CHRISTMAS 2019!

Wow.......How quickly the Christmas season raced by!  I'm sure that because Thanksgiving was late this year, giving us only 3 weeks between the holidays, it seemed that as soon as we began singing Jingle Bells...soon it was time for Auld Lang Syne music to begin!!!!  And the LSU fight song which is on right now as I type while we play the final playoff game before National Championship game next week.  Fingers crossed....score right now is 21-7!!!!!

Since Cap'n and I are living at our lake house right now, while the babyboy and his family stay at our dry house during their house build, I just really simplified the Christmas decor this year.  And you know what??? I liked the "less is more" feeling.  A lot!  And since it took me about 20 min to un-decorate yesterday.....I really liked it!   But I DID have to have a little bit of the twinkle lights on an itty bitty tree and used our lake colors of blue and green!!

As Christmas eve rolled in, all our family began to gather together.....we had our dinner at the deer camp and spent the whole day eating and playing and decorating cookies and riding 4wheelers and just doing what we love to do when we're together!

Is this not the CUTEST group of kids you've ever seen??!!!! 

And they absolutely love being together!!  (be still my heart!)

the guys enjoying the beautiful day we had too!

Cap'n taking all the kids on a bird box adventure...check the bluebird boxes that are out and put a few more up!

Cookie decorating in the yard!   (smart mama's!)

the aftermath!!

Should I be a lil worried that there is a shell right in front of the Santa's????  

Nah....not at all!  We're at the hunting camp!!

The un-wrapping of family gifts to one another was CRAZY. as usual, with paper and bows being flown into the air as small children opened their presents.  I guess I didn't get one pic of the hilarity because I just sat back and took it all in....as it should be!

On Christmas morning, 2 of my sons and their families went to be with their wive's families and Cap'n and I went to middle boy's house to have lunch with them!

Matt cooked THE MOST DELICIOUS prime rib roast!!  They outdid themselves on the Christmas dinner ... before we left, we had to watch the girls try out their new electric scooters!!

Christmas was wonderful and I feel so blessed to have my family around me for not only special holidays but for even just ordinary days...and to have our health and love to share with each other!

(LSU 63 Oklahoma 28) 

Here we come National Championship game!!!!!!

Um.....Did someone say that Christmas is next week???

Go ahead.  Just go ahead and put me into the category of "bad blogger".  Again.  And Again.  I am so far behind with keeping or family's diary up to date.  We've had a lot going on in the family since early September and the days and weeks and, now, months have just gotten away from me.

I do want to acknowledge our Thanksgiving, tho, before Christmas catches up to my coattails....we had an awesome week with our children and grandchildren.  A time to just "be together".  The guys hunted and took their kids hunting, the girls laughed and talked and "hallmarked"!!  The grands spent the whole week together, spending every night together and when it was time to split up for a night so everyone could get some rest...there was a resounding scream of ..PLEASE LET US STAY TOGETHER AND HAVE MORE SLEEPOVERS!!!!  So the six of them definitely had some good bonding time.  And THAT made this ol' YaYa smile with a warm heart every dingle dangle day!

Before their break from school began, I was lucky enough to get to visit most of them for their turkey celebrations!

Of course, there were LOTS of leaves to play in!

Soon, we were headed to the deer camp for fun and turkey!!

Aunt Hay showed the kids how to make chocolate turkeys many years ago, so one of the first things they want to do is make them!

Most every morning, this is where you'll find these hooligans!!  Gathered at the bar waiting on breakfast.  Amy made turkey cinnamon rolls that were so cute!

And this is where you would find them at night!  Gathered around the deer cleaning activities..and talking about their day!

Before we knew it, Turkey day was upon us!

After the meal and a little downtime....drunk on turkey! our next activity as a family was to go cut down the deer camp Christmas tree!  We love doing this and look forward to it every year. Middle boy found the perfect tree earlier in week so it was time to mount the 4 wheelers and caravan to the tree.

Cap'n begins the "sawing" process and then lets each grandchild have a turn sawing the trunk. So everyone feels like they've contributed to our tree!

Cut down and loaded onto trailer

then the tall ladders and the big boys come into action getting it into the house!

Thanksgiving at the Deer Camp  2019!

and now onward to Christmas!

"Thankful" is a Magic Word!

As I sit here tonight in the quietness of the pre-Thanksgiving craziness, I think about being 'thankful' for so many things.  Number one being my family.  We've had some trying times lately and I would bargain to say that I'm kinda ready for 2019 to close it's chapters....and that's a hard thing to say when you've got as many years behind you as I do!!!!  Don't wanna really give one day away but man, oh man......this one has been a challenge.

Yet, in all of the cards we've been dealt this year, there always remains one constant.

FAMILY.

I can always count on the support of my sweet boyfriend who is always close enough to reach out to, or in most instances, knows my needs before I actually do......42 yrs and I think we may have the hang of this thing called marriage!
My sons, who I know I can always count on.....no matter what is going on.  No questions asked.
My daughter in laws, who jump into action the minute it's needed and never look at the why's or when's.....they just know what to do.
My sweet, sweet grandchildren, who don't even know how much love they provide just by breathing the same air as I do.

This week, we will all gather together with hearts and souls laughing and just being "us"..and for some reason, it feels like a miracle this year!!!!

And for that.....I am so THANKFUL!!!!

six sweet souls snuggled in for movie night!!

...Back to Belize!

As I sit in my chair in front of the windows across the back of the house at the lake, on a rainy and chilly day, what do I see?
Not this!!!!!

or this....

This was just a picture perfect day with picture perfect friends!!!

So.............once we landed at San Pedro/Ambergris Cay..

we went straight to our resort for 4 more heavenly days!

The resort was very jungle-y....is that even a word???...very private and gorgeous landscapes.

My boyfriend and I had the whole top floor!!!

the views we woke up to each morning!

our balcony....that overlooked this! 

Most cocktail hrs were spent here!

One day we rented a golf cart and explored the town...

I'm always amazed at the churches we find in every central american/caribbean town.  Always a piece of art, whether they be big or tiny.

Love that this piece of scripture is on the outside of the church...

We came upon a little factory.....can you guess what they're making?

corn...

into the crusher...

distributing the dough..

A tortilla factory!!! They drive right up to the window and buy hot tortillas!

This was a fun adventure...

Dinner here:

Dinner there:

Dinner everywhere!

even a night of watching softball across the street from the cerviche bar!

One afternoon, the gang walked to the ferry to ride across the waters to Cay Caulker, another island close by.  

I stayed behind because of some back issues so as hard as it was, I managed....

Even the new Cap'n got a little rest and relaxation!

Our last night of a fun filled trip was spent over a leisurely dinner under a beautiful moon!

"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came."

                                                             ~john f. kennedy~

Another sailing trip in the books!!