"Christmas With Miss Z"

This makes Christmas memories for me.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS"

This fun activity was suggested by one of my Sugarpie Sistas'. Enjoy!

About the TREE....
1.When do you put up the Christmas tree? The weekend after Thanksgiving
2. Real or fake? Fake...too many decorations for real
3. Lights? What color? Clear
4. Garland? Yes, over the entertainment center
5. Theme or no theme? No theme...Old fashioned looking tree.
6. What kind of topper? Star, been on every tree for 36 years.
7. What's your favorite ornament? Pistol Pete.. Alma Mater Mascot
8. What does your tree skirt look like? Quilted with Christmas icons.
9. Where do you put your tree? Front window so it can be seen from outside.
10. Who decorates the tree? Both hubby and I
11.What's "under" the tree? Right now...nothing.
12. Do you put candy canes on your tree? Sometimes..if grandchildren will be around.

About the FOODS....
1. What's your favorite Christmas cookie? Two... Macroons, and Chocolate Snaps
2. Do you bake cookies and give them away? Absolutely... another Christmas Tradition.
3. Any "special" foods or candy that you only have at Christmas time? Millionaires and Daddy's Peanut Brittle
4. What do you eat Christmas EVE? Hubby's family spends Christmas Eve together.. Everyone brings something...no set plan.
5. What do you eat on Christmas day? Some light...It's usually just hubby and I.
6. Do you like Eggnog? LOVE eggnog, especially Braum's
7. Do you like candy canes? Yes.. Bob's Soft Peppermint Sticks

Decorations:
1. Where do you hang your stockings? By the fireplace
2. Do you put lights on your house? Use to, not anymore
3. Got any outside lawn decorations? Yes, two large wreaths around outside garage lights. Clear lights intermingled with grapevine around door...
4. Do you put up a nativity (crèche)? YES... Have four up right now and could have more.
5. Do you hang mistletoe over the door? No
6. Got a wreath on your front door? Yes, Pinecone wreath
7. How long does it take you to decorate? If you squeeze the time together.. 8 hours

About the movies/show
1 Favorite Children's Xmas TV show/cartoon? Polar Express
2. Wonderful Life/Miracle on 34th St/A ChristmasCarol (Scrooge). Miracle on 34th.
3. Favorite Christmas movie? The Homecoming.
4. Have you ever seen the Nutcracker Suite Ballet live? Yes, long time ago.
5. Ever been to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas show? No, but would love to.
6. Ever gone to the movies on Xmas Day? Yes

Other Christmas things....
1. Favorite Christmas book or story?
2. Do you stuff your stockings with any types of food? For the fur kids? Clementines, chocolate covered cherries, special Christmas novelties
3. Do you go to church on Christmas or Christmas Eve? Yes, Twice...early for the drama and midnight candle service..very meaningful.
4. Have you ever gone Caroling? Long time ago when I was younger
5. Favorite Christmas Carol? "I'll Be Home For Christmas"
6. Do you believe in Santa? Absolutely!!!
7. Do you leave Santa cookies? Yes..
8. What about Rudolph. If we remember
9. What was your best Christmas gift? A trip to Disneyland
10. What was the worst/most odd gift? a Mexican sucker that looked like it was covered with dirt. It wasn't a trick, the young bi-lingual gal was serious.
11. Do you go to a "work" Christmas party? Use to, not anymore
12. Do you hate going? N/A
13. Do you send Christmas cards? Yes, but the list is shrinking. I find it funny that people who are suppose to be important in our lives can't spend 44 cents to return the favor... I'll spend my 44 cents elsewhere.
14. Do you make a "list"? For Santa? No
15. Do you check it twice? & thrice & etc. I repeat it twice, thrice, but they don't always remember.
16.When do you start shopping? When I see something someone might like
17.Do you shop on Black Friday? Nope, Na-da, Nix Never....
20. ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS? LOL LOL LOL Are you kidding?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...BLESSINGS TO ALL

"Ooooh Are You Scared Yet?"

This was Ziola's second Halloween. She went as "Coraline" and made a pretty good one. Isn't this the cutest picture?.... Of course, we're alitte biased.

"Most Precious Little Girl....Sweet Pea"

How would you like to see THE most precious little girl? Well, here she is....



This is Ziola Pepper Rain Pennington...our 16 month old granddaughter.

She's growing so fast and getting cuter by the minute....

We are truly bless by this little angel.... Love you Sweet Pea!!!

"My Daddy's Love"

My beautiful daughter surprised me with the most wonderful "birthday weekend". Part of her flying in from Texas to surprise me was a surprise "tea party" that she had for me. At the end of the evening, she stood up and share one more gift... a beautiful wooden box. Inside was my Daddy's Bible that I thought I had lost a long time ago. My ex had it and gave it to my daughter last January. She kept it and gave it to me on my 60th birthday.... included was this poem....

