Friday, November 28, 2014

T Day and the Day After.......

Thanksgiving and Family! The two just seem to go together. 
All of us that can gather at Nita's every year.......siblings and mates, some of our children, friends and family all mixed up together. We realize that  everyone can't come every year but we always have a full house!



I am so grateful for my sisters! They shoulder the responsibilities involved with taking care of Mother. Deanie handles finances and medical things while Mother has lived with Nita for going on 10 years. My only contribution is the beauty shop run, lunch on Friday and some shopping. I get off easy. THEY have the hard jobs!


We gathered for a Thanksgiving Prayer. 
Everyone held hands. Louis Dean is holding Mother's hand.
I opened my eyes long enough to take a picture.
I love looking at this one.

Then there was the FOOD!!


Every family has their own traditional - or nontraditional - menus and ours is no different.
Leah makes THE best cranberry sauce. It is a bit on the exotic side - just as SHE is!!!
Deanie always makes the dressing and the mac and cheese.
Trish brings the sweet potato casserole while Charity brings green bean casserole and decadent desserts! Louis Dean does the rolls, of course, and come Christmas morning he will be bringing his cinnamon rolls. He always makes enough to send everyone home with one.


My little red camera stayed busy!!!
Louis Dean says THAT'S an understatement!


Summer juggled schedules and dinners in order to be here with us at noon!
You simply cannot LOOK at Summer without smiling!


I am so proud of her!


It's fun to have so many Christmas Trees!! Kids love counting them!
I have MORE than one tree in some rooms - when you count the tiny ones.
We make a game of seeing if they can find them all.


Rayne will be coming over on Tuesday night to see how many I have up so far.


Ben arrived with a great looking beard!!


Who KNEW it would be RED??


There was a crowd of people already there when Benjamin came in. Mother was actually in the back so she didn't realize he was there until she heard his voice.


She was SO excited!!!
He is my youngest child and Mother's youngest grandchild.
Summer is her first and oldest.
I had the honor of giving Mother her FIRST and LAST grandchild!!
Pretty cool since I'm her OLDEST child!!





We are all so grateful to have Mother with us.
It was a close call whether we would have her or not just a few weeks ago.


As you can see - Mother is looking good!!!
She is getting stronger everyday!
As a matter of fact - Mother is doing better than WE are in many ways!
I am still trying to get my energy level back and Deanie is pretty drained. She doesn't have to tell me.
I can tell by her eyes.


Louis Dean and Sweet Andie!!!
I notice how she is growing up when I see her in photos!!!
We all love that little girl!


Deanie with her two oldest grands!
They are a good looking bunch!!


Our beautiful Leah and Summer!

We ate, talked, ate and talked some more!!
We finally had to head home so we could get comfortable (take off nice clothes and put on LOOSE ones!) in time to watch the football game. Sadly, the Dallas Cowboys lost and I went to bed. As in 6:00 in the evening BED! AND I stayed there!!!! I woke up at 3:00 this morning RESTED! So I got up!

It was glorious!!! I spent 6 lovely hours all alone. I listened to Christmas Cd's and hung ornaments on the living room tree. I had to design hooks from florist wire since I couldn't find real ones.
I have been cleaning and re cleaning the same rooms over and over lately. So far I haven't got past the den, foyer, living room and kitchen. I finally realized that with all that has gone on this fall, the whole place needs a good DEEP down cleaning! Since I love debris so much, it is a given that my house is HIGH maintenance! I am more than willing to pay that price! It's just been hard to find the TIME to do it lately!


I watched LOTS of Hallmark Channel Christmas movies! I have pretty much controlled the TV today and not ONCE has it been on a news station! 

Louis Dean woke up along about 9:00 and we had coffee together before doing the dreaded deed!!
We UNLOADED all the Christmas decorations from the storage attic!
It is all stacked up outside on the bedroom patio.


Louis Dean insisted on celebrating with a glass of bubbly and since it was only 10:45 in the morning, I made wine spritzers of Moscato and 7 Up. I had already been up nearly8 hours so I figured it was 5:00 somewhere!


I fixed us a good 'breakfast' for lunch!


There are spots of Christmas around the house!


'Gifts' are under the tree! I bought these boxes years ago at Sam's after Christmas sale and have used them ever since. They all stack inside one another and 'live' under a living room table the rest of the year.


The new Martha Stewart wreath from Home Depot's sale last year.


Another new one hangs on the foyer door.
I took down an Angel wreath that has hung there year round for over 25 years.
It has been 'relocated.'


I can't decide if this is a Christmas or fall wreath.
It is hanging on the pantry door and has been there since August.


Louis Dean helped me get down these Christmas dishes and I have cleared out a space to keep them on the counter for  everyday use.


Tuesday I stopped at a Christmas Tree stand and asked for some fresh trimmings.
The lady loaded me up!!!
I have bouquets all through the house.
It's funny how Christmas trees don't smell as good as I remember from my childhood.
Every once in awhile I get a whift  of 'CHRISTMAS.'
Back when I was a little girl, the only trees we ever had were Douglas Firs. They were the cheapest kind back then. They just smelled so GOOD!!!


