If the Shoe Fits

We started out Christmas morning this year at our house by awaking to Abbey Grace whispering that Santa had in deed not flown over our house as Mr. Doug has instructed the night before due to behavioral issues. Apparently, during rest, she redeemed herself into the good Abbey Grace again and Santa miraculously left gift upon gift under the tree and around our living room for she and Zachary both despite the arguing that had consumed the halls the night before. If the shoe fits.

After we got the living room cleaned up, we headed to Augusta for the day with the family to spend then night with Sharon, Ed and the kids. Doug and I took a chocolate eclair cake, a Jamaican rum/fruit cake and salad to share. We had a delicious meal and stayed the night so we could stay up late to play Guitar Hero (way too much fun thanks to Honey and Pops for getting this for the kiddies for Christmas).

All the grand kids feet - if the shoe fits. . . .

Abbey Grace, Noah and Gage

Sisters (The Blair Girls) - Sharon and Angie

My sister and fiance Doug

Abbey Grace sporting her new UGA fleece.

I blew up my old crock pot a few months ago making a Weight Watchers recipe - this new one with the stay-safe lid will do nicely!! Thanks Mom and Dad!!

Douglas

Zack looks less than thrilled to be up this early. Teens!

Santa for Georgia Girl

Who said Santa was just for humans? Georgia Girl got lots of treats in her doggy bed this year too . . . she was very patient on Christmas morning. She ran to her bed on the fire place, looked inside and then sat and waited for the kids to come in. Then, she stole the rope toy and ran off with it. See the sequence of events below . . . . she's too funny . . . .

She peaks . . . . .

She sits for a minute . . . .

She RUNS . . . .

Holiday Magic

What do YOU leave for Santa? Are you a believer? This year, my little believer, Abbey Grace, brought out the spirit in us all on Christmas Eve and several days leading up to Christmas Eve. This little elf by the name of "Elfy" appeared from the Northpole unexpectedly (by way of my grandmother Spears, Abbey Grace's great-grandmother) and decidedly "moved about" the house from place to place on his own. He sometimes sat on the floor, sometimes he sat on the counter, the dresser, by the front door, in the living room, on the sofa or the chair. He just "moved" with a spirit. Thus, we decided to ask Santa if it were appropriate that we keep him, or, if he needed to be returned to the Northpole to do his good deeds?

Here is a photo of Christmas Eve - Abbey Grace has set the coffee table in the den with cookies, egg nog, a letter to Santa (along with a buck eye for good luck from her dresser, a penny for good luck) and a pencil for Santa to use to mark his response of whether she could keep Elfy or not?

Abbey Grace selecting the proper cookies she baked for Santa.

We went out into the driveway along the sidewalk and spread "Reindeer Food" so Santa's Team would have a snack to eat as he did his work.

This is Abbey Grace in her Sponge Bob Jammies spreading Reindeer Food along the entire front yard.

Being diligent with the food was key!

Finally, the note to Santa!

Merry Christmas?

Happy Campers?

I don't get too many smiles out of the big guy when he's standing that close to his little sister - not even this close to a Holiday. In fact, it's icky to think he has to be affectionate in a public place with her (my office lobby for a photo session). Abbey Grace and Zachary were forced in this photo to stop in the Lobby of my building and have their photo made with the life-size nut crackers and larger than life trees they decorate because of the beautiful splendor I see in them. Not so fun? They will cherish these photos some day!

Thompson Hine Door Decor

Normally, lawyers are stuffy and boring. They wear navy, black and grey. Pearls, heels, hose. Here at Thompson Hine, we act slightly different. I'm not sure why but it sure is fun! There is a ton of competition among us here in the office and for the Holiday Season we were instructed by HR to decorate our office and/or door for a "prize" to be given at today's Christmas Party. Here are a few shots of some of the doors that were decorated.

This is our managing partner's door. He is a hunter (obviously).

(We Three Kings Door)

Gold, Frankincense and Mir. . . shak (her last name is "Mirshak") too cute.

Sarah Palin Door (decorated on the front an back)

Sweet dreams Sarah!

Babes In Toyland Door (faces of staff on disney characters)

The Misfits Tree (this one is mine).

Christmas Play

Last Sunday, the Church had the annual Joy Gift Dinner in the fellowship hall and the children gave the normal singing program after the meal. Abbey Grace had a speaking part this year (thanks to Honey who leads her class in Sunday School and sought out children who get overlooked sometimes) . . . Abbey Grace was probably the best reader this year and we could hear her sing too (she has a lovely voice). I only wish Zachary would sing for the Choir now too because we hear him in the shower and he is awesome (I'm not supposed to know that)!

