Let the good times roll.

Sister Paulette celebrated 70 years last week. Her daughters manufactured a surprise party for her. Only 2 out of 9 siblings could not make the trip. 

We met in a parking lot around the corner from her house. A boom box pulled in a wagon played Mardi Gras music. We made our way to her front door and her grandchildren knocked. 

She was blown away with surprise! The surprise just kept dawning on her as she saw the faces in the crowd. She called each name with excitement and hugged the neck of each one of us. 

Then. We paraded.

On several streets and corners there were more friends to meet us.

We toasted the birthday girl in the parking lot of First Baptist Church! 

More friends and more friends joined until we ended up at the downtown venue. 

Mardi Gras decorations provided by the daughters kept us in high spirits. 

The place filled with Sister Paulette's friends. The noise and happy mood were loud. Wine and beer flowed. 

Jambalaya, muffuletta pasta salad, crawfish dip, and more were enjoyed by all. Dark chocolate cake and brownies cover in ganache topped off the meal. 

A most successful evening. 

Followed by a Sunday of catching up and visiting more with sisters.

Have so enjoyed having guests over the weekend. 

And the party isn't over. 

More fun and visiting today.

***

Daughter begins her new career chapter today.

She is gonna rock this. 

Shalom, y'all. 

Kold.

A yummy meal prepared last week. Little brother gifted us some fish filets. I pan fried these and served them with broccoli and a new lemon rice recipe I found on Pinterest. I had some store bought Remoulade sauce that I served with the fish. Not sure I like the sauce, it was very horseradish-y. A bit too much. Other than that the meal was fine. 

Had to stop working on this shawl over the weekend when I ran out of yarn (of this color). I had occasion to stop by the HobLob today and replenish and will be wrapping this one up by the weekend.

More Pinterest recipes! This one was a one dish meal - Tuscan chicken mac & cheese. It was pretty good. It made a huge amount. We've eaten it twice this week with another dish full stashed away in the deep freeze.

Speaking of deep freeze. We are in it. I went to the Y yesterday morning and it wasn't snowing. 

Then it was. This was on my windshield when I finished exercising. My girlfriend lunch was cancelled and I spent the day happily cleaning bathrooms and steam mopping the back house. 

I kind of did something to my back on Monday and so wore the old back brace most of the day yesterday. It is all better. 

Hot chocolate was enjoyed on the day it snowed. 

I didn't really have any one to play with. And. There wasn't enough snow to do anything with. But I did run out and snap this picture in the morning. It snowed for most of the day but this was all the accumulation we saw. 

Snow still around today. We woke up to 8 degrees with it feeling like -6 this morning. But. 

The sun was shining today. I got to town and ran all kinds of errands. But.

It was K-O-L-D! 

I've warmed up some turkey gumbo out the freezer and added a few shrimp. 

That should warm our bellies tonight.

Peace out. 

Epiphany.

Life has returned to ordinary. Isn't that grand? Yes. 

Last weekend we deconstructed Christmas. All but the Nativity.

Today? The kings have arrived with their gifts. 

And. The Nativity will go back into hibernation. 

We ate in the New Year with tradition. Pork chops, cornbread, peas, and greens grown in our very own garden. These will be the last harvest. I pulled up the plants. May good health and luck and wealth be ours throughout this New Year! 

And also with you. 

Tuesday Daughter asked could the Super Carrot come for a night. Or two. 

School was out until the next Monday. 

And so.

She brought her own entertainment. We watched the movie together and then it was on.

For the next three days we sang songs from the movie every spare minute. 

She is the singing-est girl ever. There are certain musicals that she knows all the words to all the songs. Thank goodness she has her talent down for when she is in that Princess America contest!

We baked Old Fashioned Teacakes together. The first day we made them large. And very decorated.

The second day we baked the remainder of the dough and used smaller cookie cutters. 

Thursday we had fun running errands and meeting the new church secretary by the name of - wait for it - Annie! It was love at first sight. We knew we had to make cookies for her! And Fr. Jeffrey. And Ms Jennifer. We also got to spend some of the Chick-fil-A gift card that was burning a hole in her pocket. But not before a leisure trip to the Walmart and the purchase of a much coveted tiara! She wore it pretty constantly and already knew how to wave with it on! Her mom taught her. 

The cookies and personalized cards were delivered on Friday. This girl had a great time at the senior Mass and Brunch. Lots of positive attention and deviled eggs and donuts until she was sated. 

It was a win. 

She was dropped off and the half way meeting spot Friday afternoon. And she is missed. 

It is good having a little body around to tuck in at night and hug in the morning.

She is such a good house guest. 

Last week on my initial vacuum duty after putting up the decorations I discovered "the book". It is a facts of life book that Out-of-Town-Son and I have fun hiding in each other's house/car/suitcase/whatever. He never would read it while growing up...and so the game. Last time I discovered it in the freezer. The kids told me it had been in there nearly a year. While everyone was here for Christmas I had taken it out...and then it disappeared while I wasn't looking. So when I vacuumed under the chair - there it was. Who knows where it will show up next!

Yesterday I was cleaning under those same chairs and look what else was under there. 

