Monday, December 30, 2013

2013 is coming to an end

So the party's over and now to prep for Christmas but wait..... How about a quick get away? Works for me. So we took off for San Antonio to stay on the Riverwalk but first we stopped at Fredericksburg and Sisterdale Winery. In Fredericksburg we stopped at the sign store first where I bought David 4 large old oil n gas signs, Mobile, Sinclair, Gulf and Texaco for his birthday that happens to be on Christmas Day. He has a place all picked out to hang them but right now he has them tucked away safely in the garage so I can't take a picture of them. Then we stopped at a place called E Way. They have furniture and house hold decor of all kinds. 
It was here that we saw the old time looking camera made of all wood. David bought it for me for Christmas to display. I'm trying to find the perfect spot for it. He also found a Humble gas sign to add to the collection.

May try to arrange my curio cabinet to put it on top on maybe inside with the rest of my camera collection. May have to move the antique sewing machine.

Eventually I hope to have Family pictures and a few pictures of Friends on the wall but I need to paint the frames I have first. I've edited down all the pictures I used to have down the stairway hall at the other house to a few and plan to add newer pictures to the grouping.. Maybe I'll get that done by next Christmas.
Then we headed off to Sisterdale to the Sister Creek Winery where we bought some wine for me and Pamela. weee weeee weeeeeeee. Down the hill we go.... The Hill Country is so pretty. My picture doesn't do the scenery justice. Of course before buying I had to do a tasting of 4 wines to make sure there wasn't something I might like better. 


Next stop The Valencia Hotel. We stayed there last year when all the Bell Gang got together to hang out for a weekend. Very nice hotel but the get away is slightly tainted.... Unfortunately David was feeling slightly under the weather but still wanted to go. 
The Riverwalk was packed with people. Everyone must have had the same idea as us to get away with family and friends and see the lights. Took the next couple of pictures with my phone camera. Not bad not great but you get the idea.


  
The is a picture just outside our hotel Sunday morning. There's no shops on this end of the river so there's no crowd. From here we went in search of food. Since we slept in but wanted lunch and of all places we ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe. Normally we don't eat at a franchise place but we tend to pick places unique to the area but we decided what the heck. I had their special local burger. It's made with jalapeno cream cheese sauce and a grilled jalapeno on top. Wow and Yum. Depending on the jalapeno it's either warm or really spicy warm and lucky me got the really spicy. A little to much for me so I pulled the jalapeno off so I could eat with out my mouth and stomach being on fire. Overall it was tasty. 
For the most part of this trip we stayed in or close to the hotel. Poor David just couldn't muster the energy to walk around much since his cold was getting the better of him which was fine with me. We'd worked so hard prepping for the party that I think we were both pooped. But the party was a success so it was worth it.

On Monday we headed home to prep for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Christmas Eve we go to my parents for a small get together of us and them. Every year Pamela receives the little rainbow doll that her Mimi found on the roadside one day (of course she gave it a good bath first)and somewhere in or on the doll Pamela finds some money usually.  
Mimi and Poppy also found 
her an Aggie Picture Frame that was really cute and Pamela loved it!
And every year David sits on the same end of the couch and I think I capture him in the same position for every picture.Even though he still wasn't feeling his best he had fun and hung in there.


We began Christmas morning with Pamela in her new Christmas PJ's.

Little Miss Sophie checked out the gifts one by one. 
 She gave up and jumped up on the couch with Pamela and as you can see on the right Dexter just curled up on his bed and went to sleep. Too much going on for him.
We hosted the family Christmas dinner this year. I cooked the usual turkey, ham, dressing, broccoli cheese n rice and 2 lemon ice box pies. Thelma (David's mom)started a tradition of making lemon ice box pies and a hard fudge. Well I was able to replicate the pies but not the fudge. None of us learned how and we never found a recipe. My sister in laws Lynn, Glenda and my mom brought other sides and desserts to share. Everything was so Tasty good!!. We were not in short supply of food that's for sure.
After dinner the kids opened their presents and we all sat around talking and laughing. Someone was always giving someone else a bad time. 
And of course I had my camera ready to capture a few memories. David's brother Gary and his whole family.


This is David's Sister Glenda and her youngest son Kevin.
 The oldest one Phillip didn't join us this year. Hopefully next year.



Pamela thought it only fair that she took a close up of me. I got so busy that I never put on makeup that morning. Oh well. 
Well here's hoping that you're stockings were filled with joy and the spirit of the season and that your hearts are filled with love and glad tidings.

Hope you were able to spend time with Friends and Family and create memories to reflect upon next year. Hugs everyone.

Until next Blog...Hope you had a Merry Christmas
Carla

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

HO HO HO Merry Christmas!!






 Hope Santa slid down your chimney with ease and brought you happiness and joy.







Hope you're enjoying time with family and friends!

Until next blog.....
"Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe." ~excerpt from the Polar Express

Carla


Monday, December 16, 2013

Tis the Season...


