And I'm Back......
long winded as ever hahahah! So my Internet is back up and running! Praise the Lord! I have only had a computer in my home for a year and a half. Funny how much I depend on it! WHAT DID I DO BEFORE?????????
The next couple of posts are going to be me playing catch up. I am one of those people that can't do a million things at once and I don't like to move on till something is finished. So Christmas pictures it is for the next few days. These might bore you to death but if I don't put them on my blog I will not ever remember the details.
I wanted to pick back up with what we did on Christmas and then I wanted to share with you some very special pictures from my Great Grandmother's funeral. It was a celebration and it was so good to see my Dad's side of the family! It had been to long!
So lets begin with Christmas morning.....the last you heard from me on this was that Mom and I got our SUPER CUTE RETRO CRUISER BIKES!!!!!!!! I have been riding mine every day and the last two days I rode 8 MILES EACH!!!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???? I am in love with it and my thighs are thanking me!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom and I in are silk pj's hahahahhah and no makeup hahahahahha! check out my bangs ha!
George and Dixie got a Wii
My mom beats George at bowling a lot...he hates it.......SHE LOVES IT! ha bless his heart! I mean, Dad was a coach so we love a good competition!
The day after Christmas we got up and drove to Memphis. B-I-L George went back to Round Rock to finish up work and then drove up later in the week.
and it was here in the church that we could eat and catch up with all our family.
The Rick Hughes Family
and the David Hughes Family
And then there are my Dad's cousins........
Taylor and his girlfriend
So it was a lovely day. I hate that I had not seen people that are my own family in so long. I was glad to get caught up on their lives and to get to hug their necks!
I know this was so long for you....I just wanted my thoughts down forever....mainly for the family members that read. That was just one part of our trip and I will return soon with the second part. Thank you so much for those of you that sent me cards and emails with love for me and my family. I love you dearly!
Thanks again for meeting Dad's side of the family!
love you-
The next couple of posts are going to be me playing catch up. I am one of those people that can't do a million things at once and I don't like to move on till something is finished. So Christmas pictures it is for the next few days. These might bore you to death but if I don't put them on my blog I will not ever remember the details.
I wanted to pick back up with what we did on Christmas and then I wanted to share with you some very special pictures from my Great Grandmother's funeral. It was a celebration and it was so good to see my Dad's side of the family! It had been to long!
So lets begin with Christmas morning.....the last you heard from me on this was that Mom and I got our SUPER CUTE RETRO CRUISER BIKES!!!!!!!! I have been riding mine every day and the last two days I rode 8 MILES EACH!!!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT???? I am in love with it and my thighs are thanking me!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom and I in are silk pj's hahahahhah and no makeup hahahahahha! check out my bangs ha!
George and Dixie got a Wii
My mom beats George at bowling a lot...he hates it.......SHE LOVES IT! ha bless his heart! I mean, Dad was a coach so we love a good competition!
Here are a few more bike/fam Christmas day photos.
Later that afternoon we began the prep work for our annual FONDUE TRADITION.....we have only been doing this the past 4 years but we just LOVE IT! We have, however, always had fondue growing up...mainly around New Years! It is such a fun, slow, bonding time. It takes us hours to eat and we just love it!
Later that afternoon we began the prep work for our annual FONDUE TRADITION.....we have only been doing this the past 4 years but we just LOVE IT! We have, however, always had fondue growing up...mainly around New Years! It is such a fun, slow, bonding time. It takes us hours to eat and we just love it!
We are big shrimp people so over the years we have eliminated other meats and just added more shrimp and more veggies!
Here is a play by play......mushroom takes a dip in the batter.....
and then gets all fried up in the oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dip that baby in Ranch and YOU WILL BE SINGIN HALLELUJAH!!!
Dad totally agrees with me! we have added cheese fondue and chocolate fondue before. But honestly, glad we stayed away from the chocolate this year. last year it was right in front of me and I am ashamed to say that thoughts of just licking the dish clean drifted in and out of my mind! ha! Oh man it was heaven...minus the 5 lbs I gained! ha!
The day after Christmas we got up and drove to Memphis. B-I-L George went back to Round Rock to finish up work and then drove up later in the week.
That Sunday we drove to Water Valley Mississippi for Grandmom's funeral. This was my first Christmas with my camera and I had planned on taking some pics of the old home place for memories. It is now owned by other people so I knew I would have to ask their permission..........my sister was not into my idea at ALL! I live a life of adventure and knew that if I asked them politely to walk the land that they would probably let me.......i mean it was in our family for over 50 years.
