Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Looking Back Part II


maybe this will be the last group of pictures for Christmas 2011; but, then again, it might be like my decorations . . . still showing until Valentines Day!

Before I forget, Mimi and Miss Charlotte again were in charge of costumes for all the church's Christmas programs.


and . . .

Mimi attended a very special brunch hosted by Miss Pam who took Mimi's place teaching when I retired.  Now she's also taken my place hosting the East/West Christmas Brunch.  Thank you so much, Pam, for hosting such a beautiful brunch ~ the food was fabulous and your home was beyond beautiful!

Can you tell which one is Miss Pam?
She and Paisley look so much alike they could be sisters instead of Mother/Daughter

Now back to Christmas morning . . .

Guarding the Gate 2011

Southern Girls and their Pearls

Searching for your "little" red bags which contained your "big" Christmas gifts from Mimi and Granddaddy

While ya'll searched, Mimi enjoyed a cup of coffee from her new Christmas gift.
Thanks, kids, this is something Mimi will defiinitely use daily!

Opening the finals gifts of the morning ~ the big red carts.

Hope they come in handy this summer!

Quickly after these gifts were opened, Mimi and Granddaddy dashed upstairs to make our traditional Christmas morning breakfast of eggs, biscuits, bacon, sausage, gravy and fruit.  Then quick showers and we were off to church.  Because Christmas was on Sunday we changed our normal Christmas morning breakfast with the cousins to Christmas Lunch after church.  That way we could all truly celebrate the real reason for this glorious season where it was meant to be celebrated.

We arrived just a little late and since we needed a whole center pew . . . here we marched, new American Girl babies and all, right up to the 2nd pew from the front.  You girls were all perfect little angels sitting so quietly with your babies sitting in your laps listening to every word the preacher said.  After church as Mimi was hurrying to get lunch on the table, Cybie grabbed me around the legs and said, "Mimi, I know why we have Christmas.  It's because God gave us Jesus on Christmas."  Yes, sweet children, may you never forget this wonderful truth!!


Normally, both families of girls stay for a few days after Christmas; but this year things had to be changed a little.  The C girls Mammaw needed to do their Christmas on Christmas night so while they were enjoying dinner and opening gifts with their other cousins 3 hours away at Mammaw's . . .


The rest of us did something Mimi has N.E.V.E.R. (in 63 years) done on Christmas . . .

We drove around 2 towns until we found some place open to eat because the 2 men said they couldn't eat left-overs one more time.  Finally, we found an I-Hop open and that's where we enjoyed Christmas Night Dinner along with a multitude of other travelers and locals who also couldn't eat any more Christmas Turkey.  While we were waiting to be seated, the A girls made friends with some cute little boys through the glass.  One of them and their Mommy came out in a minute and asked Mande if she wasn't a ZETA from UGA.  They were sorority sisters who hadn't seen each other in at least 12 years!  They were traveling south to her parents and stopped at the only place they could find open.  Small world!


After our dinner out, we enjoyed a fun game of Pictionary.  Unfortunately, Mimi and Granddaddy were a little slow on the answers (or maybe rough on the drawings) and lost.  AG wasn't too happy about being on our team . . . another big competitor!!

Now about those decorations ~ they're pack away in tubs but the tubs are not exactly where they are always stored . . . well, all the decorations except in the Nest where the tree still stands and the snowflakes are still dangling from the ceiling waiting on that snow.

but we were away right after Christmas and Mimi decided to do a little cleaning where the decorations were down in hopes of keeping those winter blue's away!

Oh well, there's always tomorrow . . .

Monday, January 9, 2012

The 1st Monday Makes It Official


Granddaddy is now the new Mayor of our little town!

Sworn in at 6:02 on January 9, 2012

WOW!!

Eight years ago I watched as my Daddy was sworn in for the last time as City Judge for his 17th term.


He served one year of that last term before resigning for health reasons; upon his retirement he was presented this plaque by the current Mayor, Mr. Jerry S.  The plaque would be placed on the door of the Judge's chambers.  Because it took so long to get it made, Daddy never saw the plaque hung but tonight I got a picture of it for ya'll.  After Pop's death, I could never make myself go into that part of City Hall again.


Congratulations and Good Luck, Granddaddy!!
We're proud of how you chose to spend retirement!


(ps:  Mimi knows it's really the 2nd Monday but the 1st Monday was a holiday so "legally" this is the 1st Monday)

Looking Back . . .


to the Joy of Christmas 2011!

Is it really the 8th of January?  And Mimi hasn't posted the Christmas pictures YET?  Well, here's just a quick look back before we spring full-force into 2012 and all the new and exciting things it will bring.

As posted earlier, Granddaddy and I took a weekend trip to Nashville with the A girls

then . . .

a trip to visit the C girls for a basketball game


 and a very special dinner date with "Little" C


where she got to pick out her very own new Caroler to represent
her Christmas performance with the little choir at church.
(sorry Mimi doesn't have a picture of you singing, Cybie!)

didn't she do a good job of picking one that looks just like her?
then . . .

We were off to watch a ballet performance by a very special A girl

 then back to watch a budding violinist perform in her very first recital

 which prompted the purchase of a new Caroler for AG picked out especially for her by Granddaddy

can't you see the resemblance even down to the red dresses?

then another trip on the weekend before Christmas to watch the youngest member of Timothy II perform in the Nativity


Granddaddy and I did have to miss one little one's performance this year, though, because it was the same night as the littlest C caroler.  From what I hear Baby A did a little dancing with her singing!


then . . .
back home for Santa to come

AND

a new tradition!


 The girls searching for The Green Pickle ~ which German tradition holds brings luck for the new year and a special gift for the one who finds the hidden pickle on the Christmas tree.

