God's Blessings

This will be a short post because I'm getting ready for work. I just wanted to take a minute to tell you about last night. The stage band at my daughter's junior college put on their Christmas program. It was beautiful! I almost didn't make it in time because I had to work until 7:00 and it started at 7:00. I only missed just a few minutes of it. When Christy came out to sing...I held my breath for a couple of seconds because I know that she gets so nervous sometimes and she has been so stressed out lately with everything. Trying to go to school, be a good mommy and wife, getting ready for Christmas, etc. When she started singing...I started crying. She sang so beautiful! She didn't seem nervous at all. She sang the solo part of 'Breath of Heaven' and then the other singers came in and sang with her. It was awesome! I wish that there was a way that I could play it for you. I know there probably is but I don't know how to do that. They have another performance tonight and Saturday night. I'm going tonight as well. I have to work Saturday night. When I saw and heard her up there singing, I had this overwhelming feeling of how blessed I am. Thank you, God.

Snow,driftwood and holly

I'm trying to get some holiday decorating done today. I am so far behind and I am trying not to stress about it. I want the holidays to be peaceful and stress free this year...like they should be. These pictures were taken at mom's house a few years ago after the snow had melted. I went through my old photos on my computer and tried to find some that I haven't posted about before and these are the ones that I chose.

I love her holly bushes. They look so 'vintagy' to me.

I love the melted snow on this old piece of driftwood. I love the old barbed wire on the top of it too. Mom lives in Kentwood, La. A small town full of dairy farmers and real cowboys. That's what we call them.

Mom usually decorates a big old cedar tree outside too for Christmas and the kids love it. I will have to get pictures of that to post.
I have so much to do today. Today is my day off and I have to do as much as I can. My little boy wants to help me set up our Christmas village when he gets home from school. He loves doing that!

We watched the sweetest Christmas movie the other night. It was called 'A Dog Named Christmas'. It was on the Hallmark Channel. Now he wants me to buy it for him. He loves Christmas movies as much as I do.

I also posted on my Christmas blog today too. 'Christmas with a southern rose'. You can click on it on my side bar if you would like to go there for a visit.

Have a great day!

Rose Christmas Tree

Today for "Show off your cottage Monday", I am going to show pictures of my last year's 'Southern Rose' Christmas tree. My computer is still acting up, so I still can't download any new pictures. I'm not sure where I found this picture of Mr. and Mrs. Claus...isn't it just precious? I like her little china hutch in the background. Even Mrs.Claus loves her dishes!

I love this tree and all of the ornaments. I love the golden angels and the doily covered glitter balls.

I have a few decoupage balls with satin ribbons...

Another glitter ball and silk hydrangeas...

Red organza covered ball and ivory tulle threaded through the limbs.

Crocheted teapot and red 'Southern' roses...

This is my favorite holiday and I love decorating each room.

This year, I may decorate it a little differently. I've been so busy lately, I haven't had much spare time to get all of my decorations up.

I love how this tree looks at night. I love to sit in this room and listen to Christmas music and drink hot chocolate. I love playing Bing Crosby and Mahalia Jackson. They are my favorites. Sometimes my little boy will come and sit beside me and ask me to read him a Christmas story. We love doing that. Then he will read one to me. I'm so glad that he loves to read. I just bought him a new Christmas book titled 'The Family Read Aloud Christmas Treasury'. It is full of Christmas stories. Tonight we will read one called "Christmas Everyday". That sounds like a good one. Don't forget to click on the picture at the top to go to "The House in The Roses" to see the other participants in "Show off your Cottage Monday".


That's where I'm heading to now!

Have a great day!

Pink and White Christmas

Today is Monday and time for "Show off your cottage Monday" with Cielo at 'The House in The Roses'. With so much going on the past couple of weeks, I wasn't able to join in on the fun for a few weeks. I'm using some pictures from last year of my shabby pink and white Christmas tree for today's post. Be sure to click on her blog name and check out all of the other blogs that are participating.

