Snuggly jammies, warm fire, Christmas lights, Disney movie, pizza and hot wings. Is there a better way to ring in the new year? Welcome 2012! We’re glad you’re here!!!

Sadly, as I mentioned in an earlier post, Jeremy’s aunt Patsy died soon after Thanksgiving. The funeral was this weekend. Due to Savannah and I participating in Journey to Bethlehem, only Jeremy and Emery went to Mississippi to be with the family. And since it was just us girls, we headed over to my mom’s for the annual Cookie Bake.

It seems like each year there is something memorable that happens. There was the year my sister got us all matching aprons that said “Santa likes my cookies best!” And the year that Buzz Lightyear kept showing up next to the finished cookie trays in all the photos. This year was no different. Savannah, Jessica and I were decorating sugar cookies and I kept thinking something just didn’t look right. Then it dawned on me! Usually our sugar cookies are frosted in the traditional red, white and green Christmas colors. But this year there was neon blue, bright pink and fluorescent yellow. You see, Nanny became a die hard coupon-er this year and the colors on the cookies reflect the icing that she found on sale all year! Yeah, I’m pretty sure we won’t be letting her live that down anytime soon!!!

Eight or nine years ago our church began performing an outdoor drama of what the journey to Bethlehem would have been like in the time of Jesus’ birth. In the first few years there was a lot of trial and error, but now we have really great props and an awesome set-up and we really draw a huge crowd. The first 2 weekends in December, with over 125 volunteers each night to pull it off, we walk over 3,000 people through our own little town of Bethlehem and give them the message of salvation. And we top the whole thing off with hot cocoa and marshmallows over an open fire.

For several years, Jeremy played one of the wise men and in 2005 Emery was still small enough (barely) to play baby Jesus in the manger. This year, Savannah decided she wanted to participate as a villager and the above photo is her Jewish home. She has totally gotten into the role and after last night, informed me that she and a couple of other girls “wrote in” a part where she trips and “spills the soup”. Apparently there was ad libbing of her lines as well.

As for me, the non-actress that I am, you can find me at the booth next to the chapel behind our church serving steaming cups of hot cocoa and directing the way to the fire pit where you can roast marshmallows. It’s an important job too, ya know! :)

We had a great Thanksgiving out at Uncle Randy’s house this year. I have to say I did good by marrying into a family that can cook some amazing southern food! Dressing (in a pan!), gravy, butter beans, green beans, sweet potatoes, collard greens, deviled eggs, and yeast rolls. And don’t even get me started on the dessert table. Oh my!

All served with Jeremy’s specialty: the deep fried turkey.

He fried his first turkey about 5 years ago, I guess. Ever since then he’s been hooked. He injects the bird with mouth watering, buttery flavors and then dips it in the hot oil until it’s juicy and delicious! It’s the perfect addition to any Thanksgiving feast!

Because there were several family members that came from Mississippi this year, a lot of them under age 10, Papa and his brother decided to get a “Jumpy” for the day. We were there for 7 full hours and except for the 10 minutes my kids spent shoveling in turkey and dressing, I didn’t see them unless I stuck my head inside that inflatable bounce house. When it was time to go, Emery said, “Uncle Randy, thanks for getting us the Jumpy today. And if you have that again next year, I’ll come back.”

A bittersweet moment from this year’s Thanksgiving was having Papa’s sister with us. Aunt Patsy lives in Mississippi but had been in Atlanta for several weeks fighting an illness. Her husband and kids came to see her for the day, but had to leave on Friday to go back home. On Saturday Patsy took a turn for the worst and was not able to recover. The family drove back out yesterday and were able to see her one more time before she passed away.

I didn’t know you well Aunt Patsy, but I know you were passionate about your family. I never spoke to you without hearing all about your kids and grandkids. They were the light of your life and I know they will miss you terribly. I am glad you got to see them all before leaving this place that was causing you so much trouble. May you find peace and healing in Heaven, with your Lord and Savior.

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is take our annual Christmas card pictures. I try to do something creative each year. Something a little more “us”. Of course I’m not above stealing cute ideas. I’m always on the lookout for cute photo-ops!

The subdivision we moved into earlier this year is a gated community. The gate itself is black, attached to gray stacked stone, and then the remainder of the picket fence that goes out to the road is also black. It’s very pretty with lots of nice landscaping.

But the one thing I noticed almost immediately was the perfect climbing tree just inside the entrance. I’ve known for months that this was the spot where I’d take the Christmas cards pictures this year.

I had an image in my mind of what I wanted the kids to wear, but when I went shopping, the stars were not aligned. I couldn’t find a thing I liked that matched! So I went with plaid, scarves and hats and silently thanked the photo editing software people that I could easily make all the pictures black and white, so as not to temporarily blind unsuspecting friends and family members.

Later that night I edited until my little heart was content. I liked the way the cards turned out, but something continued to bother me. As much as I tried to push it out of my mind, it remained.

You see, after our house fire last year, I was fortunate to be able to salvage most of my scrapbooks and photo albums. All of my kids finished albums were in a safe and the unfinished ones were in a room with smoke damage. The pictures were in boxes and most were able to be kept, or at the very least (thanks to online photo storing sites), reprinted.

When we moved into this house in March I unpacked every box and some things were missing. Most of the things were in my scrapbooking room. A Disney photo album filled with all of our family’s trips to DW beginning with the first time my sister took me, 8 weeks pregnant with Savannah. A 12×12 box where I had been saving pictures from Jeremy’s side of the family, some were old family pictures given to me by his grandmother. And there was a Christmas album where I recorded something special from each year that Jeremy and I have been married.

