Christmas with my family

corrie and ethan waiting to open presents
some surprises santa left for me

i just wanted to share some of our Christmas pictures with all of you... i hope everyone had a great Christmas with their family and that you got to spend some time remembering past Christmas',and also, you got to enjoy some great holiday food!!!!! i hope you enjoy these pictures, there are quite a few, so, grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy!!!!

have a safe and happy new year!!!!!

this is something that santa brought drake... santa brought it to my house first for me to try out!! it was a cool john deere bike!!

we had Christmas eve at grandma's... here she is smiling for me, but she is definitely not herself.. she has been really sick and not feeing well at all!!


this is all of the great- grandchildren...they are all growing so much!!!!!

my sister, lorieann,and my cousin, amy

this is us having Christmas with my parents and family...

this is corrie and her new boyfriend, jamie... he seems to be a really nice guy..

also, jamie, corrie, ethan, and ben

my aunt betty, she is so funny

look at those smiling faces... they were so happy!! they each got a new apple touch ipod.. very nice!! this was their big present from gran and pawpaw!!

my sweet and crazy daddy

scott and drake

my mother and daddy posing with their other ''daughter'', sophie, she wanted to have her picture made so bad!! also, i wanted to wish my parents, a happy anniversary.. they celebrated their 44 th wedding anniversary on december 26th... happy anniversary, mother and daddy!!

my mother always has a beautiful tree

i always enjoy Christmas.. this year, it seemed to sneak up on me... i felt kind of rushed with everything.. but i always enjoy getting to spend time with family... i love getting presents from my mom and dad... and they always make coming home for Christmas so special. each year, holds a special memory and place in my heart..... thanks mother and daddy for everything!!!

Christmas with Chris' family

last sunday night, we had Christmas with chris' family. we had it in our home this year, which was a true blessing.. we had party pickups as our foods. we had ham and cheese biscuits, homemade cheese dip and chips, cocktail wieners, pecan pie, cupcakes,sandwiches, and drinks... we had a time of eating and fellowship,'' meaning we had to take pictures....''

all of the presents around the tree

this is randy,niki, and chris
this is chris' brother and sister

this is our niece, chelsea, and our nephews, devin, ethan, scott, and shane

we had a family picture made... our first one with john

my gag gift from john


when john and jan got married, his first christmas with us, i started a tradition of getting him a christmas gag gift every year... i have had lots of fun for the past 3 years buying him gag gifts.. this year was no exception..every year, he claims he has ''outdone me '' on the gift.. NOT!!!!! this year, i bought him a mouse pad that says ''lay your hands on me''...and it is a butt...lol,lol...

he got me and singing and shaking bull,lol,lol.... i still say i had him on the gift.....don't you???

we had two visitors to join us.. chelsea has a new boyfriend, david... and her mother, niki, has a new boyfriend, shannon... they joined us for the evening, and at the end we made a picture with them..

we had a great christmas with them, and we got some nice gifts!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE SIMPLE GIFT

DADDY AND DRAKE IN THE CHRISTMAS PARADE

Thank you JESUS for another Christmas, you've been so good to us this year. You've made burdens lighter, and dark days brighter, and thanks for loved ones we hold dear, Thank you JESUS for another Christmas, let's love each other more next year, may your days be merry and bright, making CHRIST OUR SAVIOR, as your light!!!!!!!
here at THE SIMPLE GIFT, Chris and i want to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and we hope you have experienced the true meaning of CHRISTMAS, by recieving the best gift ever given!!!!!!!!!JESUS!!!! May God richly bless you and your family this new year!!!

people are crazy

i know you are probably wondering about this post title.... this morning, i went out to do a few errands.... well, you can really tell people are off of work now, some of the big plants are shutdown for the holidays, and the kids are finally out of school... people were everywhere... including ALL over the roads...lol,lol.... i was a nervous wreck.... because two different people pulled out in front of me.. and i had to slam on my brakes both times to keep from hitting them...

i called chris and i told him i was going to get what i needed, and i was going back home...it was really getting on my nerves!!!! people were really frantic, running around i guess, getting those last minute gifts.... even the mcdonalds drive thru was wrapped all the way around the building,, and i SO wanted an ice cream cone as a snack, it did not happen.. maybe tommorrow!!!!!!

we have a busy, busy, weekend planned with get-togethers of chris'family. we will be having his family on sunday night in our home for our family Christmas ... it will be interesting to say the least....lol...
i hope your weekend is filled with many fun things to do and you enjoy some time with your family..

shopping and such

i have been in the christmas rush... trying to get those last minute gifts , ya know... do you have those people on your lists too, who have any and everything...????

i hope that through all of your business, and all of your hustle and bustle, you take time out to remember that JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON... and thank HIM for the best gift ever given...

i went shopping yesterday with my mother, we had such a great time... we ate lunch, and then i came home and chris and i hit it again and shopped till 1100 pm last night.. i was so tired..
this morning, i woke to the smell of bacon and eggs.. chris had made us breakfast before he was to leave for work... we ate together, and i went back to bed..lol,lol... i slept till 11oo am....
i got up and did a few things around the home front, then went back to do what?? shop again, this time to the grocery store, to get something to make for the guys tonight.. i got a new recipe i was wanting to try.. it was very good... it was a recipe for christmas ham... very good and interesting.... i will share the recipe soon... anyway, we had a great meal, and i was ready to come home and rest.. i did find the time to wrap a few presents..... time to turn in, have a great night!!

