What's In Store

What resolutions do I want to make for the New Year? Actually I don't like to make any, but here goes for the challenge: I resolve to eat less carbs and exercise more!!

Ice Skating

Last night I took the girls to the First Coast Light Festival in Green Cove Springs (area just south of Jacksonville). We loved the lights but the most fun they had was ice skating. Neither had skated like this before but quickly learned to stay upright. They took a few spills but were up and going in a flash.

Fun evening!

Family Weekend - Dec 07

This past weekend we received a visit from some very special people. My brother and his wife came down from Georgia and brought her little grandson, Camden. My youngest nephew, Scott, his wife Joanna and their two little girls came from Tallahassee. Of course, Kaylin and Karley joined us and they all had a really good time together. On Friday night we went down to the amenities center in our neighborhood for the holiday party and on Saturday night we walked around and looked at Christmas lights. All the kids played very nicely together and we all had a wonderful visit.

Holiday Decorations

I love the holiday season and can't wait to decorate each year. I wanted to share some shots of our tree (a real one this year) with close-ups of two ornaments. The ornament shots are blurry (guess I need Camera 102 class) but I like them anyway.

The Santa ornament is a needlepoint item I made about 30 years ago! The round ornament outlined in pearls was made by my Mom around the same time. The pearls were an old costume necklace of hers. It has always been my favorite of all 40 or 50 she made that year!

Last night we celebrated Michael's birthday a couple of days early. Jeff, Laura and the girls joined us for dinner and then the girls helped their Pop Pop blow out the one candle I could find!

Michael wanted a devil's food cake so that's what I made. No one could eat any except him! We were all too full.

My favorite Christmas memory was the year I turned 10. We opened our gifts two nights before we left town to visit my grandparents (we were too old to believe in the "he's comin' down the chimney" thing). While I didn't voice it, I was a little disappointed that I only received two presents.

The next morning the telephone rang and my Mom gave someone directions to our house and when I said "who was that?" gave some vague answer.

Imagine my surprise and happiness when a little later a truck pulled up in front of our house and some guys unloaded a brand new piano! I was probably the happiest little girl around. I started taking piano lessons and continued for five years.

I don't think I've ever had such a surprise or happier holiday.

Holiday Season

It's that time of year! Yes, the holiday season is in full swing and I just love it! While this is my favorite holiday, I realize that the commercialization of it has gotten WAY out of hand. I certainly hope the parents of the little ones in my family will teach them the true meaning and the real reason we celebrate !

Today I begin a new adventure - I am no longer blog-less! I look forward to sharing comments, photos, etc. with my family and friends.

See you around!