Merry Christmas To All & To All A GoodNight!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Joseph was determined this year to catch Santa.

But, as you can see, he fell asleep waiting for him.
Santa "caught" Joseph sleeping by the tree this Christmas.

I truly hope everyone had a great Christmas. We had a great Christmas.
This was our 1st Christmas in our home.


And speaking of our 1st Christmas in our home, I want to show you an ornament we received this year. I was so overjoyed at receiving such a special gift from a special person. On the top it has engraved "NEW HOME" and along the straight key part it has the year "2008". And the door with the wreath turns around too! So we will always remember. Thank you so much, Pat. It really means alot to us. And we will find a special place to hang it after Christmas is all packed away. I want to see it everyday and remember our 1st Christmas in our new home.

Another special ornament I received this year is from Johnny.

It is such a beautiful tree, isn't it?? This 1 will stay out all year long too.

Our Grandchildren had a great Christmas too! With all the family gatherings and get-togethers and visits with friends. Now they just want to play with their goodies they received and parents are all having "great fun" putting together everything that needs putting together.

Joseph with his telescope to see the stars.

Jacquelyn smiling over her Hanna Montana Doll house.

Jackson wanting to play with those kids sitting at his picnic table.

Now, we need to start planning those New Years resolutions. Hmm! what will it be this year??

We wish each & everyone one of you

a very Happy New Year.

& Health and Happiness to all in 2009 & many more.

December 16th Christmas Program

Joseph was a "student" in the play "Humbug"
todays version of the "Christmas Carol".


Joseph getting ready to play
his Precorder in the play.


Joseph & several others playing the
Precorders at the play.


Joseph & others "acting" like they are sleeping.
"Are his feet big enough or what"!!!
They look huge from my angle of sight.

Joseph singing.

The play was really great. The school split the kids up - so that the play was on 2 nights. There was ample seating & more enjoyable this way. Johnny was working nights, so I sat with some friends of ours. We really had a great evening. Joseph seemed so calm on stage, he said he wasn't very nervous at all. We could hear him very well. He spoke clearly and not fast like some of the kids (that you couldn't understand what they were saying). I think he will do great in more plays in the future. Maybe acting will be in his future, you never know.

Joseph - You were Terrific. I can't wait until your next acting performance.

Dec 6th-7th & 14th Fun with Christmas Projects

December 6th -7th, Jackson spent the night with Nana & Joseph-Pa went on another hunting trip, so Jackson go to make a reindeer ornament at Nana's.


Jackson really wasn't sure what to do with it.


Oh, it will be a reindeer - Nana!!

Jackson added ears and a nose too.!

Jackson & Nana finished his reindeer

and it will be up on Nana & Pa's tree.

Dec. 14th - the next weekend at Nana's-

Joseph making a Christmas ornament


Damian making his Christmas ornament


Jacquelyn, Joseph, and Damian making ornaments
at Nana & Pa's house.


Kendra putting up our Christmas tree
along with Jacquelyn, Damian, and Joseph.
Thank you all so much - the finished tree is beautiful.


Jacquelyn's 2008 Christmas project finished a
picture of her with her Mom & Dad.

Seeing Santa and a Christmas Project

Christmas Party at SkateWorld by Inneos - Johnny's work. The kids got to see Santa, eat "tons" of pizza, Chick-fil-a nuggets, salad, candy, chips, peanuts, and sodas. Joseph had a blast skating, playing the arcade games and visiting with all the other kids. Afterwards, Alvin & Lupe & Lucas came out to see our home & visit a while. Alvin works with Johnny at the plant.

Joseph making a gingerbread house for our Christmas project.

Joseph showing off his creation.

He did a great job!! Don't you think !?!

Joseph with his Gingerbread house.

Joseph eating some of his "leftovers" after

finishing the Gingerbread house.

She's At It Again

December 12, 2008

Well, she is still up to her silliness.

Joe sent this to me from the store where Kendra works.

I didn't know she wore glasses. Did you? Ha! Ha!

Fooling Around -Guess who ?????

(not to be the 1 to snitch but . . . . . . . )

Yes, IT's KENDRA !!!!- hehe -

you know, the 2nd from the left and

the 1 in the pink shirt...........

just look at those faces she was making.

I didn't realize it until I downloaded them. So I wanted
everyone to see what a silly girl we have in the family.

I bet no one realized just how silly she gets.

So Much To Do - So Little Time To Do It

John Thomas with his new car- Black Nissan Sentra -
he is really enjoying a car this time

Damian, Jacquelyn & Joseph feeding
"Boo" the donkey

We're staying warm by the fire

Grandkids roasting marshmallows

Saturday, November 29, 2008 -

Alot happening here, John Thomas got a new car. A Nissan Sentra - Black - automatic - very nice. He is very proud of it and was ready for a car.

Then Kendra, Joe, Jacquelyn and Damian came to spend the weekend with us.

