Life is ALL about FAMILY

No White Christmas here this year,  but lots of LOVE

Dear Family and Friends,   Welcome to a new decade!!!!!!  Are you excited about 2020????  Do you have any big plans ahead????  We are gradually putting some trips on our calendar --so hopefully,  for George and me,  it will be another wonderful year together.

As hard as it is to find time these days to get people together,  George and I both managed to 'catch up'  with our families during the holidays.   We spent Thanksgiving in Florida with George's son and family --and his daughter visited us on Dec. 21-22.   I was able to get all three of my sons here at the same time (which is not easy to do)...  We all gathered here on December 22 (for a big meal at a local restaurant  plus time for fun and fellowship here at our home). As I've said many times,  having all 3 sons here at the same time is such JOY for this Mama.

Today --as I begin to catch up with some of the things which have happened in our lives the past month or so,  I will share with you some pictures of our FAMILY CHRISTMAS on December 22.

At the Dinner table at Legend's Restaurant here in Fairfield Glade:  Mark, Robin, Bert

Continuing around the Dinner Table:  Bert,  Kelly,  George

One more spin around the Dinner Table:  Me (taking pictures),  Dawn, Jeff,  Mark

After a delicious meal,  we all headed back to our home for some fun together... Here I am opening up a gift for us from son Bert...  You can't tell from this picture,  but this is "Notty"---He's a Tree Sculpture named The Spirit of Nottingham"  --and he will hang on one of the big trees in our yard.  Below is a better picture of Notty.

Notty ---my Tree Sculpture!!!!!  He will protect our yard --and also be a GREAT conversation grabber.  Thanks, Bert.

Here are some new BIRDS to hang on the outdoor Christmas Tree on our porch...  Thanks,  Jeff and Dawn!!!!

And from son, Mark and special gal, Robin:  a picture of the Autumn Snow we had.  Mark is becoming a great photographer,  and he KNEW I'd love this Snow Picture.  It proudly hangs in our office/computer room.  Thanks,  Mark and Robin. 

Kelly's gift to us:  A sculpture of The THREE KINGS.... Beautiful,  isn't it?  Thanks, Kelly.

A great picture of Mark and Robin

Another cute picture of Bert,  Robin and Mark

An Awesome picture of Dawn and Jeff

I LOVE these people!!!   (Kelly left early --so she missed the family pictures.)

A very HAPPY Mom with her sons!!!!!!  (I raised some cuties,  didn't I????)

AND --my favorite picture!!!!!!  MY THREE SONS:   Jeff (48),  Bert--called Tre by many (56),  and Mark (49--will be 50 on Jan. 15);  My Babies are all 'growed up'.... How can that be? ha

Sorry for the over-load of pic's... Just couldn't help myself....  Hope you all had as good a Christmas as we did!!!!!

Hugs,

Emoticons

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW

The Weather outside is frightful.  The Fire is so delightful.  Since we've no place to go.  LET IT SNOW...

Dear Blog Friends,   On December 10,  we had a really pretty (only 2 inches and nothing on the roads much) little snow... It was just perfect ---and since we seldom EVER have snow in December when our Christmas Decorations are up,   I just had to try out my new iPhone (which has an amazing camera).  SO--I'll share some of the pictures with you from that fun day in Tennessee.

See that snow coming down....   That's SO rare for us, especially at Christmas time.

The Deck ---all lit up for Christmas!!!

It's now dark out there --and still snowing!!!!!!  We are definitely comfy inside!!

Another picture of the deck --as the snow continues

Looking out front from the front porch!!!!  

Now--I'm outside playing in the snow... Our holly bushes are covered!!!

Looking down the driveway... Love this camera!!!!  Amazing how the camera made it look like it was still light outside even though it was pitch-black-dark!!!!  WOW.  

Another picture of our outside Christmas decorations....  They are so pretty with the snow,  don't you think?

The snow is still piling up on the deck!!!!

Good Morning ---It's early on December 11th and the sun is beginning to come out!

I always love seeing the snow clinging to evergreens.

The snow is over the morning of Dec. 11 --and the beautiful blue skies have returned....

I'll close with this one taken on the  morning of Dec. 11th.   I just enjoy seeing the snow on the Holly Bush, with that wreath above.

Hope you enjoyed our little snow.... As I tell my friend Neal (who teases me about loving snow so much),   I don't want or need a BIG snow to make me happy....  The little ones which cling to everything are really my favorite kinds of snow....

