Goodbye "09 and all your "Huge Times"

Well that was the mantra, "Huge Time in '09."  Did I live up to it?  Who knows, but I do know I have loved much and been loved more than I could have been asked for.  I have come together and fell apart in so many areas of my life, but sitting here at my desk drinking my super strong cup of hot organic peppermint tea I think I actually lived under the radar this year.  I kept waiting for something big and I missed alot of little, which is not very me. 
But the truth is...
I bought and paid for my first car that I actually bought myself.
I said goodbye to Blanche, the greatest gift I ever recieved.
I bought what might be the last of my host of bridesmaids' dresses.
I saw two of my best friends get married to wonderful men.
I saw two Carolina Gamecock football games with the greatest girl in the world.
I met an awesome girl named Sarah and then watched her move away to an amazing job in DC.
I made a bazillion scarves for the people I love.
I watched the person who is suppose to love me the most desert me.
I loved someone so much it hurt.
I watched my dear friend lose her dearest friend and sister.
I got back a sister I had lost years ago and with her the most amazing kids in the world.
I spent a year without laying eyes on one Wild Woman.
I used up 90% of my alloted cell phone minutes talking to Wild Women.
I dressed up as Marilyn Monroe.
I realized I have the best cousins in the world (even the dorks who pull for Clemson.)
I bought a Clemson tie (yes, this was big)
I bought two Gamecock boas (best money ever spent)
I did the Macarena with the best church family in the world.
I went to see the Wild Things with my little sister.
I saw the best guy I know move away to Baltimore and leave me with a bunch of Grandmas.
I sang second soprano (badly)
I cried in the rain.
I danced in the rain.

All in all not a blow out year but certainly not a bust.  Thanks for the memories 2009.
Cheers!  and let's live it up in 2010!!!!

A few more Christmas pictures...

 I couldn't fit all of my pictures in the last entry so here are few more. :) 

Kacie and Nikki

Pretty Pink poinsettias at Calvary

The most beautiful Sanctuary ever

The Advent wreath all lit up

Robin lighting candles

Happy Donna

Silly Nikki and Abby

Me with my cousins, Amy and Ashley

Christmas 2009

Wild and crazy and non stop, that was this Christmas.  I felt a little like I was meeting myself coming and going all weekend and was ready to come back to work to get a little rest.  However it was wonderful!!  The candlelight service at Calvary on Christmas Eve was gorgeous with the church lit only by the candles in our hands.  People can say was they will about battery operated candles but I love just good ole regular wax candles, even if they do drip and burn you and make you hit random high notes in the middle of Silent Night.  I wore jeans to the service, but I think Elise and Marisa had the right idea, as they came in their pajamas and looked absolutely adorable!

All of the friends exchanged presents which of course was fun.  My friends are entirely to generous and incredible!  I of course was so excited to give Robin his tie.  I am still not sure what possessed me to get his a Clemson tie, but for that smile I suppose I can suck it up.  This picture however is to funny for words.  I couldn't stop laughing at Nikki and Clemson in a Bowl Game makes Robin entirely to giddy.

I spent Christmas Eve night with Nana and Lucy for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas morning festivities.  The taco soup was incredible as were the cinnamon rolls on Friday morning.

We opened presents and I got money towards a new computer (I can't wait!!!), and one of my favorite things, a new Gamecock key ring.  It's so pretty and goes we will my new Gamecock earrings!  I suppose Santa rewards those who love people enough to buy ugly Clemson stuff :)

After Christmas morning was wrapped up (or unwrapped) I went to BB's and we went to Charlotte to see Aunt Dena, Uncle Don, and Amy and Ashley.  We had a yummy lunch and fun opening presents and then us girls went to the movies to see Alvin and the Chipmunk: The Squeakquel.  I am now a huge fan of the Chipettes!!!

It was a really fun girls outing and it was great to spend some holiday time with my cousins!

Stockings!!! and trees....

Well, after a mild panic attack, when I realized that I really had no clue where my camera was, I found it and all is well.  Actually I prayed last night that God would show me where I had left it, and I had this really inconsequential dream where I was carrying my Dano bag instead of my regular purse, and voila!  It was in there this morning.  God is so awesome!

I finished the Grandparents presents last night and as I am pretty sure they don't read my blog (or even know that I have one) I can post pictures.  They have never had stockings for Christmas for as long as I can remember, and stockings are one of my favorite traditions.  So this year their real present is the wrapping as I made them stockings...or bought stockings and cross-stitched and decorated on them.  I am really excited about how they came out and I hope they enjoy them!

Also as promised ages ago, here are some pictures of my trees at the bank.  The little one is in my drive-thru and the big(ger) one is in our lobby.

I love decorating the bank and I am dreading having to take it all down next week.  Is there anything wrong with wanting a tree year round?

Snow in SC...the continuing saga

Well the weater finally went haywire Friday afternoon and depending in where exactly you were at in Sparkle City you may have had a little slush or have been socked in for the night.  I was the latter up in Chesnee.  I actually didn't mind as a curled up with some hot cocoa, my cross stitch and watched Frosty the Snowman while the snow fell.  I think that may be the first time I have ever had snow for watching Frosty and his friends so good on CBS for scheduling with the weather.

By noon on Saturday the white had melted down to traveling managabilty, and I was off to a marathon trip to Michael's for some last minute jewelry making supplies I had forgotten and one last skein of yarn (YAY!)

I have a tight schedule for my evenings to finish out everything I need for Thursday and Friday, but I am confident I will make the deadline!

