CHRISTMAS WITH FAMILY

Me and my nephew, Wes.

Part of the Howard Clan exchanging gifts.

The girls with their BIG gifts-a Coach purse and a Fossil watch.

Christmas festivities started with breakfast at my house. My daughter and family came down around 9:00 a.m. and we had breakfast. I had decided to have something different. I usually have biscuits, gravy, eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, coffee and orange juice. Today I was planning to only cook bacon and ham with pancakes. Well, Sheyanne said she wanted two runny eggs, so did Madasan, so did Brett with their pancakes. I ended up cooking biscuits and pancakes so the big change went hay wire.

After breakfast we opened our gifts and then the girls search of their BIG gifts. I started this little game with my daughter and they granddaughters insist that we continue the tradition. I had seven clues scattered through the house and they have to search. They always complain that their clues are too hard and need hints to help with the search. This little effort usually takes around 20-30 minutes. Squeals of joy fill the house when they finally find their BIG gift.

They hang around for a while and finally go home to get ready for the night’s activities. We went to my brother’s house at 6:00 p.m. to meet with all of my brothers and their families. This group makes up around 30+ and is growing.

We enjoyed an abundance of wonderful food and then exchange gifts. The women bring a woman’s gift, then men bring a man’s gift and each family with small children brings gifts for them. We draw numbers and do the Chinese swap game. My brother, Richard, is in charge of rules and the swap game. He gets quite a charge out of playing this game and changing the rules to suit his needs.

Christmas is over and things will settle down for another year. We have so much to be thankful for.

THE GIRLS TAKE A ROAD TRIP

Christmas shopping led the girls on an exciting road trip. They were looking for just the right pair of boots so that took some searching. Broken Bow, Idabel, Hugo, Paris and Texarkana were just a few of their stops. (I’m proud I stayed home.)

While in Hugo they went by the cemetery and saw where Lane Frost was buried. The girls have a great fondness for bull riders and have watched his movie a zillion times.

They came home so happy. They had the right pair of boot and as you can see from the photo they found a real treasure.

MADASAN'S 14th BIRTHDAY PARTY

Sixteen friend and family helped Madasan celebrate her 14th birthday tonight. She received many nice gifts. One of her favorites was the hat with a matching belt.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS PARTY

Jo Ann, Carma, Julia, Pat and Charlotte

(Carma, Charlotte and I were 1954 graduates)

(Did you notice that I am the only one with gray hair???)

For the second year the retired teachers were invited to the elementary school for the Christmas Party. We had great food and enjoyed getting together with old friends and meeting some new ones.

NONNA'S DAY OUT

I sneaked off to Texarkana all by myself today. I went to Dillard’s and bought me a new rig or two or three, went to Bryce’s for lunch, went to Sam’s and then hit the 2:25 p.m. movie. I saw Blind Side. It was a fantastic movie.

My only negative for the day was paying $3.75 for a bottle of water. That really gripes me. I guess they have to make money but that is ridiculous.

I got to the movie a little early. I zipped through Sam’s in a buggy so I made good time. I have come to the point of not being able to walk any distance so I decided to ride. It was so nice. I arrived at the theatre and went to the restroom…not one person was in there. I then went into theatre 8 …not one person was in there. Around 2:15 p.m. a few people arrived but sitting there in that BIG theatre alone was a tad spooky.

After the movie I went over to Kirkland’s and did a little shopping. By the time I got out of there it was almost dark. Traffic was terrible at this time so I decided to boogie on home.

I visited the cardiologist yesterday and he prescribed some new meds. I think I determined that if I was going to get out and do anything I had better get on with it. I would like to report that I had a great day and evidentially the new meds kicked in and I didn’t have any problems.

MADASAN AND BASKETBALL

The Dierks Jr. Lady Outlaws were runners-up in the 2009 Dierks Jr. Invitational Basketball Tournament last week.

Madasan is in the eighth grade and plays on the Jr. High team. She is number 22.

*taken from the Nashville Leader and Nashville News

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

I have my tree up and everything decorated that can be decorated. I no longer do lights on the outside since climbing a ladder has become dangerous at my age. I would be just like Humpty Dumpty should I happen to fall.

Christmas is such a special time for me. It always brings back so many wonderful memories. While growing up my mom always made it a very special occasion. We didn’t always have big and elaborate gifts, many decorations but we did have an abundance of love. Mother always did everything in her power to make Christmas special for us. My dad just sat back and smiled at all of the hustle and bustle.

I didn’t always show my appreciation for her efforts. I remember that she worked so hard to get me a beautiful doll when I was about eight years old. The doll had a pink dress and bonnet. She was beautiful but when I opened the box and saw the doll I was so disappointed. I didn’t like dolls. I preferred a gun, a ball, a bow an arrow, a horse, etc. I will never forget the look on her face when she saw my disappointment. After that Christmas I never got another doll.