I FINALLY GOT IN THE MOOD

WELL, OKAY PEOPLE, I JUST WANTED EVERYBODY TO SEE I FINALLY GOT ''IN THE MOOD''.... I FINALLY GOT THE TREE UP... AND CHRIS AND I GOT THE OUTSIDE DECORATIONS UP ALSO.... I WILL ADMIT THIS IS VERY LATE AND VERY UNUSUAL FOR ME.... I ALWAYS,ALWAYS, HAVE IT UP BEFORE THANKSGIVING... FOR SOME REASON THIS YEAR,.. I HAVE HAD A CASE OF THE HOLIDAY BLUES AND BLAHS..... JUST REALLY NOT IN THE MOOD TO DECORATE, OR FOR THAT MATTER SHOP FOR GIFTS... JUST REAL BLAH, BLAH!!!! I HAVE NOT FELT WELL, MY GRANDMA WAS IN THE HOSPITAL, AND I HAVE BEEN DOCTORING A SPRAINED FOOT... I AM HOPING TO GET TO DO SOME MAJOR SHOPPING THIS WEEKEND... I HOPE TO BE FEELING BETTER BY THEN, . I LOVE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, IT BRINGS BACK SO MANY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES, CHILDHOOD MEMORIES THAT I WILL CHERISH FOREVER... ONE REAL SPECIAL MEMORY WAS WHEN ME AND MY SISITER SAW ''SANTA'' AND HIS SLEIGH IN THE SKY, ONE CHRISTMAS EVE NIGHT.. I REALLY SAW HIM,LOL.... SHE TOLD ME WE HAD TO GET BACK TO BED BECAUSE HE WAS DEFINATELY FLYING TOWARD OUR HOUSE....LOL.LOL.. I REALLY CHERISH THAT.... OH WELL... SNUB..SNUB... I BETTER GO NOW , THIS COULD TURN INTO A ''VERY LONG POST''.... MORE SPECIAL MEMORIES LATER!!!!!

CHRISTMAS TIME IN THE CITY

we had so much fun

IN THE AIR THERE'S A FEELING OF CHRISTMAS, IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME IN THE CTY!!!!!1

chris and i went to the CHRISTMAS on MAIN street downtown, last friday night. we had such a great time, it was really cold. they had santa, rides, artists displays, live nativity,and the cabin was open. they even had chesnuts roasting on an open fire, literally!!!!!lol,lol... we went to the shops, they were all open. we shopped around a little. the town was so pretty all lit up!!we heard carollers, the music was pretty. there were many people that came. it just semms to get bigger every year.
a sidewalk chalk mural, it was so neat

wonderful carriage ride

town tree

all the city lit up

this is what CHRISTMAS is all about

a beautiful shot of downtown

here we are in front of the town tree

our annual thanksgiving hayride

on thanksgiving morning, we have a tradition of going on a thanksgiving hayride. we go down a few back roads in my parent's community and then end up down at the parker house. this year, scott did not come. he chose to go to the flea market instead... but that's okay... he missed out..

my four babies who are not babies anymore

my sweet daddy and his tractor

all aboard!!! we went down a new ''trail'' that my daddy has been working on. it was really pretty.

this is the only cow we saw out today. this is the one known as ''purdy thang'', but i have always called her ''caramel cream''...lol!!!

my wonderful parents,i love them so much!!!!!

father and son, danny and ethan

mother and daughter, lorieann and corrie

my sweet drake

look at those sweet smiles

now they are smiling for somebody else

three amigos

best buds

we were all bundeled up, although when we got going, it was rather warm.. it turned out beautiful.

danny and sweet baby ben

my chris and ethan.. poor ethan, he had to work thankgiving night, so, this was the only time we got to see him:(

we had a great time and mother made us all sausage/egg and country ham/egg biscuits!!!! they were great!!! it is always so great to spend the holdays with your family!!!!!!

corrie is all smiles

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

hey yall and happy thanksgiving!!! i, today, have so much to be thankful for. the LORD has blessed our family so much this year. we are so undeserving of all HIS blessings...
i have been getting ready for our meal tonight. i made deviled eggs, and a krispy kreme bread pudding...yummers!!!!!! i can't wait to eat that..

wherever you go today, be careful and take time out to thank the LORD for all HE has done for you this year. i am thankful for my family, and for a good church family, and for especially sparing two of my friends lives this year that were in a motorcycle accident this past memorial day.... praise the LORD!!!!!

i hope you have a great day and hopefully i will have pics to post later of our festivities..

a great day with a friend

today, april and i went for a nice lunch. we have been actually, trying to go to this place for a few months.. it is in a nearby town. it is owned by a mother and daughter...they have good food... we went, not knowing what to expect. when we arrived, everyone thought we were sisters.. april told them we were...

here is some of the scenery outside beside the restaurant. i love the wrought iron furniture. it looks so pretty and fallish.

when we walked in, we saw a group of red hatters. this one was our favorite. she stopped and talked to us, and we got to know her. i loved her outfit, and check out the purse!!! she was so sweet!

it was buffet style. they had salad, soup, beef stroganoff, some kind of chicken, spinach, margarita pie, and a strawberry trifle... it was all wonderful.

this is the outside of the restaurant... it looks like a victorian cottage. we ate and talked with the ladies there. after our lunch, we hit the stores, shopping. we went to sam's, goodwill, michael's, and a jewelry store we like to go to... we had a great time, and i always enjoying spending the day with april.. she is such a blessing, and a very good friend..