December 2018 part 2

Christmas is creeping up on us (again). I tried to start preparing early by getting the decorations up in November, but I am never completely prepared (for anything).

We basically have two adult children these days, so it's not like we have to plan for Santa or anything. 

However, it is hard figuring out how to keep the number of gifts and the $  amount of gifts even for adults. 🤪

We didn't get up Christmas Morning until almost 9am.

The day after Christmas is always a relief for me. Just as relieved as the world felt two thousand years ago, on the first Christmas.  

It's a feeling of knowing that we can all relax because in the midst of all the stress...our Savior has got us from here on out.

We took a quick little trip on December 26, 2018 to Cheekwood to see the lights.

It was not the same as when Heather and I went 2 years ago.

Heather and I spent a good three hours there checking out the lights, taking our time investigating how they were done, all the little details.

When our family went, it was walk walk walk.

45 minutes and we were done.

These two do not know how to slow down and take life slow.

Brooke and I took Judy for a birthday lunch on Thursday, December 27, 2018 at The Steel Coop in Livingston.

We had a fun ride and a great lunch...with dessert

On Friday, December 28th, 2018 we loaded up the car and headed to Atlanta GA.

It was my husbands Christmas present to go to the Peach Bowl.

We stayed at the Hyatt Regency. 

We had dinner at the Polaris Restaurant and admired the views of Atlanta as the restaurant rotated while we ate.

We both ordered the steak and pototoes for dinner.

We each got a different side dish though. It was delicious

 I had the best view in the restaurant if you ask me.

 The following day, we headed to the Mercedes Benz stadium to watch the game.

The roof was closed because it was misting rain on and off. 

 Turns out, we lost.  😥

He was upset because most of the seniors sat the game out so they wouldn't get hurt before going into the NFL. 

He said that cost us the game.  😮

December 2018 part 1

Where on earth does the time go? How can it be Saturday, December 1, 2018 already?

We got to watch Hollyn for a couple hours this evening. She sure loves the presents.

Also, how can I still be hanging more Christmas lights.

It's like the Griswold's around here.

My husband said he didn't want to hang lights on the house, so I hung them IN our house.

On Saturday, December 8, 2018, Maleigha and I took our annual Christmas shopping trip. It was a little drizzly this year, but that doesn't stop us from having a great time.  Never has...Never will👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏻

It was a little colder today too, so it felt like Christmas shopping weather🎅

The trunk was filling up by the afternoon.

The Christmas tree at home was starting to pile up too.

 I moved the Christmas cards to a display in the Kitchen on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. I love Christmas cards, but I have not found time to send mine out this year.

I attended a Christmas luncheon on Thursday, December 13, 2020  held at the American Bank and Trust building

Ending November 2018

It was time to get some things done when we got back home. I had a hair appointment on Sunday, November 18, 2018, so I didn't want to miss that.

Tiffany had moved into moms house in September so I wanted to make sure everything was going okay there. It made my heart smile to see her picture of the Christmas lights. Mom would have loved that.

I did something on a whim on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 that I never do.

Ford was running a 0% interest deal, so I BOUGHT A CAR.😲

I'm still a little surprised myself.

I do love it though. 

I am not a big fan of Fall, but I do love Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday.

Although, it is not the same without dinner at moms, I still look forward to the family gathering at my in-laws. It is the only Thanksgiving stop that we make nowadays. We had a big dinner that Mildred, Bee &  Nan prepared on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 22, 2018

I snapped this image of our family room wall on Black Friday, November 23, 2018 before I removed it all to put up the Christmas tree.

 It took the whole day to get the tree up and decorated. 
Then I spent Saturday, November 24, 2018 decorating the fireplace, the kitchen, the laundry room and the bedroom.

 I used moms decorations in the laundry room from the year she themed "blue Christmas"

I created a little hot cocoa bar in the kitchen. Most of the snowmen themed stuff landed there.

 The Santa decorations were sat out in this little corner.

 . . . and on the kitchen table.

 There was still tons of stuff left, so above the fridge and above the cabinets got some decorations too.

 I still had extra decorations left...that is how our room got decorated this year.
I was trying to use ALL the decorations.

 Even got outside and decorated the house.

Next year, I plan to just donate a bunch of decorations to the Help Center.

No Rest November. (2018 Edition)

We are loving our new patio extension and sidewalk.

It was completed on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

Now we just have to get all the furniture and things set back in there place.

 I had breakfast day at church on Sunday and walked Ivana home from church Sunday morning November 4, 2018.

I asked if I could take her picture in front of this beautiful maple tree. 

She is a good kid with a heart for Jesus.

 Later Sunday, we went to Mildreds for birthday cake for both Brooke and Bee.

 Tuesday, November 6, not only was election day, but also Brooke's birthday.

How cool is it to get the day off from school on your 17th birthday.

She also said she didn't want any cake 😯

About 10 of us got together on Thursday, November 8, 2018 and went on our annual shopping trip to Christmas Village in Nashville.

We ran across a booth doing hair extensions, so I decided to give it a try.

They definitely made my hair look thicker.

Jerry got new glasses on Friday, November 9, 2018.  Or, at least he said he did. I thought they were the same ones that he alway wore. Then he pulled out his old ones. 🤦‍♀️

I said "why do you keep buying new frames?" They all look a like.

 After church on Sunday, November 11, 2018, we hit the road southbound.

We arrived at our condo by dark. 

This year, we chose a 2 bedroom because Brooke and Mary so Brooke and Mary could have their own room and their own bathroom.

We ordered a surprise for Brooke.

By Monday, November 12, we were hitting the park

 The castle became "FROZEN" after dark

 On Tuesday, November 13, 2018, we headed over to the convention to see new and exciting things.

 On Wednesday, November 14, 2018 we used our free admission to Maddam Tusaud's Wax museum.

 We also visited downtown Disney.

 I got a butterfly tattoo on Thursday, November 15, 2018

 Just kidding...it was only henna.  I would never mark up my skin permanently.

We spent our final day at the show on Friday, November 16, 2018 before heading back home.

We are exhausted