race....talk to both our mothers...  A very nice day!

Relaxing....

Our plan A for this week was to visit friends in St. Louis and one of Drew's brother's in Chicago, but all that had to be cancelled (long story for another post). Instead, we spent the 4th of July with my family. We had a nice family dinner Wednesday night, then spent the 4th at my brother's poolside (With, may I say, the BEST weather!! in the low 90's  which for the Deep South, that is downright cool!) It was so nice to relax and get some sun. Friday I met my dear friend, Janean, for breakfast then spent the afternoon shopping with Mom and Melissa. .  Today we were lazy and with no rush to return home.

The kids and I read a lot...we've all read Veronica Roth's Divergent. And all enjoyed it. It's another post-America story - just the thought of that creeps some people out. This story was not nearly as disturbing as Hunger Games. We are on the waiting list for the library for the next book in this series - we are ready for it! The third book is due out this fall.

I've, also, spent the week avoiding washing many dishes. Apparently, you get out of dish duty when you have stitches in one of your fingers. I got a little too carried away last Saturday with my rotary cutter when I was trimming fabric for a quilt. While the cut and stitches did not hurt today (b/c it REALLY did last Saturday!!!), the stitches just got in my way. I was told to keep them in seven to nine days. Today was day seven. Couldn't stand it anymore, and so I took them out myself this morning.

Then too a nice long shower.

Not the best idea.

Should have done the shower first....with the stitches in a water-proof covering.....The cut did open back up, but I'm not going back in. If I end up with a nasty scar, oh, well. It's on the tip of my finger. Who cares.

I did have to get a tetanus shot. I was not happy about that. I had one eight years ago, but the doctor sort of ignored that. I think he just want to charge my insurance company for another item

Tomorrow we plan to go to church.....be lazy....read a book.....take a walk maybe.....enjoy life.

Being Fanaical

As I said last year, I hate Halloween.  To seems to me it's just a time for kids to beg for candy they don't need (and in our case, my kids can't eat due to food allergies) and teens to act crazy. And many adults as well.  I think every year I'm surprised by the adults that dress up.

This year with Halloween being on Wednesday, it was easier for us - We went to church. Like normal. That's what we do on Wednesdays. Last year our church did a carnival thing on Halloween, but this year they had the event Sunday night.  The children's minister told me there were half as many kids last year as they were  the year before when they held the event on a different night.  So, she decided that instead of "competing" with it all, she would just have the event early. She wanted to have as many kids as she could get.

And if that's the goal - fine. Outreach is a good thing. But churches started fall festivals not as an outreach, but to give church families an alternative. Things are different here, I'm learning.

Once again, I did nothing for the church's event Sunday night.  Just had no desire to be involved in it. Benjamin did, though. He went with his good friend from across the street and helped out. He had a great time.

Every since the summer Melissa has known what she wanted to be - Queen of Hearts. She got the idea from our trip to Texas this summer. She saw a skirt made out of playing cards. So. she made one.   (I need to get a picture -it turned out cute!) For her it was just a time to dress up, act silly, and hang out with friends. The boys were going to dress up as well - William as the King of Hearts and Ben as the Jack. Or at least that was the plan before they all realized Halloween fell on a Wednesday.

One of Melissa' friends actually came with her to church last night (as her church cancelled all of their events), then afterwards they went to find their other friends. Of course, the youth went late last night, so by the time they caught up with the others, they were pretty much done with begging for candy and were headed home.  Melissa only came home with a handful of candy she got from her friend's father. Fine with me!

What really surprised me last night was the number of people that normally come to church who were not at church last night. I was shocked! I think the children's minister told her teachers not to worry about a lesson, so I think most of them skipped. Ben said there were less than ten kids  - when there's normal well over fifty - that's huge!!

I get that Halloween is only once a year. I get that kids LOVE dressing up and LOVE getting free candy.  But still.  Can't help but wonder what message some of these kids got last night.