Daddy, take my hand in yours,
and you will plainly see.
How very much I need you now
to love and care for me.
As my little hand grows,
I will need you even more.
Everything I do in life,
I have never done before.
Teach me to be kind, loving
sharing and forgiving,
Show me through your acts of
love the pure joy of living.
The years will pass by quickly
And one day I will be grown.
I will pass what you have taught me,
Onto children of my own.
Hold me always in your thoughts,
And remember when we are apart.
The special love between a child
and a daddy's heart...

Wow...where's the tissues?

"SugarPie Sistas' Fall Swap"

I view the most fantastic blog everyday...SugarPie Farmhouse. We sistas' decided to have a "Fall Swap". It was totally voluntary. I chose to participate and was paired up with "Dayle" from Florida. This weekend, I received my "package". OH MY!!! There was some of the most wonderful decorations, candles, recipe book, and decorations. I've included a few pictures of my "goodies".







Thank you Dayle... I love each and everyone of my treats!!!!!

P.S. I MUST get some more of those candle tarts...they smell WONDERFUL!!!

"Meet Drake Jordan Pennington

Drake Jordan Pennington is the newest addtion to our family. He was born September 10, 2009 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His father, Tyler Jordan Pennington, is our oldest grandchild so this makes Drake our first Great-Grandchild. Carrying on a family tradition, Drake is the sixth generation to be named "Jordan" as a middle name. Everyone is doing fine... and we can't wait to see him.

"20 Little Things to Treasure in Autumn"

Quiet dinners by the fire
Reading mystery novels in darkened rooms
Flannel sheets at the end of a long day
Candles Flickering
Smelling cinnamon, oranges & cloves
Pumpkins
Roasts, Potatoes & Carrots
Fluffy feather beds on a cold night
Watching movies snuggled in soft blankets
Cozy socks
Pie in the oven
Warm crackling wood stoves
Squash with buttered brown sugar
Chili and corn bread smothered in honey
Wind blowing through leaves
Glow of lamps through windows
Laughter filling a room
Scrabble and popcorn
Caramel apples
Family

Fall is knocking around the corner. I am so looking forward to the season. I wanted to include this to let you know, I'm still around. We had a wonderful vacation in Yellowstone and we're still savoring the experience. There will be pictures and stories to come.

"Brooks & Dunn"

I am so bummed out today. I was surfing around on the internet last night and came across a disturbing, at least for me, story about one of my favorite country duos... Brooks & Dunn. After 20 years of singing together, they've decided to call it quits. The story said that they both agreed that it "was time". Secretly, I felt that this day would come soon with the popularity of another duo, Sugarland. I'm SO upset!!! Kix Brooks loves to write and has been heard announcing on the radio. Ronnie Dunn has a style about him, with a rich sultry voice. He often did duos with Reba, another Okie like Ronnie.

One of their songs, "Red Dirt Road" reminds me of my roots... the red dirt of Oklahoma I have nearly every one of their albums and love their style. I'm hoping that this won't be the end. If it is... we've lost a legend.

"Sugar Pie Sista"

I have the most thoughtful "secret sista". I received this in the mail and wanted to share. It was so thoughtful of her to remember me. Sometimes "words" are so powerful and these certainly are. Thanks a bunch...can't wait to find out who you are.

"Vintage Aprons"

My mother was a collector of aprons. She wore one when she was cooking and others when she was entertaining.
I was looking at another blog..."Apronista.com" and she's hosting an "apronfest" this week. This got me to thinking about all the aprons I have that were my mother's. I decided to get them out, go relive my memories and then to post some pictures. These aren't the best pictures but I think you'll get the idea. There's a couple where I added a close up of some detail...









There is one more apron that I wanted to share. This is my very first sewing attempt. I had to make an apron in Home Economics. Money was really tight at the time so mother dug out an old mill sack, ripped it open and that is what I used. This apron is 48 years old... I hope you enjoyed looking at these as much as I do. It's part of my heritage...a memory I love to dwell on.

Blessings,

"Ocean Thunder"

What a wonderful surprise. Ocean, my grandson from Oklahoma, has been on a month long Alaskan vacation with his mother. They were headed home and drove through where I live 'cause Ocean "wanted to see Nana". I certainly wanted to see him.We've always been close and in the short time he was here, we did the things he wanted to do... we stayed up late and ate chocolate ice cream, watched movies and ate pop corn...laughed, teased played jokes on Paw Paw... just generally had a lot of fun.
Ocean is "big brother" to Ziola. They don't live together and it had been a while since he had seen her. We went over and spent some time with Ziola. At first, she was a little leery but soon warmed up to him as the pictures show. Sadly, we won't see him again until December or January...it's hard but we'll get through. I was bummed when he left, but know he needs to get back into his routine since school will start soon for him.

One more thing. Ocean has a very unique name. His first and middle names are "Ocean Thunder". Ocean, because of his parents love of the ocean and Thunder because he was born in a bad thunderstorm. At first it was hard to get use to, but now, he wouldn't be himself if he had been named anything different.