Southern Home Moments

Wow! I can't believe I've not updated my blog for so long. Thankfully, I had a cousin that reminded me about it. So, I'm back & I will be updating on a regular basis again now. I've already changed out the sidebar items also. I'm going to try to figure out how to link my Facebook account with this blog, so perhaps that will be a simple task. Hope everyone is doing well!

Happy New Year Everyone! And NO "New Year's Resolutions" for me. I quit doing that years ago. I seldom keep them anyway, so I don't even bother trying to make them anymore. And besides, I don't need to look at a list to tell me what my head & heart already has in it. Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly for them if they work for anyone else. They just never work for me.

While in the doctor's office yesterday, there was such a nice older lady in the waiting area. I got really tickled at her too. We struck up a conversation and she told me all about her 8 grown children & all her grandkids, making homemade biscuits from scratch, & what she was gonna cook for her New Year's dinner. What made me laugh out loud was when she said to me (about her grandkids), "...I told my son that I knew how to give them teenagers of his a better education. It's real simple and it just involves pullin' a few wires...to the TV, the phone, the iPods, & the ignition wire to the car." I tell you, it's hard to laugh with bronchitis, but it struck me as funny. I was trying not to cough and I got a big ol' "Bless your heart" from her (and she was the one in the wheelchair...the kind of lady you just wanna give a hug to).

Update: Doc's diagnosis - bronchitis

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and I'm sending y'all Happy New Year wishes now. If you're gonna be out & about tonight celebrating, be careful. Our family will most likely sleep the New Year in. Our son has been sick and now I am. I have a horrible cough I can't seem to shake and it just keeps getting worse every day no matter what I try. Now, I'm hurting with it, so I have a doctor appointment this afternoon. Conrad (husband) is working days right now and will need to go to bed early tonight anyway because he has to be at work so early on 12 hr shifts.

Y'all have a SAFE & Happy New Year...don't forget to eat something green (like cabbage or turnip greens for money), pork (for progress), and black eyed peas (for luck)...I believe cherry pie is also on our menu for tomorrow. This is our traditional Southern meal for New Year's Day...well, most everyone's, I believe, around us. Have a good one!

We've had such a busy day today. It's a tradition for the kids & I to bake Christmas sugar cookies every year. My Moma always did it with us when my brother & I were growing up and I've carried that on with my own children. They always have the best time using the cookie cutters & then decorating each cookie their own way. It's time consuming, but we always have fun doing it. Speaking of my Moma, she's been baking sweet potato pies today and she's also made Christmas candies with Clay, Sarah, & Amber....dark chocolate covered peanut clusters, snowballs, & white chocolate covered pretzels. I'm about to start on our potato salad for Christmas Day dinner tonight. It will sit covered in the fridge until then and be just right. The presents are ALL wrapped and under the tree...finished up that the other day...so, tomorrow (Christmas Eve) should be a day to just rest and enjoy being together. My Moma & I were talking earlier today and she told me that my Grandmaw always cooked & baked the day before Christmas Eve too...which I can remember her doing also. But, Moma said that Grandmaw always did hot dogs on Christmas Eve because there was just so much going on Christmas Day. I've got plenty of hot dogs in the fridge, so I believe that sounds like a good idea. Tomorrow will be hot dogs on the grill...quick, easy, & the kids love 'em. Now, on that note, I've got to get back in the kitchen and start peeling potatoes.

This has got to be my all time favorite winter commercial on tv. I love the Clydesdales...have seen them up close at their home in San Antonio. They're beautiful and this is my favorite commercial featuring them.

Conrad & I tried to finish up some Christmas shopping this morning.  We went to Sam's Club while we were out also and picked up some groceries.  I went to the restroom in Sam's Club and there was a woman by the sink humming the tune of "Here Comes The Bride" out loud.  While washing my hands, I smiled at her and asked her if she was getting married soon.  She looked at me and said "NO".  I replied to her, "Oh, I just thought since you were humming that tune..." and she cut me off by saying, "Well, I AM getting married...HE just doesn't know HE is yet."  At this point, I believe my eyebrows went up, but I just kind of laughed and said, "Oh, Ok."  And, on that note, I dried my hands and walked right out the door thinking, "poor guy".  It's amazing some of the funny things you hear people say while you're out & about...especially this time of year.

I think I've finally finished the Christmas decorating at our house and we're ready for Santa...it's as good as it's gonna get this year anyway.  Conrad did the tree & lights today and the kids & I decorated it this evening.  I usually have all my decorating done the day after Thanksgiving, but with us shuffling the bedrooms around the last couple of weeks it just didn't happen.  Everything looks pretty and we got it done just before a short trip to Arkansas (Conrad & I are going...the kids are staying with their Grandmoma & Granddaddy).  You know, doing the tree is a lot of work.  But, it's worth it.  I like to turn off the lights in the den when we're done and we drink hot apple cider & hot chocolate (the kids) while we listen to the music and just look at the pretty lights from the tree, the wreath,  candles, other decorations, & Christmas Village on the mantle.  We played our Christmas music and we looked & laughed at some of the homemade decorations the kids have made over the years.  I have a box I mark "Favorite Ornaments" and I keep the special ones like that separate from the others.  So, again, it's a lot of work, but it's so worth it to see how happy it makes the kids...and me.

It's a rainy day here...supposed to be like this into the night as well.  I've been watching it come down with a cup of coffee at the moment, but it's a bit too messy to sit out on the porch.  Our cold snap came & went again.  We're back to a high of 70 degrees today.  All this back & forth with the weather here has gotten all 3 of the kids with sore throats & sniffles right now.

The weekend was nice though and the Christmas Fest/parade was fun.  Towards the tail end of the parade, Santa was riding with Sparky the Fire Dog on top of the firetruck.  Amber (our 7 yr old) got more excited over seeing Sparky than Santa!  She was jumping up & down and yelling, "Moma!  It's Sparky!  It's Sparky!" ;p  Here is a picture of who she was so tickled to see.  I bought a few gifts, and we found a bench to sit on and ate corn dogs, fries, & cotton candy.  I had forgotten to take a bag with us to catch candy in from the parade.  Amber had stuffed my purse fatter than a turkey at Thanksgiving!  There wasn't a crook or cranny in it OR on ME (pockets & hands) that she hadn't crammed candy or necklaces into. :)  I felt like I was toting a boulder around on my shoulder and trying to hang onto to her & gifts too.  Sarah (our 9 yr old) was sick and  had to stay with Grandmoma & Granddaddy, and Clay (our 13 yr old) was in the parade.  Here's another picture from the parade...

every Southern parade probably has a least one or 2 good tractors in it.  LOL ;p  Our 3 kids LOVE their Granddaddy to pull them on the homemade wooden sled he made them behind the big tractor.  He pulls them all through the woods on it.  Most of the time, they come back home lookin' like they've rolled through a mud hole, but they've always got big smiles on their faces!  It's one of their favorite things to do.