Fun was had by all!!!!

I must say that I had so much fun last night at Missy's house!!!!! The ornament swap party was a blast!!!! I really like your "Presbyterian friends" LOL. Now I can put a face to a name when I read their blogs (which are always entertaining and now I know why) and by the way we do need to plan us a Florida trip. It would be so much fun!!!

The food was great, I especially liked the baked brie. I wish I had gotten that recipe and the mini cheese cakes were awesome! I do hope that this is going to be a yearly tradition with Missy.

Tag I'm It

1.) Wrapping paper or gift bags? I will use a gift bag, however I prefer wrapping paper with fancy bows.



2.) Real tree or Artificial? We always do a real tree. Sometimes we have it shipped in from New Hampshire or Vermont from a Christmas Tree Farm. It cost about the same and it is shipped right to your door. But we have been known to go the a local Christmas Tree Farm and cut one down. I think Jessica's best memory is Terry going deep into the woods off of a country road in the middle of no where and cutting one down . A very funny memory for the three of us! (It has something to do with a briar patch and being caught on someone else's land LOL)



3.) When do you put up the tree? We like to put it up the first weekend in December. Most of the time it falls on the day that they play the SEC Championship Game, so if we go to a local tree farm we always go early in the day and then decorate it that night after the game. Terry's job is to put the lights on the tree and he is very particular (can I say anal) about how they look, so if the game is coming on by the time we get home, I have to wait till after the game to start the decorating.



4.) When do you take the tree down?Always after the new year.



5.) Do you like egg nog?No, but Terry and Jessica do, so there is always some in my refrigerator this time of year.



6. )Favorite gift received as a child? It's a toss up between my batton or the army men I got one year (Long story)



7.) Do you have a nativity scene?Yes- It was Terry's mothers so it is very special to me (Christmas was her favorite time of the year)



8.) Hardest person to buy for? My Mom



9.) Easiest person to buy for?Autumn



10.) Mail or email Christmas cards?Mail



11.) Worst Christmas gift you ever received?I'm pretty easy to buy for, I like anything but if I had to pick one I'd say a pair of Black boots that were to small and would not zip all the way up my calves (talk about making you want to loose weight!!!!)



12.) Favorite Christmas movie(s)?White Christmas, Its A Wonderful Life, Holiday Inn, A Christmas Story the list goes on and on.

13.) When do you start shopping for Christmas?If I see something during the year for someone, I'll usually buy it then, but I do the main bulk of my shopping either online early or I'll do an all day shopping trip usually around the 10th of the month.

14.) Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?Not that I can remember.



15.) Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?Saugage balls and fudge.



16.) Clear or colored Christmas lights?I like colored lights.



17.) Favorite Christmas song(s)?Silent Night, Mary Did you Know, What Child is This, O Holy Night and again the list could go on and on.

18.) Travel at Christmas or stay home?We normally stay home, but that tradition may change in the future.

19.) Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen and Rudolph!

20.) Angel on the tree top or a star?I have both, Terry perfers the Star but I have a beautiful Angel that is fiber optic that I like, so we take turns.

21.) Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?We open presents with my family on Christmas Eve and Terry's family on Christmas day.

22.) Most annoying thing about this time of year? Crowds of people in stores, it drives me crazy!!!!

23.) Favorite ornament theme or color?I have some of Terry's mom's ornaments and they are special. I also have ornaments collected over the years that Jessica made.

24.) Favorite dinner for Christmas?Ham, Green Bean Cassarole, Sweet Potato Cassarole, Red Velvet Cake and Pecan pie.

25.) What do you want for Christmas this year?What I really want is a visit from Jessica, Deacon and Autumn, but since I don't think that is going to happen I be happy with anything that someone wants to get me. I like surprises

26). Do you bake lots of goodies during the holidays?I love to bake so yes I am always making something.

27). Do you decorate different rooms of your home?Yes I do. Mainly the Living room and kitchen.

28.) What decorations do you put outside?I have a light up Santa Claus head (It was Terry's Moms) that I hang on my front porch. I put candles in my front windows and I also have a light up sleigh and reindeer that I put out in the front yard.

29.) How do you spend Christmas Eve?We spend it with my family, usually at my sister's house, we all bring snack like food, lots of sweets and there is always a pot of Taco soup. We just eat and eat and open presents and watch old videos of years past. It is so much fun. Then my sister and I normally go to candle light services at her church. I love that the best!

