Mistletoe and all...

This is the mistletoe John shot from a tree in our front yard. He came in and hung it above our kitchen door frame on Christmas Eve day. Of course he couldn't wait to get me under it! I thought it was cute and sweet! We had a great Christmas Eve dinner with all my children and my Mom and her husband. John grilled our traditional fillets for dinner and Elisabeth, John Caleb and the children worked on a teddy bear cake, from Williams-Sonoma, which still needs icing! John Caleb helped with the Christmas cookies that evening and everyone helped with setting the table and cleaning up after dinner! John had helped me clean the house, which helped me so much! I have a GREAT family and do not know how I deserve such! They are so good to me!!



The Children taking items out of their stockings from Nana!



The children put the cookies and milk out for Santa! The red plates and cups are John and Elisabeth's they have had since their first Christmas! The others are Pierce and Samuel's. Notice how I have the candles lit behind the cookies and milk..usually a fire would be lit, but it was too hot!!




Samuel and Pierce loved putting reindeer food out in the yard for Santa's reindeer! Well, it had been raining Christmas Eve and wouldn't you know Pierce got his new Christmas pajamas from Nana dirty! So, Christmas morning he had the top on and different bottoms. This picture is Christmas Eve with big brother before the outside adventure! Those pajamas are sooo cute on them!! They are from Pottery Barn!

Samuel quoted the Christmas story that Christmas Eve for us all and Elisabeth read it from the Bible Christmas morning. May we always remember the REAL meaning of Christmas!! Thank you Lord!!

Searching...

I started my day with a cup of coffee and Pierce saying he was hungry. I cooked biscuits, bacon, gravy and eggs. John was gone hunting with my blessings(as he calls it). Not long after cooking and sitting for a while by the fire, I left for my hair appointment. Elisabeth watched the children. I always enjoy going to have my hair done, not only because it needs it, but the company. I go to Salon Amanda K in Vestavia and I recommend them to anyone. After leaving Mandy's I went to Brookwood Village. I had lunch at Cocina Superior. The taco salad is great. I also love the chips, very thin and light. Then my search started. I searched every store you can think of in the mall for a coat for my daughter. It is a certain style and color that she wants. No luck on the coat, but I did pick up a few other items. Leaving Brookwood Village was awful! It took about 15 minutes to leave. Next I went to the Summit. My quest for the coat was now at the Summit. I went to many stores within the Summit and still not a coat! I did pick up a few more items. Well, if I thought Brookwood was bad...little did I know. Leaving the Summit took about 45 minutes. I am not kidding! Wal Mart was my next stop. The traffic wasn't bad, but I had to wait for almost a hour for Elisabeth's prescription. I went to Stein Mart looking for the coat..no luck, so then I went to Academy for a few things. Galleria was my last stop. I walked from one end to the other looking in shops for that coat, of course picking up items along the way, but no coat! So, finally after arriving home after 10:00 from searching for that coat have come to the conclusion, Elisabeth can order it online. Why didn't I think of that 10 hours ago!

A Wonderful Night..

Last night my husband and myself went to eat, while my wonderful daughter and her boyfriend, Mark babysat for us. I had made them a pizza. Mark had rented the new released Dr. Seuss' "Horton Hears A Who!" and they made Christmas cookies while we were gone..children were set, so off we go! We enjoyed a great dinner , we both ordered steaks and had great talk time, we then went to the Rave movie theater in Vestavia. We had missed the Fireproof movie which was showing at the Summit, so John said, let's just go watch another movie, well...we just picked one that was just starting when we arrived and what a mistake! It was called, "Yes man"..i believe..well we left after thirty minutes maybe of it. It was terrible and the part we left on was more than terrible! John told the manager he wanted a refund because it was worse than a PG-13 movie and it was! He refunded our money and then we walked around the Vestavia area and walked to Starbucks. John surprised me by saying "Let's go to the Fireproof movie at 9:45." I knew he was tired from chopping wood and working in the yard all day, but he knew that movie upset me and he wanted me happy. This made me very happy...so off to the Summit we go! We saw Fireproof and LOVED it! We both cried at times. We didn't get home until way after midnight and then spent another hour or so spending time more! It was a GREAT evening!!!