Christmas Meme

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Christmas and anything that has to do with that holiday! I loved yesterday's SITSmas greetings from everyone and just will do whatever I can to pass the Christmas spirit!! So, when Jennifer from Smelling Coffee (who is AMAZING, btw), tagged me with this, I HAD to do it!!!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Hot Chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Santa leaves some stocking things wrapped but the big things unwrapped

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

White lights

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

I have never done it

5. When do you put your decorations up?

The day after Thanksgiving or as close to it as possible

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

My Grandmama Whittle's dressing

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child:

When we lived in Maryland, my Uncle Jim dressed as a Dickens' character Christmas morning and escorted all the kids into the living room when it was time to see the presents. It was great!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?

What? Santa is not real!!!!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Only if we are at Damon's parents' house

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?

One tree has the memory ornaments - Hallmark ones, ones we have made or people have made for us. We also have a sports tree, a Disney tree and an America tree

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?

Love it

12. Can you ice skate?

Yes, but it has been awhile. I thought it was easier than roller skating

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

Each year there are certain ones that stand out, but not one overall favorite

14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Family and friends

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

Fudge - it use to be my Grandmama Whittle's buckeyes (peanut butter balls) but can't have peanut stuff anymore with Carter's allergies :(

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Christmas Eve finger food family get together

17. What tops your tree?

An angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?

Giving

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

Tennesse Christmas and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (Damon would say I like them ALL!!)

20. Candy Canes​!​ Yuck or Yum?

Yum.

21. What do you want for Christmas?

I usually don't have a list, but this year I have a few things on my list - Alabama sweatshirt, Wii Fit, Wicked sheet music

22. Do you attend an annual Christmas Party?

We get out college kids over each year for Christmas but that is about it

23. Do you dress up on Christmas or wear PJs?

We're always with family, so we start off in PJs, then we dress for the day.

24. Do you own a Santa hat?

Yes

25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?

Our family first and then extended family at lunch


Now, I am to tag some others who will fill out the questions and pass the tag along to others!!

Laura at the Horton Family

Cheryl at Life with Cheryl

Katie at Ryan and Katie

Carmen at The Joy of Boys
Hannah at Set Apart for the Grandeour of My Master's Service
Arika at "A" Thought or two or three

Merry SITSmas!!!!

From our house to yours:

May your Christmas be merry,

May your visitors be many,

May your holidays be blessed,

May your comments be numerous,

May your days be joyous,

May your Merry SITSmas be one of the

best days of the year!

Another special SITS day as we spread the Christmas comment love to all SITS girls (and guys?) everywhere. Check SITS out to see what it is all about!!! Join SITS and you may win the prize of the day - $200 Target gift card!!!!

Tagged!!!!

My friend, Carmen, tagged me a few days ago (and I just now found it!! Sorry, Carmen!!) to go to my fourth picture folder and find the fourth picture in it. This is what I found!!! Now I am suppose to write four things about it:

1. This was taken in September at PKA's reception for the freshmen.
2. I am with 3 of the senior girls whom I have grown very close to.
3. Nikki, the 2nd one on the left (and the shortest), will graduate in less than two weeks and leave us! :(
4. All 3 of these girls are part of the group that goes to Dumplings once a month for some serious girl time.

Now, I am suppose to tag 4 (?) people to continue the trend. Arika, Sandy, Sasha and Stephanie, go to your fourth picture folder, find the fourth picture, post it and write four things about it and then tag four more people!

Time to Trim the Tree

Each year we make a BIG deal when it comes to trimming the family Christmas tree. Pardon me for not having us all (with the exception of Damon) dressed in the cutest Christmas clothes but there was a pretty big football game going on right after we were done. I laughed thinking we usually have on burnt orange Texas gear as we trim the tree for the Texas/Texas A&M game, but this year we at least were sporting Christmas colors. We tend to go somewhat all out for decorating the tree: food, music, and everything Christmas!! Here we are with our ornaments of the year. My Grandmama Whittle started this and it has continued. If you look at the collage below, you will see my mom hanging the first ornament of the year which was an "always remember" ornament she bought in memory of Grandmama. I also thought it was appropriate that Laura Beth's ornament was an angel doll. Grandmama loved dolls and called her girls "her angels." This year it was Laura Beth's turn to put the angel on top of the tree.

The menu for the Christmas tree decorating:

Hot Apple Cider:

a gallon of apple cider

a bag of red hots

Heat the cider and add the red hots. Stir until red hots have dissolved.

Chicken Ball:

5 oz can of chicken

8 oz cream cheese

1 tsp. Worchestershire Sauce

1/2 t. minced onion

Mix all ingredients together (use your hands for the best results). Roll into a ball and let set in the refrigerator. Roll in nuts or parsley. Serve with crackers.

Cheese Ball with crackers

Vegetable Tray

BBQ Smoked Sausages

Cheese Squares

Sugar Cookies

The Christmas Tree Farm

This morning we received a phone call from my aunt and uncle (RoRo and Bub) asking if the kids and I wanted to go to the Christmas tree farm with them. This is something they have been doing for almost 15 years with their boys. However, neither of their boys were able to be there this year so they asked us to go with them. We jumped at the opportunity and what fun we had! We got to the farm and went inside the cabin to wait for our ride. Laura Beth declared that the cabin was just like Laura Ingalls Wilder's.