I just love my little white Christmas tree. My pink and lavender ornaments show up so pretty hanging on it's branches. I love the porcelain crosses that I bought last year and the glittery rose balls.

The clear ball that has 'Glynda, the good witch from Wizard of Oz' is another favorite. The little Victorian lady is one that Christy (my daughter) received when she was 3 years old for being in my friend's wedding.

My lavender fairy...

Pink Santas, glass bird houses, resin angels...

Decoupaged rose balls, and my favorite handmade pink and white ornament from Nanny.

Snow babies and lacy potpourri balls...

Blown glass roses and pink satin bows...

Opalescent icicles, pink cameos, lacy umbrellas...






Snow angels with feather wings...a gift from my daughter

Pink glass crystals and white wooden birdhouses...

Pink Santa with roses in hand...










Pink satin roses on tree skirt with packages wrapped in pink and white roses...

Rose wreath picture with lacy angel on top of tree....these are just a few of my favorite things....

Stockings all hung and waiting to be filled...

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love to sit in my den and turn out all of the lights and just sit and relax by the lighted tree while listening to Christmas music. This is my peaceful place...just sitting and thinking back on Christmases past and the ones yet to come. I love my little cottage, especially this time of year.

I was with Cole and Shanna a few days ago when they welcomed their first born into the world and it was so special. I wanted to do so much for them while I was there. I only had a day and a half to be with them. I mentioned getting a Christmas tree for them and taking it to them on Thanksgiving (It is a 4 1/2 hour drive). I also have to be at work for 3:00 a.m. for Black Friday so I don't know how I would've been able to do it. I asked Cole what they were gonna do for a Christmas tree and he looked at me and smiled and said "Mom, Gabriel will be our Christmas tree this year." He really touched my heart when he said this. Later that night before I went to sleep I thought about what he said again and smiled to myself and it reminded me of what Christmas is really about.

Baby Jesus born years ago...He is the reason for the season.

We made it on time!!!

We made it on time to the hospital to see Gabriel arrive! It was a 4 1/2 hour drive. Cole called me at work around 9:00 to let me know that Shanna had been admitted to the hospital. I had already been at work for 2 hours and I had to ask my boss to let me leave early so that I could make it there to see him be born. I left work at 2:30 and had to stop by the house to get a bag of clothes, etc. This is the picture that was taken outside in the parking lot at the hospital. We called Cole and he met us outside.
Cole and Shanna waiting on Gabriel to make his appearance!

They look so sweet here and they were so excited. Shanna was so tired. She had been in the hospital since 8:00 A.M. and it was 8:30 P.M. when we got to the hospital. I wanted to be there in time...I couldn't believe that we made it.
We were all so tired. Everyone was wanting him to be born on the 19th because that is our grandma's birthday.
Gabriel had other plans. He was born at 12:30 a.m. on November 20th. He is adorable! I knew that Cole and Shanna would make a beautiful baby!
He weighed 7 pounds and 1 ounce! 19 1/2 inches long.
Cole and his son! Gabriel looks so much like his daddy!
Shanna and her baby son. It reminds me of me when I had Cole 18 1/2 years ago. She is such a good little mommy.
My first born son and his first born son. We are all so blessed! When Gabriel looked up at his daddy, I felt like he was thinking... "I know that you will always be there for me Daddy."
Me and Stevie and Gabriel. The first time that I held him. I started crying because it brought back so many memories of when I held Cole for the first time. He looked exactly like Gabriel.




God has been so good to us all.
I was able to be in the room during his birth and it wasn't even planned that way. A total surprise! I will never forget it. I cried whenever I first saw his face and when I looked over at Cole and Shanna I could feel the love that they have for him.


I'm at the hospital now. I leave in the morning to be back at work for 11:00. I don't want to leave!

We will be making many more trips to Southaven now!

An award for me..

