Christmas in the heart of Dixie...

Christmas in Dixie...the best kind of holiday. The kids and I spent Christmas with my family in Alabama. The only way our holiday could have been any better was if John had been able to be with us. Anyway, Christmas was wonderful and we got to spend some good quality time with our family. It was SO nice to spend a full week at home. Usually we go down there on a Friday and come back up here on Sunday. There is just never enough time to "enjoy" being there. Here is a little of what we did while we were "home".

On the 22nd, Ariel, Keith, me, Momma, and my Grandfather went to the cemetary to put my Grandmother's christmas tree on her grave. We do this every year. It is just a small plastic tree with bows and ornaments (with all of our names on them). Mawmaw loved Christmas so much and she would have loved to be here to see all seven of her Great-Grandchildren.

The day of the 23rd, the kids, Mom, Dad, and I traveled to town to celebrate Christmas with my Aunt and Uncle, Grandparents', and Cousins. We had lunch, hung out, and the kids opened their presents from their Great-Grandparents'. I had such a wonderful time. I don't get to see them as often as I would like so any time with them is treasured. (I love you, Aunt Connie, Uncle Butch, Scott, Holly and the crew!)

Christmas Eve, my Mom, Dad, Ariel and I hopped in the car and braved the mall...lol. We did really well though and ONLY went into JC Penney's. Of course, we still had to drive across town to Walmart to pick up a deli tray for the next day. Now that was a mad house! Yikes! Christmas Eve night my brother, his wife, and four children came down to Mom and Dads and we watched a few Christmas cartoons with the babies before we settled down for the night.

Christmas Day was nice and relaxed and we spent the day with my brother and his family and my Grandfather. Of course, the kids thought that opening the presents was the best part of the day. hehehehehe. They all got LOTS of goodies. The high light of my day was that morning when I got a telephone call from Iraq...and got to talk to John. I was missing him so very much. I can't wait until next Christmas...when he will finally be HOME with us again. Until then...he will always be...on my mind and in my heart.

Oh and the best news of all came in the wee hours of the morning. My sister-in-law gave birth to my new baby nephew today!!! Mother and baby are doing just fine. I will get on here tomorrow and upload a few pictures from Christmas.

Adios Amigo's...
Daphne



On the 23rd we gathered with my Dad's side of the family, up at my Grandparents' home. We had a nice lunch, visited with Aunts, Uncles, and cousins, and all the Great-Grandkids got to open presents from their Nanny and Papaw.