Well, we dropped dad and mom off at the funeral home for a family meeting and headed to the house. I walked right up to the door and knocked! This darling old man came to the door and was MORE THAN HAPPY to let us take pictures....and when I went to leave he said, "and when your done, young lady, come on in and talk." oh is that not the sweetest thing.
So below are just some of the pictures. I have such dear memories of this place. My sister and I played outside FOR HOURS making up things and cooking weeds and making mud pies!
There use to be porch swings on the carport. I have some get pics of being a little girl and rocking with Granddad and Grandmom Burns!
My Granddad Burns always had a garden going and it was such a delight to see that this couple was using this land also.
SIDE NOTE......and i have never shared this before but there are two poems that always made me think of the home place in Water Valley.............Birches by Robert Frost (one could do worse than be a swinger of birches) and The Road Less Traveled by Robert Frost (Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.) Both of these poems are deeply in my mind from growing up with amazing English teachers that gave me a love for studying what something really says.
Anyway, this picture below is not of birch trees but we use to run through them and play. Out back we would go on long walks in the woods and pretend we were on great adventures! As I would read these Frost poems I would imagine myself here.
Dixie on the porch
Dixie on the porch
me
and my Vanna White pose
Dixie and I did go inside and visit with the man. He let us go in every room and we got to see how they had added on to the house and how they updated a lot. Dixie and I both agreed that it smelled the same.......it was so nice to be reminded of the past. He knew our Great Grandfather very well and as he talked about him, he teared up sharing with us. Oh we were just a cryin. It was so precious. He even gave us a copy of an aerial view of the land back in the day...when they still had the out-house hahahhahhaha. It was just a divine appointment in my mind. He just blessed us so much and even came to the funeral!
Dixie and I did go inside and visit with the man. He let us go in every room and we got to see how they had added on to the house and how they updated a lot. Dixie and I both agreed that it smelled the same.......it was so nice to be reminded of the past. He knew our Great Grandfather very well and as he talked about him, he teared up sharing with us. Oh we were just a cryin. It was so precious. He even gave us a copy of an aerial view of the land back in the day...when they still had the out-house hahahhahhaha. It was just a divine appointment in my mind. He just blessed us so much and even came to the funeral!
The funeral was lovely. My Aunt Chris, Uncle Scott and Daddy Bob came! Mike and Carondelet came too. We were so grateful that they came to support us! All my dad's side was there and I enjoyed seeing them. It had been several years since I had been with ALL my cousins on that side!
The graveside was very short because it was on a hill and in the woods....and it was FREEZING!!!!!
It is a very small cemetery and most of my Dad's family is buried there.
My Dad's mom's marker....I really like how they listed everyone......and how there was a verse on the back.
and my great grandparent's marker......
and my great grandparent's marker......
This is what the sky looked like as we left.......oh I just love the country!
After the graveside we headed to Grandmom Burns' little Presbyterian church on the hill. isn't it darling......
After the graveside we headed to Grandmom Burns' little Presbyterian church on the hill. isn't it darling......
and it was here in the church that we could eat and catch up with all our family.
Dad and his brothers...minus John who passed away several years ago.......
Mark, Dad (David), Tim, and Rick
ME WITH MY SUPER DARLING OLE MISS CUTIE COUSINS!!!!! This is Sarah and Jessica and this is their very first time on my blog!!!!!!!! Jessica just graduated from Ole Miss and now working in downtown Memphis and Sarah is a Soph at Ole Miss........she likes ART any you know that just makes me happy!
The Tim Hughes Family
The Mark Hughes Family
The Mark Hughes Family
The Rick Hughes Family
and the David Hughes Family
And then there are my Dad's cousins........
The darling Phillip Lowry Family...they live in Texas...very close to me!
fun pic
and The Chris Lowry Family
and The Chris Lowry Family
Taylor and his girlfriend
and more pics from the day.........
So it was a lovely day. I hate that I had not seen people that are my own family in so long. I was glad to get caught up on their lives and to get to hug their necks!
I know this was so long for you....I just wanted my thoughts down forever....mainly for the family members that read. That was just one part of our trip and I will return soon with the second part. Thank you so much for those of you that sent me cards and emails with love for me and my family. I love you dearly!
Thanks again for meeting Dad's side of the family!
love you-