The man in the red suit...

My daughter and I after a girls night out...

yep on a Monday night...

we went out to dinner with my DIL, SIL and 2 nieces...

at 7:45 at night...

I'm usually in my jammies curled up in my chair...

we had a nice time...

 

Meet the man in the red suit...

I had a fun photo shoot with him on Sunday...

it was close to 80 degrees...he was a trooper...

Hotrod went right up to talk to him....

when Santa asked what he wanted...

he once again said toys...

My Mom wasn't a bit shy about talking to the big guy either...

Santa was a big hit with almost everyone...

there were a few young ones crying...

which made for some really cute photos...

 





 I've been missing in action...

but I feel like I've got my blog mojo back...

Friday was a tragic day for our country...

I didn't really know a lot about it till the end of the day...

I was too busy enjoying my Hotrod...

I always tell him I love you to the moon and back...

Friday I added TWO TIMES...

later in the day.... he said...

"Oma....I love you to the moon and back...

insert big smile TWO TIMES...

does it get any better than that....

 I ran across an old friend on facebook recently...

it was fun catching up on old times...

This friend also appologized for actions back then...

that had been bothering them for over 30 years...

it was such a nice thing to do....

My friend said they learned so much from those mistakes...

isn't that how we learn....mistakes....

my friend was relieved to know that I hadn't held that against them....it is funny how we can have such different

memories...or sometimes they are exactly the same...

Hubby and I had a fun day yesterday...

we were able to just let our hair down...

we started out with a nice lunch at a little bar and grill we like...

I filled the juke box with all our favorite songs...

then we went to another hang out...

I filled up the juke box again...

we ran into a lot of folks he knows...

some I had never met...

Hubby loves telling stories...so he was in his prime..

doing a little BS-ing with the guys...

then we danced the afternoon away...

we were the only ones dancing...had the floor to ourselves...

which...if you've seen my Hubby dance...

you would know that was a good thing...

we had several people come over to our table...

telling us how much they enjoyed watching us dance...

Hubby introduced me to one fellow...

This is my wife...Deb...

the guy looked at him and said..

This is your wife???

I thought it was a girlfriend....

yall look like yall are too much in love to be married...

I had to laugh....

so Hubby called me his girlfriend the rest of the day...

The fellow was even more surprised when he found out...

we've been married almost 30 years...

 

 of course we had a few come up and tell me how brave I was...

dancing with a guy with such big feet...

I just told them years of practice learning to stay out of the way...

we don't two step or do any what you call normal dance...

Hubby has his own...and after years of trying to change it...

I finally just follow his lead...and it works...

it's not always the same...he loves to spin me...

when I finally quit fighting it..

it looks like we know what we are doing...

Sending prayers to my Dad....

he is having some dental surgery this week...

Today is a big day....

I'm having a photo shoot with...

The big guy in the red suit...

yep you heard it right...

I've got a photo shoot with SANTA CLAUS...

Today is the big Christmas show at my daughters dance studio...

another big deal is...

My Hotrod will be performing....

he is very excited...he was practicing his little dance on Friday...

also one of our dance girls niece will be dancing with him..

so it is a big day of firsts for us...

of course you will be seeing photos...



 

12 days until Christmas...

My handsome son turned 29 today...

where did the time go...

just seems like yesterday he was Hotrod's age...

 



I've been going down memory lane this week...

I scanned around 200 old photos of my son to make him a CD...

for his birthday....

some of the photos I feel like I'm looking at Hotrod...

of course I could have pulled out thousands...

it was really emotional...

as I was going through...

I found photos that I hadn't thought about in years....

a little weepy..but in a good way....

Hubby thought I should add the following song

to go with photos...

nope couldn't do it....

would have really made me sentimental...





seems like I've been running into so many from my past lately...

can really stir the emotions that's for sure...

in a good way....but still can make you weepy...

 

 believe it or not we had a little snow...

not enough to do anything...

but it is COLD...

oh how I miss summer...

 we got our Christmas tree this weekend...
Hotrod helped...we actually took the first one we looked at...
the guy was surprised...most people look at several...
but we knew it was the right one when we saw it...

it's just the right size...

last year I bought new ornaments...one's that will not break...

shatter proof...with a little one...

and cement floors...

glass ones wouldn't stand a chance...

I'm saving all my special ornaments for when he's older...

 



 

I have not been a good blogger lately...

life seems to be getting in the way...

been going down memory lane alot...

Christmas always makes me sentimental...

my son turns 29 this week...

where did the time go???

 

 



 It has been a great weekend...

busy....great...

We had Hotrod and the granddogs for the weekend...

 

 

Friday night we went to dinner...

at Hotrod and Pawpaws favorite place...

to eat catfish...

 Saturday night we went to Prairie Lights...
it was a nightmare getting to the place...
but once there...it was a blast...
Hotrod got to help Pawpaw drive...
he grinned from ear to ear the whole trip through...
 

today we picked up our Christmas tree...

Hotrod was excited to help...

on the way home we stopped for Icecream (frozen yogurt) cones...

the tree is in the stand...ready to be decorated...

a nice weekend...nice memories...
I found this poem...
I get really sentimental during the holidays...

