Snow, Now Go

We did get snow here in Georgia. We got a good three inches, but there were drifts of eight inches. Plus ice. Thank goodness we never lost power.

Everyone was excited yesterday. Playing in the snow, cooking up all their best winter goodies. It was fun. But like a visitor whose welcome is worn out, it's time for it to go.

The roads are like ice rinks. Some poor people have been stuck on the interstates since yesterday. When the salt trucks finally make their way to where they're needed, they crash into the medians themselves. I feel sorry for anyone who is out trying to make their way to work or wherever else they must go.

I also feel sorry for me. I DO NOT WANT TO BE STUCK IN THE HOUSE ALL DAY AGAIN TODAY. I cooked more yesterday than I did in all of 2010. I went to bed at 8 o'clock. I was exhausted.

Ross drives a big truck with four-wheel drive and went and picked up a couple of Cam's friends and Joseph's girlfriend. Cam rode the four-wheeler and picked up Joseph. This was my garage after they all came in from playing outside.

Ain't they sweet? They really were. I asked all of them to wear extra clothes so that they could take off their wet clothes before coming inside.

Jeff has a big project coming up this weekend, so he was glued to the computer all day yesterday and didn't get to come out much. Here's a pic of my sweet men and Joseph.


Cabin fever set in about 2 o'clock and I had to get out again. I took a walk and then got Cam to take me for a four-wheeler ride. The scenery was beautiful.

My street sign.



Home sweet home.
The pool.

Little flowers (or weeds) through the snow.

Tree coated with ice. I'm amazed we didn't have trees snapping because they all had a nice layer of ice on their branches.

This is the rose bush that MaMa Kimball gave me a clipping of. I rooted it many years ago. Her bush was a gift from PaPa's mother when they got married. Now, a piece of it blooms in my yard. I almost think it's prettier in the wintertime than the summer.

On the four-wheeler ride, I went to see how the cows down the street were handling the weather. I really didn't think I'd see them. I thought they'd be snuggled up inside their barn. But no, they were doing what they like to do best. Eat.

Precious little babies.

My favorite windmill.

So we enjoyed our snow day. Now, it's time for it to go. I am not one to be stuck inside. I like to get in my car and go. I guess you could say I'm fickle. I'm not going to chance sliding into a ditch or into another car, so I guess I'll be inside again today. I'm hoping that Jeff will be able to get away from the computer for a while and take a long walk with me. The sights we see every day look so pretty covered with snow.

The boys have gone to Waffle House that's a half mile from our house, but I hear them driving in the driveway now. So let the fun begin again.

Till next time...

Happy Birthday Jean

Last night we celebrated Jean's birthday at Longhorn in Conyers. We had a good time and I think she enjoyed herself. I felt kind of bad because I meant to order her a cookie cake and I forgot. Longhorn gave her a birthday ice cream, which was good because she loves ice cream.

Sweet, wonderful in-laws.

I guess when you turn 84 there really isn't much you need in the way of gifts. So all she wanted was scratch off lottery tickets. That's what we got her. Well, that and a box of Turtles. Turtles are good at any age. She called us after she had scratched off her tickets and she won $45 off the tickets we gave her.

The boys went along. They would never miss their MeeMaw's birthday party. And they would certainly never miss an opportunity for a nice steak dinner.

They seem to have digressed back to the ages of 8 and 4 because they never want to smile or be serious for a picture anymore.

They end up looking like they need to be admitted to a psych ward.

Unless I talk to them in my meanest voice and grit my teeth. Then I might get lucky and get a decent picture of the two of them.

This is my SWEET little great niece, Kendal. I highlight sweet because she told Mee-Maw happy birthday before anyone else did. Other than Alayna, she's the only other little girl I have to dote on.

When they brought Mee-Maw's birthday dessert out, Kendal wanted a bite of it. She took her little bite. Then two. Then she was very thoughtful to pass Mee-Maw the dessert back.

I just thought that was so sweet. That's her mom, Kristi, with the pretty smile. And Kendal's brother, Drew, in Kristi's lap.

I had the most delicious chopped steak. It had a mushroom wine sauce and was covered with fried onion strings. I rarely eat fried food of any kind, so by the time we got home those onions were killing me. I drank half a bottle (no lie) of Pepto to get relief from those dang onions. Note to self: no chop steak at Longhorn. Stick to just the meat and potatoes.

Anyway, another birthday dinner for Jean has come and gone. She's having a little surgery this week for carpal tunnel, so say a little prayer that all goes well with it. She's a little anxious about it, and it doesn't help that it's scheduled for tomorrow morning when we're supposed to be having this wintry weather.

Speaking of which, does anyone else feel like they're waiting for a baby to come? It's making me so darned anxious that I'm not watching anymore weather forecasts. If it comes, I'm ready. If it doesn't, then I guess it'll just be like any regular old Monday.

But I sure hope it comes. I need to try out my new cookware that I got for Christmas. Sometimes it takes a snow storm to make me cook.

