Christmases Remembered

From our home (pictured above) to yours,  I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas.  George and I are taking next week off from blogging so that we can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with family and friends, and with each other. 

I went through some of my recent photos looking for some to share with you today.  It was hard only choosing a few 'favorites' since I have so many wonderful memories.   Hope you enjoy seeing what I've chosen...  Be sure and enlarge these photos (10x16) by clicking on them.

 George and I started our own traditions when we got married in 2001.  One of these traditions is giving each other special ornaments each year.  One of the cutest ones I found one year for George was a little fishy.....  I love going up to George while puckering and saying "Kissie Kissie" ----so this little fishy became a puckering ME.... ha ha

My most recent collections (and I have had a lot of collections through the years) are my WILLOW ANGELS.   I have nine now ---but the picture above was taken when I only had seven...  Oh how I love these angels!!!

As you know,  I love my Backyard Birds.   Thanks to George and friends,  I have NINE birds on my Christmas tree now... The one pictured here was my FIRST bird,  a little glass hummingbird... It is very special to me---as they all are!

This little angel has been with me since I was a little girl... My parents got it for me one Christmas ......  They chose her and called her Angel Betsy... Isn't she pretty?????  Like me,  she loved to sing!!!!! ........................WELL---look at the next picture!!!

Can you believe what Angel Betsy has in her back pocket????   She has a  slingshot!!!!!  I guess my parents thought that was the REAL ME.... ha ha... Maybe I wasn't such an angel afterall....   (But--don't tell George!!!!! ha ha)

This beautiful Nativity Set has been in George's family for many years.  It is so important to both of us ---as it tells the real meaning of Christmas.

I went back in my archives and found a picture of my childhood home all decorated for Christmas.   My Dad thrilled his little girl when he would shine a spotlight on a picture of SANTA --which he hung on the side of our home along with some greenery.  The picture was taken in about 1947 ---and I think my parent's home was the FIRST one in our town to hang outside decorations.  That is my sweet Daddy and his little girl with my dolly, Lulu... (The old car --a Pontiac--belonged to my brother, Raymond.)

The picture above was taken on December 12 this year while we were searching for some waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains!!!!  Both of us want to wish ALL of you a very blessed Christmas..  I will blog again on January 2nd ---so come back and check out my post.  It will be on "Nursery Rhymes" --so you may want to polish up on what you remember about nursery rhymes!!!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
Hugs and LOADS of LOVE,
Betsy

More Christmas Lights from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Pigeon Forge, TN  does a creative job when it comes to Christmas lights.  If you have ever been to Pigeon Forge,  you will know that there's one LONG main road going through the town..  The road is divided with a big median between.   This year, inside the median, along the way, the song,  "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was depicted using light displays.  We couldn't stop to get photos ---but it was great seeing "Five Golden Rings",   "Nine Lords A-Leapin",  "Two Calling Birds" etc. etc. etc...  I loved it ---and maybe someday,  we can get pictures of those depictions.  They were awesome...

We did manage to get pictures in areas where we could stop.... Here are some pictures in Pigeon Forge for you to see today..  Click on the pictures for larger shots.


The picture above is a neat little building along the road ---all decorated... We found out when we got home that this is the front of a big Holiday Inn in Pigeon Forge...

Here along the side of the road is a light display of "the old mill" in Pigeon Forge...  There is an old mill in that area --and in fact,  one of our favorite restaurants in Pigeon Forge is "The Old Mill"....



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These next three pictures are neat since they all go together...  These were taken at Patriot Park and show an EAGLE in motion....  The first one shows the eagle taking off.  The second one shows the eagle picking up a fish for lunch... AND the third one shows the eagle in flight as he leaves with the fish....  Look at all three of them in sequence...

 

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And finally,   here is an absolutely gorgeous Christmas Tree which was near  Dolly Parton's  Dixie Stampede.  We drove near to get some good pictures of that tree..

Have a wonderful day --and I pray that you have all of your shopping done and are now relaxing and able to enjoy the real meaning of Christmas,  the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Hugs,
Betsy