Days of December at the Home Place

Good evening friends.  Hope you are all doing well, and are getting back to normal now that the holidays are behind us.  We were blessed with a wonderful Christmas and hope you all were as well. It has been extremely warm for the month of December here in Georgia.  Actually we could be sitting out on the deck visiting tonight but more rain is on its way for tomorrow, and then hopefully we will have some cold days.  I am a winter girl and I want cold weather.   So come on inside and let's visit for awhile.

If you don't know already, I plan, make lists, and plan to plan during the holiday season. But as hard as I try, the holidays always seem to find us in a rush to get here and there and to get things done.  Maybe that is why I am so late inviting you into our home for the holidays.  But here we are and I hope you will enjoy chatting with me for a few minutes.  I have some cake , candy, and coffee ready for our visit.

Our first activity for December was the Ladies Christmas Party at our church.  Since we are at a new congregation, I was a tad nervous to attend . But it went really well and we had lots of fun with the ladies. 

Next was the Girl's Party here at the home place.  We were a few short this year as one had moved away and one had gone to work.  But we had a great time .  For the first time the party had a theme.  We did a Tacky Sock Party, and it was so much fun.  The gifts were stuffed into socks.

After we opened our gifts we had to wear our socks. 

 

This is a great group of family and friends.  We have been through a lot together and have so much fun when we meet. 

 

Also this month, Darbee Rae and her Daddy ran in a charity race for Bridging the Gap here in town.  Darbee had been training with her Dad to run for quite a while.  Stacy has entered many races but this was a first for Darbee Rae.  It was a mile race and run at night. It was a Glow Run.  We were so proud of  them.  Darbee  ran the whole mile and finished in record time for her.  Way to go Darbee Rae.

 

 

I also got to get away for a bit with my gambling friends.  We went to Ala. to try our luck at the Casino.  We had a great time but no jack pots for me.  Was a fun trip and we got to stay in a wonderful suite.  Making memories with some great friends.

 

 

And of course in between these fun times there had to be some baking going on. I was so excited when Jane shared some fresh eggs with me.  Just love those big brown ones when I am baking.

 

 

I was so thankful I made my divinity a little early.  If you make this candy you know it has to be a dry not rainy day, and NO humidity.  As much rain as we have had so close to the holidays, it would have been impossible to make.

 

 

I had lots of help baking this Christmas season.  Darbee came home with us after church one Sunday and we baked all afternoon. Move over Martha Stewart.

 

 

On December 13, Stacy and Holly celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary.  We were sitting in church in between Sunday School and the morning worship service and Holly mentioned going to Pigeon Forge for the night and to do some shopping for their anniversary.  What did we do?  Just that. As soon as service was over we did a quick packing and we were all on our way. It was a quick trip, but we had a great time. Mr.P. and I came home early but the kids got in a little more shopping.

 

 

Monday morning after that quick trip I had decided to stay home and chill out in my p.j.'s. But I got an exciting text from our local jewelry store.  I had won their Christmas give away.  I was so excited.  I won this gold Power of Prayer bracelet.  I didn't waste time getting dressed and going to pick it up.  Merry Christmas to me.

 

 

And of course there have been family gatherings and gift exchanges and this Nana is wore out!!  It is a tradition to spend the night with Darbee Rae and be there when she wakes on Christmas morning to see what Santa has left.  Well this year was a little different.  My little granddaughter is growing up and there will be no more visits from Santa.  But we still stayed over and Christmas morning was an exciting time for her anyway.  

 

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit.  Hope you had not been bored, but wanted to catch you up on life at the home place.  I will leave you with a few photos of Christmas here at home.  Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year

 

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun

Good evening friends. It is so good to be blogging again. I have tried to keep up visiting with those of you who still blog, but just haven't been still long enough to invite you over.  It is so hard to believe it has been almost 3 months since we visited.  I have got to work on my Southern hospitality.  Shame on me.

So, grab a cup of your favorite drink and a snack and let's try and catch up.  When we last visited , we were getting ready for our Labor Day craft show.  Well it was a very good show again this year, however it was bittersweet.  The precious couple who have hosted this show for over 25 years were not as visible this year.  The mister was going through treatments for cancer.  Also many of the regular vendors  were having battles of their own and were not there this year.  We are keeping them all in our prayers.

