Mother-in-law

Clyde's mom turns 85 today, Jan 14th. He and his siblings like taking her out for birthdays rather than a party like moms at her church. I know it was tons easier on the family. Mom (Helen) likes the buffet at Country Cooking by George on Alexandria. The food is good if you like a big variety buffet. We called ahead and reserved a private room and filled it up perfectly. There were 36 in all with granny's two sisters (the third spends winters in Florida) and her brother as well as some of their children. We had a great time. So relaxing and she was able to open gifts, thank everyone, read funny cards, and sing Happy Birthday all while dining privately. Martha  (SIL) makes a great yellow cake with caramel icing that is a standard. I will try to post some pics from my iPad. Last week didn't work so we'll see. Still couldn't "browse" for pics, so, again, here they are from the laptop.

Jean, Helen, & Joyce

Katie, Sue & Vernon's 1st, granny, and Sarah....married lady!

Sue, granny, & girls
Sue has her own pharmacy in Stamping Ground, Baker's Pharmacy.  Sarah graduated from UK with a degree in economics and is now getting a degree in architech (4 years) and Katie has her doctorate in PT.  She lives in Louisville (loves it) and is able to travel to great places in her job.

Martha makes her a yellow cake with caramel icing for every birthday.  Granny still has great hearing, thinking, and is still sharp as a tack!  This is the only photo of Clyde, and none of Jason Allen or me, but we were there!  Becky & Jason and family are in Louisville staying overnight for a little mini vacation.

This is the only child of granny's brother, Sonny and his wife Eula,  Mary Elizabeth.

Olivia, Jean's (one of the twins) grand-daughter, granny & her siblings. Sonny's wife, Eula, on the far right.

I enjoyed getting to know this sweet family so much.  Mary Elizabeth's boyfriend & his girls, Jocelynn, Kindergarten, & Elizabeth, 7,  second grade.  Elizabeth just chatted about her school, taking the MAP test and even knew her scores and goal.  She surpassed her goal!  Good:) 

Mother

Mom turned 85 on Dec. 9th. As most of you know, she lost her partner of 65 years 1 1/2 yrs ago. She misses him everyday. I don't think for a minute she is depressed. She gets out (each week my sister picks her up for breakfast), goes to her beloved church weekly, plays rummy with Kent and I several times a week on and on. She still attends monthly WCG meetings (her women's group) and takes a dish. She eats out with Kent more than they used to but she cooks a lot as well.

She also is beginning to think more and more of Heaven. She says on occasion she looks forward to seeing dad again. After dad passed, she started giving monetary gifts away. Also she started giving away her collection of Precious Moments. She has two full cabinets of her treasures. She loves them. Many were gifts from dad and she recalls times he had to hunt one down that was special to her.

At Christmas she gave each of her children and grown girl grandchildren one. I wish we had gotten a picture of us holding them. I will insert a photo of a few she has given me lately. Although these never grew valuable in today's market, they were valuable to mom. This is the first I've used my iPad to blog and I can't browse for the picture:(.

Second one from the left, "Many Moons in the Same Canoe, Blessum You". A gift for their anniversary one year.

New Year 2012

Happy New Year's Eve at Chris & Susan's house.  Fred & Michelle being good sports with their party hats!  For many years, since the children were small, we have met together to play Rook.  We start around 7 and play using tally cards for three tables.  At times we have four tables.  This year was the smallest group maybe ever, but that was fine.  We are a close "small group" that supports each other while "doing life".  These are the friends I call on when we want to have fun....movies, dinner, at times vacations!  We do mostly "couples" things, but we girls find ourselves having lunch from time to time.

Oh, aren't we such a wild crew:)  We saw the New Year in with peppermint punch and noise makers.  The girls played a new game (not new to Vickie) using dominoes and it was called "goobers".  We have played "chicken foot" for many years.  It was a game using dominoes that Tricia's mom & dad taught her, then she passed it on to us.  We like it, and "goobers" was a variation similar to it.  Fun learning new games. 

This is our small group of girls, minus Tricia.  So we remember for next year, she went to a wedding then the reception first, then came to the party.  She missed dominoes but was there in plenty of time for the ball to drop.  This tree was beautiful and SO big.   Part of our conversation earlier was about the pain due to illness some friends and acquaintances are experiencing.  Wondering about what the new year will bring.  Come what may, I pray we will be there for each other.  I hope my friends know they can call on me at any time of the day or night for prayer support.  My prayer is that God will show me how to help, when to go, when to stay, and what my friend needs from Him, through me.  Already in our small group we have experienced divorce, all our kids growing up, marriages, and the death of one or more of our parents.  We always said we would grow old together.  So far so good.  So, in the new year, I want to be available. I want to be wise and show God's love in my words & actions.  I want to listen and know what to say and what not to say.  I pray for my friends and their families.  For relationships to be healed, for closure to come where needed and for us to find joy in our lives. 