Till next time lovelies, enjoy your day.

Snow in the South????

Seriously? The weathermen around town are pushing up their sleeves for lots of radar reading. They are wearing their sweater vests. They are getting ready.

When the weathermen start taking those actions, it's time for us to react. So today that's what I'm going to do.


I'm going to the grocery store. Although, I have enough canned goods to sustain life for my family for at least a month, but I don't think blackeyed peas or tuna would be very appealing during a snow or ice storm. So I will buy milk. Why, I'm not exactly sure, unless it's for snow ice cream or cereal. Speaking of snow ice cream, how do y'all make it? My daddy and mama used to make it when we were little and it was the BEST. When I try to make it, it tastes more like milky vanilla. I'd really like to ace the snow ice cream this time around.

I will buy bread. Just because everyone else is and I never like to be left out. Eggs? Yep, I'll pick up a dozen of those, too. Why? I haven't used eggs since I made my Christmas morning breakfast casserole. Again, I don't want to left out. Get the chili ingredients. Make sure I have plenty of hot chocolate. I've got plenty of homemade vegetable soup that I made during the summer and froze.


I will check my flashlights. There's nothing worse than being caught with no power and all of your flashlights are either, a. dead or b. broken.


I will round up all my candles and my old-fashioned oil lamps. Slick up the sled. Gather up firewood. (That one's actually on Jeff's To Do List). Get out our ski clothes. I'm sure Ross & Cam's will not fit anymore, but maybe they can tie their suits around them much as Randy's mom did in A Christmas Story.

I should go to the hardware store and get some rock salt. But from what I've been seeing on TV, there may not be any to be found. Good thing I've got a couple boxes of ice cream salt hanging around. I can at least salt our porch steps that I have fallen down when they were completely dry.

Charge the camera batteries. Make sure there is plenty of room on the SD card.


I have a book. I might need a couple of magazines in case I'm too distracted to dive into my book.


Lastly, rugs, rugs and more rugs. Taking off slushy, wet shoes before coming inside is something everyone, except me, never remembers to do. So I will put multiple throw rugs all around.

I know in other parts of the country, a few inches of ice and snow are routine. Here in the south, honey, it's like a second Christmas. We're very excited.


So what do y'all do to prepare for snow or ice? Let me know, because like I said, I don't like to be left out. Or caught with my pants down. Especially in the middle of a snow storm.


Till next time...

Out With the Old and In With the New

Welcome 2011!

It's been a little while since I've blogged. I have a lot to write about. Like how our washing machine broke down with a full load of laundry, full load of water and soap. We got a new one. Our dryer was on its last leg, too, so we went ahead and got a new one of those, too. I actually washed and dried my comforter today without having to go to the laundromat.

I got a new phone, too. My old Blackberry wasn't doing the trick anymore. Plus, I felt like I was from the stone age with it. There is something so cool about the touch screen phones. Believe it or not, I actually like this one.

Even though I haven't been writing myself, I've still been keeping up with all of you. I may not always (ever) comment, but I do read. Last night I read my Aunt Theresa's blog. She wrote about a new found friend that she had made through blogging. Her name is Edie and her blog is BEAUTIFUL! Definitely one of the prettiest ones I've read. She herself seems beautiful, inside and out. She writes of her children, her home, her crafts, her faith, her life.

Her house burned to the ground a couple of days before Christmas, with hardly anything to be salvaged. Edie's story touched me in such a strong way that I could hardly sleep. After I read her story, I felt like I was going to be sick. For real. Her faith, though, was so encouraging to me. Her strength at a time like this unimaginable to me. I prayed for her. Will you please read her story and say a prayer for her, too? I just bet she could use all the prayers she can get.

Till next time...

What Defines Christmas to You

Just thinking. And wondering. From tonight until Christmas, I'm going to be focusing on the beauty of Christmas. I want to try and do things that mean Christmas to me. But what? What really defines Christmas to me. I'm being brutally honest here. These are the things that bring me joy and make Christmas the most wonderful time of the year. Hmmmm. As my lists always are, in no particular order.

1. Listening to Christmas carols. I love the old, old ones. I like to listen to the ones that were popular in the '40, '50s and '60s. I try to imagine what Christmas was like back then.

2. Watching Christmas TV shows and movies. I love Christmas television shows. And once again, I like the old ones. Betwitched, The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, Andy Griffith, The Brady Bunch (now there's a classic), Good Times, All in the Family. Well, you get the picture. And we've watched National Lampoon Christmas Vacation at least twice all the way through. We play it in pieces the entire Christmas season. Charlie Brown's Christmas is my most favorite. Next on my schedule is It's a Wonderful Life. I'm hoping my DVR is going to catch all the old sitcoms that will be on.

3. Snow globes. I will post a picture soon of my Christmas snow globes that I've been collecting since Jeff and I were married. I don't know how many I have. I've never thought to count. I love each and every one of them and they are my favorite Christmas decoration. My great-grandmother had one of the little blue plastic ones and I remember shaking it and watching the flakes inside. I couldn't have been more than about 5 or 6. You might say I've liked them awhile. For the next few days, I think I'll wind a few up and watch the snowflakes fall.

