Thursday, January 14, 2016

Fair Warning: A Gazillion Family Holiday Pictures


Granddaughter CC is such a charmer and she loved watching the hens.

The holidays are over, our family have returned to their own homes,
and I am finally posting pictures--a gazillion of them.

Monday before Thanksgiving was sisters here for lunch when Deb came to Nashville.
Here's my sister Teresa and her husband,
and Teresa and Deb with Deb's granddaughter,
only sister Jenn was missing this day.


We sisters let Fred and R.H. get a word in every now and then.

Next, Defee and Wallace arrived bringing our two granddaughters.
Wallace was my sous chef early Thanksgiving morning--or was I hers?
And Nora was such a good helper!


Wallace will kill me for posting a picture of her in her PJ's but
if I looked as beautiful as she did Thanksgiving morning--
after a sleepless night with baby CC sick--I'd put mine here too!

And she had us right on schedule by Thanksgiving afternoon.


Table set, dinner ready, and Amens said.


Beer bottle on table, these are not magazine photographs, people.

Two sons and their families present for Thanksgiving dinner,
our daughter and son-in-law absent, at their home in FL,
Zack and Courtney made the rounds of her family,
introducing Zack, but came by afterwards.
Isn't she beautiful!



Thanksgiving over, we had to say goodbye to Defee and Wallace and the girls,
and before we knew it, Christmas week came and our daughter Christy, son-in-law Bryan,
and their two schnauzers arrived, ready to help us celebrate.


I think we were too busy getting ready for Christmas to take many photos,
but Christy and I cooked, she and R. H. grilled out one night,
we talked and laughed and watched Christmas movies,
and Christy and Bryan managed to get in quite a bit of shopping in Nashville--
all week in pouring rain,
muddy paws of 5 dogs getting wiped at the doors.

And the night before Christmas Eve
Christy and Bryan's son Alex and daughter-in-law Melissa
came for dinner.

We failed to get any pictures but this is Alex and Melissa
where they just moved to new jobs after graduation.
Can you guess what city they now live in?


The next night was Christmas Eve and Zack brought two of his friends to join us.
Tom and Brett's family live out of state, well one's family lives out of state,
and the other one's family lives in Canada!


Zack's snuggling up there with Zoe, one of the schnauzers.

The next morning was Christmas Day so after my traditional Farmer's 
Breakfast with buttermilk biscuits, it was time to open gifts.

Christy, with their Maddie and Zoe in nests beside her.


Bryan....


R.H.  with Otis in his lap--see the one big eye open...


Zack had to leave his bulldog Bentley at home--just too many dogs present.

Other family joined us that night for dinner but once again we forgot to get pictures.

And before long it was time to wave goodbye to our dear daughter and her husband,
Florida seeming very far away.

A few days later we welcomed back Defee and Wallace to help us celebrate
a new year approaching--oh yes, they brought two sweet little munchkins with them!


Here is a rare moment when the girls were at rest,
about time to read bedtime books.



I got lots of shots of the girls playing but most of them were a blur, like this....



Okay, I admit I helped that one along a bit.

There were wonderful days of talk and meals and uncles visiting.



Some excursions out and also a visit from Zack's high school friend
and his family who now live in a much colder state
than our TN that broke records for high temps.



New Year's Day night, grandsons Caleb and Drake, and Drake's girlfriend Emily
joined us for our traditional meal of pork loin cooked in sauerkraut and white wine,
collard greens and black-eyed peas, mashed potatoes and cornbread.

Zack and Courtney had parties to go to but here's another cute picture of them...




Again, completely forgot to take pictures but here are Emily and Drake
dressed for this year's Christmas Ball of his Army Reserve unit.



And here is grandson Caleb with them...



Drake and Caleb grew up next door to us and were R.H.'s helpers outside
here at Valley View when they were little,
along with grandsons Alex and Luke. 

What's a man to do after his kids and grandsons all grow up and leave
him to take care of 24 acres by himself, I ask you?

Well that's about all the family holiday pictures.

It was  cozy and relaxed...




Even though we had our moments of looking like rock stars...




All good things must end, wonderful holidays and a gazillion pictures.

Everyone went home and I was more than a little blue,

wasn't I, Milo?




26 comments:

  1. You have such a lovely family Dewena and I love seeing all of these photos!! It looks like you all had such a wonderful time cooking, visiting, sharing, spending quality time together! Love and hugs to you sweet friend!

