Season of Giving & True Friendship

I had quite a week-end!! Whew, glad it's over, but it was truly a blessing in disguise. My best friend, who has been with me since high school is going through a really rough time. She's going through a really nasty and messy divorce and had to move this past weekend. I helped her move along with her family. We moved all hers and her boys things, furniture, etc. On Sunday, myself and 2 of her sisters stayed at the "new" house and thought we'd get a "few" of their things put away and maybe their beds set up. We worked sooo hard all day while she was at her old house packing and getting last minute things done. Her boys kept bringing load after load and just basically unloading it and going back for more. There was no talking, at the "new" house, every once in a while, we'd run into each other since we were trying to get as we feverishly worked to get as much done as possible before she got there!! I don't know how we did it, but by 6:00 pm when she got there we had put EVERYTHING away, set up each and every room, hung pictures on the walls and was even able to put up and decorate her Christmas tree!!!! We were so excited, but the most precious thing about it all was the look on her face when she walked in and saw her new home completely done and the tree up with gifts under it!!!! She was absolutely speechless!!! In all the years I've known her, that's NEVER happened!!! We were TOTALLY exhausted, but seeing how happy she and her boys were and the looks on their faces was all worth it. In this season of giving, that was the best gift I have ever given someone. It was so rewarding to see the joy on their faces and the tears of joy!!! I will not post her name right now, due to the nature of her situation and the messiness of the divorce, but those who are close to me, know who I'm talking about and I ask that everyone pray for her and her boys so that they may have the strength to get through this difficult time. And to my very best friend in the world.....I love you so much and am so glad I have you in my life.

Happy Birthday Megan!!

I would like to wish my wonderful daughter, Megan a very Happy Birthday!!! It was 23 years ago today that my life changed forever!!! I was so very proud that day and I am even more proud today!! Your are the apple of my eye and a very special person. I can't imagine my life without you in it. It's hard to believe your 23 years old, seems like just yesterday that you were born. You were such a good baby and so full of life and always a couple of years ahead of your age. You never met a stranger and loved people as you do now. These past 23 years have been a true blessing to me and watching you become the young woman you are has been a treasure. (Though at times it was a little rocky) I wouldn't change one thing and I just want you to know how proud I am of you and who you have blossomed into and you are one of my best friends and I miss you terribly!! Hope you have a great birthday!!! I love you so much, Mom

Holiday Favorites

Like most people, I have a few holiday favorites. Whether it be foods, movies, songs, etc. Here are a few of my favorite holiday things. I love to bake during the holidays. Anything from cookies to main dishes. Just the cold winter days make me want to cook or bake. Have a couple of "stand by" treats I usually make during the holidays. One is called Pecan Bark the other is called "Reindeer Poop". I know, bad name!! I got the recipe from the wife of a guy I used to work with. It's really good. I love watching Christmas movies during the holidays. My favorite is White Christmas and next would be National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I don't care how many times you watch it, you laugh so hard everytime you watch it. I love Christmas shopping and wrapping the presents. Like being lazy sometimes on the weekends and just hanging out at home, wrapping presents, baking or just under a blanket watching movies. Lifetime also has a lot of good holiday movies. What are some of your favorites?

BURR!!

Well, another year has passed and it was time to put up the Christmas lights on the outside of the house. My son, Colby always helps me do that (he really does all the work!). This year we were going to do it a couple of weekends ago, when it was warmer, but he couldn't. So as always, we were out in the freezing cold last weekend. The wind was blowing 100 mph, it was misting rain, almost felt like snow and some of the lights didn't work after we got them up. After trying to fix the lights that didn't work, and after our fingers were numb, I decided to go get new ones and be done with it. Easy enough you say!!! WRONG! We got the new lights up and when we got ready to plug in the extension cord, we had ended with the wrong end! Well, I had to go in and warm up so Colby fixed that little problem, got the wreath hung on the chimney and whew, we thought we were done. Plugged them in and the very 1st strand we put up had about a 12 inch section that didn't work. I was back in the house looking out and Colby was quite disgusted by this time and mumbling to himself!! I figured it would be best if I stayed out of his way and so after working for quite a while, gave up. I wasn't happy that a section didn't work. And of course it was on the front of the house, but Colby said, "Mom, nobody will even notice". It really went against my grain to have lights that didn't work, but in the end I gave in and let it be. They really look nice and if you don't know it, you can't really tell there's a small section not working. Thanks Colby!!

Fishing

Our oldest granddaughter, Gracie spend Thanksgiving night with us. On Friday, she wanted to go fishing in our little pond. We went and got all the "fishing gear" and even real worms and headed to the pond. Mike had to cast it in, but right away, she caught one. She was so excited. I think she caught 3 total, each pretty small, but her excitement each time was ENORMOUS! We got a kick out of watching her and for some reason after every cast, when Mike handed her the pole, she'd have to sit down to fish, but then jump up when we told her she had a bite!! The excitement lasted about an hour then we were on to other things.