Outside My Window

Here's the view from our office window today . . . a dude hanging from a scaffold from our 50 story building (in the 30 degree weather) washing our windows. WHAT? He's nutz! We are on the 22nd Floor of the 50 story building so he's nearly half-way up the side of our building, blowing in the breeze on this tiny structure cleaning the windows. NO WAY MAN!!! You can see the Atlanta/Midtown skyline behind him (the building Daddy used to work in is directly behind him on the left - it's the tiny striped building - the big tall "Bat-Man" looking building is the new King & Spalding building - it's the same height as ours). Would you do this? There's not enough money in the world!!

My Son The Chef

These photos are great because I took them with my blackberry however, the pie was fantastic. Zachary made this apple pie (his specialty) again this year for one of the family meals we had over the Thanksgiving Break. He does the entire thing himself (including the crust - from a box) but isn't it lovely? He peeled the apples, mixed the ingredients and did the egg wash on the crust to make it shine - delicious - maybe he'll own a restaurant someday?

Tree Triming in The Rain

This weekend it rained so hard that we decided to stay in doors all weekend (except for the brief hour we went to Home Depot to get our lovely Christmas Tree during the GA vs. GA Tech Game). We were getting stomped so bad that we decided to get the tree and miss part of the game with no problem. We let the tree sleep in the garage in the tree stand overnight to "drip dry" because it was too wet to bring in doors. On Sunday, we decorated it since it was then safe to not electrocute Doug as he put the lights on. We laughed about the Grizwald Movie where the cat chomps down into the string of lights underneath the recliner and he blows himself up. The next day they look under the recliner and there's a huge black burnt cat mark under the chair - Muuuuuaahahahahah - how funny is THAT? Zachary has never seen the movie - I think this Holiday Season, it's worthy of a Blockbuster rental - don't you?

Fast Abbey Grace

Clearly, I have nothing better to do than to play with Doug's new camera so I put it on "action shot" the other night and got these cool pics of Abbey Grace (shirtless no less before bath time) dancing around in the bedroom, juggling her socks in the air. She's that blurry thing with the pink bow in her hair!

Gobble Gobble . . . .

Thanksgiving Weekend was really fun. I planned to stay on my Weight Watchers plan all weekend and for the most part, I did pretty good but certainly didn't eat within the plan on Thanksgiving Day! I think I drank my points on Wednesday and certainly ate them Thursday in Turkey Skin alone (that's my favorite part to snitch). Doug fried a turkey at our house and made a pumpkin cheesecake. I made sweet potato casserole. We took everything to Mom and Dad's where everyone ate. It was a great day - the weather was beautiful! We are very thankful for everything we have - we are very blessed!

Doug in the driveway frying our turkey.

Fried Turkey being lowered into the pot of hot grease - yum!

Slowly it goes into the hot oil. Our turkey was 18 pounds - Doug was scared it wasn't going to fit into the pot. According to Paula Deen, you are only suppose to fry a 14 pound turkey or less (clearly I didn't know this rule when I purchased the bird).

It turned out just beautiful though!

Doug and Daddy carving the birds. Mom roasted a turkey too so we could have traditional stuffing cooked inside the bird. We had 2 turkeys and 1 ham. No one was hungry!

Two turkeys! (and I don't mean Daddy and Doug)

Granny waiting on a snitch of bird.

Uncle Archie and Aunt Selma patiently waiting for the dinner bell.

Zachary gets a snitch of skin too!

Noah comes in from playing outside with the kids.

Each of the 4 grandchildren got to read a special prayer from written scripture as our blessing prior to eating dinner. We also toasted with Mead brought back from Ireland by Honey and Pops. Mead is made from Honey.

Noah and Abbey Grace reciting their portion of the blessing.

Olivia reciting her portion of the blessing.

Finally, Zachary reciting his part, the final part, of the blessing.

The, we all raised our glasses and Daddy explained the history of the Meade as "Meade became very popular at weddings and often, the bride and groom were given special Meade goblets from which to toast each other, as well as enough Meade to last a month - which is where we get the word honeymoon. Often, a bridegroom, laced with copious amounts of Meade was carried to the bedside of his bride after the wedding feast. According to custom, Meade has powers of virility and fertility - thus, if a baby was born nine months after the wedding, it was often attributed to the honey wine (i.e., Meade). Today, it is still the tradition to signal the end of the wedding feast by raising glasses of Meade to toast the newlyweds."

Noah and Abbey Grace eating.

My wonderful Husband-to-Be . . . fast asleep after a long haul home from Alaska (and a full belly of turkey)!

Granny quickly getting some dishes ready.

The boys.

Putting away left overs.