Bilbo stole the computer

 Well, sugarfoot.

It's been over four months since my slaves brought it home. I guess it is staying around. It's a good thing it likes to snuggle even though it likes to pull my hair and whiskers. I tolerate it though because it knows I am The Master. Here's a few pictures that show how cute I am. Aren't I cute? I'm a roaring LION! Ignore my slave and it. They are snuggly. and warm. I like warm. I like to lay on top of Sawyer. AND beside him. BUT mostly on top of him.

I am SO adorable.

 Love,

Bilbo

Whew

The last couple of weeks have been CRAZY!!

Let's see.....

Sawyer and I drove to IL on November 25 with his Grandpappy and Grannypooh and surprised my family. I think they were a wee bit surprised, but you'll have to ask them. It was a trip that went by quickly. I not only visited with my family, we also saw Santa and Mrs. Claus...aka... Uncle Rob and Aunt Carol. They look pretty awesome, don't they? We were also able to manage a trip into the city to visit (and once again surprise) my friends and former students at Our Redeemer (and I retrieved my dishes that were found--more on that later). Also, I was able to visit people of the Collinsville Chorale AND see Emily, Chris, and Luke. AND we got to visit St. Paul's choir AND TSP's basketball game. We flew back on Friday, November 30. Sawyer did AWESOME in the plane again. Yet another reason why my Sawyer is the bestest.

Why did we fly back on Friday? It seems like a short trip, right? Yes. It was. BUUUUT I had to get back to get our house ready for our first annual (hopefully) open house. THANK GOODNESS Aunt Jessica and Uncle Brad were here. They came on November 29...ok it was really the wee hours of November 30th. I'm not sure what I would have done without them. They were such a big help. Together we managed to get everything baked, put out, and cleaned. I also had a lot of help from different people in the congregation that brought food. Everything went smoothly and tasted delicious. I think we had around 50-60 people come through in the span of 2 hours. It was preeetty awesome. Sawyer had a ball and slept. :)

Jessica and Brad's trip was MUCH too short. They took off on Tuesday. Sadness. We were able to go on a hike with them and we attempted to take them out to eat to a local restaurant after the madness of Sunday. Did you know most local restaurants (we tried three....) are CLOSED on Sunday? We went to Cracker Barrel.

On Friday our motley crowd of three ventured up to Fredericksburg, VA to visit with some of my dad's family. It was a short trip, but very enjoyable. We got to see Aunt Sissy and Uncle Jimmy, Tammy and Andrew (very briefly), Johnny and JC (both at night and for dinner the next day---JC has created an AWESOME fort behind Tammy and Johnny's house), Nicole and Braydon (and met Kevin), plus we got to go over to Aunt Emma's and chat with Uncle Maupin for a little bit. I think I got everyone......

Saturday Dean spent the afternoon hunting with Kent, and later we headed over to the Ashley and Margaret's house for dinner. Yum! Kent and Alisha also joined us. It was a great night. Sawyer especially had a blast.

Sunday brought church, Cantada practice, caroling and a dinner at church.

Sawyer had his 4 mo check up on Tuesday. Good news----- he didn't come down with a fever.
He weighs 13.2 and is 24in. What a big boy!! :)

Last Sunday we had the Cantada at church followed by "light finger foods" (aka a full blown meal :)

Dean's been busy with confirmation, shut-ins, visiting in general, writing sermons, bible studies, etc.

I've been trying to run with a friend, Charity, from church in the mornings. We're fairweather friends though. If it's too cold (below 40) we stay warmly tucked into our beds! :)

This Sunday is the Children's Christmas program. Charity and I are singing--Melanie playing, during the offering. The Angel Gabriel...yay!

On Christmas Day we'll have the same set up only we're singing Mary Did You Know and Of the Father's Love Begotten. I'm preeeetty stoked. :)

Then we're venturing HOME for a week.


See what I mean...C-R-A-Z-Y. I wouldn't have it any other way. Although....I am looking forward to settling back down to normal and getting my house clean again. After New Year's.........



Dishes? Where might they have been? Well, funny you asked. Apparently I was preggo when I packed everything (except the bottom of the hutch).

 

 Surprise!!!

Dean playing the shirt guitar!!

 Sleeping IN the pack n play! Success!!!...part of the time...

 Snuggles at the Cookes. I had no idea Dean took this picture. I was sleeeeeping!

 Visiting with Opa. He also pooped all over him!

 Little Miss and Sawyer

 Waiting for Nana!

 Smiles!!

Welp...as I finished this, Sawyer started grunting and loaded his diaper. Time for a change!!

