Our weeklong celebration! Part I

We started Friday, the 18th after I had the pleasure of attending Riley's classroom Christmas party.  We are so thrilled that she is in a school that still allows Christmas trees to be decorated (we contributed a pig ornament), ANY type of Christmas book to be read aloud, and the very same carols we sing at church are belted out there too!  

 

We hit the road around 1:00 and this is what the back of my car looked like:

About 45 minutes into our trip the back seat had a little different look:

God watched over our journey and we had several "fun stops" (you wouldn't believe the fun these two can have at a rest area)! 

We had plans to have breakfast with Granny and Papa Saturday morning.  Riley loved her new jacket and her Legos were a HUGE hit!  A good time was had by all!

After way too many waffles, we headed back to Grammie and Poppy's house to play with Elley, Owen, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Briana while they were in town!

So, our actual celebrating with family wasn't on the 25th of December, but there was enough love in my little heart during those 3 days to carry me through the rest of the year!  I know the song says, "big girls don't cry", but being a "big girl" is HARD WORK sometimes!  Sniff, Sniff! 
Stay tuned for Part II of our weeklong celebration!

Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies

It's not everyday you get to have afternoon tea at the famous Peabody Hotel!  

Today was our lucky day!

The Memphis Ballet held a Children's Nutcracker Tea at Chez Philippe in the Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis and guess who was in attendance???  Our pig loving, bike riding, farmer-wanna-be ASKED for a puffy dress like Cinderella wears.  Those that know me at all know that while I've always welcomed the individuality and weird quirks unique mannerisms our little farm girl exhibits, I have secretly longed for the "frilly" stage to take hold of her!  I found the puffiest thing I could and brought it home for her.  She loved it and has twirled so much I'm surprised she hasn't gotten sick!

 

So, while there, we enjoyed the finger sandwiches (her fave was honey roasted peanut butter and raspberry jelly) and fru-fru desserts (tuxedo strawberry and gingerbread cookie topped this list).  She couldn't keep herself from adding sugar cubes to her tea!  We marveled at the many choices of silverware and the fact that the menu was printed and placed at each place setting.  MY favorite part was when the waiter whipped her napkin in the air and placed in into her lap for her.  She looked at him with HUGE eyes and said, "well, thank you very much." 

She did a cakewalk, made a card, and reindeer food, and posed endlessly for me in front of beautiful decorations!

A little more posing with the Nutcracker cast members and her friend and neighbor Riley Elise.

Oh, yeah, I went too.  Here's a shot from the "pre-tea photo shoot"

 

Not "Nancy", but Just as "Fancy"

Oh how I miss my mama!  What a wonderful visit we had last week!  The parental unit arrived Wednesday afternoon just in time to go with me to pick Riley up from school.  She let out a squeal when she saw them waiting with me in the car!  I'm not sure who smiled more!  Mom and Dad went to eat lunch with her at school on Thursday and then checked her out early.  She felt so important because of her early dismissal!  The girls went to the Old Town Collierville Square and did a little browsing (a really neat place) while sweet Poppy mowed the yard!  (I'm as spoiled as Riley is...I know).

Mom and I enjoyed a little girl time on Friday when she treated us to manicures before a little shopping!  I'm not complaining (too much), but it has been an eternity a while since a day has been "about me".  I won't lie, I relished every moment!  Thanks mama! ;)

Mike had been asked months ago by a vendor he deals with to be guests at the Tennessee/Ole Miss game.  We were thrilled because we had heard that tailgating at "The Grove" was truly an event.  Since Miss Riley was in good hands with Grammie and Poppy we headed down to Oxford for the day on Saturday.  WOW!  I thought people in Knoxville knew how to tailgate before we were exposed to sophisticated little Oxford!  YIKES!  Seas of tents and canopies covered the beautiful campus and those people were a serious class act.  Buffet tables with silver serving dishes, centerpieces, lighted chandeliers (no, I'm not kidding), plasma televisions with satellite hookups and huge smokers cooking tons of bar-b-que.  Our host had the food for the game catered by one of the Memphis in May BBQ judges.  Before moving here that wouldn't have meant much to me, but believe me when I say, "it's a big deal."  The pictures don't do it justice.  It's an experience!