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  2. OH darling sister mine.
    i was not to be disappointed! i knew i wouldn't be!
    such beauty! in the people and the valley view!
    only NO ONE took your picture? i wish you had put in a few of YOU too!
    i needn't go on and on. it brings huge smiles and even tears... why the tears i have no idea. LOLOL.
    "beauty does that to me" ... the line said by deborah kerr in 'affair to remember.'
    i guess beauty does the same to me.
    thank you for sharing such a glorious time with all of us!
    thank you dsm! XOXO♥

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  3. Enjoyed that visit with your fine looking family! So glad you got to spend time with them! Looks like everybody had a great time!

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  4. What a beautiful family you have, Dewena, and your place is like one of those buildings with the revolving door in front ( at least over your holiday season! ) Such a fun post to see and I had to laugh at the beer bottle on the REAL table...it's the same with one of my sons :)

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  5. I am in your "neck of the woods right now, 100 miles north of Nashville on our way to Georgia to visit family. I will wave on my way through.

    Your holiday was filled with family. I see now why you had NO time to blog.

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  6. Well, the holidays are all about family in my book and it looks like you had plenty of that!! It looks exactly the way Christmas is supposed to...dogs, kids, food and pjs!! ;)

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  7. Oh Dewena, Thank you for sharing all the photos of your family. I know how much family means to you and it was wonderful that you got to see everyone. Those two little ones are just precious and that first picture needs to be put in a frame. How darling.

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  8. Wonderful family pictures, special family memories. And that first one melted my heart.

    love, ~Sheri

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  9. What a joy to see all these pictures. The love and happiness!

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  10. Dewena, I loved seeing all your photos. Your cute family and the pets too. So glad you got so much family time. It's the best. Blessings to all in this new year. xoxo,Susie

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  11. As much as I DO so enjoy seeing your beautiful family and that adorable Milo, next time I want to see your smiling, gorgeous face too my friend.

    You most certainly had a lovely holiday Dewena! So glad :).

    xxx

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  12. I love this post---you are wonderful for sharing precious moments like these with us. You have lasting memories and they are preserved with your blog. :)

    Jane

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  13. Wow the first one...... a ring side view of the world outside.

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  14. Dear Dewena
    What an absolutely fabulous (and touching) post ... I have to say my eyes are moist ... and a tissue is on hand.
    What a fabulous loving family time you enjoyed - that is what it's all about.

    Thank you so much for letting me and your other readers be part of this special time, I appreciate it.

    May this weekend be a good one for you, we have it very cold in the UK at the moment.

    All the best Jan

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  15. I'm guessing that Alex and Melissa are posing in front of the Christmas tree in Millennium Park in Chicago. Do I win anything? Smile.

    I can see why you did not post over Christmas. You had much more important things to do. Your easy-going, open-handed hospitality is an inspiration and that carries its own reward.

    Blessed New Year to you and your beloved family, Dewena.

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  16. What a wonderful time. Everyone looks so comfortable and relaxed. Oh, and I also noticed all those books in the background!! the best part, (not really, hee, hee) The first picture is fabulous!! Love it.

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  17. Looks like you had a wonderful and memorable holiday season... Such a beautiful group. You must be so proud. Thanks so much for sharing. Lori

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  18. Looks like a wonderful time was had by all! Loved looking through your family holiday photos! Beautiful family Dewena!
    Linda

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  19. Lovely photos! Sounds like the holidays were very busy - but delightful - for you.

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  20. Well, now we know why you were so busy between Thanksgiving and New Year's! Your family is beautiful, Dewena, and I'm so happy that the holiday season was filled with so much love!

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  21. What a lovely, lovely family you have, Dewena. I have to admit I had trouble keeping track of who was a child or a grandchild. Everyone looks so young. It looks like Alex and Melissa are standing in Rockefeller Center, so I'm going to say they live in NY now. xo ~ Nancy

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  22. wow, lots of family - all so cute and handsome - ...beautiful celebrations - really enjoyed it all! Wish I could have been there, lol. Mine was pretty quiet and a touch boring - although we did have our Christmas dinner in a saloon in town. All my four sons and their families had other plans or lived too far away.

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  23. What a gorgeous family!! Aren't you so blessed to be able to spend the holidays all together? xoxo

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  24. Such sweet and smiling, happy faces in these festive photos, my friend! How adorable are those petite princesses, partaking in all the seasonal fun! BUT, where is the belle of the ball? (Yes, that would be you!) Obviously, snapping away precious memories of all the feasts and good times to share with us, and thank you for doing so, we so appreciate it!

    Wishing you the very best in health, love, and happiness this year, and always!

    XOXO
    Poppy

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  25. Fun. I love the fun of the holidays and I am so happy it brings family together.
    We enjoyed a special holiday too.
    Happy New Year,
    Carla

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