Sunday, December 25, 2011

Christmas Day

Steve and I got up and hit the ground cleaning, we cleaned everything, washed sheets, wiped down base boards and trim, waxed hardwoods after cleaning them, vacuumed the furniture, cleaned kitchen, stove, fridge, just did it all, everything is spotless…….I always think when I see a little hand print and I wipe it up or Windex the glass, can’t wait for them to come back and make new hand printsWinking smile  Then got my bath and fixed Suppa Toscana, my friend gave me the recipe, April came over when Kay picked up mother for the Smith Christmas. April's 20th Christmas 002 We ate, the soup had too much red pepper.  But we ate some and had salad and bread, tea….it was good and we enjoyed our time with April.  We then opened presents April's 20th Christmas 004April's 20th Christmas 011April's 20th Christmas 016April's 20th Christmas 023April's 20th Christmas 025April's 20th Christmas 030April's 20th Christmas 032 we had a sweet family time, it is hard to believe, but April will be 21 the 29th.! April has been God’s gift to Steve and I, she is as sweet as she is pretty. 

This year we did things different for Christmas for us, we went to Louisiana Dec. 3rd,connnies 020 then had the Averitt ( Steve’s brother and sisters and kids ) on the 10th, then Steve had surgery on the 12th., we had our Children Christmas on the 23rd., kept it with just us, called my brother today to wish him Merry Christmas and had told Kay my sister Merry Christmas, we had a house full, then today had just April here, with the house back in order and some hot soupSmile but have had a wonderful family fun filled Christmas! One thing we did that I have never done is go to the Christmas Eve Service at Journey Church, where we go, my son Alex is the Pastor.Christmas Eve Service Journey Church 001Christmas Eve Service Journey Church 002Christmas Eve Service Journey Church 005 it was such a blessing to began Dec. 25th with songs of worship……just a blessing!  I did have to take a nap to stay up that late and went in my flannel PJ’s and house shoes, but wore my new coatSmile  Its has been a blessed week, mother is home form the Smith’s Christmas and wore out, already in bed.  I think this will be the last year we can haul her around to all the Christmas gatherings, she loves them but it totally wears her out and her gait is not what it was, I am wondering if she will not need a cane for support soonSad smile All the Christmas goodies have her tummy messed up, plus the strong antibiotic so say a prayer for her please.  I pray over her home and as we go to sleep over her mind, I pray God will slow this disease down so I can have her with me longer, know it is selfish but that is how I pray.  Mother is happy and loves doing things, she is just getting weaker in her legs and back.  I have to remind my self to live in her world not her in my world.mother and santamother christmas 2011  I love her so much and love the time I am having with her, I will always treasure the moments when she is normal and we talk, that are far and very few between, the other night she had gone to the bath room, got back in the bed and reach over and kissed my cheek twice and said, I love you LindaSmile Nite Nite……like when I was at homeSmile Its been a good day! 

We have always taken the week after Christmas for vacation, last year we went to Branson, but like I said we changed some things this year, with Steve having surgery we decided to just stay home, we may go to the condo or visit Hannah if Steve feels like it, if not I am still enjoying my treeApril's 20th Christmas 033 my clean house and my hubby……I love having my time with him, he is my sweetie! So for tonight it is staying here, working and having more family timeSmile Would still love to see my BFF Ann and Derol Mayderol and ann may new they live in Hot Springs so we will go see them for sureSmile Love the Holiday’s to see so many I never get to see.  I have enjoyed every minute of this time, did shopping in October when I closed a big deal, first time ever having it all done that soon, to my disadvantage I did give Olivia and Blake their presents early, I could not wait, that is why I do not buy early!

Nite Nite……kisses

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Week

week has been so much fun, the first of the week I had spent the night with Sherry Maxwell my BFF me and sherry smailing  she is such a important part of my life, I love her, she is someone I can tell anything too and she still loves me, she knows me inside and out, and she keeps it to her selfSmile Hard to find! I am blessed with her sister ship!  Then Wednesday had a special lunch at the Victorian Tea room with my other friends, friends Sherry was there but she was taking this picSmile this is Pam Richey, Edwanda Ware, Dinah Lawson, we use to go to the Casino together about once every four months, have for years, always a group deal with Ed telling us when to eat, when to get up and what to doSmile Dinah is our baby, she just turned 50 this year, we totally cater to herSmile Ed is ready for a trip, but we said it will be awhile, she is 79 years old, so she said do not wait too longSmile I love these women, they are a special blessing in my life, all very different, Pam gave me this neat cross made with beads, so pretty will take a pic and post itSmile Then went to Mothers Tuesday at four, she was very irritated, she had had a hard weekend, I realized it could be the steroids the Dr. gave her for her Bronchitis , so I called her Alzheimer's Dr., he said it was and we added some zanax and it helped, that with a lot of prayers!  Thursday I listed a home and showed property, I spent the night with mother, a little better night but she was still confused, Hannah and Mark came Wednesday night, I was so excited, loved seeing those babies, been Thanksgiving since I had seen them!christmas 2011 032 I loved this throw they got me for Christmas, have it on me now, just smiled at looking at Blake smiling so big!!  It was difficult juggling mother, work and company but it all worked out.  Connie mother’s caregiver brought her over Friday and we had a wonderful family time for Christmaschristmas 2011 001 we ate, sang Christmas carols had gift exchange.christmas 2011 009christmas 2011 022christmas 2011 028christmas 2011 048 Mother and I went back to her house for the night, her  home was so pretty, we had the best time talking.mothers christmas We enjoyed the fire and the Walton’s Christmas was on, we sang Christmas Carols, special special memories for me. Got to bed and talked some more, then up at 7:30 which is early for mother, by the time the care giver got there, mother had her shower and ate breakfast, I had cleaned the house got the sheets in the wash, Saturday is our sheet washing day.   Got home and had Christmas with Sean, Anna and Cole, Sean is getting a divorce in which I am sad about, but all I can do is pray,Cole Christmas 002Cole Christmas 006Cole Christmas 008Cole Christmas 014 keep him in your prayers, this is a very painful time for him, he sure loves his babies, he is a wonderful father.  After they left Steve and I went to eat at Our Back been a long time since I had been there, had a gift card, it was delicious had lobster cooked perfect! Then came home and went to bed, had my electric blanket on and just cuddled in for a long winter nap!  I had wanted to take mother and April to dinner and look at lights, which mother and I did that when her sister Connie was here, but I was just too tired to wiggle, so it’s a quiet Christmas Eve with Mr. Steve, we woke up and in our PJ’s watching NCIS.  We do plan on going to the 11:30 Christmas Eve service at church tonight, will be the first time for us to do that, hope we can stay awake, then tomorrow April will have her family Christmas with us!!beach pics thursday 019 April has always been a delight in our life, it is hard to believe she is almost 21 years old! She is so beautiful, inside and out!  I have had a fun, family filled Christmas, loved baking and making chocolate cover pretzelschrist1 had a shoe display Christmas 2011 010Christmas 2011 011Christmas 2011 015A slight spill of popcorn, that turned into a play in the popcorn! Hannah said had that been when they were little someone would have been in trouble, and I let the Grand babies play in it, although they did help clean it up.Christmas 2011 016Christmas 2011 017Christmas 2011 018 I am grateful for all my babies and all my family, friends I am blessed!  I hope you take time to have great family time and make some new traditions!  Merry Christmas!