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.....

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.....

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......

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.....

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.....