They got the gift but we'll have to wait about the luck part ~ anyway it was a new fun thing to do while we waited on the other sleighloads of guests to arrive.

Christmas Eve at Mimi and Granddaddys brought all the family except Scotty and Sweet Baby Josie.  Josie was the sick one this year and Danielle and Scotty took turns going to family Christmas dinners to stay with her.  They were truly missed at Mimi's!!

The Cousins' Table

Sweet Niece and Nephew 

 Mimi was definitely slacking this year on group pictures ~ this is as good as it got ~ sorry kids, hopefully we'll do better next year!


Kaleb entertained us with HIS dancing skills while we waited for Pate and Taylor to arrive


but I'm not so sure the girls were impressed!!


After the last guests left, we opened our Christmas Eve PJ's which again were Christmas Eve gowns, threw food out for Santa's reindeer and got the cookies and milk ready for Santa before flying up to the Nest to the sound of sleigh bells for a "good winter's nap" which Mimi is needing about right now so I'll finish tomorrow!

Good Night!!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Merry Christmas


cookies, pies and cakes are made . . .
presents are bought and wrapped (almost) . . .
the stockings are hung by the chimney with care . . .
fresh greenery has replaced the dried out . . .
Christmas trees are glowing . . .

and . . .

the house is almost clean enough for Christmas guests . . .

so . . .

all that's left is to wish you a very

Merry Christmas!!



Maybe next week, Mimi can post the other fun times we had with all of you; but for now, I'm scurrying around like a little mouse trying to finish everything because . . .

it's only 2 days until

Santa comes to Mimi's house along with 5 sleighloads of very special guests

and

she can't wait!!!!!

Merry Christmas
from our home to yours!

Thursday, December 15, 2011

While Daddy Worked . . .


We played!


The A girls daddy had to work in Nashville at the beautiful Gaylord Opryland Hotel the first week in December and Mimi and Granddaddy got asked to go along over the weekend.  Mimi had wanted that to be our family Christmas "trip" but with CJ's basketball schedule it didn't work out ~ ~ maybe next year . . .!!

As always the decorations were breathtaking.

Santa was so sweet!

Someone always has their eyes closed when Mimi's snapping the pics but you're still gorgeous!

Of course, we had to see the Rockettes!
What a Christmas treat!!
The Nativity at the end was wonderful.

You girls practiced your kicks the rest of the weekend.

Thanks, Daddy, for letting us play while you worked!!


More Christmas Fun . . .

On Thursday night before we left for Nashville, we watched the Christmas parade.


Your ballet studio had the best float with a rotating Mary and the beautiful music from the Nativity performance scheduled for this weekend.  Mimi and Granddaddy can't wait to see AG in her special performance.  AG, you're the one with the pink headband to the left of the ballerina base.

The Nativity performance is one of the most moving Christmas performances Mimi has ever seen.  I'm so glad Mommy chose this studio for your training.


More "Fun to Come" with little carolers, Christmas plays, ballplayers, and Christmas parties . . .

so much fun that Mimi's Christmas tree has very few presents under it with very few days left for shopping!
and then there's the baking . . .
and the cooking . . .

Oh, NO!!!!

Mimi needs some of those cute little Elves of Santas to come to the acre and help me get ready for my precious house guests!  Do ya'll think you could ask Lydious and Kidias to tell Santa Mimi needs some help?

Well, I'll go start making my "To Do" list for tomorrow!

Goodnight, sweet monkeys!!

Monday, December 12, 2011

The ABC's of Christmas Cookies


Since you girls have been here, Mimi and your Mama's make Christmas cookies over Thanksgiving weekend.  Three years ago, Mande decided to get creative and turn our pictures into a CD for us.  Of course, Mimi cried when they played it for us on Christmas Eve.  Pictures from all the years are great to look back on, but the CD is priceless!!  If Mimi knew how to add it to the computer and then to the blog, I would; but remember, Mimi didn't teach that part of computers!  Anyway, here's Mande's blog entry from that year.

The ABC's of Christmas Cookies 2008

Now to the 2011 version . . .

The new aprons . . .
pink and green ~ what else for Mimi's princess monkeys?




CJ and Kaleb finally join the baking fun!

With Thanksgiving decorations still up, no Christmas clothes (or red hairbows), and a hurried day, these pictures were certainly not CD worthy; but, we'll always remember the fun!!  It was great having Kaleb join us for our pre-Christmas activities this year!

Usually, the day after Thanksgiving always means new Christmas clothes from Mimi's sewing room; but this year all I whipped up were your "Magic Pillowcases" . . . but guess what????  NO PICTURES (maybe someone's mommy got one)!  I think ya'll are enjoying the magic they hold and sleeping soundly.  Mimi also hopes before you drift off to sleep, you look closely at the manger scene on the front of the pillowcase so you will always remember the real reason for this most wonderful season!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

While You Were Sleeping . . .


on the day after Thanksgiving . . .
just like clock work . . .

THEY CAME BACK!!

Lydious

Kidias

and Clark

SANTA's sneakly little Elves

surprised ya'll with a breakfast of donuts, muffins and fruit that they prepared

while you were snuggled in your warm beds in the nest.

Surprises they left for each of you . . .
cute little Christmas headbands, Santa mugs and a special note
Mimi loves the centerpiece they made!

  





Sweet Ailee wanted to read her note Lydious left instead of getting her picture made


All your excited screams soon woke your Mommies and Daddies . . .

and Campbell's Daddy even stole a kiss under her mistletoe headband!

These funny little Elves have continued their mischief each morning when they arrive from the North Pole . . .

while you were sleeping . . .

Hope you're sleeping snuggly right now!!

XOXOXOXO ~~ Mimi