Who Needs Snow?

What a wonderful Christmas! We headed to Murfreesboro to spend Christmas Eve and Day with Libby, Led and Savannah and Led's mom, Marilyn. This precious angel was singing the blessing at 20 months old for our Christmas Eve dinner...and then we wished the Baby Jesus a Happy Birthday! There is nothing as angelic as a baby...unless they've had too much sugar which happened on Christmas day!

Don't I look lovely? This was around 7A on Christmas morning...thank heavens the hair wasn't too horrid, but of course you don't tell a baby to wait while you put on makeup....so all natural! We had the best time with Savannah...you know you've overwhelmed her with presents when you ask her if she wants to open another present and she says "no please"! After a wonderful Christmas day brunch, we headed home to nap!!


Today the tree came down and we started the preparations for the Notre Dame/Florida State Bowl Party at our house and the arrival of Woody's brother and his family for the Mississippi State versus Wake Forest Bowl Game here in Nashville on the 30th! This was supposed to be my year to go to a Bowl Game, but with MSU playing here in Nashville it was silly not to stay home...so ND get back to a bowl next year!! Tomorrow is house cleaning and Wednesday is cooking! This holiday season has been fabulous...we usually head to Florida for the winter but it's so much fun with Savannah that we probably won't head down til February. January is cold in Destin anyway! Estelle and David suggested we go in February...bet they're having canasta withdrawal like we are!

I think my tip for you is to enjoy your friends and family, not just at Christmas, but all through the year! As we get older, we will begin to lose loved ones or may suffer poor health and not have the freedom to run and play....it's important to embrace every minute to the fullest. Run and play and hug and love! Hope you've had a blessed holiday season and best wishes for a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from Destin!

Merry Christmas from Destin! We've had a busy week or so. Spent a lovely afternoon at Eden Plantation and Gardens. Unfortunately no relation! As you can see, it is a beautiful antebellum mansion fit for Natchez in Port Washington, FL just up the road from Destin. The sunset is over East Pass in Destin. They are finally starting to dredge the Harbor so the boats can get out.

We are having fun in between wind and rain! The weather this December has been the worst that anyone can recall down here. It hasn't stopped us much. We've still been out and about. A few movies, lots of eating out, a little shopping, a little work for me, lots of reading for Woody. I've spent more time on facebook than updating my blog, but hey...the important people are my facebook friends! If you aren't on facebook, you should try it. It's great to keep in touch with family and people and old friends you haven't thought about in years and some you don't even remember!! besides...isn't if fun facebooking that you just got a shot in your butt? Yes..I'm officially sick and you know how I hate doctors. Woody finally hog tied me and made me go...he was right, although I hate to admit it. This is my first non-annual get my prescriptions refilled visit in years!

As I reflect on 2009, I must thank Marsha and Karen and The Oncology Group for my semi-return to the work force. I have been able to stay intellectually engaged and buy some toys. When you retire, you hoard your money because you don't know how long you'll live. The issue is: spend for fun now and then become a burden to your kids OR watch your pennies now and leave it all to the kids when you die sooner than expected. While I love my kids, they have to earn their own way now and not depend on mom and dad! Tee Hee!! I still love it that my retirement plan was based on taking my savings and dividing it by the number of years I expected to live. I didn't depend on Wall Street and in retrospect that was a good thing. We may not have millions plural, but we are having a million dollars worth of fun in retirement! Spending the winter in Destin, cruising to Canada, going to my first Nascar race at Bristol, gambling in Cherokee and Vegas, and finally going to the Jack Daniels brewery are just some of the highlights of 2009. I'm not bragging, just sharing my blessings! The Lord has blessed us with good health and sufficient wealth to do fun things!

So as we wrap up 2009 and get ready for the pot luck Christmas dinner in the trailer park tomorrow (yes I know it's an RV resort right on the beach next to million dollar mansions, but it sounds better to say trailer park!), Woody and I wish you Merry Christmas, love enough to share, sufficient wealth to meet your needs, and world peace! Life is good! Celebrate it through all the ups and downs and may you be more up than down in 2010!