Saturday evening was the Calvary Choir party.  I would have pictures, but I haven't gotten them from Cynthia and I can't find my camera :(  The party was a blast as was the Carol Sing on Sunday night.  For those unfamiliar with the Carol Sing, it is the the night when everyone who wants to sing a Christmas song, sings it in church.  Everything from Away in a Manger to Silver Bells.  Nikki and I sang which was super fun as I love singing with that girl!  My Sunday School kids stole the show though.  They were really nervous about singing in public but blew everyone aways with there voices and super cuteness.

Snow in SC...

...well sort of.  If you count the five minutes of snow that fell this morning and stuck to absolutely nothing then we had snow.  LOL  Weatherman says more is on the way tonight so we shall see!
I love snow and I absolutely loved the massive snows that we got when I was a kid in Missouri.  There is nothing like being six years old and having snow in your yard that is higher than you are.
The only thing that concerns me nowadays is driving in it.  When Buddy taught me to drive he taught me to drive a stick and I could manuever pretty well in Blanche (the old Subaru) in the winter weather.  However, I have no idea what to do in my automatic Maxie Lou.  I suppose I will figure it out, but I am not particularly looking forward to it.
I have ONE, count it ONE, scarf left to finish and I will be done with them for a little while, but I still have a bit of cross stitching and sewing left to do before the big guy comes down the chimney.  I have the coolest idea for presents for my grandparents who don't really do much to celebrate Christmas anymore.  When they are finished I will post pictures, but until then I will leave you in suspense. ;)

A Blue Christmas Cantata

The church is decorated absolutely beautiful for the Christmas season this year and last Sunday night was our annual choir program.  Some of you have known me for quite some time and you know that I love to sing, love my choir, but I can not and have never been able to sing any form of harmony.  The Lord did not wire my ears for hearing harmonies.  However I sucked it up and through many tears worked on learning a second soprano part for the program.  It was HARD, but I had a blast doing it!

After much debate we decided to leave the robes hanging in the closet this year and wear shades of blue and silver, and it looked gorgeous.  However due to Paul's sadness about not getting to wear his robe, Nikki and I will be wrapping up one for him to open on Christmas Eve.  I love my P-daddy, but those robes should sit in that closet til the world returns to dust!   My biggest surprise of the night had very little to do with the music at all, but in lots of hugs from my big sister Kelly, her husband Artie and their kids who are the greatest kids in the whole world.  They all came to see the musical and I felt like the coolest aunt in the world having my own section of smiling neices and nephews.  Kelly's youngest daughter Emily made me the sweetest card that I tucked inside my folder so I could see it next to my music while I was singing.  I am so grateful for God bringing Kelly and Artie back into my life after many years apart and for their amazing children who bring such joy to my heart.

After the cantate Ms. Debbie and Ms. Linda put on the most elaborate fabulous dessert buffet ever and the social hall was transformed into a North Pole tasting room full of goodies Mrs. Claus herself would have been impressed with.  It was a good time to kick back and enjoy time with friends after working so hard on the musical for the last months.

Cynthia, Donna and I should never be allowed to take pictures of ourselves.  We are very bad at it.  Cynthia says she doesn't like her neck in this picture but I'm not sure who can see it with the blinding light of my glasses.  Of course there is the annual cheese ball picture of me and Robin.  I smacked him in the head and told him not to look stupid right before we snapped it...we see how well that worked out :)

I'm glad we are finished with the music, but grateful for the memories it leaves us!  Now looking forward to to the choir Christmas party on Saturday.  It should prove equally memorable!

A Few Chirstmas Friends

This is what I have been spending my evenings watching while crocheting.  Some of them have been with me every Christmas I can remember, and they are like old friends, and others are much newer.  In any event no matter where I end up at Christmas these guys seem to come with me.  So cheers to Rudolf, Bing, Rosemary, Frank, Santa and all their friends!  Happy Chirstmas!

A Very Crochet Christmas

This Christmas has been full of yarn!!!  In an effort to not have a last minute rush I started on this year's Christmas in January....glad I did!  I of course had a fall lag of enthusiasm and now am overwhelmed with the stuff I haven't finished.  Priorities of course are in order.  The children in my life will have something from me; the adults will get theirs when I get myself together.  In any event, scarves, afghans, snowflake ornaments, purses and other assorted crocheted handy-crafts will find their way to their new homes in the next couple of weeks and I might possibly find the floor in my bedroom that has been hidden in yarn for months...and then it will all start again.

Sometimes I worry I am going to turn into Iola Boylin from Mama's Family with all of my handy-crafting but I love it and I love honoring my mother in making Christmas presents the way she always did.  Her presents were never about how expensive or grand they were but in the time she spent on something esspecially for someone she loved.  This is my connection to her that is mine and mine alone and I treasure it above all things she could have left me.

Sushi and Parades: Take Two

It's hard to believe a year has passed since the first time I went to the parade with my church.  Even more amazing that of all the events that come this time of year, this is the one I have spent the whole year looking forward to.
Rain was the unexpected prelude to Santa this year and I was soaked though and frozen to the bone by the time the jolly ole elf rolled through the corner of Daniel Morgan and Church but still there is nothing like huddling together with the ones you love around Gatorade coolers filled with steaming hot chocolate to warm the soul.  No matter that is going on in life, the parade is magic and for those few fleeting moments all of life is about what is on that next float and the smiles that it will bring.  Nothing else matters, all is perfect.
Sushi has come a long way in my life since last year and my first squeamish attempts and trying raw fish.  Niku tataki is my new favorite after last night.  It was incredible.  (and yes I know that is beef and not fish, but I had some tuna tataki too.)
Anyway friends, thanks for the memories and here's to looking forward to next year (and hopefully a little less rain.)