A look back at 2010?

Huh?  2010 is over... what happened to that year?  2011 almost?  Wow, time is flying right by!  Lots of bloggers are taking a look back at 2010 and so will I!  I spent the first half of 2010 praying and worrying about Justin (my Nephew) in Afghanistan!  I counted the days he was there and counted the days until he came home!  It was a time in my life that just changed me in so many ways!  I have never prayed that hard about anything or anyone in my life!  Looking back thru my blogs over the year, there was a lot about Justin... packages, phone calls, news and welcome home!  I spent many hours talking about my Grandchildren because they mean so much to me!  I spent many hours talking about my Family because they all mean so much to me!  Early in 2010 my Husband was in a tragic accident and survived!  Shortly after that he retired after 38 years of working and is so happy in retirement! 

This NEW YEAR will start out with Justin on our own soil and for that I am thankful!  They say he may have to go back, but I will be praying that he doesn't!  If he does, I'll be back on my knees, back at the post office sending him packages and mailing that daily letter!  I am an optimistic old gal and will hope and pray that there will be Peace on Earth for all.  I am sure that my New Year will be filled with Ballgames for Autumn and Austin... and perhaps Alex and Avery will play too!  I am sure that I will enjoy Family and Friends as I have every year in the past!  I will plant flowers and show you pictures of all of them!  I will go shopping at Estate Sales and show you what I bought!  I will clean and organize and then show you what I did!  I will try to do more crafting and less talking about crafting!  More visiting with relatives and less saying that I need to do it!  More exercising and less talking about it:)  My plans are to travel to different and interesting places and taking you all along with me:)

I want to wish all of you a Happy New Year's Eve and A Happy and Healthy New Year!  HUGS and Love to all of you!

Grandkids everywhere...

The parents received tickets to Cirque du Soleil for Christmas gifts, soooooo.... the kiddos came to hang with Ganky and Pa!  We had a Mexican fiesta for dinner, taco ring, taquitos, cheese dip and chips and salsa!  The food was yummy and the conversation fun!  We always end up playing the quiet game, well because there is so much conversation:)  I snapped a few pics with my Iphone, bad quality but you'll get the picture:)

This little girl knows her checkers!  She won, Ganky lost:)

This little sweetie was watching while resting on her pillow pet!

Austin disappeared after dinner to their room upstairs for some computer games!

Autumn watched football with us!  She was still watching with Pa when I herded the little ones up for bedtime!

After reading "Twas the night before Christmas", some wiggling, giggling and shhhhhhhhh, we settled down for a winter's nap:)  I am up this morning sipping my coffee and the rest are still snoozing! 

Have a blessed day my friends!  Hope you are enjoying this week between Christmas and New Years!  Hugs!

You know you are getting old when..

You know you are getting old when...Your Granddaughter wants to go to the Mall with you... AND when you pick her up, she comes out with her OWN keys to her OWN car and points for you to get in it:)  It was the first time I had ridden with her since she got her learner's permit and she did an awesome job!

  We went to the Mall, exchanged a few items, sat in the food court and moved on to Target!  It was so much fun!  I have to tell you, it reminded me of something I have said to her for years!  She always thanked me for taking her to school when I used to take her every day!  She has always thanked me when she needed to go somewhere and I took her!  This is what I would say to her "When I get old, will you take me places, to the grocery store, shopping"?  She would always say, "I sure will, Ganky"!  No, I am not too old to drive... but I bet I can count on her when I reach that point in my life!  Going to the Mall with your 15 year old Granddaughter and getting a big 'ole hug when you get back home... PRICELESS!

It is the little things that make me smile!  I hope you have little things that make you smile!

Love you all!

Several requests....

Some of you have asked about my "little house on the prairie", my "cottage", my "guesthouse", my "pool house"... many names for this little dream come true of mine!  So... here is the story of my little sweetie in my backyard!  When my Daddy started having pretty bad health, I told him I would build him a place to stay when he couldn't stay alone anymore!  He said he just wanted to stay where he was, at home!  But my mind had already started planning it!  After he passed away, I was the recipient of his sweet little bedroom suite which also belonged to my Father-in-law and then my Husband:)  I had NOWHERE to put it but wanted it anyway!  My sweetest ever HUSBAND agreed for me to get the builder of our home to build me a cottage (my brother calls it that)!  So we started out with a bunch of woods!  I will let the pictures tell the story...

My Brother Marshall and I painted it inside and out!  Hard work but so much fun!

Now that it is finished, come on in!

Peeking in thru the screen door!

Need a nap?

My Antique sewing table which I use for crafts!

Some special gifts from a friend!

My little kitchen!

You can sit at the table if the tour is wearing you out:)

Need a shower or use the potty!

Give us this day our daily bread!

I hope you have enjoyed your tour!  Ya'll come back now, ya hear?

Here is a picture of the little house in a heavy snow we had last year!

Have a blessed day my friends!  BIG HUGS!

I was a bum all day!

We had snow, Church was canceled and I didn't accomplish a whole lot!  The rest of the Christmas gifts were moved under the tree to wait on our out-of-town family to come and retrieve them!  I worked on some bows, cleaned a little and sat in my favorite chair with my heating pad on, my new slippers on my feet and watched football!  I think I was just tired from all of the festivities and the rest felt good!

Here are a few snow pictures from yesterday! 

My little house on the Prairie!  She is warm and cozy inside!

My little chippy girl with her snow hat on:) 

I was outside in the cold taking pictures with my housecoat on!  The wind was blowing and it was mighty cold! 

My Angel looking snowy! 

My Giant Christmas Trees with snow flocked branches! 

And the house with a light coat of snow!  We have lived here for eight years!  The year we built the house, it came a heavy snow before the roof was even put on!  I always take this same shot every time it snows! 

The sun was trying to come thru the clouds!  I love taking pictures of the sky!  All skies are pretty to me!

Enjoy your week between holidays!  HUGS!

OUR Christmas...PERFECT!

Our Family Christmas Photo 2010

Marcy, Anna and families will be with us perhaps next weekend!

We played a game, you drew a number and picked a gift... this was Tracy's!  She is looking TOO cute!

Justin, Britani and Bradley ready to open their gifts from Ganky and Pa!

Here is my "Christmas Husband"!  He is always so festive on Christmas!

This is my Sister Brenda and her new Christmas apron!

Everyone calls my Sister Brenda Granny!  I found these, they were called "Racing Grannies"!  She loved them!

Cindy and I were shopping in Borders one day last week!  She commented on how she loved this book!  I went back and bought it!

Alex with her Barbie Doll and horse!

We have some traditions that make us open gifts at the same time!  Andes candies!

Avery patiently waiting to open gifts from Ganky and Pa!

Alex got Bitty Buttons from Santa:)  She loved her!

Austin got Xbox 360 Kinect from Santa... he loves it!

Autumn with gifts to open...

Sister, Barbara... Nanny, with her new birdhouse!

Two handsome fellas in their new Christmas gifts!

Justin was TIRED... Pa was opening a gift and almost dropped it on Justin, yikes it was a toolkit:)

So... Christmas 2010 was wonderful AND then it snowed!  Yes, it snowed here in Georgia... the first WHITE CHRISTMAS in Atlanta since 1882!

PERFECT:)

  I pray you all had lots of time with Family, good food to eat and blessings galore!

Love you all!  Merry Christmas!