State Championships

Friday night Artie and I set out to attend the Tennessee High School State Championships in Cookeville. The game was on Saturday and so we took our time getting there. On Saturday we headed to the game in the snow! It was so very very COLD!!!! Brrrrrr....even though we lost, Artie and I had a great time.

The football team warming up

The girls cheering on the team...can you see the snow the have pushed off the field?

Look how cute they are! I am going to miss this group next year!

My sweet husband took pics while we were warming up...of course I am talking with my hands!

Praying and "Hocus Pocus Let Us Focus!"

On the field

Haha...funny story!

This guy's tuba fell apart during the dance at half time..."Hey! Where did my tuba go?"

Alison and I trying not to freeze!!!

All in all it was a great trip! I am so glad Artie and I got to get away...even if it was only for a night. I love him so much! Thanks honey.

Chrismons

On Wednesday night our church put up the Christmas tree and I got to help!! I really had a great time...after a very very long day it was exactly what I needed to lift my spirits. This tree was HUGE!! I love that it is live and makes the Narthex smell so yummy.

Putting on the lights

Unwrapping the Chrismons

Finishing the tree!

The Cat Tree

Every year, a customer at The Christmas Shop has Suzan and I come out to decorate their tree. Let me tell you about this tree! It is a 9 and a half foot tree all decorated in cat ornaments. Twelve hundred of them to be exact! One by one Suzan and I put every single ornament up. We love visiting with this family because they know where each and every ornament came from and each ornament has a story. They are so kind and always fix a yummy lunch for Suzan and I. Let me tell you that their love of cats does not stop at their Christmas tree. Their whole house is decorated all in cats. I know you are probably thinking CATS? But I am here to tell you that it is so lovely. They also have 2 real kitties that are BEAUTIFUL!

Here is the whole tree

The only mouse on the tree is on the topper..look closely.

This is Martha

This is Imogene

We had such a great time and will look forward to decorating next year!

Playoff Game #3

Last Friday the Green Devils played their last home game for the year. It was the last playoff game before the state championships and we were all really nervous!! It was also VERY cold!! Artie and I were so bundled up we could barely move...he even wore his Carhartt bib overalls! It was the Friday after Thanksgiving so the band did not have to perform halftime. I know the girls were so happy to be in the student section. And guess what? WE WON!!! State championships here we come!!!

The hubby and I

I found Rachael!

The team after the game! SO VERY HAPPY!!!

Thankful

What a thankful girl I am! Artie and I had a great Thanksgiving this year. It started out with us delivering the food we made for our community outreach Thanksgiving. Our community feeds over 1600 people on Thanksgiving each year and unfortunately the numbers keep growing. Next up church...which is a message I will never forget. Thanks Pastor Rick! It was about "bugs" in our life and came from the book of Joel (you know, the one with the locusts). Sometimes bad things happen and it is a reminder of our covenant with God. God will not let the bugs destroy us! What a great message and I felt it spoke right to me....

Next lunch at the General Morgan. It was great to be there because this is where Artie and I were married! We had a nice lunch with our church family and the food was so delicious. Here is a photo in the lobby of this beautiful historic hotel.

Artie and I decided to have a nice quiet Thanksgiving dinner at home this year. What a wonderful choice! Here is Artie injecting the turkey with something good. We smoke our turkey every year and it is so good...which is amazing for me to say because I am not a fan of turkey.

OK....this next photo be stills my heart. It is Artie's great aunt Alice's sweet potato casserole. Oh my heavens it is so good. We actually ate this for dessert. Here it is before the oven. It is sweet potatoes with a topping of brown sugar, white sugar, pecans, coconut and butter. LOTS OF BUTTER!

Here is the finished product...it has a crunchy crust on the top and I could eat it by the gallon. Like I said...Artie and I ate it for dessert instead of making a pie.

Here is my table set with the "centerpiece"- I say that loosely....

Close up on the centerpiece

Place setting...kinda haha!

The best part about Thanksgiving at home was eating it in our pajamas!!!

I hope you all had a wonderful day and a fun weekend!!

Daytime TriCities

On Monday Suzan and I took a trip to the big city (Johnson City) to be on a local talk show Daytime Tri-Cities. We did a little segment on what we carry at the store. I loved it...it was a lot fun. Here is a link to video...check it out!

A photo of Suzan and I with the hosts Amy and Morgan

Baby Shower!

This past Sunday I threw my friend Rebecca a baby shower. She will be having a little girl in January and so she needed some cute little girl things! Rebecca was such a big help the day of the shower...helping me keep my head attached. Once everything was complete I could breath. It was really fun seeing everyone and we all had a great time. The room turned out so pretty! I was very proud and she loved it. I am

Here are the centerpieces...they turned out great!

I tied ribbons on the back of each chair to add some color.

Oh the chocolate fountain...FAIL!

The mommy to be snacking on some yummy goodies!

Some of the guests enjoying the games.

Some of the girls and current UT Majorettes

MTSU Majorettes together again...sad we missed alumni band weekend!

Me and the mommy to be!

After her shower I went and helped her decorate her tree! (What I do best!) Since she is pregnant it is hard to climb up and down a chair, so I took care of the basics. It turned out really great! Here is a picture of it after she put on her ornaments.