"Girls DAY Out!

Several days ago I sent both of my daughters a text and asked them if they would like to join me Friday after work for a quick lunch and then on to the nail salon for a manicure and pedicure.  I had been blessed with 2 Gift Certificates to the same salon and I decided to share them with my 2 sweet girls!

We all got off from work around 1:00 p.m., so we decided to meet up at M@es for some Naked Burritos and  Taco Salads before our 1:45 p.m. appointments. After lunch, we walked a few doors down to the nail salon where I had previously made our appointments.

Since Grace was scheduled for a manicure AND a pedicure, she was the first one to be taken back for her appointment.

Faith was still busy trying to make her final decision on the perfect nail color before it was her turn to be seen. She only wanted a manicure since she had just gotten a pedicure last week and the nail tech had CUT her toe and it still had not healed! OUCH!!

Finally, I got to join Grace for an awesome hot foot bath, scrub and pedicure. I had forgotten just how good a pedicure feels! I could get used to THIS!

As an added bonus, the massage chairs were awesome in this salon.  It was massaging up and down my entire body.  I felt like I had to be  college graduate to operate the remote control, though!  Every time I thought I had the power off...it would start back up with all sorts of gyrations! LOL

Faith got a hand and arm massage prior to her nails getting polished.  I must say that I LOVE this part of a manicure service, but for some strange reason...I have an allergic response to something they use and it causes my skin on my hands to peel off and be very painful for a few days following my massage, so I decided to just stick with the pedicure only this time.

By this time Grace had moved on to the drying cycle....

And very soon she was joined by her sister, Faith...

I had SO much fun spending time with my two sweet girls...we laughed so much and it was just fun to get a little pampering to start the weekend off right!

After the "Mani and Pedi" appointment, Grace and I headed to our next appointment....

Grace had her first fitting for her wedding gown.  We looked at shoes, jewelry, etc., but still have not made any final decisions.  Hopefully, she will make a decision about which shoes within the next month so that she can have her dress hemmed at the next fitting appointment.  April is going to be here BEFORE WE KNOW IT!  Her dress is so beautiful and just "looks like her"!  I know that she is going to be such a beautiful bride!

There are so many details yet to be decided....I'm starting to "panic" just a little as it's been a LONG time since I planned a wedding, but I know that very soon everything will start falling into place.

After we were done there, we headed to Jos. A. Banks to look at suits for the men in the wedding and finally home after a LONG, but fun day!

I spent the rest of the evening in my "jammies" with my hubby and this handsome fella"! ( :

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Bringin' in the New Year...Southern Style, YAWL !

As you may have figured out by now, ANY special occasion revolves around food here in the South.  New Year's Day is NO exception!

Yesterday morning, I had the sweetest treat from my husband!  I came out of the shower and, as he does MOST mornings, he delivered my fresh cup of coffee to me to drink while I dried my hair. That in itself would have been enough, but after I finished getting ready, he told me breakfast was ready and I came into the kitchen to this DELICIOUS goodness....

He had brought the new year in the night before preparing this traditional Breakfast Casserole with sausage, eggs, bread and cheese that we typically have every CHRISTmas morning, and boy was it yummy!  He was so proud of his culinary skills....the first thing he said to me was, "Take a picture!"... I said, "Really?" and he said, "Why not?...You take a picture of everything else!" HA!

So, be on the lookout...in addition to having  MiMi's Making Meals, we may soon be having Poppa's Making Meals, too! 

After we finished with our breakfast I began preparing our traditional New Year's Day meal.  For those of you who don't know....us Southerners have a tradition of eating black-eyed peas, cornbread, "greens" (collards, kale, turnips, spinach, etc.) and some type of pork on New Year's Day. This variety of foods are said to bring good luck and increase the odds that the new year will be a great one. 

The black-eyed peas are thought to look like coins so people consume them with financial rewards in mind. The hog, and therefore the meat from the hog, is thought to symbolize wealth and prosperity. The "greens" are also considered to bring good luck because their leaves look like folded paper currency.  It's widely believed that the more "greens" one consumes, the larger one's fortune for the next year.

My family joined us at lunch to partake of all this Southern goodness.... Marinated and Baked Pork Chops, Turnip Greens, Southern Buttermilk Cornbread, Black-eyed Peas with chopped onions and Chow-Chow.  Chow Chow is a relish that is a staple on  many Southern dining tables and is typically served with pinto beans and cornbread, or anything else you want to put it on. It's a mixture of sweet and spicy that really "perks up" the taste of about anything you add it to. It is something my soon-to-be son-in-law has discovered that he absolutely LOVES!

We also came to the realization in this new year, that not only does little Miss E no longer need a booster seat to reach the table, but she no longer needs a small little plate!  Girlfriend has really started eating so well!  

So....from now on she gets a BIG dinner plate just like the rest of us Southerners!  Oh..and a big ole' glass of Sweet Iced Tea....YAWL!

Wishing you much health wealth and prosperity in 2011 -

Happy New Year from my family to yours!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOTHER !!

Today, New Years Day, is my sweet mother's 79th birthday! 

