Early Wishes

Our Christmas kicks off tonight with Nana, Jay, Solon and myself.  We have dinner planned here at the house with a big fire hopefully!  The temps are just a little too warm right now.  We are going to hang out, listen to music and open a few presents! 

Tomorrow Jay, Solon and I head out for Pensacola.  Tomorrow night will be Sparkman Christmas with Bill (my dad's brother) and Vanna.  Sally is cooking chicken spaghetti for dinner, so we will all get to enjoy it this time around.  If you don't remember, last year we were all sidelined with a serious stomach virus, so all our delicious food was not eaten.

Then it is on to the countdown to Santa's arrival:) 

So early Merry Christmas to everyone!!!!

Tinsel The Snake

Check this out! My best friend from high school has made People magazine's web site! Her daughter spotted a snake in their Christmas tree, and the story spread.  Pretty funny!

http://www.peoplepets.com/people/pets/article/0,,20555250,00.html

Submission

One of my good friends saw this article in the NYTimes and emailed it to me.  It is titled ""The Lives They Lived: Share Your Photos," and it invites you to contribute a photograph that illustrates a story from the life of someone close to you who passed away this year. 

So far Sally and I have sent these two in for Momma.  I chose the top pic.  It was Momma's first visit to Atlanta to see Solon, and this was right when she got to the house.  One of her favorite things to do was feed the boys, and she immediately settled into the couch with Solon and a bottle in hand. 

Sally picked the second one because she wanted the Sanderosa to be part of Momma's story.  This was her holding mine and Sally's hand, and I am sure it is my dad out in the water taking the photo with his old Canon.

I just got off the phone with my Aunt Mary, and we were talking about missing Momma.  We were both hit with a bit of the blues this morning.  The holidays are here and it is hard to go through it without Momma here with us.  But this was a wonderful thing to do and cheer me up.  It always helps to share photos and stories of someone you miss.  So thanks Hott:)

OLDIE

Just came across this photo...look how small Muffin was!

Leave It

Jay spent Sunday morning raking all the leaves in the front yard into a big pile.  So we went on a walk later that evening, and Solon couldn't resist diving into them.  Jay soon joined, and I sat back and watched.  I have officially reached the point of pregnancy where rolling around is not part of my vocabulary. 

Fort

Saturday night, we hung out by the fire, and Solon and Jay built forts.  This has not become Muffin's new obsession, so I spend the better part of my day putting cushions back on the couch, folding blankets and moving chairs.

Big Boy BBall

Friday night we all went to a free scrimmage game for the Atlanta Hawks.  Solon thought the music was a little loud, but loved the mascot, Harry The Hawk.  Harry was a little hard to catch, so I didn't get a pic.

My Little Helper

Solon has been helping me wrap presents the last week, and the other day he rounded up some scraps and asked that I wrap him up too.  So I taped him into a little package..counted to 3..and then he popped out. 

Holiday Carol

Here is Solon singing his rendition of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. He kind of yells it vs. singing it...so I guess that is why he plugs up his ears.  My favorite part.  "Then one FROGGY Christmas Eve." 

No Visuals!

We had a GREAT time in Greenwood this past weekend for Nanna Christmas.  Unfortunately, my camera that was filled with pictures was accidentally put in Sally's car, so I will have to wait a couple of weeks before I can share them.

We all arrived Friday afternoon/evening.  (Pensacola. St. Louis and Atlanta crew.)  We spent time sitting around the fire and enjoyed some delicious red/beans & rice for dinner. 

