Back from the hunt!

Russell and son Tommy went hunting today and Tommy got a buck! He is so excited....now I am aware that everyone doesn't believe in/like killing animals but let me assure you that we eat the meat! Well, to be completely honest, I don't but the rest of our family does.

I didn't grow up in a family of hunters so I'm not crazy about it, but the boys are so what's a mother to do???

This is a picture of a buck killed a couple of years ago, I didn't see the one they got today because they dropped it by the meat market on the way home. So in a couple of weeks, we'll pick up sausage and hamburger meat.

Tommy and Claudia won't be home for Christmas this year, so they opened presents tonight. Tonja, I got Claudia one of those baskets you had on your blog and she loves it, she's a teacher and it will come in handy! So with that, goodnite to all!

The weekend

Sometimes, I have trouble coming up with the title of my blogs....In just a little while these two children will be arriving to spend the weekend with us....I also talked to two other of our children today and if I call the baby, I'll have talked to all my children! Oh, I still wish I could get them all together in one place! Just for 5 minutes to take a photo! Well, of course, I'd love to just get hugs all around. Russell's parents are coming too and we'll grill out. David might come if he gets off work in time. It's been a busy day, but we all ready to visit with children! Have a great weekend all!

My Favorite things.....

Since the second year of our relationship, before we were married I started giving Russell (you know it is really for me) the Swarvorski ornament for each year. Each year, we added another ornament to this ornament tree and now there are 13....the first year we dated, I gave him a different ornament. I love the sparkle of these ornaments and I love the fact that each year when I put them on, I think about that particular year and the things that happened good and bad. Each year, we have grown closer together...we are growing into that one flesh that God ordained us to be.
Each day, I get a few more Christmas things out and I feel more and more like Christmas. I'm so thankful for all my family and friends, including you here who have become friends.

I'm most thankful that Christmas means that our savior came into the world!

P.S. Today my son called and we had the most "normal" conversation that we've had in a long, long time. I'm thankful for that too!

It's starting to look somewhat like Christmas!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.....OOPS! I didn't hang the stockings this year. I thought, you know if we are trying to cut back on all the commercialism....why try to find stuff to stuff stockings with?? Besides I gave the piano away and that's what we put the santas on, so with stockings and all, well, it would just be too much.

But here's our tree! Russell put it together, I'm guessing you could tell it is artificial, Saturday and I had no choice but to start decorating it.......as I got out boxes of ornaments that go back for years, I began to enjoy the decorating. I have a beautiful little bell from Mexico that my boss gave me at least 35 years ago! It hangs near the top of the tree each year...and it is just a wonder that in 35 years, I haven't broken the thing! There are ornaments that were given from special people, things the kids made over the years and just lots of memories. The angel on the top I bought on sale at Eckerds when I was a poor, single mother with two children. She has held up pretty well, huh? The angel I mean!

Russell's mother gives us a santa every year. ... I actually have 6, but one is in a different place and one is having his foot glued on. He had a tragic accident!

And that's about all I got done this day! I'm not through yet, and I want to get it all done because one of our sons and his wife are coming this weekend. This will be a very strange year.....only two of our 4 will be in town for Christmas....they're growing up and have other people to visit!

p.s. a funny little story about the piano....it was an old turn of the century player piano that had not worked in years. I had tried to give it to everybody that I saw and just could NOT get rid of it, which I wanted badly to do as I had something else I wanted in that spot. Finally, in desperation I put an ad in the "pass it on" in the classifieds. Someone called and said he wanted it and could come the next day. Another woman called and said she wanted it, I told her it was already given away....she said in a very excited voice, "I'll double what they're paying".....I thought for just a minute before saying, it's free. :)

And by the way....

I want to say a big thank you to my sister and her husband for letting the three of us stay at their home....we tried so hard not to trash the house and to be civilized and I believe for the most part we were, but at one point something really funny happened and I started to laugh and well I tried to get to the bathroom but, let's just say we had to mop up some wet spots on the floor. I also knocked a mirror off her bathroom wall and even though it didn't break, it broke a small piece of the baseboard off. I'm guessing none of you are planning on asking me to spend the nite anytime soon, huh? Anyway, thanks you guys! We had a great weekend.

Tis the season.....

There are two ways to come home from Pensacola. My husband prefers to go the interstate, but NOT ME. I'm Hwy 98 all the way.....yes, there is so much more traffic, but it's not dark and scary! Due to some problems during the day Saturday, we didn't start home until later than we planned. I don't see well in the dark. I was driving. Russell left early in the day so it was just Carol and me on the way home. Carol slept, I drove, I don't see well at nite...oh, I said that didn't I???

Everything was going just fine until we got to Navarre and they were having their Christmas parade crossing the highway! So there's Santa on the fire truck and there we were for about 20 minutes. I didn't get the spirit yesterday. But today in church singing Christmas hymns and remembering all the Christmas's past and the joy we have at this time, I suddenly felt that spirit light in my heart. So Merry Christmas all. And really, traffic isn't that bad, it gives you time to look at the pictures on your digital camera!

Weddings make me cry.....

This first picture is Carol and me with the girls before they started dressing.





All the children, Emily, Robin, Brian, Katie and Mary Grace. What a beautiful bunch of kids!



Brian and Robin Hatcher. Two married, two to go!




This was Katie's bridesmaid's BREAKFAST! From left to right, Carol, Cathy (my sister), Mary Grace, Emily, Katie and me. We had a good time and ate a big breakfast. Good thing because we didn't eat much at the reception and then just a bite when we got home. Oh, if you don't count the candy corn that I ate at my sister's house. She is so evil for keeping snack stuff around.




Mr. and Mrs. Beau Benoit dancing at their reception. They took dance lessons and they were great! I'm entering them for dancing with the stars!

Katie was the happiest I've ever seen her on her wedding day. She was calm (at least outwardly) and serene and so sure of this. It was so sweet to watch her that day.

At her reception, all the toasts were sweet, but when her sisters got up to give theirs we knew to get out our hankies! Mary Grace, the baby of the family, talked about Katie being the glue that held their family together and that if anybody deserved this happiness it was her. Then Tony, Katie's dad gave a charge and a blessing to them that was so perfect!

We danced and danced and then we went home to let the young people finish off the nite. It was a beautiful day, a precious, holy ceremony and a fun reception!

This is my toast to you both, May you always be as happy as you are today (on their wedding day).....