Hugs and Kisses from Norlina!!!

Pictures

 Sawyer loves Dudly

 Grabbin his toes

Smiley baby

 Snugglin' with Daddy

 Smiling again

 Sawyer and Grannypooh have matching heads!

 Isn't he cute?

 Sawyer and his grandpappy

 Happy baby!

 Sawyer LOVES the airplane!

Sawyer loves his daddy (and the Cardinals)!

Thanksgiving at the Homestead

Dean and his dad are out hunting.......

Lynn is putting the finishing touches on the Christmas decorations.......

Sawyer is sleeping.......

I'm blogging........

It's been a rather lazy morning around here. Which, frankly, is just how I like it. :)

Sawyer gets his mommy milk, and the rest of us are going to chow down on the yumminess that was/is/will be prepared.

Turkey-----check (in the oven and smelling heavenly)
Mashed Taters------- check (peeled and waiting to be boiled)
Stuffing------ not checked (waiting for the turkey)
Gravy----- not checked (We need some turkey juices!)
Sweet Tater Souffle----- check (in the fridge waiting for the oven)
Green Bean Casserole (ew, ew, EW)------- check (in the fridge waiting for the oven)
Cranberry ----- check (can in the fridge waiting for opening)
Pumpkin Pie ------- check
Chocolate Marvel Pie----- check

PLUS..... some wonderful members brought by:
Lemon Meringue Pie
Apple Pie
3 tins of rolls (Hazel rolls! Yum! One pan is mine.)
Fresh bread
Cranberry Bunt Cake

I don't think we'll starve. I can't WAIT to dig in. YUUUUUUUUM!

Because I know I'll get in trouble...

...if I don't also post pictures of Sawyer.

 Ignore my face...I don't know what I was doing. Sawyer's is cute though!

 We were playing in the field behind the house.

 Dorothy with Sawyer

Old Things....

Those of you who know me know that I like old things.... any old thing will do, but I do have a special weakness for old books.

This book is my absolute favorite book in my collection. I love knowing the story behind the old things that I have. We have several antiques, but this is the only one that I have that I know the story. Or at least....part of the story. Anderson's Fairy Tales are pretty awesome.

The Ugly Duckling
The Emperor's New Clothes
The Mermaid
The Rose Elf

Just to name a few.....

But what's even MORE awesome is that this book was my dad's. Before it was my dad's it belonged to my aunt (she wrote her name in pencil...Dad's is in green highlighter). Before that it belonged to my great aunts. It was given as a Christmas gift to them in 1923. How awesome.

Today I went exploring. The purpose was to get myself lost. I did a pretty good job of that. Thank goodness I eventually found a sign pointing back to Warrenton. I did have a gps in case I needed it, but it was all good!

On my travels I found quite a few old cemeteries (as a side note: every time I write the word cemetery I think of Dad). I hope to go exploring in them. Yes, I enjoy cemeteries, too. I wander around and try to find the really old graves (go figure), and I envision what happened to them so very long ago. The older the cemetery the better! Ahem: one reason why I love living in this part of the country.

I also love finding old, old houses. The ones that are dilapidated and no one lives in. I found quite a few of these as well. There are so many more of them in this part of the country than there are in the Midwest. I wonder the same questions as I do at cemeteries. What happened?

I like old buildings of all sorts, but the ones that are in good upkeep tell a story of love. The ones that are rundown...surely someone loved them.

Again, these I know the story behind. This is my great-grandparents house (with a couple of cousins in front). It sits on my Aunt's property. I love exploring inside it and imagining what it was like.
The second picture is an outhouse next to the house. Dum Dum must of had to go.... ;) These pictures are from a few years ago....

As I was exploring TODAY, like I said, I found quite a few old run-down houses and buildings. These pictures are from an old Mill I found. It had a pull-off so I was able to get out and take some pictures.

Pretty cool, huh?!

One of my annoyances about NC...... they put up all of these signs by the side of the road. How the heck am I supposed to READ them while I'm driving. For that matter, I can't even read them while I'm the passenger! TOO much information. NOT ENOUGH time. Phooey. I saw a LOT of these signs today. Hopefully one day I'll be able to take the time to get out and read them (aka: Dean is in the car with Sawyer and me). I like reading things....

I also saw quite a few old houses that had been clearly taken care of. These houses are VERY cool as well, but in a different way. Warrenton, NC, is FULL of them. love. Love. LOVE IT here!

Have I mentioned I like old things and history? Cause I do.

Hugs and Kisses from Norlina!