The day after our show we began our annual trip to Berlin, Ohio to Amish country.  Usually it is just the Mister and myself but this year Holly and Darbee Rae went along with us.  It was their first time in Ohio.  We found some really neat shops on our way.  These were in West Virginia.  Got some great goodies.

 

Finally, we arrived in Ohio.  Darbee Rae was so excited to see the Amish, and the horse and buggies.

 

 

While we were in the country site seeing we came upon an Amish auction. This was a first for all of us.  So neat.  There was buggies and bicycles everywhere. And it was raining and cold too.

 

 

We also visited a cheese factory and got to watch cheese being made.  A learning experience for Darbee Rae.

 

 

 

We also visited an apple orchard.  They had the best fresh cider.  We enjoyed watching the folks work sorting the apples.

 

 

We also did lots of prim shopping in and around Berlin.  This is a favorite little place of Mr. P's.

You buy here on an honor system.  Get your goodies and leave the money in a box.

 

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On Saturday while in Berlin, we were on a mission.  Most of you are familiar with Teresa and Deppenhomestead.  .  I had googled and we were not to far from her shop.  Oh yes, we had to go and visit her.  Teresa was one of the first ones to follow me when I started my blog.  I have always been so in love with her home and always suggested she open it as a Bed and Breakfast. hehe.  So off we went to find her shop. A few pictures along the way

 

 

I was so excited to finally see this sign

 

 

Teresa was so nice and we also met her niece who was helping in the shop.  Teresa took us on a tour of her home and I must say I was in heaven.  Like a dream come true. It was beautiful and all of her accessories were amazing.  I got several goodies in her shop.  This was one of my favorite. The little writing box and feather pen.

 

 

Teresa was kind enough to let us take pictures around the farm. Holly got some great ones of Darbee and then we had to get one too.  So sorry, but when we got back into the shop, Teresa was taking another couple through her home so we didn't get a picture with her.  But if you ever get a chance you won't be disappointed visiting her shop.

 

We also visited Hinton's Primitives and Christmas Tree Farm.

 

 

It was the neatest shop and the owner was so nice.  We had such a good visit with her and found some really neat fall goodies.  She also had Sweet Annie  bundles she had just harvested.  Smelled wonderful. She was getting ready for the show with Dawn from Holly Hills, Michigan.  Small world huh?

 

Oh well, there is too much more to share from our Ohio trip, but it was a fun and wonderful trip.  Two weeks home and one of my best friends from TN, called and she and her hubby were coming to be here for my October birthday.  The big 60!! SSHHH,, don't tell anyone, but I am getting old.  I was so excited.  No,,,, we don't ever think  to get a picture, but I have one from a past visit.  You all know Dimple and Roger by now.  It was so much fun.  We ate, swapped patterns, shopped, ate, gossiped,, and did I already say ate??{giggle}.  Spending time with friends is always the best.

 

 

October is always a busy month as we have so many birthdays.  Darbee also had her 8th birthday celebration. And so did her Papa and her Mommy.  On the same day!!  Kathy also celebrated her birthday this month.  We all took her out to lunch,

 

 

We celebrated Mr. P. and Holly's with supper at Texas Roadhouse.

 

 

Are you beginning to understand why I have been missing for so long?  Hehe,,, lots of fun stuff going on. 

 

I was also blessed to go to the presentation of Disney on Ice with the girls in October.

 

 

That was such a fun day in the big city and then out to lunch and a little shopping. 

 

And of course there has been our local high school Friday night football games.  This year we are in the play offs.  Way to go Cougars.

 

And finally last weekend Mr. P. and I rode up to TN. to the Smokey Mts. to see the leaves and do a little prim shopping. We were shocked at how crowded it was.  Always fun to get away even for a short time. 

 

 

Well I sincerely hope all of you are still with me as this has been an extra long post.  But now we are all caught up.  I am going to do my best to check in more often in the future..  I know the busiest season of all is fast approaching us, but it's one of my favorite times of the year.  I already have my trees up and all decorated inside.  Little too early for outside yet. 

 

So I will leave you now.  Let's not forget to pray for our country and all the bad things happening around the world.  Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to let me know you were here. 

 

Until next time.