The kids got to feed a donkey named "Boo" and a horse named "Big Jone". They fed them carrots and celery leftover from Thanksgiving- THANK YOU, AUNT KK- for the vegetables. And also, they fed them deer feed.

In the evening, Jacquelyn wanted to sit out by the fire and roast marshmallows. So, that's what we did. The kids had a blast eating those burnt marshmallows. But Jacquelyn only wanted hers "lightly browned".

We woke up to Kendra and Joe making us breakfast. Yum! When can you come back to do this again, it was so good.

Then I got the kids to make me an ornament for this year. This year Joseph & I had picked up a reindeer kit at Hobby Lobby. The kids (& Kendra too!) got to make 1 to leave for me (signed & dated) and 1 to take home. I have 1 for Jackson too! - he will make his next weekend when he comes to stay overnight while his Dad & Mom go to San Antonio for a Discount Tire Christmas party and will be back Sunday.

Lunch Time - Oh my-Who could be hungry? Us of course. Kendra & Joe made the best grilled ham/honey/cheese sandwiches for lunch. Thanks for watching Food Network. Yum,Yum!!

and the cappuccinos too! Wow, I won't be able to eat until Christmas.

I am stuffed. Man, Joe really likes to cook! I need to hire him for every meal.

Friday CampFire Fun

Johnny, Joseph & I keeping warm by the fire. As Joseph used
to say when he was 3 y -we were watching "fireflies"
(the sparks that came out of the fire-
Joseph called them fireflies when he ws 3, so that's what we have
called them ever since).


Keeping Cozy Warm by the fire


Joseph likes to take pictures just as much as I do.
He caught us this time (hehe).
We set up a small area on the north side of the house for a converstation sitting area. It is shielded from some of that "wild" wind we get sometimes.
It's a nice & cozy spot -just right for a small fire.

It was cool enough Friday evening to start up the chimenia. It even sprinkled a tiny bit. That's really why I put on the blanket, to keep the sprinkles off of my back. No one else seem to be bothered by it but me.

Thanksgiving Visit

Gayle & I are sitting out on the porch
enjoying the weather - I am thinking it is hot
and Gayle (in the sweater) is thinking... burrrrr!!

Joseph, Johnny, Steven,
Emily, Gayle, Sarah, & Michael

Gayle, Steven, Sarah, Emily & Michael came for a visit on Friday. They stopped by after their visit to see Dad (Grandpa) at the nursing home. The kids ran around playing, stopping just a little to feed "Boo" the Donkey some carrots. Gayle & I took a stroll up the driveway to the road and back up the road to the house. It was really a great visit. Very enjoyable day. I am so glad they wanted to come by our home for a visit. Gayle & the kids have been here in our home several times after the completion, but this was Steven's 1st visit since we finished our home. He had been here when we were in the process of building.

Turkey Day 2008 with 5 GENERATIONS

5 Generation on Turkey Day!
seated right -Nannaw(Great-Great), Alta-MawMaw (Great)
standing right-Johnny (Pa), Bryan (Dad)holding Jackson 15 months


5 Generation picture on Turkey Day!
seated right-Johnnie - Nannaw (Great-Great),
Alta-MawMaw (Great), Jacquelyn,
standing right-Kendra (Mom), Joseph, & Johnny (Pa)



Elizabeth, Jacquelyn, Joseph & Jackson

Thanksgiving with Family

Flowers (yaupon w/red berries) picked by Jacquelyn for Nana
They were beautiful! and perfect for the table. Thank you Jacquelyn......


John Thomas with Nannaw & Bryan
They are sitting on the furniture that
Nannaw gave us for a "Housewarming"
Thank you, Nannaw-we Love it and we
enjoy sitting on them while on watching
the wildlife from our porches everyday!!

Joseph, Jacquelyn & Jackson with Nana

Thank God for all of the Blessings in my life. We had a Great Thanksgiving with Family, Fun, & Food. Way too much food too! And this was our first Thanksgiving in our home since we finished building.

The weather was great today, so that we could eat outside, sit out on the front porch, walk down to the lake. We all ended up on the front porch. Some even laid out on the hammock and the floating chair under the trees.

After everyone went on their way, Johnny, Joseph & I walked to our neighbors, Wade & Melinda Stockton, and Mary & Marshall were there too!, to tell them Happy Thanksgiving, but of course, to walk off our big lunch too!! We stayed and visited awhile before making our way back to the ol' homestead. And then we could go back and eat some more yummy food. hehehe! Alta brought that great cold salad that I love so much, oh my it was great, and the best part, she left alot of it here so I get to have it everyday until I finish it. Thank you so much Alta! And to everyone - all the dishes were great. Thanks to everyone!!

And to family that we were not able to be with this holiday -
We hope you had a great Thanksgiving too!

Yeah! 5 days off! Wednesday thru Sunday - - This is great! I'm not gonna want to go back to work on Monday, it will be hard, that's for sure.
Now the shopping starts for Christmas and getting what the grandchildren want for Christmas.