My Big Family Revisited

I have told you before about the big family I have. At Christmas we go to a place called Echo and get together with my Mom's side of the family. This year there were about forty of us there. It was a lot of fun this year because we have so many little ones. All of the younger cousins are finally starting to reproduce.

This is my Aunt with two of her grandsons.




This is my cousin Wendy's little one. He was really tired of me pointing my camera at him.
cute isn't he?

These two belong to my cousin Lance.........

These two belong to my cousin Brandon.....who is brother to Lance.



This one belongs to my cousin Mandy.....who is the younger sister of Lance & Brandon.



This is my nephew.....Little Man.....I actually got a picture of him smiling!



And.....of course here are my two youngest......


Here are a few crowd pictures as everyone was "fixin" their plates.








Down here where I live......we call it "fixin your plate".....and boy do we fix it. This branch of my family is full of deer hunters......so we eat deer for Christmas. We also have the regular stuff like casseroles and dressing (not stuffing), dumplings, turnips, peas, and lot's of desserts, and of course sweet tea.

The food was good but, the visit with the family was better. Unfortunately I only get to see some of these relatives at Christmas. I know though, that if I needed any single one of them they would be there for me in a heart beat, just as I would be for them.

I love my great big ole family!

The Christmas Picture

Ok.....I totally lost my mind. I thought it would be a good idea to take a picture of the grandchildren for my in-laws, for Christmas. WHAT was I thinking?

Ok......this is the deal my children are 24,17, and 14. My sister-in-laws three are 12,7 & 5. First.....that is a big age difference. Then we made the pictures on the coldest windiest day we have had. And.....last her two youngest are wild!

This is the picture we got......
.....not one of my best at all, but you should see what we had to choose from.

First we had this.....



and then this....


and finally this.......

Then I actually thought we should get a picture of the boys together.....

yea right!


ended up with this.....


The girls were easier..........

In between taking pictures we had them to put their coats on so they would not be so cold. The princess wrapped up in a blanket instead.

This is what happened next......



and this...........

then this.....


and yes.....this...............

and no.....he is not dead.......

and finally we got this..........

The best picture I made all day was of the youngest three......




All I can say is I hope the grandparents enjoy and appreciate their new pictures because......this may never happen again. Well unless I get paid like at least $500.00.....well you better make that $800.00 cause I will have to pay my three to do this again.

To the two nephews and my niece......I truly do love you but, I don't want to take your pictures again until you are at least in your early twenties.

Thanksgiving Day

This year, instead of going out of town, we went to my Mother-in-laws house. T's sister and her family were there also. My oldest, the Fireman could not be there because.....once again.....he was working.

This is my Mother-in-laws backyard......




The kids decided to go outside after lunch. The princess and her cousin tried to have some girl time......



It did not last long....



The nephews can't stand girl time......it must be interrupted.



The little one got upset with his Mom because she would not kick the football to him right.



Big E was totally oblivious to all that was going on......he was busy texting...


The princess decided to give one of the cousins a ride....thank goodness she did not decide to launch him into outerspace!




All in all it was a peaceful day.......

Well..........not really but......it was an enjoyable day!

My Hubby Hates Whiskey!

No, I am not talking about whiskey as in the liquor kind. I am talking about my oldest male red poodle named Whiskey. Whiskey is the name that you get when you let a teenaged boy name your dog.

This is Whiskey

Any way, Whiskey is two years old and he likes to bark......at every thing....all the time......my hubby hates dogs that yip and bark.

Whiskey always stays right up under me....all of the time even in the bed. Hubby rolls over and ........there is Whiskey.

There have been a lot of incidents over the years that have not helped Whiskey to endure himself with the hubby but, yesterday was the last straw.

I got home from work and low and behold Whiskey was outside in the pen with our lab puppy. I thought to myself..."hmmmmmm this can't be good".

So this is how the conversation went:


ME: So, ummmmm what did Whiskey do?

(I get the look from "T") that's not good

Me: welllll.....what did he do?

T: You better not laugh when I tell you!

ME: I want....I promise.

(that look again)

T: I mean it you better not laugh because I am still mad about it!

ME: OK.

T: I took all of the dogs outside this afternoon to use the bathroom and I was watching them run around and play and I felt something wet on my leg. Your blankety blank dog had hiked his leg and peed all over my leg! STOP LAUGHING!!!!

ME: He....HAHAHA.....peed on your leg.....HAHAHA...?

(get the look again.....as I roll around on the floor laughing)

T: I told you not to laugh.

ME: I'm not laughing.....HAHAHAHAHA

T: It is not funny.....that stupid dog hiked his leg and peed on me!

ME: I am really sorry.....HAHAHAHAHA

T: You better not tell anyone about this.

ME: I want.....gee....

T: I mean it.....don't you tell anybody!

ME: Now who in the world would I tell? (I ask very innocently)

T just walks out of the room looking at me very suspiciously.

Now really.....why would he think I would tell anyone about that? I mean what would even give him the idea that I would?

Three A.M. Thoughts

It is 3:00 am and once again, I am wide awake. Isn't it funny how you can have some of your clearest thinking at such odd hours.

Last night I had a meeting for our local Touchdown Club. I had an hour before the meeting started and on the spur of the moment, I decided I would run into our local coffee shop and grab something to drink, just to kill time.

As I walked in, I found, with great pleasure that two of my friends were sitting there. We all smiled and hugged and I sat down to talk with them until time for my meeting. It was a very enjoyable time. Before leaving, we made plans to start meeting there at least once a month. I loved the idea!

Later, one of the friends sent me a text about how nice it was to have the three of us together like that, and.......it truly was.

I have been sitting here trying to go back to sleep and that chance meeting came back to me and I was filled with a warm peace. It is wonderful to know that I have two wonderful friends like this.

It hit me that the three of us were able to talk, without guarding our words or worrying that what we said would be taken wrong or repeated. In other words.....there was a complete trust. I am so blessed to have two such amazing ladies in my life.

I have many aquaintances and I have many people that I call friends. I am blessed with having some really great people in my life but, these two are special. When we are together there is an ease and comfort that you don't find with just anyone. We can laugh at and with each other......we can cry with each other...... we can share our secrets with each other and.......we know.......that there is a complete trust. How many people, outside of family, can any of us say that about?

So.....as I sit here......at 3:00am......I want to say to these two. I love you Steph and Patti and thank you for being the amazingly wonderful friends that you are!