New Year's day found us at 10:00 service then out to Outback for lunch.  Yum those BIG lettuce wedges.  We both had great steaks with potatoes & bread.  Clyde and I ate alone and enjoyed every moment.  We then shopped at Dillards, came home to get ready for the munchkins.  We picked them back up today from Jason's parents and have them in bed now.  I fed them, read to them, gave Maggie a bath, had prayers and now sit here finishing up this first blog of 2012.  I know very few actually read it, but to me it is my journal.  I always like to journal in a book, so this is something that takes it's place.  Hopefully, I will be able to look back, read, and remember "the days". 

Christmas Day, Maggie's 4th, and Special Moments

I am writing this from Chick-fil-A on Wednesday, the 2nd week off from school.  I meant to bring in my camera to download photos, but left it in the car!  So, these are some random thoughts and I will post Christmas day & Maggie's birthday photos later. 

Christmas morning started off by Clyde and I going over to Becky's to see the kids open presents and stay for breakfast.  They greeted us, very excitedly, at the door saying "Merry Christmas Nana" and they were very happy with all gifts from mom & dad and Santa.  We ate a good breakfast Becky cooked (Jason helped) of scrambled, cheesy eggs, sausage gravy & biscuits, and fried apples (she had dried this summer). 
I got home and was a bit behind so I quickly got busy.  However, the morning passed too fast and I didn't get it all complete until mom & Kent came over to play cards.  Clyde wound up staying at Becky's until around 2:00 and mom came around 2:30...so I was in a bit of a panic. 

I didn't get everything made, but we wound up with a pork loin, stuffed with spinach, jack cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.  For sides, I used the Taste of Home magazine my friend, Tricia, gave me for Christmas (a year subscription) and cooked the sweet carrot recipe as well as the brussel sprouts & cauliflower augratin out of it.  Note to self, do NOT cook loin too early.  It was dry:(  Made good barbecue the next day.

Well, my computer went out of power yesterday, so I am resuming this morning.  We got the kids last night and Becky & Jason are flying to Chicago this morning.  They drove to Louisville last night to fly out of there.  We are keeping the kiddos until tomorrow night (Fri) and handing them off to Greene & Jackie around six in Richmond.  Then we will meet them back on Sunday to keep them overnight and take the boys to school on Monday.  Becky & Jason are celebrating their 10th anniversary that is actually today, December 29th.

I haven't had them overnight for awhile so it is good to have them.  It is never easy keeping three to one adult, just have to keep  on my toes!  They brought lots to do, so we are good to go.  Love them.

Christmas morning "Merry Christmas Nana and Pap"!

MJ writing in her pad,  she loves writing her name.

Mom (mamaw) and MJ at our house on Christmas day, opening presents after dinner.

Wow!  Look guys what we got from mom & dad....Ipod Touch!

Maggie's birthday arts & crafts night....Matthew painting his canvas.

Some party guests starting the night off with markers & fancy scissors.  Then we had pizzas, veggies & dip, apples and more.  Then the canvas painting.

The color scheme was crayola colors and the cake was like a box of crayons.

Sweet Madeline G.  Just a precious girl.

Becky made everything look bright and colorful!  Dipped pretzels, rainbow colored cupcakes and this delicious strawberry cake Jackie made!

This bunkbed is one that Becky had as a little girl, now Maggie plays with it.  The blankets were long lost, so Michelle made these and each has a pillow!  She came and got the beds so she could match the size just perfect.  They are the best ever.  Thanks Michelle!!!

These are filled with skittles and m & m's.....rainbow cupcakes in the back on left, 1st photo. Second one is a pic of MJ's cake server set we got her for her first birthday.  She uses it each year on her birthday and when she gets married, hopefully it will be used for her wedding cake.  It is engraved with her name and birthdate.  We will have it engraved with her married name and wedding date one day!

