If you stare at the sun too long, you will laugh hysterically.

We had an impromptu Christmas photo session on Saturday.

Testing the lighting...nope not so good.

Testing the quirkiness....perfect.

Testing the action shots....she is too quick for me. OR I am too far behind?

Guess which is the dancer and which is the softball player.

yeah, she CAN jump though!

Do you know how many years I waited to see them laugh together like this? 

 

15 years.

I said 15 years!!!! 

So, yeah, I can throw some attitude NOW!

I'm not looking at you.

I'm NOT.

Ok, I am. 

You are beautiful. Inside and out.

And you laugh just like your mom....full on belly laughs with your mouth wide open to the world.

You poor things.

They are like SUNSHINE to me...I can't help but stare!

Oh, and this cute guy was there too, who else could take us to dinner and a movie afterwards...cause we were exhausted from all the smiling, leaping, laughing and giving attitude!

Happy Wednesday. 

My wish for you is that you find something that makes you leap for joy (leaping on the inside counts) and that you laugh at least 32 times today. 

And remember, the big wide-open-mouth laughs are the most fun and they burn the most calories!

XOXOXOOX

Friends, Family and Family Spirits.

Our Thanksgiving week in a nutshell.
We shopped. We laughed. We ate. We shopped. We Laughed. We ate. We shopped.

You get the picture.

My Mom arrived last Friday and our East coast peeps arrived on Wednesday. 

Thanksgiving DAY was just lovely. A bit on the hot side...especially with that oven going all day. Next year, I am looking into one of those big roasters....that I can leave outside for the day.

The good news?  I did not injure any one.
{I tend to get a little territorial of my kitchen on holidays!}
I did however, injure myself; opening a bottle of wine.
Perhaps 10 am is too early for my wrists?

Nahhhhh.

The early bottle was for the bird.  I feel better about things if I get him intoxicated before I ruin his day.

Inside dining and outside dining. Whatever your pleasure. And no kids tables...we mix and mingle because I don't want to be the only one at the kids table. 

Linds is in charge of table decor and set up...Martha Stewart never had it so good.

Linds and Heather.

Dinner was to be at 3pm. We ate at 3:07. 

Not my first rodeo, but it was his last.
Again, he felt nothing after that cheap bottle of chardonnay.

My Atlanta peeps were not able to visit with us this year....we missed them dearly.

My Uncle Jim is usually in charge of our dinner blessing....but somebody came through for us.

Oh.yes.he.did.

quite appropriate.

We were able to get ONE family shot of the four of us. Do you see the others that tried to join in with us?

Perhaps my Grandma and Brother? They both loved Thanksgiving, and we DID have room at the tables for more. 

We've got spirit(s) yes we do, we've got spirt(s) how about you?

We had pool splashing too. Did you?

My mom had to leave on Friday. Black Friday. We were dressed appropriately.

You know I don't mess with all that shopping madness on Friday...not.on.your.life.buddy!

We had a beautiful week....I am truly blessed!

I hope your Thanksgiving left you feeling thankful as well.

I've caught the bug.

Well, not really that one. 

But I did catch him....feasting on my tomato plants.  I cussed him OUT big time. Right.in.front.of.the.dogs. 

And then I found this one IN the house...he was casually trotting down the hall, like he owns the place.

I cussed at him too. 

I am going to h*ll in a handbasket. A fashionable handbasket. 

I've got the fall, thanksgiving, spray painting bug.

Before:

 

I found these wooden pumpkins in the clearance section. I already had the orange plastic one. 

After

Metallic spray paint and (gasp) glitter. 

Usually I avoid glitter like I avoid Chinese buffets, but I gave in. Most likely, I will be ready for more glitter in a few hours. You know how that goes. 

I don't know where we will put the food. 

My best behaved child.  

Just because I put out a welcome sign, does not really mean: WELCOME. 

To really be welcome here, you have to get through security. Or hop the electrical fence. 

Unless it is YOU. I don't like it when people just walk up to your door all willy nilly thinking they are welcome. 

Unless you are in fact invited.

Did I tell you that YOU were invited?? You are. 

Those Saturday people who want to share their wonderful life with me, well, they Are NOT welcome. 

I don't go to your house telling you have fabulous MY life is. DO I???

Fall finally arrived in Florida.

That is, if falling leaves mean fall has arrived.

It is currently 83 degrees. 

Bah hummbug. 

We have cranked the thermostat down to 73...trying to fake fall and to keep Florida Power and Light in business. 

Thats me, always giving. 

And thanks to my sweet friend Jamie for making my new header for me!!!!

If we don't talk between now and Thursday, have a beautiful Thanksgiving!!!

XOXOXOXOOXOXOX

Toilet doll heads, elbow pits, a panda face and cuteness!

Are you all excited? My Mom is flying here today. Yes!!!! She has wings. 

 If you had wings...if you had wings...if YOU had wings....

I've been a busy little soul getting ready for Mom and for Thanksgiving. How many of you are coming for dinner?? It really rubs me raw when you don't RSVP.

I lied up there. I really have not been getting ready for Thanksgiving. I've just been busy doing regular stuff....and I'll worry about Thanksgiving on Tuesday. Or Wednesday.

What's the worse that can happen?? We don't eat for a day???
Oh, there is no one in this house who could not go without food for a day and not benefit from it!

I swear, I just channelled my Grandma with that last line.
I.am.turning.into.her.

It's a downward spiral from here. Soon, these will all adorn our toilet tanks.

***

Lo had blood drawn the other day...she called me and said:

"They took 5 vials of blood! It didn't hurt, but they could NOT get blood out of my elbow pit, they had to get it from my hand."

I knew exactly what she meant by elbow pit. 
Do you?

***

Someone has a flair for hair. and hats. But not hat hair.

Feelin' the fedora.

Rockin' the panda.

You'll never guess what store we were in.

I could never look that cute with a panda face on my head.

And just so you don't spend the rest of the day thinking about Doll heads on the back of your toilet tank, ELBOW PITS or PANDA faces on my head, I leave you with a moment of cuteness.

Was that a collective ahhhhhhhhh that I just heard? I thought so.

Have a beautiful weekend doing whatever it is that you do. 

When I count my blessings...I count each and everyone of YOU.