Christmas in Charlottesville

It's never easy traveling with 2 children, a husband with unrealistic expectations, and a carsick chihuahua. Just let me preface tonight's post by saying that the quote of the day so far has been "what I really need is a beer and a Xanax!"

However, once we made it to Charlottesville, the girls have had a blast. The ice was a bit treacherous for driving but just beautiful to look at. Tomorrow we are going to Monticello. Pete has never been and we're looking forward to it!

Quiet Christmas Eve

We sure enjoyed Colten and Beth visiting since Thursday. Ernie drove on down Friday night and the kids had an absolute blast. They played and played and played and PLAYED!  I think they destroyed my upstairs but it was worth it. I love that these cousins love each other so!

They entertained the old folks at the Vidette Christmas Party.

Ali Grace earned her way to the big people table....

Colten said an AMAZING blessing... (and yes I couldn't help but take a picture in the middle of it- don't judge).

They had a great time playing in the cotton field behind the house and watching the cotton picker make laps around the field.  We enjoyed a too short visit from the Tomlinsons since they won't be making it down for New Year's this year. :(

We've done most of the overeating on my side of the family already. I'm about tired of the leftovers and I'm ready for a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger! We are heading to Charlottesville to celebrate the Bennett Christmas on the 26th. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and getting out of town for awhile. I know y'all are thinking- that girl ain't gonna make it that long away from Vidette. It's only 4 days. I will survive. Especially if I keep telling myself that over and over again. The girls are about as wild about going to see Emma and Sarah as they are about Santa Claus!

We're spending this rainy evening sipping cider, making cookies for Santa, watching Christmas movies, going to Christmas Eve service and then wrapping a few gifts. I'm all about low stress this Christmas. Heck I didn't even send out Christmas cards this year and I don't feel a bit guilty about it. Well maybe a little since I did enjoy seeing the cards everyone sent to us!

Merry Christmas y'all. I really do hope you enjoy yours. Even if you're far apart like my family- from Charlottesville, Virginia to Vidette, Georgia to San Miguel, Mexico-I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

 

Countdown to Christmas

We had a great trip to Plains last weekend. I'm sure Aunt Christine would have been happy to see all of us laughing and having a good time together. I got to see several cousins I haven't seen in many many years. I am so glad I was able to go.

It's so funny to me that when you're a kid, everything looks so big. Now that I'm grown, this shed looks like a shed but when I was a little girl it was like a HUGE barn! If I had a nickel for every fish that was fried under this shed I'd have no need for a job. Many many good memories! My uncle Cecil was the king of the fish fryer. The whole community of Centerpoint knew that for sure!

While I was looking around the old shed, I saw this old rocking chair. I was instantly transported back in time. I think this chair used to sit on Aunt Christine and Uncle Cecil's front porch. I used to think this was the cutest little chair. I'd never seen a miniature rocking chair before and it fit me just right.

Have you ever stood somewhere you stood 30 years earlier and instantly been moved back in time? That's what happened when I saw the old fishing pond across the road from Aunt Christine and Uncle Cecil's house. Uncle Cecil loved to fish and we never visted that he didn't take us fishing. Daddy's cousin Jaqueline and her family have turned the old pavilion out at the pond into a hunting cabin.  It did my heart good to see it. But after the Connecticut tragedy last Friday, it also hurt my heart to think about a simpler, slower time that I'm not sure my girls will get to enjoy. Insert long sigh here...

Last night the girls went caroling with the LUMC Youth. Poppy drove the truck and pulled the trailer. Addie Belle Bennett thought that was the coolest thing ever! She got cold and ended up riding in the cab of the truck! Addie's excitement about Poppy pulling the carolers reminded me of when I was in Mrs Martorell's 2nd grade class. I remember her telling our class that we needed a Christmas tree and asking if there was anyone who could bring a live Christmas tree. I couldn't jump out of my desk fast enough. I yelled MY DADDY OWNS A LUMBERYARD AND HE HAS THE BEST CHRISTMAS TREES IN TOWN! Some other poor kid tried his best to say that HE could bring a tree too but he didn't have a chance. I think Ms Martorell said she'd take the first tree that arrived. Holy smoke. My poor daddy dragged the most spectacular fraser fir tree on the lot into Ms Martorell's room and I immediately declared victory! I have absolutely no idea why my mind chose to remember such an event but it has stuck as clearly in my mind as any of my early childhood experiences. My daddy was the coolest daddy in the entire world that day. I think Addie Belle thought he was he was the coolest Poppy in the world last night.

