Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we went to Mom's, which means ALOT of people and ALOT of food. Mom is one of 6, and not even half of everyone showed up, and there were 37 people there. I just love seeing my family. And, an added bonus, Gigi and Granddaddy joined us this year. I was so excited that Jon's family is no longer HIS family or my side of the family is no longer MY family. . . that they are both of our families. . . . the two becoming one. Just does my heart so good.

After our bellies were full, all the kiddos wanted to ride on Papa's golf cart trails. He's such a trooper.
After gabbing with my cousins for awhile, I noticed Jon and Alec were missing. Where oh where could my boys be?
In the car AWAY from all the people. . . checking out the Black Friday ads. They were CAUGHT!!!!

Mom, Gigi, and Grandaddy on Mom's front porch.
My cousin Theron married a girl from Japan, Satomi. They have 2 precious girls that Ash and Hanna always look forward to playing with. This year they kept asking me, "Are those Japanese girls going to be there?" I so wish we got to see each other more. I know our girls would be great friends!
See the lady on the far left? That is Aunt Josie. Well, Hanna made Aunt Josie's entire day. Leading up to Thanksgiving Hanna would tell me, "I sure hope that Aunt Josie lady will bring her red velvet cake." I was shocked that Hanna remembered the red velvet cake. I was even MORE shocked that she remembered who made it. I didn't even know Hanna knew who Aunt Josie is. Well, I told Mom, Mom told Granny and told her she had to call Aunt Josie and tell her. Aunt Josie was thrilled that Hanna remembered her. I made sure to tell Hanna to be nice when Aunt Josie was giving her hugs. Anyone who knows my Hanna knows why I said this. . .*wink*wink*
Here's the smorgasbord of food
and my family is FULL of good southern cooks
Here's the red velvet cake, absolutely delicious!

I hung out here most of the time. . . with my cousins Lori, Jessica, and Heather. Heather ran the 1/2 marathon in Savannah that I ran. I loved catching up with my cousins. Again, I just wish we all saw one another more. I was glad for our time together.
Grandaddy was C-R-A-C-K-I-N-G me up. To say he LOVES sweets is an understatement. Every time I saw him he was getting ANOTHER dessert. Seriously, he must have visited the dessert section at least 7 times. I was giddy when I caught him on camera.
Here is me and my love. I love him so much!
Grandpa, Granny, and Mama. I tease mom because she goes by their house every morning, and when she walks in the door Granny says the same thing to her, "You want an egg?" Mama goes by and makes her bed for her. I have such a wonderful Mama!

Thanksgiving didn't end there when everyone left. Oh, me, Mom, Ash, and Hanna had some serious business to attend to. Stay tuned tomorrow for more!

What's in a Weekend

Oh the weekends, glorious weekends. . . how I do love thee, especially when they looked like this one.

First, we celebrated Lisa!!! Like I told my 9th and 10th grade girls Sunday morning, when you get old you're idea of fun with your friends is going to Hobby Lobby, Cracker Barrel, and Starbucks. I'm so blessed to have such amazing friends and so grateful to celebrate Lisa and . . . goodness. . . 13 years of friendship??? Wow!!!! I always tell everyone Lisa was my first friend when we moved here. She remembers seeing Alec pee in the yard. . . NOW that was a LONG time ago!!!!

Our night was short on buying things (we were all trying to be thrifty. . . I was so thrifty I wouldn't even take my purse in). Although, we saw some really funny signs at Hobby Lobby that I almost went back out to the car to get my purse to buy. However, our night was NOT short of laughter. . . I mean LOTS of laughter!
We had Cracker Barrel for our grub that night, all the while gabbing from Hobby Lobby to Cracker Barrel then to Starbucks for Jenn's "decadent fudge pie" and coffee.
Lisa opened her present, but didn't read her card. She said she might cry!!!

I can't remember why I took this shocking picture of Jennifer. I DO know that I was laughing though. The conversation is never dull. In fact, we declared Tripp needed a metal because he was the first of the dads to have the birds and bees talk out of the men!! We had so many, make your stomach hurt, laughter over Griffin's reaction! These ladies always do my heart so good. And, to steal from Faith, I'm so grateful for my sisters!!!
Saturday I got up and worked some. Jon and Alec went to work on our rental house that was demolished. The girls and I went to the grocery store, folded laundry. Ash blew off the leaves on the driveway. We watched the GA/Kentucky game. Just a lazy/productive Saturday. . . if that makes sense??

