Adios 2008, Welcome 2009

Wow, it doesn't seem possible that 2008 is really coming to a close. As I reflect back, I stand amazed at the blessings that God has bestowed upon Uncle D and me.

We will be seeing the New Year in with our church family first by watching:Then we are to have some singing, praying and preaching between 9:30 - 10:30 (I'm usually asleep by 9:30 so I'm concerned it may be more singing and snoring for me). We then will go to the fellowship hall for food, games and fellowship to see in the New Year.

We wish you all a very safe New Years Eve and a blessed 2009.

Monday Memories

A younger Uncle D & Aunt J enjoying some fun in the snow at Sandia Crest outside of Albuquerque, NM:

Sunday Blessings

Friends who shared their Christmas day:Family fun:

Merry Christmas

To each and everyone of our friends and family,

we wish you all a very blessed Christmas.

Love, Uncle D and Aunt J

Tuesday Thankfulness

Uncle D is thankful that today was his last work day for the year. Aunt J is thankful that she only has to work tomorrow and then she too is off for the rest of the year. Hope we can get along until the new year.

Monday Memories

I just love receiving pictures of friends and families at Christmas. I keep all of them and enjoy going back and comparing the families and how they change. Several years ago, I worked with a couple of special ladies and these are my memories:

One friend I worked with via telephone, she worked out of her home and I was one of her contacts in the office. I have memories of talking with her and one of her girls standing behind her in her chair in her home office. She has faithfully sent pictures each year of the girls. This was in 1995 (I think):

I received this picture just last week:

Her girls have grown into beautiful young women, nearly as beautiful as their mom.

I have other memories of setting at the lunch table at work talking with a friend who always was working on some type of craft or sewing project while we talked. At that time, she shared a lot about her teenage kids. She too has faithfully sent pictures over the years. This one was in 1998:

This one was received this year. I have enjoyed seeing the additions to her family and how the grandkids have grown.

Sunday Blessings

Family and friends:

1) The following posts share some family fun.

2) We have some out of town friends that came to spend the night. They will be leaving tomorrow morning for their Christmas trip to see their family.

3) Other friends that have invited us to share their fun on Christmas day or we'd be spending a quiet day at home together.

4) Lastly my other friend who left me a message on my facebook that read: "Ok, it's time for a new blog post. I've read about Atlanta all week and still haven't seen any new pics that Uncle D was suppose to upload. Now you'll know how those nieces of yours felt when you wouldn't let them rest from blogging." God has truly blessed us with great families and friends.

Family Fun - Part 2

Last night was the family Christmas get together:

We get to do this again next weekend when my nephew and his family come to town. Can't wait to see them....

Family Fun - Part 1

Last week was my nephew's college graduation party and fun was had by all:

Well, nearly everyone had fun:

Atlanta Pictures

We stayed on the ninth floor of the Embassy Suites:

Uncle D relaxing after a hard day at the office Friday.

View looking down into the hotel atrium where they served an awesome complimentary breakfast. The famous Big Chicken that I referenced in Friday's Blog.

Saturday Uncle D & I caught some of the sights of Atlanta:

The Atlanta Cyclorama which is a great place to visit if you are a Civil War buff.
The Cyclorama of the Battle of Atlanta is the world's largest oil painting, painted in 1885-86 by artists from Germany. It has been shown in Grant Park since 1893.
Georgia State Capitol Building
Centennial Olympic Park

We later visited the Marietta National Cemetary where Uncle D took some great pictures.

Sunday Blessings

Safe Travel and family. We got up at 5:45 Atlanta time which is 4:45 CST this morning to catch our flight home in time to attend a graduation lunch/party for my nephew, Brandon. Our travels were safe and the party was a great time of family, fun, food and fellowship. Pictures to be posted later. I see a nap in my very near future like right now.

Fun Weekend

Yesterday evening Uncle D and I traveled to Atlanta, GA for fun, fun and more fun. The company that Uncle D works for is located in Atlanta and this is the weekend of their company Christmas party. Today, Uncle D did go into the office and worked all day. I and my new friend "L" (a wife of one of Uncle D's co-workers) shopped the Marietta, GA town square and had a GREAT time of it.

There is a famous big chicken in Marietta (I'll post a picture of it when I get home). This chicken is a landmark that everyone here uses in giving directions. It kept turning up on our travels today and we finally figured out we were driving in circles. We then broke down and figured out how to use the GPS system in the rental car and made it to our destination (Uncle D's employer's location). Our excursion today was full of laughter and adventure.

Later this evening we had dinner with two other couples at a Chinese restaurant. I had my first sushi tonight and I was quite surprised that I liked it.

Tomorrow, Uncle D & I are going to catch some of the sites of Atlanta during the day and then to the Christmas party in the evening. I understand it will be quite an event and am looking forward to seeing what unfolds. Uncle D will be the designated photographer so I'm sure there will be pictures to post later.

Also, tomorrow we'll be thinking about Brandon as he graduates from North Texas and praying for LeAnn and baby Brody as they bedrest.

We're flying home Sunday and I'm sure I'll have more to post about our fun weekend then.

Friday Favorite

Click here for my favorite laugh this week.

Tuesday Thankfulness

Our memory verse in my pre-school SS class last Sunday was:

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

I am so thankful for a God that would send his only Son to be my Saviour and for a Saviour who willingly left all the splendour of heaven to come to earth to be born as a baby knowing He was born to die for the sins of the world.

I want to keep my focus not on the hustle and bustle of the season but on Jesus who really is the reason for the season.

Monday Memories

A few pictures taken 05/11/1996 from a community fair of a kids choir group: Just Sing It. Some of these kids now range in age from 15 - 24. The leader of this group is still involved in kids program and is currently working with a group of kids on our church's Christmas program. She should receive many crowns in heaven for the work she has done through the years.

Saturday Fun

Yesterday we had a great time watching my great niece in a gymnastics meet.Introductions of the teams.

Tumbling on the Floor Exercise.

Working the Bar.

Walking the Beam.

Tumbling the Beam

Vaulting

We can't ignore the fans anxiously cheering the girls on:

We were so proud when P-Rae took home a gold medal in the beam, bronze in the floor exercises and bronze in all-round competition:

CONGRATULATIONS P-RAE!!!

Goal's Accomplished

I set a few goals of what I wanted to get done this past week while I was off. The main goal was to put up Christmas decorations (for the first time in 4 years). The first step in this goal was cleaning before I decorated 'cause once the decorations are up it's hard for me to clean around them. This step was accomplished Monday (plus washing all my clothes from our Thanksgiving trip). Next step was to get Uncle D to get all the decorations out of the attic which was accomplished Tuesday evening. Tuesday I accomplished another goal of getting a Christmas letter together to friends and family that I don't communicate with except at Christmas along with addressing some Christmas cards. The tree was put up Tueday evening and I started the decorating and finished it Wednesday. Here are some pictures of the tree and hearth:

On and around the fireplace are some of my nativity collection.

This is a little village that my mom collected (we made weekly trips to Dillards to buy) and of which she was so proud. This is the first time I've displayed it since mom went to heaven.

Another goal I set was to get most of my Christmas shopping done. I have only a few incidentals left but the majority is done (YEAH!) The Christmas cards were mailed Friday. So all in all I have accomplished nearly all my goals except baking and this may be the year that I don't bake.