Isn't this the cutest bunch of carolers?

That's my sweet Addie with the braid in front and Ali with MY scarf......That's a whole 'nother blog right there.

Nanny and Poppy took the girls caroling since I hosted my faculty party here last night. I am so blessed to work with such fabulous fun loving people. I always count them amongst my greatest blessings.

We're counting down the days until Christmas around here. The girls finished up school yesterday. Ali dressed up for her class Christmas breakfast at the Methodist church in Waynesboro and Addie got to wear her pajamas!

Thank goodness for Amazon Prime. It's allowed me to avoid Augusta. Best $79 I ever spent... except maybe on that Christmas tree from my daddy's lumber yard. I don't know what it cost my daddy but I know it made my Christmas that year!

Merry Christmas everyone. Dial back the stress. Have a glass of wine. Enjoy the season!

Remember the Helpers

On my way to hear my angels sing at the Edmund Burke Academy Christmas program, I got a text from my friend Beth about the horrible circumstances in Newtown, Connecticut. I just could not imagine it. It was much too heinous to even conceive of such a thing. The children all sounded like an angel choir and I said a quick prayer thanking God for all of these children but also for the children lost that day and their parents who must be beyond devastated. I couldn't wait to get my arms around the girls after the program. I needed to stop at the grocery store but I made a bee-line for home and I haven't left since. It's all just so sad.

I really have been in a funk this weekend thinking about how sick this world must be to have produced someone who would commit such a cowardly heinous act. I have come to a realization though, that heinous acts have been occurring throughout history. This one hurts. It hurts to the core, but humans have been doing horrible things to each other for a long long time. My cousin's husband posted a quote from Mr. Rogers on facebook and it really did make me think...

It said, "when I was a boy and saw scary things in the news, my mother told me to always look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. There are still so many caring people in the world".  How true that is. There are still so many good people in this world. Restaurants from all over the country have sent food to Newtown. Schools have already begun collecting stuffed animals and cards to send to the surviving children at Sandy Hook. I respect people's viewpoints when they've posted all day about this tragedy happening because we "took God out of the schools". I respectfully say HOGWASH as well. God is where you take Him. I don't think for one minute GOD did this. Please don't flame me. This is MY blog. If you disagree, write it on your own blog. Equally as irritating to me is the constant political posting on facebook about gun control. I agree with the President. There's a time for this discussion but it's not today. However, I don't see more gun laws as the answer. 

Neither of the girls even know about the shooting yet, and I'm not telling them until I have to. We turned off the TV and we've had an otherwise good weekend. The weather was nice. Addie played outside a lot.

We had a great visit from Keith and Julie, our friends from Effingham. They are moving to the area soon because Keith got a new job in Millen. They were our neighbors in our very first house in Guyton. In fact, I was pregnant with Ali Grace when they were building their house. I remember saying these better be REAL good neighbors for all the racket I've had to listen to every morning! They were. Good friends come to visit. GREAT friends come to visit bringing Pineland Bakery goodies! Aren't these the cutest cupcakes ever?

Beth says the best thing to do is go out and enjoy the Christmas season. I plan on doing that. Addie wanted me to push her on the rope swing today and I really didn't want to, but I did. I know 20 mothers who would do anything for such an opportunity. For those mothers, I am going to do better. I'm going to make a huge mess making gingerbread houses and not fret about the sticky fingers all over the cabinets. I'm going to let the kids go without a bath tonight  because they're getting along so well and I don't want their giggling to stop. I'm going to stop griping about the economy and be glad I have a warm house with a wonderful husband and two healthy children. I am grateful for the multitude of Christmas carols my children have learned from Ms Joyner at EBA. I am just thankful.