4. My MaMa Kimball's Not Like a Fruitcake Fruitcake. I made it again this year. It seemed dry at first, but I reached in my bag of tips and remembered that MaMa always put an apple slice or two with hers and it stayed moist and wonderful. This isn't your average, dried out, crumbly, full-of-who-knows-what. No, this is one that has 8 cups of pecans. Oh, yeah, it's divine. I'm blowing my diet from now until Christmas. MaMa Kimball's Not Like a Fruitcake Fruitcake comes but once a year. I'm eating it. I'll just have to spin that much harder in January.

5. And coincidentally, this one came last. Maybe it's because it's the one I'm focusing on the most. This year I'm going to really soak Christmas in. I'm going to enjoy every single second that I spend with every single person that I'm with this holiday. I'm going to make pictures to remember with, both on my camera and in my heart. I'm going to celebrate the birth of my Lord. I'm going to enjoy the smiles and expressions on my sweet boys. They'll always be boys, to me. I'm going to sleep with my Christmas snowflakes lighting my bedroom so beautifully. I'm going to enjoy the chaos that is Christmas Eve with my precious nephews, niece and my sweet sisters! I'm going to be thankful for what I have. I'm going to pray for others. The people that I know and people that I don't. There are children hurting and there are grown-ups hurting. I'm going to remember them all.

What about you? What's defines Christmas to you?

Till next time. Live. Love. Laugh. And do it with all your heart!

Working, Shopping, Wrapping & Baking

Do you ever wonder how in the world you get it all done? Today I've worked. I shopped. I wrapped. And now I'm baking.

And the funny thing about this is that I DON'T LIKE TO COOK! It's taken me a little while to publicly admit that I just don't like cooking. It's not natural. It's not womanly. It's not maternal.

I'm making Pioneer Woman's Christmas Rum Cake. I had not quite half a cup of rum. I needed more. So I just poured the rum that I did have in an ice cold glass of Diet Coke. Wow. It was so good. Even after the Diet Coke and rum, guess what? I still don't like to cook.

I'm also making a big pasta salad to take to our South Georgia Christmas tomorrow. We're gathering at my cousin Rick and his wife, Jackie's house. They live in Alpharetta, which is about an hour away. Even before I started to drink the rum, I had mishap after mishap in the kitchen. For example:

1. Spilled an entire, FULL CUP OF CHOPPED NUTS. (Yes, Bandit was quite happy.) Maybe that was what caused her to poop in the house. (Yes, I was SO NOT HAPPY!)

2. Burned my fingers on the pan with the boiling water and pasta.

3. Dropped half the noodles down the drain after burning my fingers on the pan with the boiling water and pasta.

4. Thought I bought olives with no pits. Bit into one. Guess what? Picked up the wrong jar.

5. Removed the pits from exactly 12 olives. Didn't take me long to decide that a machine needs to do that job. This pasta salad will have 12 olives only.

Those things have happened and I have not yet mixed up my cake yet. Jeff had to stop on his way home from work and get me some more rum. I may have to have another Diet Coke to make it through the rest of this cooking project.

Hope y'all are getting all of your Christmas chores done, and that you're enjoying every minute of it. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

Till next time.

Lifesaver Storybook

Around here tomorrow is the last day of school before the Christmas holidays begin. I've been reminiscing tonight about what that last day was like when I was a little girl.

We always had big class parties. We had a room mom who would bring refreshments for us. I don't remember making very many Christmas ornaments or crafts, but there is one craft in particular that I made that my mom and dad still have. I don't even remember making it really. It was a baby food jar, filled with water -- I guess it was water, but it's still crystal
clear -- and it had plastic holly inside. I always loved it when she brought out that jar.

I also remember these.


My friends and I would exchange gifts. I'm sure you know how that goes. Some girls would start telling you in November that they were going to give you a gift, so naturally, you would make sure to get them something. Sometimes they gave you something; sometimes not. But that didn't matter. My mom always bought several of those Lifesaver books for me to give my friends. And usually a friend gave me a Lifesaver book, too.

Sometimes we would leave our house after school and head to south Georgia to celebrate Christmas with my grandparents and my uncles in Twin City. It was a three-hour drive and I can remember sitting in the backseat of the car with my sisters looking at the wonderful little gifts we had gotten at school that day. The thing I remember the most is those Lifesaver books. And the occasional LipSmacker.

Santa brings my boys a Lifesaver book each and every year. I don't know if they like them or not, but nevertheless, they get one. Sometimes I curse Santa for bringing them because the silver wrappers are everywhere, but Santa knows what he's doing. He knows that one day my boys may remember, with the same fond memory as I, the Lifesaver Sweet Storybook.

Till next time. Be a blessing to someone this holiday season. You don't have to look far to find someone who needs one. Maybe you can share a Lifesaver Storybook.