30.) Is Christmas your favorite holiday?Yes it is

Christmas card photo

As you can see by my new blog look that I am trying to get ready for Christmas. Therefore the picture that you see is the preview of my Christmas card. It took 30 minutes to get the perfect photo in the middle! I think that my Christmas card is going to read, "Jingle Bell Collars - $20, Picture with Santa $50 - Wishing you a Merry Christmas - Priceless" What do you think? Or can you think of a better saying. If you can, let me know.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is a day that is supposed to remind us to be thankful for all of our many blessings. However, we should be thankful everyday. Sometimes I think that we all get a little to busy and forget and especially today, Thanksgiving Day, we should take time to reflect over the past year and look at all we have been given by God.

1. So today, as I travel between two hospitals (to be with my Mom and then my cousin) I am thankful for my car (new company car) and that gas has gone down in price.

2. I am thankful for my new grandaughter Autumn (even though she lives 1000 miles away from me)

3. I am thankful for my sister Janet for all she does and our close relationship.

4. I am thankful for my husband, who has kept the house clean and clothes washed this week while I was so busy with Mom and Karen.

5. I am thankful for my church who has lifted me up in prayer during this hard time and for my Pastor who made a special effort to bring comfort to my cousin during this difficult time.

6. I am thankful for my friends and family.

7. Most of all I am thankful for the Grace of God that he sent his son Jesus to die on the cross and shed his blood for my sins so that can know a peace beyond all understanding during difficult times and know that one day I will see him face to face.

Happy Veterans Day!

My father was a retired army captain. I am very proud of the service that he gave to this country. I have heard many of his stories over the years of the time that he spent in the service and of the friends that he made there. He finished out his time in the service in the National Guard. When I was growing up he went away two weeks out of the year and every other weekend, but it wasn't during "War Time" I cannot imagine what the families of the service men and women go through, during this day and age but I am very thankful for their service and pray for them everyday.

My father-in-law was also a veteran. In fact he was shot in the war and received a purple heart. I used to love to listen to his stories of the times that he spent in the Philippines.

As I drove into work today, I listened to "Rick and Bubba" and they were honoring Veterans, several Veterans called into the show and told their stories and they really touched my heart. But let us remember to honor Veterans every day, not just on Veterans Day.

I'm Glad It's Friday!!!!!

I'm so glad that it is Friday!!!! I'm one tired person! I've been struggling with a sore back all week long and I also can't seem to get adjusted to the time change.

How do you like little Autumn the Butterfly!!!! From what I heard from her Mom, she enjoyed going Trunk or Treat with her cousin Emma. She got to experience her first every sucker and her Mom and Dad got to reap the benefits of all of the chocolate and other candy that she received!!! (This Nana sure wishes that she could have seen her in person!)

O.K. all of my Blogging friends. I have a big prayer request. My cousin Karen Meyers who is my age is a very, very sick women. She just moved up here to Montevallo from Jacksonville FL about 2 1/2 months ago, anyway she has (RSD) www.rsds.org which is a pain disease and has been sick with this for about 8 years now. But due to the heavy medicines that she takes for this it has caused acute/chronic Pancreatitus. She has been in the hospital 8 times this year already with bouts of it and twice since she has moved here. To make a long story short, it has damaged her Pancreas and she is scheduled to have most of it removed along with some of her Duodeunum (intestine) and part of her stomach on November 24th. This is major, major surgery and obviously she is very scared. Not very many surgeons do this. She is having her surgery at UAB and the Dr who is doing it did an internship at the Mayo Clinic. When I talked to her yesterday, she asked me if I would have my pastor come to the hospital before surgery to see her as she does not have a church home here. Since they have moved here she has been so sick, she has been unable to find a church home and really feels out of touch and afraid. Karen is a christian and knows that she is in Gods hands, but to not have a church home and family is difficult for her. She misses her friends in Jacksonville and her family, but I truly feel that God has her here for a reason, so please join me in praying for her comfort and peace and for God to guide the surgeons hands.

The Election is Over

Well the election is over and now is the time to really start praying for our country. Our God is Sovereign so nothing happens that is outside of his will. We must remember that. A long, long time ago, the people wanted a King so God gave them Saul, we as a country have rejected God so I think he has given us Obama. The most liberal Senator that we have ever had is now our President elect. What amazes me is that people think that he won't be as liberal as a President. Come on people WAKE UP!!!!! I have committed to praying for our country at 6:00 a.m. every morning. Won't you join me?