Old Memories
(Carice Williams)

I treasure sweet old memories
As time goes swiftly by.
A few bring smiles of happiness
And some tears to the eye.
 

They all are precious in their way,
Reopening doors of old
That have been shut these many years--
What pictures they unfold!

These dear old, sweet old memories
All play their special part
In bringing joy and opening up
The latch strings of the heart.

 

 

 



 It is December...and I still have some morning glories...

I think they are confused....

we've had great weather for hanging out in the

"jungle"

Hotrod borrowed Hatari's antlers...

little boys can have fun with so many things...

his imagination is growing every day....

 just working on his eye hand coordination's...

trying to catch the jingle bell...

the leaves are still a big hit...

hmmm...maybe I do know something...

are you listening Hubby....

We will have the whole circus for the weekend...

Grandson and Granddogs...

it's going to be a fun weekend...

going to look at Christmas lights one night...



 

 

a few years ago I started a tradition...

a family photo for our Christmas card...

we take it on Thanksgiving...

at first I heard a lot of rumbles...

from the family....

this year they asked me about it...

progress...



 



we've done everyone standing up in front of my FIL's

fireplace...we did everyone sitting in front of my FIL's

fireplace with only our feet showing...

last year was our sock feet...

This year I was trying to decide....

what should I do...

Hotrod loves driving Great Grandpa's flatbed..

This is my FIL's old truck...

it has great sentimental value to my hubby...

so I thought...let's use it...

 

 a redneck Christmas card..

the trees and leaves cooperated so nicely...

2 days later the trees were almost bare...

my hubby likes the black and white version...

 

the color version...

minus the stars on some faces...

went out in the mail this week...

I set up my tripod the day before...

took test shots with my guys...

I wasn't thinking that I would have to run...

jump on the back of the truck once I hit the timer...

we had a small ladder on the back side...

it took a few times to get me in the photo...

I was really surprised how excited everyone was to do the shoot...

hmmm I must be doing something right...

or they are just getting used to it...

I've been so sentimental lately...

the holidays have brought back a lot of memories...

it is fun to go down memory lane...

reconnecting with old friends...family...

you haven't seen or heard from in years...

I have a cozy feeling about Christmas this year...

not the decorations...or gifts...

but the people in my life...

we are not exchanging gifts this year...

except for the two babies...and you know what...

it is a great feeling...because now...

all that energy and frustration...

trying to pick out just the right thing..

 can be used for good things...

like going to parades...festivals...

playing games...visiting...reminiscing about times passed...

feeling at peace...

which isn't that what Christmas is about....

I want to make Christmas cookies with Hotrod..

I'm gonna go the easy route...

the roll dough mix...

he will have fun...I won't be stressed...

things don't have to be grand or complicated...

to be memorable...

simple can be awesome...

 

 



Reflections.....

 I've been having a lot of problems downloading albums

on to Facebook...this is how I have been sharing

a lot of photos with my family...

it has been just too much....

so I decided to start a personal blog...

that only a few can see....

 I have a personal blog for Hotrod...

that I started when he was a baby...

I put photos and videos of him on it...

so when he gets older...we can look back....

almost a Internet baby book...

 the new blog will be my diary or journal...

I will put photos...and things I'm thinking....

stories...antidotes....

 

 Do you have a personal blog?

that you only share with a few....or just yourself??

Had a great day with Hotrod...

did a few more Christmas crafts...

Lately I've been running into people from the past....

people that I hadn't seen or heard from in over 25 years...

it has been so nice catching up with them...

I've even learned things I didn't realize back then...

isn't it funny how differently people can see things..

that they are experiencing at the same time as you..

you never really know the impact you have on someone...

or they have on you...

then later on you find out...

It can really change the way you feel...

 

 a song can make you remember an event...

a person...a special feeling...

can warm your heart or make you cry...

I'm being sentimental today...

traveling down memory lane...

 

 



 My daughters Cowgirl dancers...

they were dancing to Reba....

actually 2 pairs of my boots danced in the show...

having small feet helped my daughter...

 what is a Texas Christmas show...

without country music...

boots...and hats...

the audience really Wooped it up...

Hotrod wanted to get on stage with them...

 

Today I dropped off somethings my daughter was getting rid of...

to the local Salvation Army...

I decided to hit my favorite thrift store 1st...

then went across the street to the Salvation Army...

 

I hit the jackpot today....

I got 27 picture frames various sizes from 4x6 to large Collage...

3 canvas'  for Hotrod to paint...

3 hardcover childrens books...

one Monopoly game...

one skirt...

all for $37.00....

I refuse to buy new frames anymore...

they are so expensive...

so when I find good prices on used ones...

I load up...

cause I might have a few photos laying around...

to put in them...you think???



The Parade...

 These children were signing and singing...

 

 

 A walking Christmas tree at the parade...

 Choo choo...all aboard...

these kiddos were having a blast...

 

 a high spirited team of horses...

 

 the theme for the parade was Joy to the World....

 

 

 What is a parade without a fire truck...

full of elves and a reindeer...

 

 Ho Ho Ho...Merry Christmas...

 

The parade ended with Santa....

after the parade was the dance performance...

my daughters dancers performed at it...

stay tuned....

My daughter and I made a dent in her junk stuff...

there's more to do...

but I feel good about the progress we made...