If I were texting this post it would say SA, TG, BF, NC

SA - Salvation Army. On Wednesday my in-laws kept the kids for me and I did a little pre-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping. I then decided to treat myself to one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. I went to lunch with me, myself, and I. I had a glass of Sangria, salsa, and a taco. Yummy. A lot of people think is it weird to eat by yourself -not Jon or I. I had a really good time with me, myself, and I. I then headed over to Belk to ring the bell for the Salvation Army. Jon then showed up with Alec, and he and I rang the bell for a little bit. My in-laws then dropped off my girls and they helped me ring until it was time to go home. Thankfully the weather was beautiful. Jon wasn't there with the camera when the girls were with me, but I do have pictures of me and Alec.

TG- Thanksgiving Day. Jon and the girls made all of us homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast while I got ready for us to head over to my Grandmama's and Papa's. This was Jon's year to choose where we would spend Thanksgiving. His mom wasn't cooking this Thanksgiving so I automatically assumed we would just go to my Grandmama's. I was later convicted and I felt very selfish. I suggested to Jon we just stay home and I would cook. I was very excited about cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner. I had already planned on getting out our good china (that we never, ever eat on), and fix the table nice and pretty. He then said we could go to Grandmama's. After going back and forth, we decided to go. YAY!

Before we headed out to my Grandmama and Papa's

Our silly Thanksgiving Day picture

There are so many special details of Thanksgiving but I will try and just blog on the highlights.

Before saying the Blessing my Papa said he had something he wanted to say. He praised the LORD for getting him this far with his cancer. He said he knew he had been difficult to deal with this year and he thanked "the family," as he said, but everyone knew he was talking about my Grandmama, both of my aunts, and my Dad. I was tearing up and I looked over at my Dad. My Dad turned his head and put it down (I am pretty sure he was tearing up too). Thankfully Papa stopped when he did or I would have been sobbing at his sweet, sweet words.

Jon and Alec

Me, Papa, Daddy

There has always been a "kid" table in my Grandparents' sunroom, where all of the grandkids (that being me, my sister, and my cousin) still sit. The great grandkids put out TV trays in the living room and eat on them. My cousin and his wife, me, Jon, and Alec all went out to the "kids table" and laughed and stuffed ourselves silly.

Afterwards, I headed over to the dessert table to feast on my Grandmama's homemade coconut cake. This is my very favorite dessert, and I am not a cake girl. I can't turn this one down though. I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed to the dining room where all the women were. Me, my aunts, my Grandmama, and my cousin's wife all sat around and chatted. It was so much fun. We looked at a scrapbook I made my Dad for his birthday and I told everyone some of our funny stories from when Daddy and I visited my sister for her birthday.

Talk around the table

I had to show this picture - notice my hands. For some strange reason my mouth will not move unless my hands do. I always talk with my hands!

Sweet Hanna and Sweet, Sweet Grandmama - Isn't my Grandmama beautiful? I remember one time seeing my Grandparents at the Mall and I actually ran into my Papa first. He was supposed to meet my Grandmama by a light post. We saw her waiting for him, and he pointed her out. He said to me, "Isn't she as pretty as a picture?" He meant it too!

Halle (my cousin's little girl), Ash, and Hanna - These girls had a blast with one another!

Everyone sitting around enjoying one another

When Alec was hugging Grandmama goodbye I noticed that he was now as tall as she is. I just had to snap a picture.

BF- Black Friday. I am one of those crazy shoppers who get out at O-dark thirty to get lost in the madness of Black Friday. This is something my mom and I started doing years ago, and it is something I look forward to every year. I love my mom, and she is always such a trooper. She pretty much goes and does what I want to do. I give her strict orders on where she is to be and what she is to get! It is such a fun day. My mom really goes overboard on my kids at Christmas. I really have to restrain her. She really buys more for them than we do. I know most people would be grateful for this, but I just don't want to bombard my kids with "things." I try really hard to teach them that "things" do not make us happy. Always before we check out we go back through our buggies and put back some things. If I have said it once, I will say it again, my Mom is a great Nanna! She really finds so much joy in buying for the children.

It was 3:10 AM when I left my house. I wasn't even supposed to get up until 3:00 to meet my mom. I woke up at 2:00 AM and I was so excited I couldn't go back to sleep. My mom told me to call her at 3:30. At 3:30 I called her and she answered, "Rise and shine." I told her, "she had better be up and at 'em." She said she had been awake and already had one cup of coffee (which it takes her 30 minutes to drink one cup). She also woke up at 2:00 AM and was unable to go back to sleep because of her excitement.