Saturday started early!  The entire Varner crew couldn't make it due to a bad stomach bug, but a lot of the Dales showed up (Danny, Charlotte, Daniel, Jimmy, James and Derrith).  Lots of wine, snacks and catching up.  After the Dales left, we had a great lunch on Eli and then it was time for a ceremony. After many MANY years, Janie was set to graduate from college on that Saturday.  Instead of walking, she wanted to spend her day with family.  So we surprised her with her on "walk."  Margo brought a cap/gown, and they got Janie dressed.  And then she walked down the long hall while we all hummed the graduation theme song.  We gave a couple of toasts and some tears were shed:)  And then The Hughes/Nanna surprised her with a gift.  She had to solve a word puzzle first..but once she strung it together.  "Heir-Line Tick-et 2 Saint Loo-ie"..she was so excited.  A plane ticket up to visit St. Louis and all the Hughes. 

Now it was nap time for most of everyone.  Solon and Luke shared a bed for the first time which was super sweet.  Nanna caught a few hours along with Julie and Nathan.  The rest of us sat around the den enjoying martinis and sparkling grape juice (me). 

After everyone was up, we played Dirty Santa..and then later spent some time remembering Momma.  It was such a fun day, and it was hard not to feel her absence every second.  She loved Christmas so much, and as Jay said it was up to us to carry on that joy in her memory.

It was a wonderful weekend, and I now feel like it is Christmas! 

Sunday Afternoon

We squeezed in a trip to Peidmont Park Sunday afternoon.  Jay and Solon rode bikes while I followed along with my camera.  Solon has me a bit nervous.  He shows zero fear when riding down hills.  Big smile of his face and out of control. So a helmet is on the agenda ASAP.  We stopped off at the park for a few minutes and then Solon got excited about the tree stump because he knows how much Luke loves them.  We also saw lots of squirrels and geese, and a guy who was doing big wheelies off a hill.

Hamming it Up

It never happens, but I finally got Solon to actually look at the camera while I snapped away.  He was jumping on the bed, being silly, and pulling his britches up too high to suit Jay.

Go Team

Ann and I were rooting for LSU Tigers, and Jay was for the GA Bulldogs.  So once Solon made his way downstairs we got him chanting for the girls' side.  Sorry for how dark video is!

Movie Night

We ever so rarely let Solon sit down for a movie, but this past Saturday afternoon the SEC championship was on.  So we set him up with Lady and The Tramp II...complete with personal effects.  I got these stuffed Lady & Tramp on a Nanna trip to Disneyworld back in the 80s, and Solon loves them.

Got The Tree

Slowly we are getting all the decorations unpacked, but our tree is up and decked out.  It makes the den feel so super cozy!

Many A Night

Jay, Solon and I drove to a few spots in Greenwood before getting on the road to Tupelo.  One being 107 Kimbrough.  This is the house my mom grew up in when she moved from Indianola to Greenwood.  I haven't driven past it in over 20 years, so it was neat seeing it again. 

We Tried

It is pretty difficult getting the three little ones to sit still long enough for a photo.  One will cry, one will pull their shirt over their head and the other will stare at his feet:)  But here Nanna is with three of her great-grands as she calls them. 

After the photo, the Pensacola crew got on the road for Tupelo, and we stayed with Nanna another night.  She told us all sorts of interesting stories about her life in Indianola/Greenwood.  Another interesting fact was on Thanksgiving day, she realized that her older sister, Margaret/"Toots", would have been 100 years old if she had still been alive.

Time For Turkey

Well the boys and Ansley were down for naps during our Thanksgiving lunch, so we could all actually talk to one another:)  We didn't have a tripod, so we had Jay and Jason swap taking a few group photos.

Play Time In Greenwood

We all arrived to Greenwood Wednesday evening, and Nanna had delicious sandwiches ready for dinner.  We sat around the den and enjoyed wine and sparkling grape juice and woke up early to watch the Macy's day parade.  The boys had fun riding their new bicycles in the garage and playing with the flashlights Nanna got them.

Pop!

Solon helping me pack for our trip to MS. 

That Time of Year Again

and this time I have a helper!  Solon helped me cook the first batch of dressing today.  So if it stinks then all the blame falls to him:)  We are taking off for Greenwood, MS this Wednesday and going to spend Thanksgiving day with Nanna. She is pretty excited to have company.