38 Years Young!!

The sad part of today is that I had to get a calculator to figure out how old my firstborn son is today....WHA???  It's not possible that it's been 38 years since that black headed boy was put into my arms and my first words to my husband were....."I gave you a son"!!!  Man, oh man, I remember that like it was today.
The great part of today is that I am so proud to be called his mom.  He's independent, he's successful, he's a wonderful husband and an even more wonderful father.  He's everything I ever hoped that black headed boy would be in his lifetime!!

Our son.  Their brother. 

The Birthday Boy today!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHAD!!!

Family and Food and Fun....Fa LaLa La La!

Christmas of 2017 was joyful and full of family....just the way this ol' YaYa likes it! 
The whole crew arrived noonish on xmas eve and because it was cold.....and I mean cold to this southern gal...in the low 40's at least....the activities stayed inside.  We snacked on goodies all afternoon, laughed and watched old family movies....which made us laugh ALOT more!

Cousin dog pile!

Cheese Board, Cha Cha Chicken Salad, Party Mix, Pig Candy, Shrimp Butter, Marinated Crab Claws....like I said, snacked all afternoon!

We decided on gumbo with rice and potato salad for dinner because Cap'n makes the best gumbo on this side of the North Pole! 

I love the hustle and bustle around a dinner table. So many conversations, so much laughing and so much "Pass me the sauce, please"!

Kids had waited waaaaay too long for opening of gifts, in their opinion, so we let the show begin!

they had already picked ALL of their gifts out and knew right where each one was....sigh....the excitement of the Christmas tree thru a young child's eye!

Christmas morn, checking the fireplace for Santa's boot prints in the fireplace

and every little girl gets lots of new dolls from Santa!

Then it was off to have Christmas lunch at my middle boy's home.....and what a wonderful meal it was!!

Prime Rib roast, perfectly cooked by my boy,  along with potatoes, broccoli casserole and bacon wrapped green beans prepared by my sweet daughter in law...

But what brought a tear to these ol' eyes??  My son had his daughters make their beds up and put all of their Santa surprises on full display for us to look at.....the same thing that I had my sons do on Christmas morning and the same thing I did on my Christmas mornings as a little girl.  I don't know, it just really touched my heart that he thought to carry on the tradition.

It's the small things, isn't it??!!!

That night, we went up to the deer camp where the oldest boy's family was spending the night and just hung with them.

It was a wonderful celebration with my children!

And when I got home the next night, I indulged in a glass of wine in one of my mom's crystal goblets. She got these as wedding presents and in January, they will be 75 yrs old...

#familymemories#thebluehour

sigh.....Christmas 2017 in the books!!

Twas the Night Before (the night before) Christmas!

As I sit in my cozy living room, lit only by a blazing fire and Christmas lights all around me, I'm breathing deeply and happily with thoughts of tomorrow and the next day with family laughing and talking and children running all around me!  I've been busy, busy getting prepared while also spending a few sick days as well, which were not so much fun.  But onward......to Xmas Eve and all of the celebration it will entail!!

This is a new addition to my mantle this year!  It was painted by a friend that I went to high school and college with....as well as her being a sorority sister!!  I saw it on her site and fell in love immediately.  It's painted on an old vintage window and Santa makes me smile every day!  She's an awesome artist...check out her work on instagram at @cathykgallery.  She has such an array of work!

Towels that have hung on my stove every Christmas season since I married 40 years ago!  I made them as a newlywed and have become a symbol of Merry Christmas to me...

A part of my centerpiece for the dinner table..

We are doing a simple meal this year since everyone will snack ALL day long on goodies that I've been working on all week.

Oyster and Sausage puff pastry bundles

Cha Cha Chicken Salad and Marinated Shrimp & Artichoke salad from Mary at Home is Where the Boat Is....one of our favorite blogs.

Marinated Crab Claws

Shrimp Butter

A Huge Charcuterie/Cheese Board

plus many a bottle of Champagne with dashes of Chambord and Cranberries

and Eggnog!

