Happy Birthday to my New Yrs Eve Son!!

That would be my FIRSTborn son, who made his prescence some 34 yrs ago, only 5 hrs before the new year dawned!!  I have had 34 yrs of the most wonderful experiences and love that only a mother can know!  Would it be so selfish to wish for 34 more????

The Birthday Boy and his boy!

He has become the most awesome dad and husband ...... yet, how could he not?  He's been an awesome son!!

Hoping your day is filled with football and good beer!!!

Oh What A Christmas It Was......2013!

As we all nestled down snug in our beds on Christmas night of 2013, I feel confident that everyone in our family was feeling the same warmth I was.  Happiness. Peace. and a whole lotta love for each other!!  We had such a fun Christmas eve and Christmas morning just being together and watching the innocence of wonder in young children's eyes at the discovery of Santa Claus!
The pictures will tell the story!

the night before everyone else arrived, one of the daughter in laws decided we MUST have a Rudolph present in the house ..... hence  ^^^!!  and her son constantly called for rudolph and pointed at him all thru the next days!!

kids delivering their stockings to Cap'n to hang by the chimney with care!

and then it was time for a lil jig with everbody!

all the while, this little man slept while swaddled in his camo and boots......looking a bit like baby Jesus!!

do you know how many hands it takes and how many pics it takes to get all these kiddos in order for a group shot????

while babies napped, the big kids just had to have a lil target practice!! 

this one  ^  just loves it!!!

Lilli and Austin at their table while the grownups ate at the big table...of which I got NO shots....yaya was hungry!! They had macaroni and cheese and milk which was just fine with them!

and once they were in their Christmas jammies, we tried another group shot!! (look at austin holding KatieJane and Case's hands.....precious, I tell ya!)

Finally!!!!  Time to start handing out presents to open from each other before Santa comes in the morning!

As cap'n tries to hand out gifts, the babies are all over him! 

Case liked the wrapping paper!

My boys always get a toy to play with and this yr they got bows with nerf darts to shoot at a big deer, that josh had to blow up! 

Hilarity ensued therefore I got no more pics.  Too busy rolling on the floor laughing at them!

Then it was time for YaYa to read The Night Before Christmas while everyone gathered round

and Austin and Lilli got the cookies for Santa and celery for the reindeer....and then off to sleep while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads!

Up the next morn to find choo choo trains and tractors..

and baby dolls and stand up learning centers and sit down learning centers!

even mamas and daddies found Santa surprises in their stockings!

I am so lucky to have such a fun loving family who makes all our times together so special!

Come this way >>>> Santa!

So, it's time!!  Time to pack up all the pretty wrapped s'prizes for grandbabies and all the food for the family feast.  Time to check the lists and then check 'em twice!  Time to enjoy the decorations in my home one last time before the big day.....

a pretty mantle and sunroom table adorned with reindeer while Mr. Clause watches from a nearby table!

reflections of a tree filled with memories!

Memories from friends, that make me smile every time I pull them out, and memories from trips I've taken...

Time to fill the car up with goodies and take off to the deer camp for some fun filled days with the whole family!

WAIT!!!!   do you see some ducks helping put tinsel on our hand cut tree at the camp??

We're switching to a seafood feast for Christmas eve this yr.....duck&oyster gumbo, bacon wrapped grilled shrimp, steamed crab legs, marinated crab claws and a 3 fish pasta dish..scallop,shrimp&crawfish.  We've got a few deer to grace our table..

And one small message to one very important deer!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF OUR FRIENDS, FAMILY AND BLOG BUDDIES!!

Santa Is Gonna Be Busy Around Here!!

Can you see why????

Busy busy days and have been remiss about blog posting during this Christmas season.  Off to celebrate a friends birthday but will return shortly and make a catch-up post!

Just the Pics, Santa....We Can Talk Later!!

Yesterday, I had the honor of watching my two granddaughters with Santa Claus!  Every yr since Lilli was born, we've gone together, their mom and I, to have their pictures made with the ol' man, talk a little bit to him and then we always have lunch at Picadilly.  Dontcha know that you can get green jelly (jello) AND french fries at Picadilly??......according to ms Lilli!!  (and pie to share with YaYa!)
So, when it was the girls' turn to sit on his lap and he asked ms sweetcheeks what she would like to have for Christmas this yr, she told him "Oh.....I just came to get some pictures taken"!!  That kid is SO funny!!
And KatieJane was not fazed one little bit by him except she really wanted to look at him and pull his beard.
They were adorable together and when all was said and done......Lilli did give Santa a great big ol' hug before we left!!     GOOD TIMES!!

Peace...

I sit in front of my fire tonight in peace.
After a week with a nasty cold and some pretty crazy weather.....80 degrees on Monday and predicted ice and sleet yesterday with 24 degrees in the morning....it's calm tonight.  Enjoying the beauty of the Christmas lights and having my sweet SophieJane closeby warming herself in front of the fire.

All is calm...

All is bright....

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful"

    ~ Norman Vincent Peale ~

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Norman Vincent Peale

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/normanvinc105765.html#EDvdLlXMyS843Tdl.99

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

Norman Vincent Peale

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/normanvinc105765.html#EDvdLlXMyS843Tdl.99

The Story of this Christmas Tree.....

.....family style!!  So, let me tell you the story of a bunch of crazy peeps who went to cut down the Christmas tree.  I have let my family talk me into doing our Christmas this yr at the deer camp....just as I've let them talk me into doing Thanksgiving there.  Hmmmmmm....me thinks I am a sucker for what my boys wanna do.......!  So, if mama is going to give up her pretty decorated Christmas table at her house, she and the daughter in laws decided we must at least have a tree.  Cuz mama ain't decorating two houses!!  And if we're going to have a tree, those boys are gonna cut it down!
Just watch to see how that transpired!!

Everbody loaded up to go find the tree that middle son had found for us earlier in week. Note: mama had to shut down the LSU game on pause for this activity to take place. Note: peeps were not happy bout that!

shanon and alex watch!

nene and big daddy watch!.....while watching their grandson, austin, try to drive off on the 4wheeler!

loaded up and back to the house

austin with his uncle cuz his uncle likes to go fast!

and it will be a simple tree. only colored lights, ornaments made by kids and popcorn.

lilli so loving all of it!

katiejane in awe of the lights

Oh what fun it was to ride in an open 4-wheeler to find and cut down the most perfect Christmas tree surrounded by the whole family and friends!!

So..........to sum up our Thanksgiving 2013??  

For this:

and this....my 3 sons

for all of this.....I...