I wish that I was able to spend the day celebrating with her on her special day, but, fortunately, I was able to visit with her a couple of weeks ago when she came up for a visit. We had a great time playing games together, laughing and just enjoying each other's company. I even got her on Facebook where she can keep up with all of our family on a daily basis!

Mother, thank you for all the sacrifices that you made for me growing up and the unconditional love that you always showed to me. I am so grateful for the values that you instilled in me, even as a young child.

I love you very much and pray God's richest blessings on you in 2011!  May He grant you the desires of your heart!

December 2010 with her Great-Granddaughter

HAPPY 79th BIRTHDAY, MOTHER!

NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY

For quite some time now I have wanted to visit the Billy Graham Library. When I heard that they were having a special "Christmas At The Billy Graham Library", I knew that I wanted to go while the grounds were all decorated for Christmas. So...last night, Walt, Grace, Emma and I piled into the car and headed south for the Christmas experience at the library.

We picked one of the most crowded nights of the year so far, so after parking, we caught a shuttle that carried us to the library. Emma was very excited about the shuttle ride!

As we came off of the shuttle we saw Billy Graham's Birthplace all lit up for the holidays. This is the actual home place where he lived just a few miles from its current location, from about age 9 until he left for college. The home has been restored using about 80% original materials. Billy's father built the house in the 1920's for about $9000.00!

It was so neat for me to walk through and see so many similarities to the fixtures and furnishings of my grandparents house. I even saw a set of porcelain figurines that were identical to some that my grandmother had.

During Billy's childhood, the Graham family owned a dairy and so the building is barn-shaped with a huge cross-shaped opening. It is absolutely breathtaking in the darkness with the Christmas lights.

There was a live nativity.

And inside was a beautiful, huge Christmas tree with lots of handmade wooden crosses and rustic ornaments. We took advantage of someone offering to take a group photo in front of the tree.

Inside, they have the Graham Brothers Dairy Bar, where you can purchase salads, ice cream, and sandwiches; as well as, coffee and hot apple cider.

Here are Grace and Emma waiting on Poppa to bring us some coffee and cider.

Emma and me waiting in the Dairy Bar for our treats!

And after we were done eating, we turned our "eating" booth into a little "Photo Booth" and took some pictures of everyone.

I couldn't resist a picture of Miss Emma in front of the gorgeous poinsettias. They were almost as tall as she was!

And before heading out, we decided to stop for one more photo op in front of that gorgeous Christmas tree.

There was so much to see and do, but we decided that we would need to go back for a visit without a certain little "munchkin" with us. The tour itself takes about an hour and a half and we were afraid that might have been just a little too much to ask of a 4 year old!

The grounds must be beautiful in the daylight, but they were absolutely MAGICAL all decked out for Christmas!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Mother's Day 2009

I had the most wonderful Mother's Day! I was blessed to have all of my children in church with me on Sunday! Even after all these years, there's just something so special about being in God's House together!

The 3 of them got together and planned barbecue and all the fix-ins for lunch and we had so much fun.  After lunch a few of them "scattered" and took naps while Chad, Josh and I watched the National Geographic Channel.

Josh, me, Grace and Faith

Josh, me, Grace, Walt, Faith And Miss E

(I am so sorry that my son-in-law was not included in this picture, but he insisted on being the photographer.)

I had to include THIS picture because it is so hilarious to me!

And, NO, Josh is not holding a giant stuffed animal! That's his "baby", Turk, his Labradoodle! He's getting HUGE, isn't he? (He reminds me of "Alf" -- if any of you remember who he is. Or maybe Mr. Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street -- if he only had a trunk!) lol

I am so proud of my family and I love them all so very much! God has truly blessed me with an awesome family. I can think of nothing better than having them all together in church and then spending the day at my house! 

Thanks for making it a wonderful day, guys!

Tip Toe Through The Tulips

The tulips in our neighborhood are just beautiful this year.  Miss E spent the day with MiMi and Poppa on Friday because her daycare was closed for Good Friday.

I had to walk downtown to pick up something at a local store and I decided to pull E for a ride in her wagon.

 I couldn't resist a photo shoot in the tulip patch.

 

How beautiful are these flowers, and, well....

You already know how I feel about this little "flower" in the middle!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRACE!!!

Twenty four years ago today a very special gift from God arrived in our family!

 

Our very own,

PRINCESS GRACE!!

A precious little girl with the biggest blue eyes !

And the prettiest silkiest blonde hair!

Everywhere we went, strangers would stop us and comment on your eyes.

You even had one of your friends in school go home crying to her mother that "Grace gets to wear eye makeup!" because she thought you had on mascara!

Grace, you have given us such a beautiful granddaughter in Miss E that, in so many ways, is just like having another Grace around. She has your same big beautiful eyes, your same contagious smile and she is so smart - just like her Mom.

You are such a blessing to our family!  You have such a sweet and sensitive spirit and you have such a giving heart. 

You are an incredible Mom to E!  You work so hard to provide for her and we could not be any prouder of the fine young woman you have become.

It is so exciting to watch how God continues to work in your life. Dad and I pray that you have a wonderful birthday and may God richly bless you this year.  May God give you the deepest desires of your heart!

We couldn't love you more!

Happy Birthday, Gracie Macie!