Family Time...

This Christmas was extra special because I got
to spend it with the peeps I love the most...

My Family



You see, our parents celebrated their 50th Anniversary
the day after Christmas and we all knew that this was
for sure a day to celebrate. We watched first hand
the highs, the lows, the good time and the struggles
it took to get to this milestone and we wanted to
show them how much we appreciated not only their love
and devotion to us but the devotion to their marriage.



Thanks you mom and dad for showing us that no matter
what, you always put Family first. You gave us the
foundation to which we now raise our family. You gave
us love and support in our good times and in times we
failed ourselves. It is because what you taught us
that we are able to guide our own families during the
good times and during the bad.

I only hope that some days my kids can look back at
their parents and be as proud as I am of you....



The only disappointment this Christmas is that I did
not get to witness my first white Christmas... When
we moved to Georgia 3 years ago, that was the one thing
we hoped we would finally get and after 100 years, it
snowed on Christmas and I was in South Florida... bummer.

Thankfully, snow was still on the ground when we got home



Hope everyone had a great time with you families as I did
with mine. I am looking forward to the New Year and all it
will bring.

We are off to visit family so I wanted to take this time to say...


Merry Christmas from my family to your...

Cookie Time...

For so many years, my sisters and I would get together and bake cookies
for the holidays. Then one moved away and then it was just two of us...
then I moved away. I hated not having that tradition because to me it
was not the holidays without it. So last year, I coerced a few of my
co-workers to come over and bake... and let me say that was adventure.
You see these two girls did not even know what a mixer was. They pretty
much stood around and talked and made me laugh while I did all the baking.

Well, this year came and I thought they would pass... but to my surprise, Jo
was all up for it... she was ready to show me her new skills in the kitchen.

What a difference a year makes... the girl was running circles around me...




The day was once again a huge success and I just loved spending time with
the girls. Next year, my GF Jo will be one state away but we promised, we
will not let this tradition go... have mixer, will travel....

Now, this day was not all about cookies, it was about trying new things.

Jo wanted us to try healthy... seriously, healthy while we were surrounded
by over 6 dozen cookies.... but she was.

So into her heavy duty blender went....

Kale (yuk)
apple, grapes (yummy)
whole lemon ( ?? interesting)
ginger (not a huge fan)

What do you get????


Green Slime...




Just to prove, I can try anything once????

What's not to appreciate...

There is nothing like a beautiful sky first thing in the morning
As the sun is slowly waking up....




Or the sky as the sun has fully awaken...




Or the blooms of the flowers...




Or the beauty in a sky that is angry from a thuderstorm....



So, if life has you down or stressed to no end this holiday season...
Take a moment and really look around at the beauty of the world that
surrounds you. Marvel in... breathe in the smells... listen to the peace.
I promise you, that you will feel peace. I know.. cause it is something
new to me and everyday, as I drive to work, I reflect on what is beautiful
out my window and my day always starts off with a smile....

What makes you start your day with a smile...