Tomorrow I'll make another trip to Plains for a funeral. I love Plains and I always lament the fact that I only get back there for family funerals. Aunt Christine was a sport! She was so tiny but when she talked, people listened!  I have some absolutely splendid childhood memories of the times I spent at Uncle Cecil and Aunt Christine's house. She was 96. I can only hope for a life that full.

Merry Christmas everyone. Though it's hard to be merry, it's easy to be thankful.  I'm going to start there.

Crazy Christmas Time

Sweet Addie Belle had to write a paper in Ms Ogden's class about her family's Christmas traditions. I LOVE that her first sentence is about her Cooper Stockings! It's one of my greatest childhood memories and my girls love it as much as I did. Nanny and Poppy use REAL nylon stockings and so the stockings stretch to be taller than the girls. They are REALLY looking forward to that this year. She forgot to mention one of her favorite Christmas decorations, our manger scene I bought in Plains. She calls it the Jesus barn. I think that's the cutest thing ever! The Jesus Barn. Yep that about covers it doesn't it?

Tonight Nanny got a wild hair to make Reese's bars with the girls. It's a pinterest recipe and for a moment I thought it might be a pinterest disaster.

Addie wants to do everything by herself and poor Ali Grace usually lets her.

Addie read the recipe off the computer step by step

The recipe was a success! Hurray for no bake peanut butter bars! (displayed right next to the Jesus barn no less!)

The girls both have Christmas Dinner at EBA tomorrow and Pete will be joining them. They are so excited. Christmas is in full swing at the House of Bennett. Now if we can survive the next few days of schoool we'll REALLY be ready to get our yuletide on! 

Merry Christmas Everyone!

A Lot Like Christmas

City folks don't know what they're missing when it comes to a small town Christmas parade.  All the huge tractors from the local dealerships pull the floats and the mayor rides in an old pickup truck. This year my favorite float was from a local appliance repair business. The float had an old washing machine, an old refrigerator and what appeared to be a defunct air conditioning unit. Not sure about the last one. Woo hoo for small town living! Addie met up with her good friend, Lilly and they shared quite a few giggles. Lilly holds the distinct honor of being called by her first and last name. Addie always refers to her as "Lilly Brown". I have a feeling that even when they go off to college and have spent many years together, she will still call Lilly "Lilly Brown". She has a few other friends like that too. If she calls you by your first and last name, then you know you're very special to her.

We're all decked out for Christmas here. This is the tree where I hang all my childhood ornaments and all the ornaments the children have made in school and church. I have all of the ornaments I got each year in church. One of the best childhood memories I have of Christmas is the Christmas program at Hartwell First Presbyterian Church. The Ladies of the Church would make an ornament for the children and put it in a goodie basket each year. I also have most of the glass 12 days of Christmas ornaments Mr. and Mrs Feltman, from our old church, gave to me when I married. I've broken a few over the years but I'm still hanging on to at least 9 days of Christmas. I think of them every year when I put them on the tree. I have an ornament  from my FIRST New York City  trip 23 years ago, and a saxophone ornament from when our band played in the Macy's Christmas parade in Atlanta along with ornaments cross stitched by my Mama when I was Addie's age. I LOVE decorating that tacky tree every year! 

What a great year to put out the DAWG tree! I was so hoping for a victory in the SEC Championship game. If the Dawgs had pulled it out, a new ornament would have been added to the collection saying "I think we broke a floor joist...everyone stay calm" That was my friend Beth's quote of the night.  But alas it was not to be and it would be bad Karma to put a quote from a losing game on the tree. We watched the game at the Teacher of the Gifted's house (the Dawgpound). We had a great time! Hope to return the favor soon.

Anyhow, it's still great to be a Georgia Bulldog!

The weather has been warm this week and the kids have played outside a lot. It's getting dark earlier now though and so right now the girls are literally dragging each other around the house.

Only a few more days until Christmas break and I am hoping not to lose my religion during this crazy time! The girls have so much going on at school with Christmas gift exchanges, Christmas music programs, Christmas dinner, etc. The Louisville Middle School faculty will be gathering here to celebrate surviving an entire semester and the girls will be caroling around Louisville with the church. So many fun things going on- trying not to stress! Slow down and try to enjoy the season folks!