Each year I saved a Christmas card for myself and put it in that book. There were a couple of years where I wasn’t able to do a card due to being enormously pregnant or moving, or both! Those were the years I wrote about family traditions. Letters to Santa or cookie bakes. It didn’t matter. It was a special book to me and I looked forward to filling it for many Christmas’ to come.

Now, eleven years into it, I’m saddened to think I have to start over with this year. And there is a nagging part of me that says “let it go, it’s not important”. And I do know that. I know that insurance companies make mistakes and loose things. I know that I should be grateful for all the things I do have instead of focusing on the very tiny number of things I didn’t get back. But I’ve resolved within myself to grieve the loss. And I will eventually let it go.

I think it will help the process along that I have such great memories of this year and these pictures to put in a new album. As a matter of fact, just writing this post is making me feel better already. Merry (early) Christmas everyone!

Once upon a time there was a cat. A long, lean, slinky black cat. She meowed and purred and nudged and hissed. She loved being a cat and loved all other cats. It was in her blood. She knew she was meant to be a cat.

During this same time, there was a pirate. He wasn’t as sure of his identity as the cat. The pirate loved to watch pirate movies. He loved to hear them talk and swing their swords and defend their ships. But he also loved Wolverine, Mario, Iron Man, Optimus Prime, and Tron. Oh to be just ONE hero for ONE night!!! Spiderman, Batman, GI Joe, or the Stealth Ninja? It’s impossible to choose!!!

So the pirate and the cat’s mother took upon herself to decide the pirate’s fate. And after finding a deal on Ebay, it was decided. Captain Jack Sparrow would be terrorizing our neighborhood in search of candy on Halloween night.

The End

Yesterday we went with my parents in search of the perfect pumpkin. Of course, for Emery, that meant finding one that weighs almost as much as he does. “Hey Emery…you might want to choose a smaller one. If you drop that, it’s going to bust right open.”

“Ugh. No, Mom. Ugh. I’ve (ugh) got it. Ugh.”

Stubborn man child.

My daughter decided on a smaller variety. It helped that she could hold it to the side to enable proper “hip sway”. I didn’t know one needed such poise when trampling through a pumpkin patch, but there she is, all dolled up, confidently carrying her pumpkin to the check out stand.

She cracks me up!

So today they remind me (repeatedly!) that I told them I would help them carve their pumpkins after school. We had only gotten as far as the “gutting” part of the process when Emery decided he had, in fact, chosen a pumpkin that was too big. “This is disgusting,” he kept saying. “I have to take ALL OF THIS out???”

But before we knew it, it was time to make the faces. Thankfully they each picked something simple. I would call our first pumpkin carving experience as a family a huge success. They are lighting up our front porch right now!

We had a fabulous Easter yesterday. Church was great…as it always is…then we had family over for dinner. I really enjoyed cooking for everyone again. It’s been over a year since I’ve been able to have people over and show some good ole’ southern hospitality.

I brined a turkey on Saturday and Jeremy cooked it in the fryer. We also made twice baked potatoes, corn casserole, mandarin orange salad, and fresh strawberry pie. My mom brought lemon cheese bars and a fruit salad, and Jeremy’s mom brought the green beans, dressing, and her famous “purple stuff”.

We all ate too much and stayed up talking too late. And can I just say…it felt so good to be so normal.

It felt so good to be back home. I can’t even begin to describe it. After all the festivities that Christmas Day brings, all 4 of us were snuggled up watching movies on the couch that night.

I don’t know what made me look, but for some reason I glanced over to the front door. It was already dark and the porch lights were on. I could see snow falling!!!

Huge, fluffy snowflakes were coming down in Georgia?!?!? This might not seem strange to much of the country, but I heard that the last time snow fell on Atlanta at Christmastime was in 1882.

The kids were excited and wanted to go outside, but anything I could have used to bundle them up with was buried in a box somewhere. They were content to watch it fall.

However, I felt the need to be in it. Using Stafford as an excuse, I slipped on my tennis shoes, grabbed my coat and camera, and went to “walk the dog”.

I was profoundly affected by the snow falling against the backdrop of my newly restored home. As I snapped a few pictures, these lyrics kept going ’round and ’round in my head: “Jesus paid it all….All to Him I owe…Sin had left a crimson stain…He washed it white as snow”.

Through the tears I began to thank Him. I thanked Him for the reminder. Thanked Him for new beginnings. And thanked Him for the birth of His Son, which makes all things white as snow.

So we went to Bass Pro Shop a few nights ago. It was a last minute thing. And imagine our surprise when Santa was there!

Already? Santa? It’s not even Thanksgiving. Maybe they are just setting up the workshop?

Nope. There he sat. The man in red. With reindeer, elves, and a big container of candy canes.

I debated letting the kids talk to him so early in the Christmas season, but then I thought back to the “Disgruntled Mall Santa” we saw at the last minute one year when we had all been sick, and decided to let them sit on Santa’s knee while he was still JOLLY ole St. Nick.

Their lists this year are short and sweet, and thankfully there are no live animals on it for a change! Emery wants a remote controlled Buzz Lightyear and Savannah would like 2 pillow pets. A lady bug and bumble bee. Personally, Santa, I’d like to have our house finished by Christmas. If you could spare a few hard working elves, please send them down. You know the address.