I finally learned to appreciate the gifts that were given with love. My husband gave me a gosh-awful ugly coat on our first Christmas. It was not anything I wanted to be seen in but he thought it was beautiful so I wore it.

There are so many wonderful memories that overshadow the minor little bad gift memories. I received many great gifts but stored back in my memory bank are those little bad experiences. Wonder why we do that?

I will always remember when our daughter came to live with us. She arrived in September at the beautiful age of three months. Our first Christmas with her was so special. She was young but since we had been married fifteen years, before her arrival, we were ready for some new excitement. She was just big enough to love the lights and the glitter of the decorations. We probably went overboard with gifts but we had been saving up for this child. From that Christmas on she always made our Christmases full of excitement.

I have many precious memories of my days at the elementary school. Secret Santa was a special treat each year. You never knew what might turn up in your mail box. Those were the days.

Now I have two granddaughters that carry on the tradition. They insist that I carry on the same traditions that I created with my daughter.

It is also a sad time because of the loved ones that are no longer with us. As I grow older the number continues to grow.

I want to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my blog readers. I am a lousy writer and don’t always use the right verb and often let my participles dangle but I push on. (I’m so proud my friend Helen, doesn’t have a computer.)

NEW BABY IN FAMILY

My brother Richard is a grandfather. His daughter, Alicia, had a beautiful baby girl. She named her Ayden Leigh. She was born November 16 which was one day after Richard's birthday.

The first picture is of Alicia, Ayden and Nick.

CHRISTMAS PARTY AT CHURCH

Seventeen of us gathered at the fellowship room to enjoy refreshments and reveal our Secret Sister.

Several months ago we were given a name and this was our Secret Sister. Gifts, notes, cards, etc., are given during the designated time and then we have a party to reveal the one that has been showering us with goodies.

We also had a recipe exchange. Each of us was to bring one of our favorite recipes and the ingredients to make it. We then played a Right/Left Game written into The Night before Christmas. Packages were shuffled around until the poem was completed. I got a chocolate calk recipe and ingredients from my dear friend, Edna. As soon as the batch of brownies is gone I will make it.

We enjoyed good food, good company and a relaxing good time.

A DAY IN NONNA'S WORLD

JO ANN’S FIRST DAY OF DECEMBER

Twenty three days two hours six minutes and forty nine seconds till Christmas. (When I checked a few minutes ago.) This day has been filled with all of the stuff that fills my life each day. I thought I would share a glimpse of what goes on in my world. Most of the time I tell you about my granddaughters but today I will tell you about MY DAY.

I got up around 8:30, had breakfast, got a bath and got dressed to go to the gym. Suzanne and I started going to the gym in Nashville two days per week so today was the day. I called her to check about what time we would leave and she was in the middle of tearing into her washer. It had not been working so I told her it could possibly be the filter. She picked today to find out.

Now remember I am ready at 9:30 a.m. just sitting and waiting for her to be ready. She called at 12:15 and said she was ready.

We left and on our way we decided to stop and see my new great niece that lives on our way to Nashville. We visited with her mom and got to hold her while she slept.

Finally we left and continued on our way to the gym. We arrived there around 1:30 p.m. and worked out for about an hour. After working so hard we had to have lunch so we hit Subway for sandwiches. Suzanne always tries something new and I always have the tuna with sweet pickled peppers.

After we ate our fill we went down to Wal-Mart and filled up the car and headed home. I stopped at the post office and got the mail and finally got home.

I had ordered me a air pistol to shoot pesky squirrels and two goats that stand on my front porch. I got the gun in the mail today and was anxious to try it out on Billy Tom that insists on chewing my door wreath.

I finally read the directions on how to make the gun work and went outside to try it out. The little female goat greeted me and I took a couple of shots at her and she headed to the back. I followed looking for Billy Tom and low and behold there he was with his feet sticking in the air as dead as could be. Something had already gotten to him. I knew the air pistol wouldn’t hurt him but would maybe scare him away from my porches but it was all in vain. HE WAS DEAD!

The girls got all excited over the unexpected death of Billy Tom (that is what they had named him). I was a tad disappointed that I didn’t get to scare him with the new gun. He would just dare you to scare him off and was in need of being taught a lesson. I missed my opportunity…

Now it was time to get ready for a gathering of the Bunco Babes. We were playing Bunco up at Rachel’s house.

Fifteen of us gathered to enjoy the night. Rachel had a great meal prepared for us and finally we got with the playing of Bunco. We always have such a fun and relaxing time and I always seem to embarrass myself one way or another. You can see from looking at the pictures that this is one crazy bunch.

This pretty much was my day. We got home around 8:45 and I settled in to watching Sherri on Life Time until I decided to write this book for my blog. What a day in the life of an old 73 year old broad!