My break has been busy, not real easy.  Some days have been relaxed and restful and for those I am thankful.  My favorite times from the holiday are:
Southern Lights-met Jason & family with Becky's family and had a great night.  We should have eaten first, like Jason Allen did.  However, the night was a perfect weather one and the kids LOVED feeding the animals.  A very good evening.
Christmas Eve-dinner at Longhorn,  service at SCC, then out to see lights.  Nice evening. 
Fire Station #20-always makes me happy seeing all those lights dance to the music. 
Movie-Clyde and I saw Courageous, which has been out for awhile.  We ate great popcorn and watched a very Godly movie.  I suggest it to any dad or dad to be!
Thomas' birthday-Monkey Joes, this was very fun.  I enjoyed seeing the kids jump and play so nicely.  We took the three of Becky's (they came and met us there) and they played so nice with Thomas.  We met some of Cassie's family and friends.  It was nice!
Lunch with Tricia-last week, the day before Christmas Eve (I think), we met at Hacienda (spelling?).  For some reason it was just laid back, quiet and enjoyable.  We got to chat and that is something we don't take time to do.
The times I just sat and looked at the tree were good.  It hasn't been fireplace weather, so we haven't had fires.  These are some of the nice things I did. 

Stinnett Christmas 2011

And then there were six....almost 10 years ago Jason and Becky married.  Four years later, along came Austin.  Next was Maggie and when Matthew needed a new home, he came into theirs.  The one with Briana's name is a sweet addition to their lives.  She came to them at the end of last school year; again, needing a new home and knowing and loving her from teaching her, Becky & Jason opened their door. 

Beverly, 2nd girl, Martha, 1st, momma, me, 3rd girl and Kent...finally a boy!

The whole clan.

Becky turned 32 this week, Clyde & I celebrated 39 years of marriage and Jason is 34.

My sister, Beverly's, family.  Front from left, Michael, Hayleigh, Alexa.

Back Mike (my nephew) & his wife Rebecca. (spelling of names may be wrong:(

Cousin Angie ( Bev's daughter), lucky Jason, and pretty Brittni (Angie's 18 yr. old daughter).
Sweet ladies!

Juliette, my sister Martha's youngest grand-daughter, my Maggie, who turns 4 this week, and Alexa.

Before we had our prayer for dinner, we held hands and Becky read the story of the Nativity from the Bible.  Larry led in prayer.  This was daddy's honor for many years.
Off the top of my head, I counted around 37 there last night.  I may have left out a few!  Several nephews were working or out of town.  We have this dinner most years at mom's church.  This year, Becky & Jason opened their home and we all celebrated family there. Merry Christmas all!

Becky's Birthday

The boys made momma a chocolate cake today.  They both broke one egg each and added the oil & water.  Matthew started the mixer to blend the batter then Austin mixed for two minutes.  Matthew is watching the timer closely!

Austin is writing a letter to mom for her birthday.  Matthew used the PC and I will add that photo below.  They both worked hard on the letter and added a clipart.

The pictures below will be from the Horse Park, Southern Lights. The weather was perfect for walking around and riding the ponies.

Cassie's son, Thomas...he will turn 6 this week.  He is a very sweet kid!

The very best thing we do is feed the animals.  The kids love this as well as the adults!

The adults get into feeding time at the zoo as well! 

Thomas was really loving the pony ride.

Another one of the things the kids love are the model trains.

To close the night, we went to eat at Cracker Barrel.  It was too late and everyone was tired and hungry!  Looking back, we should have eaten at home first, then go through the lights.  However, all in all, it was a very fun night.

Baker Christmas 2011

Before we ate, we held hands and Becky read the Christmas story. 

A photo with a wonderful niece, Erin!  She's awesome and we are so proud of her.

Steven (nephew), Clyde and brother Vernon.

Jason taking time out to talk to granny.

Daddy and his sweet girl.

This is the tree in the FR. 

This was the sweetest thing I have seen for some time.  Granny is 84 soon to be 85.  She made homemade rolls for each and every one of us.  She had to get up at 4:00 in the morning to get them made.  She lives alone, in a senior citizen home.  She called each name and had us come up to get them.  She gave each grandkid money.  Her kids adore her as well as her grandkids.  Thanks granny!

We play dirty santa and this was in one of the UK theme gifts. 

The party is over and as we picked up coats, this is how we found Austin.  He said earlier his neck was hurting...precious child! 

Last night was Baker Christmas at Becky & Jason's new house.  Each sibling of Clyde's take a year for Christmas and Thanksgiving.  My turn this year was Thanksgiving, next year is Christmas for me.  I prefer Christmas to Thanksgiving for sure!  We have a full blown meal at T and bring heavy appetizers for Christmas.  When Becky bought their house on Sunny Slope (before this one), she got in the rotation.  Her new house looks amazing and she had it decked out.  It has a great flow to it so many people can move around easily but yet all be close enough to visit.  The photos I will post will be at this party.