Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Our Christmas cards are sitting on our dining room table. They are resting comfortably and have been for a few weeks now. And, while I have the best intentions of getting these things in the mail - it hasn't happened yet and I am starting to think it might not happen for a while.

In the meantime, I thought you all might enjoy a few outtakes from my photo session with the girls. As you can see from the picture above, both girls started off as willing participants.

But, things quickly took a turn for the worse. They were cold and tired of smiling. In all honestly, I thought about sending this picture out as our Christmas card. I love the crossed arms - we see that a lot in our house, from both children!

The good thing about these kids, at least right now, is that they are easily bribed (aren't I a good parent?) The promise of a Hershey's Kiss (or Hershey's Lips as Vaughan calls them) and all is well in the world.

We are counting down the days until Christmas.....

Incoming From Fredonia

Your brother shot a wild pig!

Love - Alan

Yes, clearly from the photo above, he did. I am happy to report that The Hunt was a success and all men are safely back home....some with more meat than others. I have more photos but I thought I would spare you at this early hour.

Outgoing to Fredonia

Outgoing to Fredonia:

I hope that everyone arrived safely at the annual hunt. I cannot imagine what a full house of guys hanging out in Fredonia in December is like. The girls and I miss you but we are managing just fine. We made the weekly Friday night trip to La Parilla last night to get our Mexican fix. Vaughan decided to forgo her quesadilla and make a meal out of the chips and queso instead.

This morning as I was trying to imagine what you men folk were up to...I decided to see when sunrise and sunset were (so I could really imagine you sitting in the blinds waiting to spot a deer.)

I googled "sunrise Fredonia TX" and this is what came up: http://www.datehookup.com/User-235534103.htm

Please check out the link....it is worth the effort!

Missing you.....

Christmastime Is Here

I am typing with bloodied fingers today. It all started about a month ago at our neighborhood Garden Club party. This might be where you are trying to reconcile Garden Club and me. Stop trying and rest assured I have not become a gardener - I don't even have a single house plant. It's a social thing around these parts -- kind of like Bunco.

OK - so last month at Garden Club, someone was passing around a piece of paper whereby you could sign-up to volunteer on the Greening project (you know, where you pay a nominal fee and they decorate your mailbox with fun, Christmastime green things.)

I quickly passed the paper onto the next person. Me, greening mailboxes, no thanks.

That is when it happened - as it always does. The girl in charge of the sheet came up to me and personally asked me if I could help. GULP. Why can't I say no.

So - that is how I found myself walking up the street this morning, in the rain, toting garbage bags of greenery, wire, and scissors (you know, because this little lady doesn't even have clippers.) And that is why my fingers were cut and scratched because here is a little tip for you: kitchen scissors don't exactly cut through frasier fur and magnolia branches.

*Picture of beautifully decorated mailbox coming soon!

Thanksgiving Recap

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday....I say that with some trepidation because now that Christmas is right around the corner I am feeling an allegiance towards Jolly St. Nick.
But - back to Thanksgiving. What is not to like? Food, family, lots of lounging, fires, football...all of the ingredients needed for a perfect long weekend.

This year, we had lots of family and friends come to Atlanta to celebrate Thanksgiving and birthdays and life. That's my mom and my cousin Alex above -- they both have Thanksgivingtime birthdays. So on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, we all gathered at our house for some homemade pizza and cake.



We lit the candles a few times so the kids could participate in candle extinguishing.



Chris and his wife Marina traveled from Miami to join us.




My cousin Cari and her son Tony came with the rest of their family from North Carolina.



Every Thanksgiving Day, our family plays a "friendly" football game. This year, Ellery was able to join in on the fun. Not sure how much she understood but she sure had a good time.



I was finally able to meet so many of my cousin's kids whom I had not yet met before.



This is Elliot....precious. Vaughan wanted "that baby." I think she thought about snatching her from her parents several times.



Ellery loved having so many cousins around. She expecially enjoyed hanging around the older ones.




These are two of my cousin Andrea's three boys. She bravely traveled with all three from Minnesota.




This is how things ended. My mom and my uncle, in the kitchen poking each other. I think we have a picture of them doing the same thing 50 years ago.

It was perfect. Of course, we all ended up with colds (Vaughan has an ear infection) but nothing that we won't recover from. I just wish we could all manage to get together every year!

I am still here

Were you wondering where I went? Well, I was swept up in the chaos of Thanksgiving but I have landed firmly on my feet. I am back and I have a lot of good stories and fun photos to share.

So check back in tomorrow.....it will be worth the wait!