This morning I was feeling a little down in the dumps...you know that kind of feeling that just comes every once in a while and tries to hang around. I will say that I am a very positive person, however sometimes the little negativity's in life try to rear their ugly heads and mess up a perfectly good day. That is what happened to me yesterday. I came home from work last night in a grouchy mood and not feeling too well either. I decided to go straight to bed....no t.v., no reading a book, nothing. Then I woke up this morning feeling a tad better but still not my normal self. I decided to look at a few blogs and the second one that I read was from "Passion 4 Pink". I started reading where she had received this award and had to answer some questions with only 'one' word and pass it on to 5 other bloggers. As I was reading the questions and her answers, I found myself answering them to myself. Then when I got to the bottom of the list, I saw that she had passed the award on to me. I was so surprised. It made my morning to know that a fellow blogger was so sweet to think of me. It was like she just knew that I need a little 'happy' this morning. It made me smile. Thank you!!!

Here are the questions...and my award.

1. Where is your cell phone? dresser
2. Hair? messy
3. Your mother? loving
4. Your father? protective
5. Your fave food? pasta
6. Your dream last night? home
7. Your fave drink? hot cocoa
8. Your dream/your goal? happiness
9. What room are you in? bedroom
10. Your hobby? thrifting
11. Your fear? heights
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something that you aren't? dependant
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. Wish list item? peace
17. Where did you grow up? Mississippi
18. Last thing you did? coffee
19. What are you wearing? p.j.'s
20. Your T.V.? news
21. Your pets? dogs
22. Your friends? many
23. Your life? blessed
24. Mood? better
25. Missing someone? Always
26. Your vehicle? Lincoln
27. Something you are not wearing? Make-up
28. Your fave store? Goodwill
29. Your fave color? Pink
30. Last time you laughed? Yesterday
31. Last time you cried? Yesterday
32. Your best friend? sister
33. One place you go to over and over? Work
34. One person who emails me regularly? Melinda
35. Fave place to eat? Olive Garden



Now I am suppose to pass this on to 5 blogging friends. You know this sounds really simple but it was a little hard answering these questions just with one word. Especially if you are a talker like me! #35 had to be 2 words. It was either Cracker Barrel or Olive Garden. Both have two words in their name! I actually feel better since I answered these. Really got me to thinking. Thank you for the award. I pass it on to...




Melinda Lynn http:// memespage.blogspot.com
Tammy http:// forastitchinthyme.blogspot.com
Melissa http:// pineyrose.blogspot.com
Manuela http:// thepleasuresofhomemaking.blogspot.com
Nikki http:// thescarlettrosegarden.com



Remember to try and answer them using just one word. Have fun!

Rewarding myself!!!

I know that I've been telling you guys that I have been on a diet to lose a few extra pounds that have snuck up on me...well I'm still on my diet, however sometimes you just gotta cheat a little bit. Or reward yourself, whatever you wanna call it. I guess I'll call it rewarding myself. When I reward myself, I do it really good!

I bought this cookbook at T.J. Maxx when my sister and Mom went shopping for Mom's birthday last month. I finally decided to make something out of it. I love seafood and pasta (my weakness) so when I came across this Shrimp Fettuccine recipe, I knew it was time to reward myself for the 6 pounds that I have lost. (I hope that I didn't gain it all back after eating this! LOL) You can click on the picture if you want to read the recipe.

The book is one of the Goose berry Patch cookbooks. I love Goose berry.

First you have to saute the bell pepper and onions in butter. Real butter!

You also add green onions and garlic...

And of course...cheese...glorious cheese. That's what Garrett calls it.

Add the yummy Mississippi home grown shrimp and it starts to thicken. It also has half and half in it. That's a little trouble maker all by itself. LOL

You then mix it with cooked fettuccine noodles and put it in the oven until it is all hot and bubbly. Delicious! I ate some that night and took some to work the next day for lunch.
Now, I'm back on my diet and I have been a good girl. Oh no, the holidays are coming...more delicious food! I will have to be good until Thanksgiving! I have to have my favorite turkey and dressing!

Have a great day!

Oh and sorry for the Halloween music still playing. My computer is giving me troubles and I can't go into my playlist to change the songs.