(And if you think I'm being too fanatical about all of this - I get that too - and I'm fine with that.)

Fourth of July: Past, Present, Future

Last night we celebrated our county's Independence at a festival our church held. There was plenty of food and fun for all  - ending with a very nice professional fireworks show. We were close to the set off point, so it seemed as if they were right over us - raining down on us at times.

For both Drew and I  it brought back memories of our first married 4th of July.  We grilled out with friends...made home-made ice cream. That night ended with an amazing fireworks show as well.  We were seated just behind center-field at the local high school's baseball field with the community symphony playing to the right of us.   They shot the fireworks off at pitcher's mound. It was the first time I had ever been so close to the fireworks! It seemed almost magical - just a wonderful night - a great memory!

Over the years we have celebrated the 4th in many locations...some with fireworks right over our heads (with our dear friends, Dan & Cindy, in Colorado & again in New Jersey)...a few watching fireworks off our balcony with a dark Mt. Fiji in the distance (that would be at Yokota Air Base, Tokyo). A few bundled up against the cold! (with Gregg & Melinda in Lompoc, CA where the summer is colder than the winter!)...and sadly a few apart (when Drew was deployed to Iraq and  again when the kids & I came home from Guam to the States without him). Also, two years ago tonight was the first night in our current home  - it felt so good to be home after being  "homeless" for almost a month. Most are great memories - I would rather Drew and I to be together!

My dream 4th of July would be to spend it on the Mall in Washington, DC for the concert and fireworks they have at the Capitol steps each year. In 2007 we actually made plans to attend.  Six months out we sent out invitations to family and friends to join us. We even had a few hotel rooms reserved close by so we could just relax afterwards and not fight the traffic home. But just a few months shy of the holiday, we were informed of our move to Guam - so we cancelled all our plans, packed up and moved to Paradise Lane. 

This year we were invited to spend the celebration with both sets of family, but we elected to stay home. Due to a delivery we have schedule for tomorrow, we were not able to stay the night and also, we had a few things here we needed to accomplish.  Which we did.  It's been a quiet day, but enjoyable. 

One friend is heavy on my mind and heart today on this our nation's birthday, though. A dear friend from Guam will be taking her husband to the airport in a few hours for a year apart....and she's nine months pregnant with their third child.  I remember taking my husband to the airport for a year part...it's so hard.  And I remember how I felt just a few weeks before  I gave birth to my third child. To do both of those together? My heart breaks for her. As  you read this, please, say a prayer for Erika...I know she will appreciate them.

On the 12th Day of Janurary...

On the 12th day of January - how are those New Year Resolutions going? I don't make new year resolutions, but I did sit down on the first  and wrote out a list of things that  need to be done  - some sooner than others. 

I stared off with a list of 18 things. Within a few days I did just about half of them. Okay - I'll confess. Drew did two of them.  And I have added several things....just the way to-do list go, I guess.

None of the things were earth shattering....return emails, finish the purple quilt (done), start the blue quilt (so NOT done), do something with the Christmas cards.....just normal things.

Last year I never really did anything with the Christmas cards. I just put them in a bowl on a shelf of an end table and they sat there.....all year long.... This year I was bound and determined to go through both years and put the pictures away in an album.  As I was going through a cabinet a few days ago, I realized that I had not done anything to the Christmas cards from our last Christmas in Guam.....so....that meant I had three Christmas' of cards to put away.  And I soon realized that my album is not big enough for them all....which is probably why I didn't do anything with them last year...or the year before.

But I have I come up with a solution! I will buy a nice photo box and keep them in that. Of course, that means adding "stop by Michael's" to  my to-do list....good thing there's no date of when I need to get it done!

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011 was very nice. More than nice.  For our second Christmas in the Deep South, we were able to once again spend it with family at our house - this time with my family (last year Drew's parents and one sister were with us). My brother and his family along with my parents arrived Friday.  We had a delicious dinner cooked by Drew then opened presents.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing my kids playing and hanging out with their cousins! Such fun!