I have all the Christmas coffee cups and glasses in the dishwasher.
The house is a work in progress tonight.


It used to take me a solid week to decorate!
I am hoping to get it down a bit quicker this year.
No children at home and a bit slower lifestyle makes it easier.

It's been a lovely day!
I just may do that again sometime.


19 comments:

Deb said...

what a nice family Thanksgiving...aren't we blessed to have wonderful families...I love Hallmark movies...

Debby said...

You have such a beautiful famly. You all have such happy smiles. I can tell you love the holidays. I live in Evergreen Hills on Spruce Drive. I have lots of trimmings. Thanks for sharing your family with us.

Kathy said...

What a nice Thanksgiving you had! And going to bed at 6:00 sounds good to me. I'm always tired. And you must have needed it or you wouldn't have slept.

Love all your Christmas stuff. I haven't started decorating yet, but I'm hoping to this weekend.

Amber said...

Looking good! See y'all tomorrow!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Your wreaths and Christmas dinnerware are so beautiful!! I love the picture of everyone standing around and praying!! An image of devotion to family and to God!! I had wondered where your mom lived, so now I know! All three of you are wonderful daughters!!

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

You had a great Thanksgiving! What a blessing family is!

I started my decorating this evening. It'll take a few days, to get it just how I want it to look, with a tweak her and a tweak there!

I love this time of year.

Deanna

Wanda said...

I truly love how each family shares Thanksgiving in their own special way. Thanks for sharing yours. We had a marvelous time. I'm so blessed to have the family I have..A dear husband, and lots of kids and grandkids to love on. Today, I started with the Christmas decorations...taking is slower this year.
BTW...your children and grandchildren are so delightful, and you mom looks so good. Hugs and Love...coming your way.

Penny said...

What a lovely post Linda, I really enjoyed reading all about your Thanksgiving day, what a nice tradition that is. I love your Christmas decorations etc, I take out my Christmas cups and tea towels on 1st Dec, and start playing my Christmas music on 1st too, but no decorations up til mid December. Your mum looks so well after her illness a few weeks ago, how precious to have her there,and the photographs of you handsome son are so lovely. Have a relaxing day X

Don said...

Hi Linda.... jumping over to follow you from "Living From The Heart".... I just love your photos and all the family gathering around the table for the meal... I especially loved the picture of holding hands as the prayer was said. You don't see a lot of pictures like that! Great blog. I'll enjoy it I'm sure!

Debbie said...

Loved reading about your Thanksgiving, and glad you had a nice one! Again I am struck by how you and your sisters care for your mom and how similar it was for my sisters and I. Mom lived with me though and most of her responsibilities fell on me as well. It was logical as my daily life was just more "available" for such things. It was hard I am not going to lie. But it also provided for all that extra closeness we shared. Glad your mom has such good care and soo many that love her. Looking forward to seeing all of your decorations once they are all up! Enjoy your day!

MadSnapper said...

I love all the family photos they are amazing and tell the thanksgiving story without words. your decorations are gorgeous... i have been watching Christmas movies for a week now, we have two channels that are running them 24/7 i am watching one now... i put them on the DVR and watch when bob is away flying. i love The Christmas Shepherd, a new one this year and my favorite of the new ones is Signed Sealed Delivered.. tells the true story of Christmas...

Estelle's said...

Oh LInda...it all looked so grand! Such a beautiful family and smiles all around. How blessed the day was. So happy to see your Mom surrounded by her family and looking so well! Hugs!!!

Susie said...

Linda, I just love seeing your family get togethers. Everyone is smiling and happy. Yes, Your mother does look good. Tell her red has lit up her face and of course seeing Ben really did the trick. I love hearing Rayne's sweet voice. The picture of everyone holding hands to say grace, that's how we do it too.. Get your rest. Blessings to all, xoxo,Susie

Judy said...

It looks like the best of family celebrations! You have a great start on your Christmas decor...have fun with that.

Gypsy Heart said...

Such a wonderful gathering ~ so much to be grateful for! I sound like a recording but I don't know how you do so much decorating. :) Love the dishes!

xo
Pat

Sweet Tea said...

Stopping by to say Hello. Enjoyed seeing and reading about your Thanksgiving. So glad your Mom is doing well.

darlin said...

Wow, beautiful family... what a blessing to have such a large family and your Mother is looking fantastic, as are you and LD.

The food... you all cook like we do, way too much from the looks of it and all delicious!

Have a wonderful and blessed Sunday! Cheers.

Carla said...

or and I forgot to just how many tree's do you have?

Carla said...

Dang it I made a comment prior to the tree question but my computer did something. Anyway. I've watched the quads and the other grandkids grow on this blog. They're all growing so fast.
Love the picture of you Ben and Summer.
Isn't it funny how his beard came in red. My stepfather's beard came in red and his hair used to be Ben's color. Looks like a fun Thanksgiving with the family
Hugs