Aren't we all thankful for silverware and cheerleaders?

We had Thanksgiving in 2 parts this year. Our family has grown so much (what a blessing) that it's gotten hard to coordinate going multiple places in one day, so my family decided to do ours on Sunday. As usual with 20+ people, there are always birthdays to be celebrated, so along with a 10 lb. ham, more sides than the Piccadilly and 3 Thanksgiving pies, we had birthday cake too!



Then on Thanksgiving Day, we went to Jimmy's parents to have dinner with them and his grandfather, Frank. We didn't make it to Alabama this year for the "big" Thanksgiving feast with his other side but can't wait to see them all for Christmas!!

I had been trying (unsuccessfully) to explain to Trace what it means to be thankful for something and why we celebrate Thanksgiving. He had heard it so much from me this week that after we said the blessing, he went around the table and asked everyone what they were thankful for.

Sisty, Granddaddy, and Great Frank, gave the staple (correct) answers of... "I am thankful for my family" Then he got to Jimmy. "Daddy, what you dankful for?" "Trace, I'm thankful for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders"... nice.

Can you tell what game was on while we were eating dinner? ha!

I, then asked Trace what he was thankful for. He pondered for a minute and said... "my fork".

Wow, I'm glad to know all those "thankful" talks this week really sunk in with my 2 boys!

After dinner, Sylvia's neighbor was coming over to take a Thanksgiving picture of us. Moments before she got there, Trace pulls a There's Something about Mary hairdo, when he runs his fingers (coated with pecan pie) through his bangs.
Don't ask why he has his finger up his nose, I guess he was smelling the nougat. ha! We had to have another mini bath in the sink to get him picture ready!

Alas, the picture was made without too much drama. Although he's no where near smiling, he sat fairly still during the "photo shoot" involving 3 cameras and only one (very patient) photographer!

Blessed Beyond Belief

It's Thanksgiving Eve, and although I should have been asleep an hour ago, here I sit typing, and counting my blessings. Then the realization hit me... I have WAY too many to ever count.

Thank You Lord!

I cooked dinner tonight staring at my beautiful Christmas tree with Silent Night playing in the background, while listening to my boys running around outside in the yard, and it struck me...

I am so blessed...

and I am so thankful.

I am grateful to wake up to this goofball everyday...
even when he does things like this...
My mom laughed and called it a toddlers "rite of passage." I asked her if that's what she called it when my brother and I did it.

God just made grandmothers to somehow see the good in every situation... what a blessing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Catch the Spirit

I realize this may be a WEE premature, but since Santa is arriving at the mall tomorrow, I figured Christmas is officially in full swing!

Plus, I just discovered One True Media (thank you Sean) and had to try one! These are from my MIL's when we were trying to get a picture for the Christmas card and then I got inspired and had to come home and put up our tree. I know, it's not even turkey day, but it's only my tree (I had to use a lot of restraint not to drag out the window wreaths and candles!) Hope this helps you get into the Christmas spirit... or at least the Thanksgiving spirit! ha!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

"I was country... when country wasn't cool"

If you don't recognize the title of this post as a classic 80's Barbara Mandrell song, then you might as well stop reading now. Last week, we got to go to the CMA's in Nashville. To say I was a little star-struck is an understatement. I have LOVED country music for as long as I can remember. I have memories of getting to stay up late on the weekends and watching the Mandrell Sisters show and dancing my little heart out (and who could forget Solid Gold ha!)

Jimmy and I went down early that morning, had lunch at Chili's and shopped around Opry Mills. We spent the entire time looking through the glass windows of Chili's into the mall to try and spot a star. I kept reminding myself that it was very doubtful that Reba was going to come saundering in to eat some $3.99 chips and salsa and do a little shopping at Old Navy on "Country's Biggest Night", but we couldn't keep ourselves from watching... just in case.

We met up with Eddie, Trinity, Chuck and Kellie and went to dinner at Merchant's on Broadway and then headed to the Sommet Center for the show.

Note to self... the Sommet Center is actually pronounced Somma (long a) not Sommet (as if I needed any more help sounding like a complete redneck)
The show was amazing!! I honestly couldn't even get up and go to the bathroom during commercial breaks because I was so afraid I would miss something. Our seats were the first row of the balcony and although I spent the better part of the evening fighting with my camera (out of 130 pictures, I erased over 70) it was perfect.

Here are some pictures from the night. They are very dark and blurry (I'm still not over it) but it's all I've got, so...