Drew and I got a portable heater from my parents - which we will use quite often since high school soccer season is during the winter. Even if we are in the Deep South, it's cold at night.

Saturday morning we enjoyed a large breakfast before my brother and his family left for their house. Saturday night we enjoyed the Christmas Eve service at our church then rode around looking at Christmas lights.   Of course, as we were looking at the lights the kids were trying to get us to drive faster so we could get home - yes, they were ready to open presents again!

Of course, we did finally get home and yes, open presents again.  And yes, the kids were happy.

Sunday the kids got full stockings and a few more presents. My mom and I were up first - we were getting our coffee when I got a text from Melissa - "can I go to the bathroom?? I'm about to burst!! SAVE ME!!"

We just laughed! After she returned to her room, she started texting again - "when can I come and see my stockings???" Then she started to text her brother to wake him up! 

After church we had a wonderful dinner with my parents as well as two airmen from Drew's office that have no family in town.  My aunt joined us late in the afternoon.  Later in the evening we did presents with my aunt - if you are counting, that's number four time for presents! 

I think the kids enjoyed all the present time instead of just opening everything at once!

This morning we just hung out for awhile before my parents and aunt left.  Not long after they left, one of Drew's sisters, her husband, their daughter with her husband and baby arrived for lunch.

We love time playing with the baby!!  They only stayed an hour or so as they were driving back to their houses, but anytime we get to see the baby, we'll take it. Oh, and yes. Anytime to see ANY family, we'll take it!

Now, I'm snuggled up in bed with one son and Drew watching the Saints take on the Falcons.

Love that I have at least one football team that knows how to play and WIN!!

Great times....wonderful times!

Making Memories!

Today around 3:30 Drew decided it would be the perfect time to get our Christmas tree. Ignore the lateness of the day. Ignore the rain. Ignore that the phone number to the Christmas tree farm now belongs to someone else.  But a perfect time for an adventure and to make memories.

So, we did.

Despite grumpy and complaining kids....

Off we went in the rain - thankfully, it was just sprinkling....not a hard rain at all.  We when got to the tree farm we could see two sets of trees. One set was just pine trees - over-grown ugly pines trees. The other side had some beautiful trees - some what overgrown as well. We drove up the rest of the driveway to the house to see how much the trees were...and a got a surprise.

It was no longer a Christmas tree farm....which would explain all the overgrown trees....as well as the wrong phone number.

But the house owner was very nice - generous even. She said that while we couldn't have any of the trees from the left side (due to an agreement with the prior owner who DID run a Christmas tree farm that these trees would always be available for her children and grandchildren) we could have any tree we wanted from the right side.

Yeah...the ugly side...but we got out of the van and went to have a look. Oh, the adventure.  It was continued to rain so there was plenty of water and mud to dodge as well as horse poo.

Lots and lots of poo.

I have never seen so much poo before!

But we found a tree - or at least at top of a tree. And to top it all off as we were getting it tied to the top of the van the rain went from sprinkles to a heavy downpour.

Ah, yes, the memories we make when we get out of the house on a raining day!

(Melissa trying to stay dry.)

Saw, saw saw it down!

Draggin' it to the van...trying to miss the horse poo.....so much poo!

Up on the van.

Strapping the tree down....as the rain comes down!

Happy (Belated) Valentine's Day

We really had a nice weekend! A great weekend! The weather was so nice - the kids played outside just about all day on Saturday. I re-read one of my favorite books. Sunday brought perfect weather again. We went to a state park about twenty minutes away after church for a hike. It was so very nice being outside in the woods. But we all agreed we needed to return in a month or so when everything was in bloom. It was a little brown.

Monday was a great Valentine's Day.  I got some tulips - my favorite flower. We all enjoyed chocolate covered strawberries- my traditional gift to Drew - and now the kids every year.  Although all the kids have decided that they really don't like chocolate...just more for me.  I did make them vanilla dip strawberries for them.