Thanksgiving & Things I'm Thankful For

A lot of the other bloggers have been talking about the many things they're thankful for this month. I didn't get in on that, but I have so many things I'm thankful for. First and foremost I'm thankful for my family. I have 3 wonderful children of my own, 3 great step-daughters and 2 awesome granddaughters!! I guess I should begin my telling you a little bit about my family. My children are Megan Green, Colby and Caleb Deal. Megan is in Iraq working for KBR. She's been over there a little more than a year. I really miss her especially around the holidays. Colby is here in Mt. Vernon working and Caleb is still at home and in school. My step-daughters are Audrey, Shanna and Jessica. Audrey lives in Austin and Shanna and Jessica both live in Mt. Vernon. Shanna and Lance have Averie and Jessica is mother to Gracie. Guess we're a "modern day" Brady Bunch without Alice!! Boy, sure could use an Alice sometimes!! It's really great having a big family. There's always something going on and NEVER a dull moment.

I'm thankful for my good health and the fact that I can play with and enjoy my grandchildren. I'm thankful to have such a wonderful, caring husband. This may sound kind of sappy, but he really is my soulmate! We just fit together so well and compliment each other. He really came into my life at a time when I needed him the most and felt really low and feeling not very worthy. He makes me feel like I can do anything and treats me like a queen. I'm thankful for all the things he's helped my discover about myself I didn't know I had!! I'm thankful for all my friends, but especially for the few, TRUE, LOYAL and never FAILING friends. (You know who you are). I can always count on them no matter when or what the circumstances. I hope they look at me as the same kind of friend. Friends like those are few and far between and I believe come once in a lifetime. I'm thankful to live in a country that allows us so many freedoms. And for all this I have God to thank. Without Him, none of these things would be possible. Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving as I did. The only thing that was missing this Thanksgiving was Megan. I really miss her more than words can say. She's an awesome daughter and one of my best friends!!

Go Cowboys!

Tonight was Caleb's "Superbowl" for the youth football league. His team actually had already taken 1st place in their division (5th & 6th grade), but they always end the season with the Superbowl. His team, the Cowboys, played the other 2 teams in the Superbowl. They won 24 - 22. Caleb played the best game he's ever played. He made at least 10 AWESOME tackles. This will be his last year in the youth league. Next year we will be traveling since he'll be in junior high. It was really fun to watch. He had quite a fan club there tonight! My friends, Ted and Michelle came. Shanna and Averie came and brought Gracie. Colby and Lara were there and my nephew's girlfriend, Molly and my great-nephew, Hunter. And of course, Mike and I were there. It was alot of fun. Took some pictures, but there turned out terrible. Every one of them was blurry. I really need a new camera!!

The Pumpkin Patch

I know this is a little late and I'm going "backwards", but I just became a "blogger". We all went to the Christenberry's Pumpkin Patch. Averie and Gracie had a good time. We went on a hay ride and they searched and searched for the perfect pumpkin to take home. I think we ended up with a few more gourds than pumpkins, but they had a good time. Unfortunenately this is the only picture of them together. Averie would not sit still long enough and then my camera died. Guess I wasn't using the Energizer Bunny batteries!!

Riding at Nana & Papa's

Cousins & Buddies

They rode and rode and rode.....

These pictures were taken last weekend when we were keeping the girls so their Moms could do some Christmas shopping!! I just wonder how many miles they rode that day??!! These two are soo precious to me. I'm a very family oriented person, who adores my children, but there's just something extra special about grandchildren. It's pictures like this that make me miss the times when my kids were little. My daughter, Megan had a "little red corvette". She rode it quite a bit. The boys had their bikes and tractors. Don't think they were allowed near the corvette much! We just don't realize when our kids are little just how fast time flies. Somedays I would give anything to go back in time to those days, but then again, I'm so proud of my kids and who they are today and can't wait for what the future has to bring. (More grandchildren someday, I hope!)

Inspiration for The Nana Diaries

These two adorable little girls are what inspired me, Megan, to name my mom's blog "The Nana Diaries". I could just eat them up they are so cute, but I think I may be biased!

Hello!

I have been telling my mom that she needs to start a blog but she always finds some excuse, like she has nothing to tell...well I happen to get emails and updates weekly if not daily of my adorable nieces, my brother's sports activities, updates on my other brother, or just the daily happenings of every one's lives so....... I KNOW she has something to blog about. I was at work and just got a wild hair to set it up for her. This is Megan, by the way, and I have set this blog up for my mom. Now that I have done it all for her she will probably use it. I look forward to keeping up with "The Nana Diaries"! I love you Mom and I am 8,000 miles away so you can't kill me for doing this hahahaha! Have fun and don't worry I will help you if you need it but it is really easy.