I love many, many things about my car. But, my most favorite thing is my seat warmers! Sometimes I will even turn on the AC just so I can "burn my buns." I turn them on immediately when I crank the car up.

Here's Mom in line

Here we are in line at Lifeway. We finally got to eat breakfast about 6:30 AM (see Mom's Chick Fil-A cup?)

We finished up around Noon. I was totally exhausted. Guess what though? - ALL of my Christmas shopping is done! YAY! I got everything I went for and saved LOTS. I will say, though, even if I did not buy a thing I would still get out in the madness. I just LOVE it!

Exhausted - Can you tell how "fake" my smile is? I was really so sleepy by this point it took everything in me to muster up a smile. For anyone out there who may be wondering if I wore high heels or not? YES!!!! You must be stylish AT ALL TIMES especially on Black Friday. You see so many people you know! Plus, I am convinced you burn more calories when you walk in high heels. I was able to burn off some of my Thanksgiving Day food since I didn't get a run in on Black Friday.

Every year I always buy my family a Christmas movie on Black Friday. This year I decided to buy everyone some Christmas PJ's too. Jon went and picked up the girls from my in-laws and I laid everyone's new PJ's out in our family room along with the new Christmas movie. They all were so excited when they walked in! Jon brought home pizza, we played Bible Gestures (a game he bought that day), and then snuggled up in our Christmas PJ's and watched "Fred Claus."

Snuggled up in our Christmas jammies ready to watch Fred Claus. Jon's head didn't get in the picture and he didn't want to take another one. At least we know he is there, just not his head.

NC- The Nutcraker. Today I took my girls to see The Nutcracker. The one held in our town is my favorite, even over the Atlanta Ballet. Jon and I went several years ago to Atlanta to The Fox to see "The Nutcracker." The one in our town is just so special to me, I guess because so many children I know and love participate in it. We went with our friend, Cookie.

Hanna, Me, Ash

Ashley collects snow globes and has had her eye on a Nutcracker snow globe at the dance studio for weeks. She has worked so hard and saved her money. She has resisted the temptation to buy other things with her money. Today it was all worth it. She got her snow globe, and it is beautiful. I bought Hanna a little snow globe to remember this special day by.

Cookie and my girls

I loved watching Hanna's little face as she watched the ballet, especially when she would see her ballet teacher, Ms. Jena, dance. Ms. Jena was beautiful. I have decided I want to be Ms. Jena when I grow up.

Hanna and Ms. Jena

My favorite part about the whole ballet was seeing this very special girl named Emilee dance. I have known Emilee since she was about 5 years old. We all went to church together. We formed a bond instantly. Her mom, dad, and Mimi would tell me over the years how much she loved me. I can remember times when they would say they had been out shopping and Emilee would say things like, "Ms. Michele would wear this," or "Ms. Michele says this." Emilee would make me very special things over the years, all of which I still have. I can remember she would make me jewelry and I would wear it to church. I love this child deeply. It is amazing the bond you can form with a child who isn't any of your flesh and blood. Her family left our church several years ago and I have missed her oh so badly.

She is beautiful. She has grown from a little girl into a beautiful young woman. Watching her dance I was so teary eyed. I really tried to control it because I didn't want my mascara to run. I can just remember when she was so little. We were sitting on the 2nd row, and when she would dance near our end of the stage I could have sworn she was smiling right at me. I would smile back, beaming with pride over her. I didn't think she knew it was me though because I didn't think she could see me due to the stage lights. After the performance was over she ran to the edge of the stage waving her hands at me rapidly. She did know it was me out there!!! I hugged her so tightly and told her over and over again how proud I was of her and what a wonderful job she did. I am still just beaming with pride over this special, special girl! She has grown up so much; she and I could literally wear one another's clothes now. I was so tempted to call her Emilou, which was one of her nicknames as a little girl, but I didn't want to embarrass her.

Ash and her friend, Claire

Me and Emilee (I hate this picture of me b/c I think my face looks fat, but I don't care I had to post it b/c it is the only one I have of us together)

Hanna and Emilee - Hanna actually reminds me very much of Emilee as a little girl - blonde, extremely shy, doesn't warm up well to others, loves to dance

Ashley and Emilee

I know this is a long post, but I wanted to get everything into one post. Thanks for persevering through to the end!