Drew and I ended up going out for dinner Monday night. I really didn't think we would - I had already had dinner planned, but he came home wanting to go out, so who am I to say no??  We didn't have to wait too long - Olive Garden was busy, but we were seated within twenty minutes or so. 

And of course, the food was yummy!

Valentine's was a little tempered for me though.  A step-son of a dear friend from Guam passed away. He was just nineteen years old. So sad. The whole family has been on my heart and mind since I found out.  Such a sad part of life.

Be Relaxed

Last Wednesday Drew and I celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary. Late in the afternoon Drew treated me to a massage at a local salon. The masseuse asked me when was the last time I had a massage.

And I couldn't answer her. I couldn't remember.  I think it was some time last spring while we were in Guam...if not then, then last Thanksgiving when were were in Singapore.  The question got me to thinking of all the places I have had a massage. Eight countries. Wow. That just sounds crazy.

But every time we travel we do try to slip away for an  afternoon of relaxing....and we do enjoy a good massage.

Our first massages were probably at Hot Springs, AR where we celebrated our fifth anniversary. Then while we lived in Japan, we would visit a local Japanese spa.

Japaneses spas are very different from here in the States and is probably our favorite.  It can be a whole day experience - in fact you can say up to 23 hours. There's rooms for enjoying hot tubs, saunas, arcades, karaoke, several restaurants - even a room with tatami mats for a nap.  The hot tub areas are segregated male and female - which is a good thing since you walk around the hot tub area butt-naked.  But the rest of the facility you wear pajamas-like clothing - even during the massage - which is a good thing since all the massages are given in one large room that is not segregated.

Sounds crazy  to us Americans, but works for them.

While Japan was our favorite place for a massage, Guam was my least favorite. Drew loved it, but I hated it. Most places in Guam (that we visited anyway) use the Shiatsu method which I find way too hard and deep for me. Once I left with bruises - not kidding.(And (I could have done without the peppy elevator music)  I prefer the Swedish - relaxing - no bruising!!

Not only have I massages here in the States (CA, VA, AR, LA, MD & MA),Guam, Singapore (where I was offered and fell in love with ginger tea), and Japan, I have also had massages in Australia (where I was told to keep my "knickers" on!), South Korea (where I wondered if they were using the correct hygiene practices), Bermuda and Palau.

Crazy! I never would have thought I would have the privilege to travel so much.  I feel very blessed (and very relaxed!)

Christmas Weekend

We really had a sweet Christmas - even after all the drama of my father's fall.   We had Drew's parents here as well as one of his sister in for the weekend.  Friday morning my mother-in-law and I got most of the cooking done. Friday afternoon we just stayed around the house - played games - just enjoyed being together. 

After an enjoyable Christmas Eve church service, we came home for a great meal.  Sonny & Mary Estelle brought one of our favorite pasta dishes - we all fell in love with this dish in earlier in the fall. It has just about every thing in -I'm afraid to add up how many calories it has....but it's so worth it! It has sausage, shrimp, crab, Alfredo sauce, rotel....just such goodness!  After dinner we finally put the kids' out of their misery and opened presents.  I think everyone enjoyed their gifts.  All the kids got rockets, so I'm sure by week's end we'll be blasting them off. We ended the night with our tradition of going to look at holiday lights.

One surprise for us this year is that we won the neighborhood's Christmas lights contest!! We were so surprised!! I came home from the hospital last Tuesday with my mother and brother and wondered what sign was in my yard.  When we got close enough, I could see it said first place - wow!!!  $50 VISA card was our reward!! I need to make sure I get a picture of the house - We really didn't think it was worthy of the win.  We (well - Drew, really) out-lined the front of the house with the icicle lights.  Simple but, makes a statement, I guess (and it helps that not too many other's decorated their house!!)

