Happy New Year

Okay, we're having a very exciting New Year's Eve here on Circle Drive. Mark is watching his new movie 1941, a Christmas gift from my wonderful sis, and I'm ordering sweet pea seeds!
I know, enough to put us both to sleep before midnight. But these orange sweet peas do look pretty good, don't they? I always order seeds from sweetpeagardens.com. Always order way too many, because I can't resisit the thought of having them everywhere everywhere. And then I can't find enough places to put them. But this year, I'm going to plant several times and try to keep up with PJ, who had sweet peas in September.

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum

Very impressive. Isaac went with us and it was great to spend the day with him.

Are You As Tall As Lincoln?

This scene reminded me of a time when Isaac was little and we went to Six Flags. We were going to ride a roller coaster, and there was one of those signs "you must be this tall to ride". I didn't think Isaac would be tall enough, and I was thinking we'd just send Judson and Mark on the ride and Ike and I would find something else til they got back. Well, Isaac marched up to the sign, stretched all the way down from his toes up through his little blond head of hair, and I swear he grew two inches right in front of our eyes.

Christmas Enough

Today mama sent me a sweet e-mail with this sweet picture.   She says:  "Charlie read this to me Thursday, remember you gave me this book before it got famous and became a blockbuster.  This would be Christmas enough for me."

More Christmas

The little hanging snowman is something that PJ sent me years ago and I love it still. The card is from Nan, and it's beautiful. Elizabeth sent me a great picture of the whole Wilson clan. It was so nice to hear from them. The roses in the bud vase went for $11 at the silent auction which is part of our fundraising for employee recognition at the hospital. See the cranberries in the vase? I'm going to make one of these for myself.

Kissing Santas

This is a little paper mache ornament that I bought nearly 30 years ago. Mama was with me at a little gift shop just across the highway from the airport. My former cheerleading sponsor, Mrs. Oliver, owned the shop. While we were browsing, this one fell off the tree and landed at my feet. That's how I knew which ornament to buy that day.

Raggedy Andy

Mama made one of these for each of the boys in 1990. Judson was 7 and Ike was 5.

Stocking by Peggy

There's no way to pick a favorite.

Surprise!

Every year, I make batch after batch of pralines, because I can never get them to come out right. I either don't cook them long enough or cook them too long, beat them too much or not enough, etc., etc. But for some reason, this year they came out right on the very first try. I told mama it's because I'm almost fifty--maybe I've made them enough times to really know how to make them. The divinity came out well too, although I believe that credit goes to the standing mixer that PJ gave me.

Boy Angel

Another ornament by Peggy. Isn't he adorable? This is one of two that mama sent to the boys in 1996.

A Real Live (Decorated) Tree

Well, I have the tree up and it is actually decorated this year. For the past two years, since both Judson and Isaac are away at school, I just haven't been motivated to go beyond putting up a tree with a few lights. But the organizational bug has hit me. We pulled everything out of the basement and attic that was related to Christmas and went thru it all. This ornament was one that mama made years ago. I love her with her little Detroit Free Press newspaper.

Scarecrow Woman

From Hazel Dell School's garden. . . Some of you toured this garden with me after Isaac's graduation. That was 2 1/2 years ago already!

Danger Dog

Gumbo, with his ferocious face.

And More Snow on the Way

We're supposed to get another 4 inches of snow today. It's been sooo cold, but it may warm up into the 30s this weekend.

More Snow

It snowed off and on all day today, but only about an inch or so. Doesn't seem to bother this little guy at all. He's still happy.

Snow!

Kelly couldn't wait to get out there this morning. It's beautiful. Not too cold, about 27, with no wind so it's pretty pleasant really.