The hosts... Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood

The night's big winner, Taylor Swift...
Carrie Underwood singing Cowboy Casanova in not much more than hot shorts and heels. Jimmy has a slight fatuation with her dating back to the American Idol days when she was just a sweet, little farm girl from Checota, Oklahoma. I'd say she's come a long way since the farm!
He had to get the binoculars out for this number! ha!
That's OK, I had Brad...
Tim...
and King George to look at!
Thank you Trinity and Eddie for inviting us... I can't wait for next year!!

Another reason I don't hunt

As if I needed another reason, let this video be entered into evidence as to why I am not a hunter. Jimmy came home the other day and showed me this that he recorded on his phone.

Let me just paint you a mental picture... it is the break of daylight, in the middle of the abandoned freezing, scary woods, he is perched high in a treetop all alone and this is what he hears...

(Listen closely and about 40 seconds in, you will hear his whispered commentary... Oscar worthy, I tell ya!)



I've never wavered in 6 years of marriage that although I support his hobby, I have no intention of actually participating in it. If EVER, EVER I had second thoughts about that decision, this video quickly brought me back to my senses!

My list was long enough before (just to name a few)...
1. No one intentionally gets out of bed before 4 a.m. unless the house is on fire.
2. Although layering is the newest and latest trend in fashion, 14 layers of camoflauge and fleece are just not attractive... on anyone.
3. I didn't enjoy climbing trees as an adolescent, why would I enjoy it as an adult?
4. I typically only enjoy activities where the most rugged type of footwear needed are Nike Crosstrainers.
5. We already have plenty of wildlife hanging on various walls in our home, I prefer to add a more feminine touch to our decor.

I know people say coyotes are just large, not as cute "dog" type animals that are very misunderstood. I, however, don't care to ever come face to face with one in a dark, scary forest...even if I am carrying a gun, mussel loader, and/or bow.

Sorry honey, you're on your own... happy hunting!

Gotta Floor It

I've said this before, but I fear I'm raising a future Nascar driver.

After Trace got his plasma car for Christmas last year, I realized for the first time his need for speed and complete "no fear" attitude. Now, his favorite thing to do at Granddaddy and Sisty's is ride the jeep on the vacant lot beside their house.

Granddaddy mowed a trail through the field on his John Deere and he runs it like it's an obstacle course... around the trees, up and down the hills, through the bushes, dodging anything in his path (you may notice the terrified dogs in the background).

He's even learned (without us actually showing him) how to gear up to make it go faster. Oh boy! For our own sanity, Granddaddy walks behind him holding the rope, just in case he tries to go rogue on us.

Trick or Treat

Halloween was so much fun this year! Last year we were all sick and had a sad, lonely Halloween at home, but this year, my cousin Carrie invited us up to trick or treat with her, Keith, Abram, Lucas and some family. Since we are neighborhoodless, we were very thankful. ha!

Trace was a fireman, thanks to Aunt Penny and Aunt Lynda who got him the outfit for his 2nd birthday. Abram was Ben Tin, and baby Lucas was the most adorable caterpillar I've ever seen!

I wasn't sure how it was going to go, since Trace had never trick or treated before and that his goal in life is to run away from us :) He was so excited he couldn't even take a nap that afternoon, which only added to my fear!

A 2-year-old, hyped up on sugar, trick or treating on the open roads for the first time, without a nap... now that's scary! But it was great, and we all had a blast.Jimmy and Lucas
Lucas and his "Unc"
Waiting patiently for our turn...

Sweet boys...


This picture pretty much describes what Abram and Trace looked like all night...look closely and you'll see the two little blurs. ha!
Carrie and I laughed that for what is supposed to be a "fun, child-friendly" holiday, there sure are a lot of rules. "Don't walk in the grass, only ring the doorbell once, don't go into their house (Trace heard that one A LOT), don't grab the candy...let them give it to you, don't ask for more, remember to say thank-you, stay on the sidewalk, don't run in the street!"

Whew... the adults were exhausted by the end of the evening, but we can't wait to do it again next year. I think a family tradition was born!
___________________________________________________________________

I have this picture on my fridge...
It's of Trace's first Halloween. Keith is holding him, and my Aunt Gail and Carrie are making goo-goo faces at him. What is so funny is that Abram is dressed up like Pablo from the Backyardigans. I had NO idea who he was or what in the world a Backyardigans was (still not real sure). But I remember Carrie telling me that night... "Oh, just wait, you will!"

Two years later, Pablo and I are real tight, I've memorized nearly every song he sings, and he has taken over my DVR... funny how things change!