Saturday the kids received their big gifts and stockings. William got a remote-control helicopter (that Drew broke upon the 3rd flight), Melissa got a sewing machine (she's ready to start a project!), and Ben a soccer net.   For dinner we had three of Drew 's co-workers join us. They seemed to have a good time -  I hope so.   All are active-duty with the Air Force - I know how hard it is to be away from family. They were all good sports and played "Apples to Apples" and "Catch-Phrase" with us.

Sunday we packed up - Charlotte headed back to Texas, and the rest of us went to my parents' house. The original plan was for my family to join us here at our house, but after Dad's fall we all thought it was best for him not to travel. But still. We had a nice time.   I love having everyone together. I hope my kids realize how lucky they are to have all four grandparents in the same room.

Sweet times.

Late Sunday afternoon my dear childhood friend, Janean, came over for a visit.  After knowing each other for over thirty-five years, we still laugh! Even if she did beat me in Scrabble - which if you know me - that's not hard to do!

Such sweet times!

The Rest of the Weekend

While Thanksgiving was wonderful, the rest of the weekend was amazing.  Friday we spent a large portion of the day cooking, cleaning, and decorating for my mother-in-law's 80th birthday party.  Of course, we had to have at least one lunch at Biscuit and Blues - a tasty restaurant owned by a cousin of Drew's. Good thing there's an upstairs room otherwise we would have totally taken over the place there was so many of us. After that tasty food I got to shop a little in the downtown stores with one of my sister-in-laws and two nieces. Fun times.

Then it was back to getting ready for the party.

And oh, what a party it was! I was able to catch up with some friends and even more family members, but the best part was I think my mother-in-law had the time of her life! The theme was "Queen of Hearts". My sister-in-law, Margret, did an outstanding job with all the decorations - red &  black with a few zebra stripes thrown in.  I will try to post pictures soon.

A very entertaining moment was when my sister-in-law,Kathleen, gave Mary Estelle a book of letter and cards - all wishing her a very happy birthday from many in the family and lots of friends. One brother-in-law ever wrote a poem about her and read it out loud - what great humor this family has!  Then all the granddaughters preformed a little skit- while the grandsons hid on the stairs trying to be "cool".  Several of the older granddaughter as they were growing up would put on skits for us whenever we got together.  This was a nod to that - and to pay homage to their beloved Nana.  They did a great job - it was "Farewell, Good-night" from the Sound of Music - with the words changed to honor Nana.

I think the best part of the night was towards the end. It was just the family with a few cousins thrown in and we did a "quiz" on how well you knew Nana.  It was so much fun - often hilarious  - going over the answers. Several thought they knew the right answer only to be surprised by the truth! Afterwards one of the cousins who was sitting next to me, said "I think I just witness a very special moment in life."

And she was right.  That's how I felt as well. As we were sitting and laughing, I kept looking at my kids and praying that this night will stay in their memories forever. How incredibly lucky they are to have such a family...grandparents alive and well at 80 and 84 (mine are also alive and well - but  few years younger)....to have so many aunts and uncles and cousins....all who love them and will always be around for them.

We are so blessed.

Saturday morning we woke up early to participate in a 5K Turkey Trot....and we needed to trot off some turkey...and dip....and cake....and cookies....  Drew ended up winning third in his age group, William third in his age group and Melissa was first in her age group. I ended up winning lots of calories off my butt....but had I known prized (okay, just medals!) were in store maybe  I would have walked faster!!  Of course, I was in the walking part and they were in the running part.....

After eating some delicious party left-overs along with some fresh donuts and fudge cousins brought in, we headed to spend one night at my mom's house. We watched Ole Miss' last game of the year. Sadly, they did not play well....actually it looked like they didn't care anymore. And with a losing record, who can blame them.   I ended going to bed way before the game was over. Sleep was way more important!

And with that another Thanksgiving was over and done...our first back in the States...and what a great one it was.

