Thursday, December 31, 2015

“Tonight’s December thirty-first, Something is about to burst. The clock is crouching, dark and small, Like a time bomb in the hall. Hark, it's midnight, children dear. Duck! Here comes another year!” ― Ogden Nash, Collected verse from 1929

Random Photos From December
Grandson Knox turned 4 on December 2. He had a Minion birthday party. Because...wait for it...he LOVES Minions! [picture by Kelly]
Granddaughter Shelby attended the ROTC military ball on December 5 with her friend Blake. Isn't she beautiful? And isn't he handsome? [picture by Holly]
Belle of the Ball
Grandson Elijah performed in the Christmas parade on December 6 with his Capshaw Cougar Jump Rope team mates [his mom Holly was taking his picture at the same time I was - maybe I'm in her picture]
It was a beautiful day for a parade on December 6
We put our tree up on December 7. Neil and I never ever thought we'd have an artificial Christmas tree. We did make a trip out to the tree farm and had one tagged, but when it came down to the thoughts of pine pollen aggravating my sinuses and Neil having to string lights on the tree which is never fun for him, we caved and went pre-lit fake. No regrets. Honest.
Our town went all out this year to make Christmas merry and bright. This huge tree set up in Dogwood Park [covering up the beautiful fountain where kids splash in the summer months] changed colors and put on a musical light show every hour after dark. Festive!
Our Christmas tree selfie in the park on December 12 ~ Neil, Knox, me, and Kelly [thanks for pic, Kelly]
One of the highlights for me this Christmas was attending the high school chorus Christmas concert on December 15. I hate to say I've missed too many of these performances in past years, and this one is only the second one I've attended. The chorus director chooses the best holiday songs, and the voices of all these young people blending in perfect harmony make me want to weep; it is so beautiful. 
This concert was granddaughter Shelby's first high school concert ~ that's her in the center, her pretty head all we could see behind that baby grand.
This concert was niece Julia's last high school Christmas concert. She'll be graduating next spring and moving on to college. 
Looking forward to future concerts
Last day of school December 18 before Christmas break, grandson Elijah brought home all the Christmas ornaments he'd made in class like this one with his name on it.
Future heirlooms ~ children's homemade ornaments are always the most treasured
A Christmas Haiku by Elijah
Daughter Kelly and son in law Kerry on December 23 enjoying tasty drinks at Poet's coffee house
Reindeer Games on December 24 ~ Shelby, Elijah, Knox 
Reindeer Games Part 2 ~ daughters Kelly and Holly, granddaughter Shelby
Rockin' around the Christmas tree on December 25 at Kelly's house ~ cousins Shelby, Elijah, Julia, and Sarah
Christmas Peeps [thanks for the pic, Julia!]
Mabry Clan ~ December 25 ~ Outtakes are the best ~ these people never learn [or maybe just don't care] that I'm going to post this on the world wide web
December 26 and not yet ready to remove the lights ~ Christmas lights are my favorite decoration, especially the flashy blinky ones ~ these slowly change color from red to green to blue and the other string of lights are white ones that flash from slow to fast and might be capable of triggering a seizure if you're prone to one ~ anyway, love 'em! I could leave them up all year. But I don't.
Niece Sarah gave me these way cool Charlie Brown socks which I happily wore the day after Christmas
December 26 ~ Neil fashioned a plastic room out in his big shed and got ready to spray paint the mantel we found at the Nashville flea market back in October [it's sitting upside down just in case you're wondering]. I'll show it to you when our fireplace is all done. I think it's going to be something really special.
December 27 ~ we've enjoyed springlike weather so far this winter ~ wet and warm and so not Christmas-like ~ the plants are starting to bloom
 
December 27 ~ grandson Knox got a Big Wheel bike for Christmas and drove it over to our house to show it off [they live down the street and mom and dad walked over with him] More fun than pint-sized human beings should be allowed to have
December 28 ~ more rain 
Flooding in our yard but nowhere near what other folks endured
December 28 ~ Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
Nice sunset on the 28th
December 31 ~ grandson Elijah is hanging out with us today. He brought a new Star Wars Lego set and spent hours building it
Waiting for orders from Darth
The finished product ~ good job, Elijah!
Sometimes I wish a year came equipped with a pause button or at least a speed bump or two, you know, just to slow things down a bit at certain points. This year has flashed by. They all do, I suppose. No special plans for us. How about you? And no New Year's resolutions. I have found them to be most useless in my case. Goodbye, 2015! It's been nice knowing ya! Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!

“We’re not dictated by the calendar, nor does the calendar sweep the obstructions from our lives when the second hand reaches midnight in the wee and fleeting hours of December. We can choose to move toward something new at any time.” 
― Craig D. Lounsbrough








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