Sunday was my day to teach. I am just plum crazy about my girls!!!! It was a very sweet moment, so many opened their hearts this Sunday. We always start off by asking if anyone wants to share how the Lord is working in their lives. It took a while, but all it took was one. . . and it just happened to be my sweet Shelby. The others then followed. We serve such an amazing God that He would even care to dwell in our hearts. We then had Upward lunch, came home, napped. I actually started to read a new book, "Southern Fried Sushi" my friend, Celeste lent me. We then went to a cafe in a nearby town with Gigi and Grandaddy. We had such a wonderful time of fellowship. Got home, brushed teeth, all piled into our bed and we watched TV. Jon and I were out by 9:00.

I love weekends like this . . . slow, yet busy, lots of laughter, and good, sweet fellowship.

It's 6:00 a.m.

I haven't forgotten about blogging. It seems when I am the busiest, blogging is put to the side. I have oh.so.much to blog about . . .as normal. However. . .

Right now, it is 6:00 a.m. and I AM NOT WORKING, which is what (Mon-Sat) I am always doing. While I'm on the subject of work, for the last 3 years or so I have HATED, DESPISED, and all the other words that go along with those, my job. I dare even say at times I've even been bitter about working. However, as the Lord has given and taken away and given again, my heart has changed. . . I'm actually liking working. I tell Jon that often. I have great bosses (I have 2 typing jobs). The dictators are great and I'm grateful. I think it is our degree of gratefulness that makes a difference in our attitudes towards the things we do or have to do. Even Tuesday as we had lunch with Granddaddy he was thinking about his mother (who is in her 90s and still living). The thing that he admired and thought of her the most was her hard work for her family. Now, I know I'm not on a farm picking cotton or tobacco as she was . . . however my candle does burn at both ends of the night . . . and if this causes my children and husband to "rise up and call me blessed" then I'm grateful. If it doesn't, then I'm grateful as well. Hard work was always stressed in my family, and the fact that for 3 years I HATED it and probably at times made my family miserable with my attitude about my job. . . I'm ashamed of. Praise God for his glorious grace and for Him sanctifying me through and through.

Sorry, I got sidetracked. This is NOT what this post is about. I'm not working, but what I am doing is listening to Veggie Tales. .. WOW! It's been awhile since I've heard that catchy tune playing. . . with an 8, 11, and 14 year old in the house that show no longer captures their attention. I'm here at my little sister's house. .. .3 hours from home. .. . keeping my precious niece Emory. Oh she makes my heart smile. She is adorable, and I'm so thankful to be here keeping her. Kristen has had her 2nd baby. . . Emmett . .. and he is adorable. I think adorable runs in our genes (along with cellulite, but we'll focus on the positives right now, K?) We've come here to keep Emory and do whatever in the world Kristen needs me to do while she is in the hospital. I'm grateful. Pictures WILL be coming SOON! For now, though, I'd better run. Emory is doing the sign (they are teaching her sign language) for "more". . . I think that means she wants breakfast. And, when she takes her nap and I run on the treadmill I will now be singing the song "because I love my duck . .. ." The good 'ole days of "Veggie Tales".

With a grateful heart,

Michele

82 hats

Nahhh. . . I'm just kiddin'. . .not 82 hats, but by the looks of these pictures you'd think so. I'm still talking in 82s. . . but what I meant was 82 years. Melissa and I were going to miss Grandmama's big birthday shin-dig. Well, it really was just our family and they had to all get together on a day my cousin, Brian, could do it. . . . I already had previous plans, so Mel and I took Grandmama to lunch to this sweet little tea room nearby.

Grandmama started the fashion trend of a hat. . . she's been having to wear one b/c she had a premalignant place come up on her head. . .

These girls were so good. An older lady leaving the restaurant came up to me and complimented me on how well behaved they were. That makes me claim them! If they act like a bunch of scaliwags. . . uncivilized and all. . . I pretend I don't know whose children they are. . . I kid. . .I kid..

