Thanksgivinng and shopping

So another Thanksgiving has come and gone. Which to me is hard to believe. The years seem to go by faster and faster. My kids seem to be growing up too fast too. My uncle was shocked that Zack will be driving this time next year. Anyway. I have much to be thankful for and many people to be thankful for as well. The above picture is of my hubby Henry and I on the deck of my Grandmas house. In the background is the dam which used to power the old mill that used to be there that was the heart of the town. You can also see the old Washington Hotel that was built in the 1700's.

This pretty lady is my Grandma. I absolutely love her dearly. She is such a wonderful christian woman. She is loving and kind and full of life. Besides my mom she is the best cook I know too. We had Thanksgiving at her house.

This is the old Washington Hotel built in the 1700's. I don't know the story of this hotel exactly but I do know it is very historic and that I love the way it looks. This is the view off Grandmas deck. This hotel sits across the road from Grandma's house.

This is my sister Julie and her fiancee Ben. They will be wed in May. I have a link to her blog and her wedding blog if you would like to keep up with them see pictures... etc. Behind them is the New River. The oddest river in the US. It flows north.

This is Julie and I in the same spot she and Ben were in....
Thisis mom and dad. This is the house my dad grew up in. This place has seen many changes over the years. The train used to run through below where they are standing but that ended years ago. In the park down the street is a caboose we used to play on when we were kids.

This is my oldest Zack. i just think this is a nice picture.

here are my boys. They love goin to Grandmas....

This is just a picture of the dam, New River and part of the hotel..

So Henry and I went shopping at 4:30AM. I haven't done this in years. Goin in Wal-Mart reminded me why. Although when we left there all was calm. We had a nice morning together but once we got home at 11:30 we were dragging. We did get the outside Christmas lights up then crashed for awhile. Although I didn't sleep too sound. Got up cooked dinner finished decorating for Christmas. So, Christmas is less than a month away and I am done with the boys. WOO HOO... not too much more to buy. I think though people have forgotten what Christmas is really about. It is about Christ and what he did for us. It is about those people in the photos above and my inlaws. Just remember what the season is truely about as you go about this busy time. Remember "Is' ok to say Merry Christmas"

Thanksgiving tradition....

So here we are if you can believe it today only 32 days from Christmas and counting. But as we come upon Thanksgiving this week I was curious. What are your families traditions? Ours have evolved so to speak with the changes in our lives. When we lived in Hampton we came home when Henry got off from the shipyard and spent time with both families. So we stuffed ourselves to misery sometimes beyond misery and running back and forth up the interstate. Sounds fun huh!!!??? Since we have moved back home we still really have done that. Only now the difference is Henry and I tend to get aggrevated with one another because we both want to be with our families and we are rushing each other.
So this year we are trying something different. We will go to only ONE home. Yes one.... Although whichever one we don't go see on Thursday we will see the other during the rest of the holiday. Whichever one we go to on Thanksgiving we will go to the other on Christmas day and be with the other on Christmas Eve. Then the following year we will flip flop. I am so tired of being aggrevated with my husband by the end of the day. I do love him and that is not the way to spend a holiday you are supposed to be thankful for your loved ones.

I knew a family years ago that really just flew me for a loop. They would all gather together for Thanksgiving. Most all the family was upper middle class and didn't mind showing it. They did a tradition that I thought put the women beneath them in my opinion. The women would spend all day cooking and in the kitchen never getting a break. When dinner was finally ready the women would fix all of the men their plates and seat them at the dinning room table. The women and kids would wait until all the men were done before they could touch any food then they ate. Can you believe that? I don't mind helping my husband and my sons but I will not sit by like a good girl til they are done and eat what is left... But I guess all families are different.
I did ask why they did this and I was told that the men spend all their time working hard and they deserve to be treated that way. So what do the women see what they do as???? I work even when you are a SAHM you still work your butt off... oh well I guess I shouldn't think so much of it just be thankful for my family huh



So I was just curios what is your tradition? Do you still do what you did as a kid? Did you blend what your spouse does with your tradition? Did you start a new one?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.....