Thanksgiving

For the first time in twelve years, we are spending Thanksgiving with my in-laws.  And for the first time in three years we are actually celebrating Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving has never been a huge holiday for Drew and I.  Our kids were usually in school for the first part of the week, so we weren't able to travel.  The kids are really enjoying having the whole week out of school this year - as I am. It's been a great week!  We spent a few days with my parents while Drew worked, then he meet up with us so we could travel on to his family.

Over the years away we would do Thanksgiving dinner with friends. Some years we would cook, other years eat out or at friends' house.One year in Albuquerque we ate dinner at a buffet held at a HUGE country bar with friends.  I remember thinking that if my grandparents knew where I was eating, they would be shocked! (But the food was great!)

Our first Thanksgiving in Guam, depression hit.  At least for me. While we were use to being apart from our families, we usually enjoyed the holiday. But in Guam thing were different.  We hated the holidays. With no change in temperature or weather, no change in the foliage on the trees.....we had no holiday spirit.  Also, that first  year, we did not have close friends to celebrate the day with like in other bases.  We decided early that week to just have turkey sandwiches for lunch - not to even cook a nice meal for us.

But on that Wednesday I actually ate all the turkey so we ended up with ham sandwiches.  Whatever.

We made a point of not being on island for the next two Thanksgivings. We spent 2008 in Cairns, Australia and 2009 in Singapore. Both trips were beyond good - beyond wonderful. 

But now we are back in the States and we are beyond happy to be able to share the holidays with family. Such as this Thanksgiving - which is very special as we are also celebrating my mother-in-law's 80th birthday

It started last night with about one hundred family members coming over for Cajun pasta - just a place for all the out-of-town family members to eat.  Today was the big Thanksgiving dinner at cousin Regina's house - whom has bought one of the antebellum houses in town and is a professional chef.  She did all the food - and to say it was delicious is an understatement! I think the head count was around one hundred fifty.

Tonight was turkey gumbo at the family house, Liberty Hall while the Saints game was on. Not sure how many was there, but I would guess also close to one hundred. Tomorrow will be a come and go lunch at  Biscuit and Blues - which is a restaurant also owned by another  cousin.  Tomorrow night we are hosted an open house in honor of my mother-in-law for her birthday.  We're excepting around two hundred fifty.

Yeah....my in-laws do nothing small.

And I wouldn't have it any other way. While I do get overwhelmed at times at their sheer numbers, they are an amazing bunch of people.

Home

I didn't mean not to post for so long. Life is not that busy, so I guess it means that I'm that lazy!  I have been reading a lot - I'll try to post those on the book page. I've also been taking care of the parents. Mom is doing great! This new technique they used  has done amazing things! Here it is, just over two weeks past her new knee being put in and she is off her walker - and even her cane! She walks around with no pain.  She is still working on bending her knee to the fullest extent.  We think she has about three more week do physical therapy. This time around is just so much faster than the last one!

Drew drove over late Thursday night.  Friday after mom's PT session, we drove down to the Lake. We invited the parents to come along, but Mom didn't think she was ready for a two-hour car ride - and I'm sure she and dad were ready for some no-kid time.

I so understand.

On both counts.

The Lake was wonderful as always. Drew was able to catch up with family members as well as old friends. I have come to the conclusion that I really need to pay attention to every one's names...and remember them. Now that we'll be seeing them often instead of once every few years!  

On Saturday the Lake held it's annual Flotilla and fireworks - as always - so much fun.  The best part? Not nearly as hot as it has been for the last two years.   Saturday we have to drive three hours to pick up my mini-van. And back. But it was well worth it.  We knew what kind we wanted and it took my brother-in-law (who owns a car dealership) a few days to find one, but he did - we just had to go and get it. But like I said: well worth it.

So, since we did have a second car we packed up our things on Sunday and drove to our new house. I actually got to spend two nights in my new house before the kids and I returned to Mom's.

And more importantly -spent the night in my king-size sleigh bed that's been in storage for three years. With my favorite pillow. 

Ah....home. So nice.

I'm hoping to get to go back next week when (I hope and pray!) the rest of our possessions will arrive.