So, Cap'n put together a very large pot of Gumbo that will be accessorized with Potato Salad and lots of  Buttered French Bread

Cap'n hanging the mistletoe!

After our meal that will last waaaay too long according to 6 very anxious grandbabies....we will sit amongst happy children opening gifts while wrapping paper flies and ribbons unfurl.  WHAT wonderful memories we make -- this sweet, sweet family of mine!

visions of unicorns and raggedy ann and andys and even some holy water collected for friends from my trip to Santa Fe at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!

Hoping your times this Christmas season, the birthday of our Savior, are happy and safe and may you make memories that will last your lifetime...

Andy Cohen & Anderson Cooper at AC2!

I have to admit......the somber, serious and seemingly shy Mr. Cooper ... is not ANY of those things in his schtick with the crazy, laughing, goofy Mr. Cohen!!!
Last weekend, I drove over to Dallas to attend the event with my daughter in law who watches the late night show as much as I do.....and we had so much fun!  My son kept the kids while we kicked back at the Omni Hotel and hit the Galleria to do a bit of shopping before the show.  Snacks and martinis were also a part of the pre show too....
The place was packed and it was a full 2 hours of hilarity as they just sat on the stage telling stories of their lives, their work and their celebrity.  Not a mention of anything political which made me very happy.  Anderson is a HOOT...which shocked me because I never think of him as light or airy and definitely not funny.  But he really really was!  And of course, the Dallas Housewives were there in all their glory....HA!!

We have been spending a winter weekend together, just the two of us, since she married my son. Even two yrs ago when she was 9 months  pregnant with Josey and I worried the whole time we were together that she was going to go into labor any minute!

Andy and Anderson were very cool but spending time with my daughters in law is the coolest thing EVER and I'm honored to be their "other" mom!!

INTRODUCING.......

                      THE COUSIN CREW OF 2017!!
                                                        OLDEST TO YOUNGEST!

(some with teeth, some without!)

Santa, you better get your rest!!

Thankful for my Dears at the Deer Camp..2017!

Another beautiful holiday for our family record books!!  All of our children and all of our grandchildren started filing in around Wednesday, the 22nd.  The weather was just perfect for kids to be playing outside and for hunters to be doing their thing......while us girls sat around and gabbed and enjoyed a few cocktails together.  Just like it's supposed to be!  We are so very lucky and THANKFUL for our family and the good times we share together..

this post will be photo heavy because it's our document for the diary of how we spent our Thanksgiving.  You know.....just doing fun stuff all day long together!

Cap'n photo bombing several pics!

And what would Cap'n be so happy about in this pic??? Why, he's the hero on this day for look what he brought to the "big kids"...

 Yep, that would be a replica of their daddies 4-wheelers but just their size.  Believe me,  these two think they own the world right now!!

 

And Cap'n did a whole lotta  this!!!!   USE THE BRAKES!!!

Poor lil Josey just stood and watched all the activitiy. Sorry, Josey....you have to get just a wee bit bigger!!

and her reply was.....WHY??

No, these two were not under foot for a long while.....they had places to ride and things to see!

Sister Wife Love!!

I always laugh when we gather because it looks like a car lot!!

The guys, even the little one, cleaning ducks after a good hunt that morning!

This is a new fave pic of my boys!! Rarely do I just get the 3 of them together..may be a framer!! 

While riding around, my sons found this huge honey hive!!!!  SO COOL!! and the kids loved learning about it.  We do have bees on our property but we don't know for sure if this was made by ours or just some 'squatter' bees!!

Speaking of a hive.....just look at these three spending some quality time together!

Make that four....Dixie Dog is in there too with father and sons

Then it was time for a few family pics!

A Boy and his Dawg!!

Turkey Carving!

Mayhem in the kitchen, which I looove to watch!

A little calm  at their own Thanksgiving table before the food comes out...

GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR OUR FAMILY NOT ONLY ON THIS DAY BUT EVERYDAY!!!