Sunday Blessings and Christmas Painting Winner.....

We have been looking forward to Sabrina and Rayne's arrival back in Texas for the Thanksgiving holiday! I opened my eyes this morning before 8:00 and thought, "YES!"

I was up and at 'em getting the guest room all made up and was ready and waiting for Summer to get here and then we were off to the airport!

Our timing was perfect!

We had just parked and was walking in the door where Sabrina and Rayne were waiting at baggage claim for their luggage.

What a happy reunion!!!!

Such a  touching moment......it had been 120 days since Summer had seen them in person.

She Facetimes quite a bit and I love how Mummers and Rayne read together everyday. Technology can be a big blessing.

I was so happy to BE there and I had a bucket of pumpkin muffins for her!

She dug right in!

Plus she shared with a couple of security workers and family so I was glad I had enough muffins at home to refill her pail.

Sabrina went home with her mom and Summer and Rayne came over here to our house to spend the day and night. On our way we dropped off some pumpkin muffins with Pam and had a short visit.

Granddad was excited to see her and she was excited to see him.

He had been outside blowing and mowing leaves all morning.

He thought he had blown a breaker (electric mower since we can't keep a small engine running) but after a lot of flipping breakers and locating all the breaker boxes - he discovered it was a faulty extension cord! 

All that blowing off the leaves revealed ripe pecans ready to pick up.

I gave Rayne a pecan picker upper that you can use without even bending over!

Reaoma's husband, Doug, gave me that for Christmas long long years ago.

She decided to crack a few for a snack so I gave her the pecan cracker that Doug gave me the Christmas after the pecan picker upper.

It was such a beautiful day here! 

We sat out on the driveway visiting and shelling pecans and just enjoying being together.

While I got dinner started, Rayne made some cute cheese and crackers pies.

She used whipped cream cheese to stick triangle cuts of cheddar cheese to Trisket crackers.

Then she attached a Chicken Biskit cracker to the back using the cream cheese - thus making it look like a piece of pie. A dab of cream cheese on top finished it off.

We had a good dinner of those chicken cheese enchiladas, re fried beans, salad and a fruit salad using a light dressing of Coconut White Balsamic Vinegar and Blood Orange Olive oil. SO good!

After the dishes were done I went to bed for a good long nap.

Rayne and Summer read together and then they went out to visit in 'Percy' -that's the name of her van.

It was a little like camping and Rayne loves all the nooks and crannies and how comfortable it is out there.

We regrouped later and we got the big Christmas tree set up in the living room.

Summer was so sweet to fluff up and spruce up several wreathes and arrangements for me.

It's been a big day and we looked in the guest room and Rayne had put herself to bed!

Such a sweet little girl.

Most of my house is in Christmas disarray with only a couple of rooms all clean and decorated.

Still, Rayne was standing in the kitchen and looked all around, sighed and said, 

"This just feels like HOME!"

I would like to close with saying Happy Birthday to my first born son, Jesse!

He's up in the mountains this week for Thanksgiving as is their custom.

He and his family go up to a cabin every year and that makes for a perfect place to celebrate his birthday. Summer and I called him tonight on speaker phone and  sang happy birthday to him.

And now for the Christmas painting giveaway.....

there were 259 entries.....and I use random number generator......

and the winner is......#57......

Ginny Hartzler!

Congratulations!

I will get this in the mail to you as soon as it's dry!!!

Now I must go out and bring in some lights for the living room tree.

Rayne is an early riser and she and Summer are going to do the lights when they get up.

It's been such a good day!