The top of picture is of Laura Beth and Mr. Ward, the nice owner of the farm. I thought he resembled another man we see around Christmas, but . . . . . . We loaded the mule pulled wagon to go to the trees.

Off we went to find the perfect tree. Not too short . . . not too tall . . . no holes . . . straight trunk. We found a couple of them and the choice was made to get this one.

When they cut it, we counted the rings to see how old it was. We decided it was four years old. We took it back to the cabin area where they shook all the old needles out of it and bagged it for us.

Here we are telling Jim and Kate (the mules) thanks for the ride and the great time. While we waited for our tree to be bagged and all, we enjoyed hot chocolate, hot apple cider and candy canes inside the cabin. What a wonderful morning we had! We may just have to start our own tradition!

Thanksgiving in Texas

Tuesday after the wedding, we took Laura Beth out of school early (I know we are bad, but you would not want to drive through Memphis at 5:00 either!) to head to Texas. We rarely get to go to Texas over Thanksgiving because of Damon having to work up until the Wednesday before. It makes for a long trip for everyone and a very long recovery. However, we were able to go this year and we all enjoyed a house full of four generations for our Thanksgiving meal.Mama C, Damon's mom, had lots of "help" in the kitchen. Laura Beth did a great job setting the table and doing other odd jobs for Mama C. Granny Welch, who came in 6 hours to see all of us, was the biggest help for Mama C and we were all VERY thankful to have this special lady with us. We have all learned to take advantage of every opportunity you have and I will always take pictures with grandparents and great grandparents when given the opportunity. We will treasure these pictures of Granny Welch with her son, grandsons and great grandchildren.

Things I am blessed with and thankful for:

1. a vehicle to keep us safe on trips

2. safety on long trips

3. not having to stop to eat (it makes the 6 hour trip SO much faster)

4. music to fill our car

5. when the children sleep on trips

6. a quiet back seat on trips (means they are getting along)

7. getting through Memphis by 1:00

8. getting in by dark

9. family greetings

10. cousins

11. In-laws who are glad you came

12. a sarcastic older brother in law

13. my sister in law, Rebecca (we share so much - including names!!)

14. my children building relationships with family

15. Target

16. Starbucks

17. coffemate for coffee (thanks, Amy!)

18. not having to get up at 3:45 to go shopping

19. the alarm going off at 6:30 instead!

20. Canasta card games

21. divided houses for rival football games

22. Colt McCoy's Christian example to my children

23. A Texas stomping of A&M (my husband was happy!)

24. a quick healing tongue (LB bit 2 holes in her tongue while playing)

25. children sleeping past 7:00

26. Lifeway Christian Bookstore's Black Friday sales

27. finishing one Christmas present while in Texas

28. my children WANTING to watch the Macy's parade with me

29. snuggle times with my Addison

30. pillow fights with my Addison and Johnathan

Thankful for Carter

Last Monday, Damon and I were very blessed to be able to eat lunch with our Carter. His preschool held a Thanksgiving feasts for all the students and parents the last hour of school. Not only were we able to eat with our little guy, we were able to spend time with Lawson and Brandon Young (pictured in the collage), two of our special friends. I know with the wedding and all, I have slacked big time on my thankful/blessing lists. Therefore, I am going to try to catch up a bit:

1. Carter

2. Carter's preschool

3. Mrs. Beth and Mrs. Amanda, Carter's teachers

4. Good friends for my children

5. Damon was off the WHOLE week of Thanksgiving - a first EVER!!

6. Good food

7. Time to spend with Carter

8. Laura Beth

9. No homework on the Monday of Thanksgiving

10. The internet

11. Being able to see Richard and Amy's professional wedding pictures 2 days after the wedding

The End to a Beautiful Day

They left the reception in a golf cart with the men on Richard's side of the family guarding them with golf clubs (see bottom left picture). This is a long standing tradition beginning with my wedding where Uncle Jim had a get away car for Damon and myself. Instead of a get away car, the men stood guard so no one would get the newlyweds. Carter thought he was MAJOR big stuff when he was included! The wedding began at 10 and the newlyweds were on their way by 12. It was a lovely morning and a lovely wedding. I have never seen a bride or groom so excited and emotional on their wedding day. I know they are going to continue to be so happy and I am so glad Amy "waltzed" into Richard's and our lives. May God bless you both always. We love you!

The Most Beautiful Reception EVER!

These pictures do not do justice to the reception that was held in the ballroom. It was just gorgeous!! We had lovely background music from the string ensemble that played at the wedding. We feasted at the omlet station, pancake station, chocolate fountain, carved roast beef and a buffet of chicken, wild rice, roasted vegetables, potatoes, and stuffed mushrooms.

There was a hot chocolate and coffee bar along with a juice and milk bar to help wash the amazing food down!
The cakes were amazing. Amy's was chocolate and Richard's was cookies n cream! For those of you who do not know my brother, he is a MAJOR movie buff, so his cake was perfect for him!

We enjoyed being able to be with our family who came in for the wedding. All of Richard's aunts and uncles were able to make it. We also loved being with our new family - the Wheatley's. We have not just gained Amy, but her whole family. Laura Beth wanted to know if Claire was her cousin now!!!
Laura Beth and her new "cousin," Claire

Celebrate Good Times!

Photos by Bub

Just thought these were great pictures!!