Sunday, January 18, 2015

Soup .....

I love eating soup in the winter time
and here's one that is easy, easy easy......and so good!!

here it is simmering on the stovetop
recipe below




We did not eat it with tortilla chips nor avocados
we did sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro on top....yum

later.....

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Christmas surprises ...


I had the best Christmas surprise this year
during the day Christmas eve my oldest friend
 (friend I've had the longest) 
and her daughter that I've known most of her life
surprised us with a visit
Glenda and Jerry live in Myrtle Beach
Tina and David live in North Carolina
and we chat pretty regular on FB
so I knew they were coming to Richmond but I also knew that
they had lots of family to visit in a very short time
Imagine my surprise when we saw them walking up our sidewalk
I was sooooooo surprised
it brought tears to my eyes
and they couldn't stay but just a few minutes
what I wouldn't have given for them to just stay and hang out
and have Christmas eve dinner with all of us
I told Glenda if we were to sit down at that dining room table
it would be 2:00 in then morning and we would still be
talking away! We'll have that chance this summer as Johnny and I
are planning a trip down to see them
and Tina and David will also be coming

So I saw this hat/scarf thing on something, maybe FB and I asked Tina if
she would come and teach me how to make one
she is great at crocheting
well wouldn't you know it, she made one for me!! 
haha....I love it
how funny and how cute!


 oh and it's warm too!!







and woo wee....I have the best Santa!
Not only did he bring me the juicer I wanted

he also brought me a Mac Pro!!



he was so tired of hearing me fuss over Windows 8 on 
my laptop so it was a gift for him too! haha

later.....

















Friday, January 16, 2015

More Christmas pictures ....

Now the fun begins with our tradition
of the Pendleton Crazy Gift Exchange

I think we did finally decide for next year to have
gifts marked as male, female or gender neutral
Jake below listening to the "rules" of play


my family is currently very much in to the plaid 








here's a good example of marking the gifts male and female
Johnny got some "spa" socks....haha
lucky for him, someone stole them 




Even though our sweet Daddy told us please do not buy him anything for Christmas, we still did. We made him a photo book with all of his grandchildren and great grandchildren. And then we had a big box that we put different gifts in....we had his favorite, Hershey kisses, new socks, new sweat pants, lots of new books to read and really, I don't remember what else
he loved it! 




ok, that's it....no more pictures from Christmas
One of my goals for 2015 is to take more pictures and
to blog more. This blog for me is our family journal....it not only chronicles our life, but it preserves our memories as I have printed some years
in books. I need to get caught up as I think I'm starting
my eighth year of blogging. And also, this blog has settled a few
bets over the years....haha

later......

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Christmas picture over load ......

more from Pendleton family Christmas

 the Pendleton great-grandchildren opening their presents





















Mallory reading to Declan




Papa gave Alexander one of those metal puzzles you have to try
and pull apart
and here's Alison trying to figure it out


I heard Xel offer her $100 if she completed it in a certain
amount of time but she didn't....


and then Aimee went around passing out the numbers for us
to draw for our crazy gift exchange



and yes, more pictures tomorrow

later.....

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

More Christmas ......

more pictures from our family Christmas....

my brother-in-law Xel wearing a woman's sweater
which kept us laughing all evening



3 of my grandsons....Maddox, Gabe and baby John!



the next 3 pictures you see my brother running up on Alison
I thought he was coming in for the photo bomb but check
out the last pictures, I'm not really sure what the heck he was doing!




maybe that is his photo bomb!


Alexander trying to hide behind the bannister
I guess he was planning a photo bomb too


cute Abby.....check out her Christmas headband
of Christmas bows!



 As I mentioned in another post, Momma had done most of her Christmas shopping. So one Saturday afternoon my sister Vickie and I along with our Daddy went through the presents and tried to determine who Momma had in mind for each gift. Then my sister wrapped them all....what a big job!
here's she is with Abby making sure they have everything ready to be given out to everyone....




with Nicole and baby John


3 of my beautiful nieces...
 with my sister photo bombing....
apparently we are a family that loves to do that!





more pictures tomorrow

later.....