George said:  "Okay, since you've had 'your' snow---let's move on to SPRING"......
I said:  "Well--I wouldn't mind a few more of these little snows before Spring gets here"....

Have a wonderful week, my Friends,  and take time to enjoy this month, and let's all remember to tell the ones we love how much they mean to us.

Hugs,

Emoticons

BILTMORE CHRISTMAS TREE-RAISING 'PARADE' 11/1/19

A very cold but excited woman standing in front of the big Christmas Tree in the parking lot BEFORE the parade; That tree is a 35 foot Fraser Fir tree grown in Newland, North Carolina.  Some facts:  the tree weighs 3500 pounds and it takes a team of 40-50 workers to maneuver and raise that tree into the Banquet Hall inside the Biltmore House.

Dear Friends,   George and I did something on November 1st that we've never done before....  We went to the Biltmore Estate early in the morning to see the Biltmore staff/workers bring in the huge 35 foot Fraser Fir tree through the grounds and into the house,  to begin the official start of Christmas Season.

We have been Season's Ticket-holders for many years --but have never been to see this special presentation.  Needless to say,  we loved it (even though it was VERY cold that morning) and I'm sure we will do it again in upcoming years!!!!

Today I'll share some of the pictures we took from that amazing morning....    I will divide the group into three parts...  Hope you enjoy the 'parade'!!!!


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Part I was almost my favorite because we somehow got into a different Parking Area than we usually do... This ended up being the parking area where the parade set-up was taking place.  SO --we got to see everything up close and personal... SO NEAT....

It was such a JOY to see Santa up close and personal before the parade --in the parking lot... The kids  (along with the big kid, ME) enjoyed talking to Santa.... He assured me that I have been a very good girl this year!!!!!  Yeah.

The horses and cart/carriage arrived with their driver,  the coachman,  in the parking lot.... 

The horses were asking Santa for a Christmas Present just for them.

These hard-working young ladies were waiting to hook the tree up to the horse-driven cart... It was interesting to listen to the coachman telling the horses to back-up (which they did).... Neat!

More workers were busy making the cart neat and clean for the upcoming parade.

Santa and the Coachman in a nice conversation before the parade

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Part II is the Parade!!!!!  George and I (along with about 1000 of our friends) were now in the Biltmore House Grounds --waiting for the parade to begin!!!! On the dot of 10 a.m.---a trumpeter stepped outside on the high balcony at the Biltmore House and played his trumpet signaling the beginning of the parade.  That sent chills up my spine!!!!!  AMAZING.

We walked from the Parking Lot to the Biltmore House Grounds.... MANY people were there WAITING and listening to choral music presented by some local choirs...

We found a place to stand --and wait for the parade to pass by!!!!  

The parade is coming!!!!  I'm so excited!!!!   (You can see the band in the middle right side of the picture, and the  big tree on the middle left side.)

The Asheville High School Band is passing by us now..........They were playing some beautiful Christmas music.  

Here they come!!!!!  I loved hearing the 'clip clopping' of the horses hooves.  

I hollered:   "Hi Santa"  as they passed us....

If that big tree could talk,   it would probably say that it would rather be in the forest instead of all wrapped up on a wagon!!!!!! ha

We walked closer to the house and got a picture of the big tree as they began the process of taking it inside...

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Part III contain pictures we took after walking toward the house ---and watching the huge video presentation showing the remainder of the celebration.... My photos are actually photos from the big screen.

This is a great picture from above showing the tree being taken off of the big wagon. 

The tree is almost inside!!!!!!

The band continues to play--and believe it or not,  but George and I are IN that photo...  Can you see us???? ha ha... We are on the left side about an inch and a half from the bottom of the picture.. We both have our black hoods on, standing behind a lady with a light blue coat on and some children (one of them with a red hat on)...See us now?????? 

The sun was hitting the video screen so these last two pictures are not very clear.   This shows them lifting that enormous tree in the Banquet Hall.  There will be 62 decorated trees in the Biltmore House along with over 13,000 ornaments plus tons of garlands and wreaths...  It's an amazing place to be during Christmas. 

It is UP.......  Let Christmas Begin at Biltmore....

Sorry for such a long post... I should have split it into two posts --but thought it would lose some of the meaning of our special morning/day at Biltmore.    I hope you enjoyed being a small part of our wonderful day!!!!!

Have a great week.

Hugs,

Emoticons