Always fun after the crowd has been here to see what hidden treasure shows up. 

The year holds so much promise. A new life will be born into our family. A nephew will get married. Just last night a niece got engaged! Much to anticipate. Much to celebrate. 

Much to be thankful for. 

Namaste. 

Five years and the eve.

The year ends softly. 

It has been a good one.

Tonight? I am looking at the moon, full and bright, and thinking about five years ago.

New Year's Eve was my Dad's last night on earth.

He died in the early morning hours of New Year's Day, 2013. 

For the next several New Year's Eves I lit a paper lantern and sent it off into the night sky in remembrance of Dad. This year? I did not buy the paper lantern.

However, I did find two old sparklers leftover from my 60th birthday a year ago.

So. In remembrance of you, dear Dad, I sparkled. 

From the song, Stardust, by Hoagy Carmichael...

Sometimes I wonder why I spend

The lonely night dreaming of a song

The melody haunts my reverie

And I am once again with you

When our love was new

And each kiss and inspiration

But that was long ago

Now my consolation

Is in the stardust of a song

My peace fill your home in the New Year. 

Time after time...

We just now got home from visiting Mom. We also got to visit the locals...two sisters, one brother,  and Beach Boy and his family. Another brother and sister-in-law with duel citizenship (the coast and Madison) were down to visit, too. 

So, lots of family hugging and loving. 

We have done a Christmas trip to be with Mom several times since Dad died 5 years ago. Mom tells me with real emotion how deeply she appreciates us traveling to be with her at Christmastime. I believe her. It does my heart good. To do it. And. To hear it. 

I look in her eyes and see my past. And. I see my future. 

She is how I will look. If I live long enough. 

As long as she lives I hope to repeat this trip. 

Time after time. 

Christmas vacay...

So. Over the course of last weekend, whilst the grand chilluns were here, my angles' attention kept getting redirected. It brought back memories of my childhood and how we used to rearrange the Nativity set according to where we thought the cast members needed to be. With so many siblings, you can imagine, positions changed hourly. The funny thing here is that last weekend, somehow, the angels kept re-centering on the one with the broken wing. Mind you, none of my angels are fancy perfect angels. They are well worn and some are down right different. I like angels that way. Isn't it poignant that they ended up honoring the broken angel? There is a lesson here. 

Out of Town Son and his wife gifted Macho with a drone. The first one was defective and the replacement arrived yesterday. The battery on this one charged nicely and Macho nearly had lift off in the kitchen. The weather is frightful outside and it is hard waiting for the inaugural flight. But wait we will. New kitchen + flying drone = disaster. 

But. He is tickled with this drone and looking forward to earning his wings. 

I gifted Macho a canjo. It is a one stringed banjo with a can. This can happens to be of the Prince Albert variety. It came with a pick and a song book with music for a canjo or dulcimer. And. 

He is having fun with it! What a treat to see him enjoy this instrument!

Macho hung my new wind chimes for me today. Sadly it is a calm day and they are silent. It is a large set of chimes and they make church music. 

My second batch of Christmas waffles are being cooked as I type. I'll take some down to Mom next week. Maybe put some in a pillow case and hang 'em on a nail in my closet. That is what I learned last year from some dear cousins. My uncle, their dad, would hang his waffles in a pillow case. They thought it sacrilege to freeze the family waffles. I confess, I have been know to stick them in the freezer. Every time I make a batch I think, "This is the best batch I've eve made". This batch is no different than the rest, but I think it is quite possibly the best batch I've ever made! 

We thought we finished all our in town errands yesterday. Only for me to discover I am almost out of moisturizer. Ugh. One more trip to town and we will try to make it fun. Keep up our Christmas cheer. 

You do the same. Keep your spirits light.

Shalom. 

O Little Town of Bethlehem...

"...Above thy deep and dreamless sleep

The silent stars go by..."

I love the family shot. Here we are with our offspring. And their offspring. All present and accounted for. It was one of the best Christmas family gatherings ever.

I wish. I wish I could freeze the picture of each grandchild as they opened their gift. It felt like every one was a home run. The baton the Millie got was a hit! Lauren seemed pleased with her iTunes gift card and Tucker, in his understated way, exuded warmth when he opened the Seahawks hat we gave him. 

I have to save the best for last. It was the most precious reaction and I knew she loved it right away. Our Merritt loves the "Annie" movie, and all things "Annie" right now. She had requested from Santa, no less, the old version of the movie since she had not seen it.

When she opened our gift a smile lit her face. She fell back on the floor and just could not stop smiling. I knew. It was the best thank you I think I have ever seen. 

"...Yet in thy dark street shineth

The everlasting Light..."

Peyton and I shared some Christmas reading. She humored me and we read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" together. Then I read another book to her - "Bright Christmas, An Angel Remembers" by Andrew Clements. She listened intently. And. I cried through the entire book. It is one of those especially sweet poignant Christmas stories. 

"...While mortals sleep, the angles keep

Their watch of wondering love

O morning stars together

Proclaim thy holy birth

And praises sing to God the King

And Peace to men on earth."