Warning Photo heavy

Pamela came in the weekend of the 6th so we could go shopping that Saturday trying to finalize our Christmas shopping or at least put a pretty good dent in the process. Well she finished and I have just a couple more items I'd like to get to put under the tree for Mr. K and I think I can finish this week. Cross my fingers anyway. Yours too okay for extra good luck!

Pamela and I put up the tree. No Elf  tree/Christmas bush this year thank goodness. It was a really pretty tree but looked dwarfed in the hall with the high ceilings. LOL. This year David found a tree all by him self when he went to Home Depot His home away from Home. He did really good. Pamela picked us up a new Aggie ornament so it got a good spot on the tree. 
And now I need to put up/out the last of the decorations that I use in various locations. I'm not as good as my friend Linda in Dallas. If you click on her name it will take you to her blog. She is an awesome person with a zest for life. She has one whole wall of Santa's she herself painted over the years and every room is decorated. It is sooo pretty. I don't know how she does it. She is the Harvest Queen when it comes to fall decorating. She's always decorating, painting, crafting or handy work. On the Handy Work side I better give credit to the love of her life LD. These two are models for the energizer bunny.

Last year my Elf was just called Elfie but he wanted a better name so it's now Vinny since he's a vintage elf. He's as old as I am. As always he watched over the the tree decorating, 
hung out on the barn one day, Saturday nite he hung out in the kitchen where are the food was for a Christmas party 




then he checked out my reading shelf and found that I was a naughty reader.

Should I be blushing? Naaa
He only found 2 books because a friend borrowed Book 1 and Book 3 is about to travel down the road to another friend who wants to know how the series ends. 
Obviously I have several naughty friends too. LOL

This morning I found Vinny sniffing the wine corks. May have driven him to it after  reading excerpts from 50 Shades of Grey.

Several of David's co-workers had been asking when we were going to have a party so they could see the house and hang out on the patio but we were never quite ready to host a party. You know how that goes...you want things to looks good, there's lots of prep work involved and then how do you choose who to invite. So David asked what if we had a party for the holidays and I said sure. About a week before the party date he got angry with me because I didn't seem excited. Yikes I'm sorry but I always fret and worry internally about will people enjoy themselves, will they get along, will we have enough food, and does the house look okay.... So we invited all his co-workers and team along with 8 of my co-workers that I call the Lunch Bunch, a few of our very closest oldest personal friends, and a couple of family members. Well I got excited when everyone got there, I think everyone enjoyed themselves, no one looked bored and everyone was talking and I personally think the house looked just fine. YAY! Oh we had plenty of food!! Thanks to EVERYONE who contributed a tasty side, a desert or appetizer. And especially to our special Chef. Chef Kris deep fried up a mean batch well I should say batches of chicken. The seasoning was awesome and the chicken was cooked just right. One of my co-workers who doesn't particularly like fried chicken was "Wow this chicken is really good." So all the worry was worthless but the work was worth it.



Now we could have used less wind (20 mph wind gusts) and more heat for a party on the patio. David bought one heater and borrowed 2 from our friend Matt. THANKS Matt. The heaters worked like a charm. After everyone had left David and I were ready to collapse when I saw a present under the tree. 

Apparently a two little Elves put something under the tree. How Sweet! Aren't these bowls cute? Thanks Dave and Susan.



Until next Blog.... May all the sweet magic  Of Christmas conspire  To gladden your hearts
And fill every desire

Carla

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Giving Thanks

I give Thanks to God for my family, friends and co-workers. Life is good. Oh sure it has it's ups and downs but that's all part of it.
Wednesday I went to the eye doctor and got a great report. My right eye is better than 20/20 and the left is 20/20 and was told my eyes look very healthy. Couldn't ask for anything better. Other than maybe being able to see better in dim light but I was told not going to happen. No harm in asking. Then with my dilated eyes I ran 2-3 more errands and then headed home to get cleaned up and ready to go out for the evening...
Yep we went out the night before Thanksgiving. Not cooking made it easy to sneak out for the evening. We started out the Thanksgiving Holiday right by going to Puffabelly's to hear Jesse Dayton and Davin James.
They rock! These boys have known each other for a long time and even roomed together so put them on stage with a guitar in their hand and you'll be provided some great guitar pickin and entertainment..

Pamela came in for Thanksgiving and was able to stay until Friday. 
For Thanksgiving we went to my sister in law
Glenda's home. She had set the most beautiful table this year.  My picture doesn't do it justice. And there was plenty of food. 
Everyone did a great job of prepping food and Glenda's turkey was 
really moist and juicy. 
It was all yummy delicious.  

Pamela and my mom head towards the food line. 

My sister in law Glenda our hostess, My niece Shelby and Pamela
I hope everyone had a blessed time with family and friends on Thanksgiving. I know I did. Time to go back to work. Darn. I have enjoyed my time off and still have plenty of things to get done before this year is over... 

So until next blog... The fragments of our lives and make. Out of life's remnants, as they fall. A Thing of Beauty, after all. ~Douglas Malloch~

Carla