I only thought I knew what "Fancy" was while I was in Oxford.  True "Fancy" was right back at home in Olive Branch.  Riley and Grammie held a Fancy Nancy Tea Party complete with ensembles (that's fancy for outfits) and a tablecloth, candles, cookies, etc.  I'm all for imagination and a little grandparental indulging, but c'mon...I draw the line at this...

ESPECIALLY when "this" is allowed (I'd go as far as to say she was encouraged) to go INSIDE Wal-Mart to pick up a few needed crafting supplies!  The top and sweater are actually "good clothes" provided by sweet Aunt Liz.  Although you can't see it here, the shrug has beads sewn onto it and our girl loves her bling!  Notice the TWO skirts, AND the dress-up shoes.  Yep, those are plastic dress up shoes!  It's as if my parents don't know me at all! 

Not hard to see who was "running the show" while Mike and I were cheering on the VOLS!  The same little 44 inch person who runs the show here everyday!

A Decorating Tip

I became overwhelmed with some sort of nameless emotion tonight as I reached for my refrigerator door.  Upon further thought, I realized that this emotion isn’t nameless…In fact, to put it into words, I’m downright lucky, fortunate, loved, privileged, and blessed beyond comprehension.  What is it about the month of November that makes people (myself included) FINALLY realize every month should be lived with a thankful spirit?  

Every “masterpiece” Riley has proudly toted home from school, sweet notes I’ve received in the mail from my fabulous mama, pictures of those that Mike, Riley and I hold dear, as well as school calendars with dates for those priceless Kindergarten events that will only occur once all pepper our Kenmore side-by-side with love.  All that "stuff" is so important to me!  I'm a lucky girl indeed!  

I remember when Mike and I were putting our first house on the market and a  realtor suggested we clear our fridge of its “clutter”.  Sheesh...I suggest the exact opposite.  I say cover that sucker up!  Stainless, black, white, avocado green (more incentive to cover it up) - whatever yours might be, just cover that thing up!  C’mon, I dare you!  Make yourself smile…mine makes me utterly giddy.

Orange and Black

Go VOLS Go!!!!!
Little did we know that those VICTORIOUS VOLUNTEERS would sport some orange and black for their Halloween game!!! Riley waffled between being an Ole Miss cheerleader or a UT cheerleader, and decided with her mama's alma mater! YIPPIE! We're thinking the orange and black vibe we sent from Mississippi helped spur us on to victory!

Mike really wanted to be neighbors with this guy...he had the game showing in his front yard on what we estimate to be an 8 foot screen while he handed out candy! So good to see the "Volunteer Spirit" alive and well in the great state of MISSISSIPPI! We aren't the only VOL fans around these parts!!


Riley and her friend Riley (yep, Riley x 2) from one road over hit the streets (newly blacktopped I might add) to collect their bounty...


It was a T-riffic night...get it??? T-riffic? Vols, power T???

A Boo-tiful time with Friends!

We were lucky enough to enjoy a visit from sweet friends this weekend. We went to the soccer field, corn maze, pumpkin patch, singing chicken show, petting zoo and pig races (yes, Riley LOVED this).

I took WAY too many pictures (is that even possible)!? Dumped them into a slide show to the right. Click on it to enlarge them in a new window.

E I E I O ! ! !

Much to my delight, Riley's first field trip was today! It couldn't have been scripted any better. You see, my little pig lover's VERY FIRST field trip ever was to a FARM! Needless to say she has been estatic for weeks and has asked me numerous times if she had "turned in her money yet". I wish I could pull her aside and let her know that I actually collected field trip money for 6 years prior to being blessed with her, therefore it was second nature for me to promptly send in her money and permission slip (sealed and labeled envelope of course) only hours after receiving the permission slip and information. One day she'll become fully aware of just how deep my obsessive compulsive issues are! I put together a little slide show to the right and below is a little video of her at Sonic afterwards recapping her day (actually she's just rambling on and on, but she's happy)! Enjoy!