Rags by M wedbsite

So some of you have seen my ragbag as Melissa calls them. I wanted to share the website she has put up if you are intrested in getting one for yourself or others. I do want to let you know they are very well made and make great gifts. I mean what girl doesn't love a cute purse!!!!

http://ragsbym.tripod.com/index.html

Considering

So I have been giving some thought lately to trying something new. Most all people know what Pampered Chef is and most anyone who buys it loves it and most of the time wants more.
I have been giving some thought lately to becoming a represenative of Pampered Chef. I love their products and pretty much everyone in my life loves it too.

I am wondering however if I could develop a good customer list. I want to ask you all a favor. I ask that you all pray for me for God to give me the guidance that I need to do this.

As with anything it will take me away from my guys for a few hours each time. But my prayer is that it will give my family some extra income to help with bills or for entertainment in our lives.

So again pray if you think you will be intrested in becoming a host for me let me know. I won't start if I do til after the first of the year. But my main purpose here is asking for your prayers.

Friend is making purses

So a friend of mine is venturing in on something I wish I could do. She has began making quilted purses. They are great and I have fell in love with them. So I though I would share some of them with you.

So this one is mine. Of course I am gonna show this one first. Believe you me none of the photos do justice on how nice and well made this purse are. I am hard on my purses so....

So these two are a couple of her Christmas purses she has done. She is in the process of making me one with snowmen and snowflakes. Remember Christmas is coming if you are looking for a Christmas present.

So thise two are two of my favorites. I ecspecailly like the polkadots.

She also is offering wallets, checkbook covers and makeup cases to match. I have a wallet but for whatever reason have not taken a photo.

This is a pretty baby blue one. Tarheel blue....

Well if you can believe it I even posted the Tech ones!!! They are very good.

So if you are looking for gifts or want one for yourself let me know and I will let you know who to contact. IF you purchase the materials yourself the cost is $15. If Melissa does the cost is $25. i will put you in contact to find out what you need to get if you to buy it yourself.

ENJOY!!

VENTING

So as any of you that read my blog know we recently had a death in the family. Well Monday as we traveled from Radford to Dublin to lay Mark to rest I was so upset with people. I remember when I began to drive despite the fact around here it is one of those little known laws but a matter of respect to pull off to the side when you see a funeral procession. Well evidentally people are to focused on what they are doing for that few minutes to give some respect.

I was riding with Henry and my brother in law was with us. We began to notice how people just zoomed right by. One guy as we go to the speedway made a point to speed right past us. We did not have that long of a line and he couldn't hold off for a minute. It got to the point that we would watch and see how many cars would actually stop. Believe you me there were more people that zoomed on by than stopped. I was so upset by this.

I hope to goodness my boys know that they should pull off when someone has passed. It will take only a moment of their time to show some respect to the family and the passed.

I am sorry this has nothing more than letting me get this off my chest. I hope if you read this when you see that a family has a death take just a few minutes to show respect.

Thanks for reading.

Prayer for the Turpin family and ours

Well you know it is funny how you can get down in your own self pity and worry. I was hurt this week at work and have been upset all day over some of the ways I have been treated recently by people in my life. You worry about money, kids, making sure everything is just so. Even as christians we take for granted that we will be here tomorrow to do the things we wanna do; to go see your Grandma. We just assume we can go see Mom and Dad this weekend and then it is a maybe depending on how tired we are. God wakes you up real quick....

Henry and I have gone through our normal day today with bumps as usuall and dealing with life as best as we know how. Then you get that phone call that you don't want. Henry's b rother called this evening and let us know only moments before he called Henry's cousin passed away.

Mark Turpin was as sweet as could be. He had however always had health problems and was a worry to many in his family out of concern. Mark was single but loved many. He was in his very early 30's .

This death comes to a family that has already had to lay to rest another family memeber this year. Henry and Marks uncle Larry passed away earlier this year. When we got the call Henry stood stunned at the news. Being the age he is and even Larry's you know that God is in control.

Love all those around you as much as you have in you to give. Love God and honor Him in all you do. If you don't know the Lord I pray you will get your life in order with Him before it is too late. Because as things like this shows us you are never too young for it to be too late.

Please keep his mom dad brothers and neice and nephew in your prayers as well as our extended family... God bless you all