Sunday - December 30

We are in Cordele ("Cordeal", GA) tonight after a good day on the road with abundant sunshine.    We went to 7:30 Mass at St. John the Evangelist in Paducah and were on our way......the snow along the road stopped about 20 miles south of Paducah, but then small scattered spots of snow/ice in parts of TN.   Lots of traffic and with the TN Titans playing in Nashville and the Falcons at home in Atlanta, we lucked out overall and didn't get in any major traffic jams!

 

Had a nice dinner at 16 East and now settled in our room - 464 miles to go and we'll be with Philip and Annette tomorrow night!    Can't wait......

Annette has been with her parents and will be flying home tomorrow!

 

Our family - December 23, 2012

 

Pat's entire family

Saturday - December 29

We are on our way to the Florida – day after day of no sun and dreary, cold, windy conditions makes us so looking forward to some warm sunshine  The further south we traveled the more snow with beautiful covered trees/evergreens.   Fortunately, the roads are clear! 

Busy past few days and yesterday (Friday) was so much fun with Annette’s baby shower hosted by my friends, Kathy and Claire at Claire’s home.    So fun to have family and friends together and shower this little baby boy coming in April with precious outfits, toys, books and much more – a real “Boy and Blue” theme!     Lunch was delicious and just a delightful afternoon of girl fun. 

 

 

Cute "pacifier" party favors

 

One of many sweet little outfits

 

Annette and her hostesses - Kathy and Claire

 

 We took some items from the cupboards and fridge to Anne and family and said our good-byes in the evening.    I hate good-byes!!!    We’ll sure miss all of them!  

 

Grandma and Grandpa and the boys

 

  Then home to start packing up the truck – oh my..... sooo much stuff with our clothes for the winter, boating stuff, Christmas gifts for Annette and Philip and all the baby goodies     

One final lunch with Kathy and Claire this afternoon at Biaggi’s celebrating Kathy’s birthday (tomorrow) and then we were on “the road again”.

 

We are in Paducah, KY tonight - 16 degrees overnight!    Plenty of snow here!

Thursday - December 27

Busy, productive day putting away Christmas 2012!   House looks bare after all my holiday decor, but good feeling to have it stashed away for another year!     Now gearing up for FL and gathering all our stuff.    We hope to leave Sunday morning.

 

Bur first things first and looking forward to tomorrow and baby shower for Annette given by my friends, Claire and Kathy.    Annette is feeling better, but unfortunately some of the guests are sick with various ailments (stomach flu, colds, fever, sinus infections, etc.) - our paper had a big article about the deluge of sickness around town and very busy prompt cares and ER's.

 

I ran a few errands this afternoon - felt good to be out and about - 1st time since Christmas Eve Mass.   Hope you and yours stay healthy!

Wednesday - December 26

Happy Day-After-Christmas!    We’ve been busy all day dismantling all the decorations and 95% is taken down, boxed up and stored away – Mark was a BIG, BIG help!   We should be back to normal tomorrow.   We had a wonderful Christmas with Anne and family and Ryan.    Unfortunately, Annette is sick and so did not come for our gathering along with her parents and Grandma.     Philip drove down and he and Ryan went onto Chicago.   Other mishaps of the holidays……Drew has the stomach flu, cold, fever, etc.

Saturday morning, Anne fell off ladder leading to top bunk bed and cracked her tailbone.    She has been in lots of pain and I feel so bad for her.    She went to Prompt Care and on Tylenol with codeine, but not helping much.   This is a long, painful recovery from what we hear.

Back to last Sunday……Mark and I met my brother Bob, Jennifer, Jake, and Jason at 8:00 Mass in Sublette which was for my Dad.    And then onto Mendota for our big (all together) Christmas gathering.    We also had a surprise baby shower for Jennifer and enjoyed watching a DVD from Christmas 1989 at our house.   So, 23 years later…..great fun to watch and see how we’ve all changed!!!   Lots of laughs.

Sure sorry to hear about all the folks affected by the Christmas Day and after storms around the country - we were lucky to escape all that!

Santa was very good this year and very thankful for so many blessings, especially the gift of having our family all together!     

Christmas night

 

Christmas Eve

Happy Christmas Eve......we've been in a whirl around here enjoying Michael, Brooke, Drew, Davis and Brady the past few days.    After the "blizzard" conditions of Thursday and Liam and Connor's Christmas program being canceled, I took the NC boys to the show on Friday afternoon - Patrick was in charge of the lighting and sound and it was extra special!     That night Anne and Patrick took all 5 boys to a hockey game (1st time for the boys from down south) and  then enjoyed a sleepover.   Michael, Brooke, Mark and I had a very nice dinner at Baxter's and then some good games of euchre.

 

Saturday we drove to Dixon and spent a fun gathering (84 strong) of Mark's family.    Ryan, Philip and Annette came that afternoon.   Sunday we spent the day at my brother Bob and Linda's  and ALL my family were there (29)  Even my nephew, wife and kids from Australia.    This would've been Dad's 95th birthday.   Sooo fun to have all our kids together this weekend.    Michael and family flew home this morning.

 

  Mark, Ryan and I went to breakfast with the Monday group and then Ryan was off shopping, Mark cleaned up a bunch of branches in the yard (still snow and ice) caused by last Thursday's high winds.    I did some spiffying up of the house and a few things in the kitchen. We went to 4:30 Mass (Anne and family, Ryan, Mark and I) and then back here for hors d'oeuvres, soup and euchre)!

 

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care.......boys are so excited!

Well dressed little lads home from Christmas Eve Mass

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all and to all a Good Night!