Christmas chaos, part 1

Here are a few photos from Christmas Eve here in Mayberry.  Enjoy while I do a little cleaning up today, since NONE of it got done yesterday!

These kids all cleaned up pretty well.  Somehow I didn’t manage to get a (good) group photo of Brian, Faith, and Haley2.  Bugger, but here is proof they were here.  Did I mention it was chaotic?  Don’t look at the mess.

Haley made a big hit with her gifts of a variety pack of beer for all the big guys.

More photos and stuff later.  Somebody has gotta clean up that mess!  Guess who?

Have a great day, y’all!

Merry Christmas!

 

To all our friends who celebrate Christmas, we wish for you good health, happiness, the warmth of family and friends, as well a multitude of God’s blessing upon you and yours.

From our hearts to yours, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve Joy

 

Santa has already been cleared to land tonight under cloudy weather conditions.  There will be no White Christmas for Mayberry, and that’s just dandy.  We want Santa to be safe.

So the tortellini soup will get made and simmering while we all attend the family service at our church, then our family gathers here for dinner and opening presents.  We will skip midnight mass tonight.  I do love that service but am not up for that just yet.  I definitely hate missing out on singing Christmas carols, so I will just sing in my heart.

When the kids were little it was so hard for them to wait on opening all that loot from family and friends tempting them under the tree, so my birthday marked the day that each child could open (and enjoy) one present, beginning that night until Christmas Eve.  All the presents under the tree were opened then, leaving a clear spot for Santa to place the unwrapped gifts that night.  Before heading to bed, each child carefully claimed their turf for Santa to place the goodies for each one. Santa never failed.

Now on Christmas morning, Haley has a brunch for all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins…whoever!  That’s where we’ll be in the morning.  It is always delish…and more fun family chaos.  Love it.

What are some of your family traditions?  Or happy memories?

These happy memories are some of those things that will keep us smiling in our dotage.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all from our hearts to yours!

Brrr...chilly, chilly

Let's start this freezing day off with a piece of yummy cookie cake:



It is 22 here and that is just too dang cold for me. I am staying inside another day, with tissues handy and drinking plenty of fluids, and in relaxing clothes. Again. Bugger. I want to feel better by tomorrow!

Nobody wants to be sick at Christmas, but in the scheme of things, this is relatively minor and will pass. The voice is a bit better.

Our wee tree has a few more presents under it for some special people. I plan to finish that up today, so I am making progress but at a snail's pace. That's OK.

Wherever you will be for Christmas, may it be merry and bright, and filled with the true Christmas spirit.

We are all mighty blessed!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours.

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Winter is here!

No, I don't want to go outside yet, thinks Missy. My waterbowl is frozen solid.



Srsly. It is a cold 23 outside our house (19 officially), and we did get a few snow flurries yesterday. My sweet daughters took me to a movie and we could see some white stuff up high on our lovely mountains...just where we like it stay.

"Playing for Keeps" was a cute romantic comedy movie, but I was clueless as to who the actors were except for cute Dennis Quaid, who has gotten a tad older, by the way. Hmm, haven't we all?!

All the clan met MM and me for a pizza celebration last night, bravely joined by Jim and Janet. Sniffles are better on the younger set, but I am coughing and doing the nose blowing now (lovely thought), and have moved from whispering back up to croaking. Progress...maybe.

I am staying home, and in sweats today. It's the right thing to do on a cold winter day, plus I need to play elf and get gifts bagged and/or wrapped. Christmas is definitely in the air around here.

Happiness is woven in bright colors of laughter and love. Indeed!

Stay warm! Life is good, y'all.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Fa-La-La

Three of those “ants” are our girls, singing sweetly the other night.  Love those girls!

Today confirms that the Mayans are not in charge of the Earth.  I wasn’t a bit concerned.  The world would not end on mine and Barb’s dad’s birthdays!  No way!!!  Sending hugs to my birthday buddy.

Nature is spitting a bit of white in parts of our county, but none here at the house thus far.  I can live without that, thankyouverymuch.

So the laryngitis is still with me.  Bugger.  You don’t realize how much we speak till you can no longer do it.  I am grateful that this is at least temporary.  One guy at lunch yesterday asked me to please breathe on my wife.

Apparently if I could bottle this stuff, I could make a small fortune!

Have yourselves a ginger peachy day.  I sure will, even though I am speechless!

Have a piece of piz-za cake!

Since Amy and Jason were going to a “kiddie” Christmas party last night, she ordered a pizza cake for J’s birthday that the kids thought was WAY COOL:

So this morning I am still the whisperer.  I had to take one phone call yesterday and felt sorry for the lady on the other end.  I spoke slowly, so she was able to get the info she needed.  I hope.  Texting, emails and hand signals work best for me for yet another day.  Bugger.  I’m sure tomorrow will be a better voice day.

Today, I need to get back to my messy desk that was totally neglected yesterday afternoon, due to feeling crummy.  I hate feeling crummy and will take the no-voice over crummy.

The cold front is almost upon us…gray and drizzle…25 tonight, 23 tomorrow night expected.  I have the kitties locked inside.  They don’t need to bring in wet kitty tracks for me to clean up…again.

So who is worried that tomorrow is supposedly the end of the world?  Not me.  It is going to be a good day!

Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here, we might as well dance!!!

…even in the rain!

Life is good, y’all!  Smile.