Oh what fun it is.....

Since we have been empty nesters, the Superhero and I have had fun taking our own pictures and putting them on Christmas cards.  Our children are scattered around the country and we knew we would never be able to get pictures of us all together.  

We try to think of a different place to take them each year and this year decided to take them in front of a roaring fire with our mantle decorated.....

We tried standing......

 Nope!  Odd angle, not to mention you can't even see the mantle....

Sitting on the floor......Nope!  Uncomfortable and we look strained.

I get the bright idea of getting our little Rubbermaid stools to sit on and those weren't too bad until I realized that we had the old, ragged sticker still on the front of one! 

Awkward....... 

Awkward and we are getting very frustrated!

The Superhero thinks he's funny and takes a picture while I'm getting up to check the camera. I knew I shouldn't have given him the remote!  And by the way, the ONLY picture he really smiled in.....because he was amused! 

Right before we had to call a marriage counselor in to help, we got one that wasn't too bad, even though the roaring fire was nowhere to be seen!

So to all our friends, near and far, 
Merry Christmas and may Jesus be close to your hearts this season! 

Almost Christmas?

Fourteen days until Christmas???  This has been the longest/shortest year in my memory.  The tree above is not my Christmas tree because I'm not putting a tree up this year!  Yep, that's right.....it was the most freeing decision.  People said to me.....oh, it's so relaxing to sit and look at the tree......I say, no when I look at the tree I think.....man I have to take all this stuff down in a few weeks!  

I decorated the mantle and my dining room table and put out a few other Christmas decorations, but I was just not up to tackling a tree this year.  

Also, we will not have any little children here this year.  

Then there is gift buying.  I'm not one of those who has it all done in June and can enjoy the season with no stress.  Truth is, I'm just not a good gift giver.  I like to give gifts, but I have no idea what to give!  Kind of like cooking.......if someone would give me a menu at the beginning of the week, I would gladly cook.  But if I have to think of what to cook OR buy, then it's a major chore.

However!  As much as I don't like buying gifts, I love sending cards and have so enjoyed these last few years sending cards to many of my blog friends.  Even though I haven't posted much or read many blogs in these last few months, I would love to send you a Christmas card, so if you want one.....email me your address!  

In looking through boxes that were packed from mama's apartment, I've come across her suitcase (yes, she kept her ornaments in a large suitcase) with ornaments.  She was so good about labeling her ornaments with who gave them and what year. Most of the ornaments had been divided among us all when we cleaned out mama's apartment.  

This was mama's Nativity set.  Every year, she had it on her coffee table and would let all the children play with it and she would explain the story of Christ's birth as they played.  

One year in the 80's, during my ceramic making phase, I made angels for mama's tree.  Plain angels for her children and their spouses and angels with stars on their heads for the grandchildren.  Below are a few of them so you can get the idea.  Of course, when I left that particular phase, our family didn't stop having babies.....so their are many grandchildren and great grandchildren with no angel ornaments. 

We will all miss mama this year as we gather to celebrate Christmas, but know she is celebrating with the Reason for the season!

Stay tuned for our Christmas card picture taking adventure!

A little of this and a little of that....Thanksgiving thrown in

******

I'm so impressed when I see your blogs, but I often wonder how you learned certain things.....like the cute little paragraph breaks (and I'm not sure that is even what they're called!)  See above.....my only version....I'm being very vulnerable here folks, so be kind!

******

Wow, I can hardly believe Thanksgiving has come and gone and it is the beginning of December!

Happy Thanksgiving from the one that got away!  

This lucky turkey was caught on the Superhero's deer camera a few years ago.  I love that he/she was looking right into the camera as if to say.....not me buddy!

******

This is how my eyes are feeling these days!  Two eye doctors later, I have severe dry eyes with a few other things thrown in for fun....I need cataract surgery, but not until I can get the dry eye not quite so dry.  I'm on a strict regimen of drops, humidifier, etc.  I'm determined!  Of course, I return to the doctor tomorrow and my eyes aren't feeling a lot better so we will see.....no pun intended!

We are still a no go for the surgery!  Sigh.....

******

Thanksgiving day was celebrated at my nephew's home this year.  There were just a scant 67 of us in attendance and that wasn't all of our family.  

I am thinking we may start a new business.......for those in need of a large crowd for any event our family could be rented for a fee.  Because when we are in attendance, a big crowd is assured!  Hey, I wonder if I could get on Shark Tank with that idea???

Seriously, we had a wonderful day with beautiful weather.  Cool enough for sweaters and a fire in the fire pit, but not so cold as to be miserable.

Our wonderful hosts.....my nephew Michael and his wife Jennie

Sister Debbie and a couple of nieces

Various pictures.....

Brother Tommy, sister Cathy and niece Amy

Sister in law Lois with my Daughter in law, Arwen

We are from the south, so we have a little bit of redneck...Brother Michael on left, nephew Andy in middle and my son David on right...

Niece and nephew, Kayla and Chris

Nephew Joshua and sort of nephew Keaton

Me with my Superhero

Games

Refreshments

The sisters

Attempting to gather everyone in one room for prayer

The food!

We missed many who couldn't be with us this year, but never far from our thoughts.

Now on to Christmas!  Yikes!