Here are my 2 aunts and my sweet Grandmama who has been walking this earth for 82 years!

Melissa and Hanna

Beans, Mel, and me (I feel like I look like a flight attendant in this picture)

We found these funny hats on the wall. . .so Melissa grabbed one and I followed her lead. We wanted to look like Grandmama. . .

Sharon and Wanda thought they'd join in the fun as well.

Pretty lady!

Sweet little Southern Belle

Here's another one. . .

And. . . another one. . .

Afterwards Wanda took all the kiddos to the store by the tearoom and got them each a piece of candy. . .

Poor Alec was such a good sport about being at a tearoom. He was the photographer, and it wasn't until I uploaded these pictures that I realized he wasn't in a SINGLE one of them. I think he prefers it that way. . . that way there's no proof he was actually at a tea room. . .

We love our Grandmama so very much. She's so special and has made a mark on each of our lives.

Surprise Noelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet Noelle is always giving every one surprise parties, so when it was time for her birthday, we all just had to give her a party. . . . she was so very surprised. It was funny she actually ran in our house straight to the bathroom b/c she had to potty. We all yelled "Surprise" and she just couldn't believe it.

Look at that cake. My Aunt Wanda (mom's sister) made it.

We had wonderful time celebrating a very precious girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Birthday that Lasted a Month

Y'all know I always tease and say my birthday lasts all week. Well, I really do love birthdays. But this birthday was different. . . I say that this one lasted all month. It all started on January 5th when I got a sweet text happy b-day from my friend Patty A. It was so very sweet I didn't have the heart to tell her that it wasn't my birthday. I just replied thank you and decided I would hold onto it and read it 20 days later (on my b-day). In fact, it was so incredibly sweet I almost thought of changing my birthday to the 5th rather than the 25th :) Well, a little later that afternoon I got a text from Ang. H. telling me Happy Birthday (she and Patty are best friends). I giggled. . . well actually obnoxiously laughed b/c this was so funny to me. I just replied, "thanks." I decided I'd tell the both of them in person on Wed. night. I did, and we all laughed like crazy!!!!!! I told them both that I loved. . . . it just gave me a good excuse to start celebrating my birthday now. A week or so after this, my sweet friends (the birthday crew) Faith, Lisa, and Jenn. B. took me to Bonefish for my birthday. They all make me feel so incredibly special!

The following weekend, my niece, Noelle, threw me a "surprise" birthday party at Mama & James'. She was so sweet. She picked out everything herself.

Mom made me chocolate delight (my favorite)!!!

Noelle wanted this pinata for me because she said I reminded her of the sunshine. It was so sweet and actually made me grin . . . . (one time when Jon and I were discussing why I think my SIL doesn't like me he told me he thought it was probably just b/c I was a little "too sunshiney" for her.) What a great compliment!

My precious Mama!!!!!!!!!!

I have NO idea what the girls and I were doing (reminds of the fact my brain is getting old).

I love my family. They make me feel so special and are truly a gift from the Lord. We all love big and fight big. .. but I'd rather it be loving big and fighting big than no love or little love.

Look at Emory's little face. . . .so sweet! I love that baby girl!

We then all played games outside. . .like 3-legged race. . .

Me and my sweet hubby. . . . he's celebrated MANY birthdays with me!

Then, of course on my actual B-day, Jon and the kids took me to Buffalos and I ate. . . you guessed it! WINGS!!! Only day all year I'll eat them and not feel a smiggin of guilt.

Then, my sweet friends and Grow Group ladies. . . Dana W., Jenn. G, Jenn. B., Ang. L, Faith, & Lisa all celebrated with me on a Mon. night. Lisa made my favorite chocolate delight. She was so sweet to get in touch with my mom and sister on FB to get the recipe.

One Sun. after church Gigi and Grandaddy had us over for lunch and we celebrated with them. I loved the fact they gave me a "Happy birthday DAUGHTER" rather than DIL. I love them so very much!

I am so very grateful that the Lord has been so gracious to me to put so many people in my life with who care enough to celebrate my special day with me!