G's Christmas Tree

The Garner family started putting a Christmas tree in Georgia's room last year. I always had one in my room as a child, and I wanted the same tradition for G. The tree has ornaments she picked out at Ikea to get her started, and the ones she has made in her 4 1/2 years. G picked her tree and chose a white one with silver flecks in it. She rearranges this tree every day until she gets distracted by her Christmas gifts. Below are two pictures of the tree. One without a flash because it looks so pretty and one with a flash so you can see what's on it. Everything is on the front of the tree so G can see it ALL!

My Little Wrapper...

Georgia helped me wrap Christmas gifts this year. After wrapping several together I decided to turn her lose on the bows. Below are pictures of her masterpieces. Pay close attention to the red gift. You can laugh...I did!! I promise G worked on it ALL DAY! I finally had to tell her if she didn't work on the other presents, mommy would do them. G didn't like that too much so she quickly did the other gifts. Yes, 10 million pounds of tape was used to secure the ribbon in these pictures!

The Kennedy Center

The family went to see Runaway Bunny and Goodnight Moon today at The Kennedy Center. The performances were presented by the Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. They presented the stories as a puppet production, which was very creative.

The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts has several theaters and sits on the Potomac River with beautiful views. You can see the National Cathedral and the Pentagon from the Terrace. The Kennedy Center has four theatres, Opera House, Concert Hall, Jazz Club, two Grand Foyers, Hall of Nations, Hall of States, three terraces, Nations Gallery, States Gallery, four lounges, a cafe and a restaurant. I know, it's a long list.

The Kennedy Center is a big place and the decor is defintely from the 70's, but beautiful in its own way. Checkout the link below.

http://www.kennedy-center.org/about/virtual_tour/

2008 Christmas Card

I love this cute, sweet, precious little girl!!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jesus!! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!

Vieques Island, Puerto Rico

My mom, sister, and I are going on a girls trip to Vieques in January. We are staying at the Bravo Beach Hotel in the Villa. Below is the the hotel's description of the Villa and a link to the pictures. Doesn't it sound and look great?!?! Enjoy!!

The Villa at Bravo Beach Hotel is a two-bedroom casona (grand house) that is separate from the rest of the hotel. The Villa is best described as a private home away from home. It is perfect for two couples and can comfortably sleep up to four people. The Villa has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, modern kitchen, living room, dining room for 8, outdoor dining table for 8, large private terrace, large private yard, outdoor barbeque and many more living & lounging amenities.

This jewel of Caribbean accomodations is entirely oceanfront, literally steps from the water, and has housed the elite of Vieques Island. If you are looking for a home away from home with boutique hotel services and amenities, this is it! In the Villa, the décor is fresh and clean to showcase the crystalline waters and dramatic waves of the sea. The rooms are designed to be comfortable yet modern and stylish.

Native Viequense, Ernesto Peña, whose art is on exhibit at the Fortin museum, has handcrafted the beds and furnishings. Italian Frette linens keep our guests cool and comfortable. Our efforts and that of local artisans combine to create a quality of space unparalleled in Puerto Rico. Help yourself to a nibble or drink from your private honorbar. Kick back and enjoy a DVD or an afternoon siesta. Relax on the terrace and get lost in the view. We have complementary WI-FI service to keep you in touch - when you want to be. And there are no telephones in guest rooms - for when you want to stay out of touch.

Our innovative preferred guest program is raising the standards of hospitality in Vieques. Start your day with the assistance of one of our gracious concierge staff who will map out a route to one of the island's many unspoiled, quiet beaches. We provide beach chairs, beach towels, beach box lunches and snorkel equipment.

http://www.bravobeachhotel.com/VILLA.html

The Garners Elf Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Aunt E Comes To Visit Tonight!

Georgia knows more about Aunt E, my sis Katie, coming in town tonight than about Santa coming to visit. It will change some day, Aunt E. Then it'll be all about SANTA! My sis lives in NYC and takes the train down for Christmas. Sounds so citified, is that a word? I am off work until December 29th. Yippee!! However, I have much to do!! Remember Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! I hope everyone who reads my blog knows my Jesus. Merry Christmas!!

Mary & Jofus...

I think it's so cute. Georgia says, "Jofus" instead of "Joseph". I think it's precious!!

Highlander Christmas!

I added some Christmas to the Highlander...

Christmas Came Early!!

Christmas came early to the Garner house! The Dell Santa delivered an Inspiron today. Hopefully, the laptop will give me more access to the computer and internet, instead of the Blackberry Storm I am drooling over. I just can't go there yet because I don't want to be that connected.

Why? I watch people go through checkout lines on the phone without a word to the cashier. I see people in the presence of others text and read e-mail instead of enjoying the other person's company. No one smiles, says hello while enjoying a walk or stroll. Everyone always has their eyes and fingers on their phones. Why do we do this?

I have been thinking about what kind of message this sends people or my child? Someone who may have just needed a hello and smile because they were having a bad day. What does my child think when we are in the car just the two of us, and I am texting on the phone instead of enjoying her company? Do I really want her to learn this behavior? We don't even have a DVD player in our car to keep Georgia busy. Am I old-fashion? ABSOLUTELY!!

Anyway, I'll get off the soap box. Hopefully, I didn't offend anyone too much. Just something that has been on my mind. The laptop is my solution to be a little more connected instead of waiting for Rick to get off the computer. I try to only use it when G is not around. Unless it is something she can help me do. Yes, right now she is in bed!

Merry Christmas!!

The one thing I have done regarding Christmas decorations is to put some on the outside of the house. I felt like Clark Griswold from Christmas Vacation, since this is the most we have ever decorated on the outside. See...I'm not totally depriving Georgia of Christmas decorations!! Enjoy!

The Spelling Game...

Rick and I have begun spelling words around Georgia so we can still talk in front of her. She is listening! Sometimes Georgia will say, “Momma, do you know s-r-f-d-k-n-s. Right, Mommy?” I just laugh and say “Yes, mam!” She really thinks she is spelling actual words. It’s hilarious, and I am not going to tell her she isn’t. However, there is no telling what I am agreeing to!!! ;-)

Out of The Mouth of Babes...

The entire family has been recovering from bronchitis since Thanksgiving, which has made productivity at our house non-existent. The first two weeks of December were gone before we knew it or even began to feel normal. Because of this, the Garners are not doing a traditional Christmas tree this year. I have Christmas trees I made out of tomato cages that sat on my fronch porch in Jackson, when my house was big enough to have a porch. Here, I have a cement square. Anyway, these two trees, a big and small one will be our Christmas trees in the house.

Why? I live in a two-story shoebox with two bedrooms and no storage. We rent a storage unit, and it's a huge ordeal to get all the Chritmas deocrations to our house and return the boxes so we have room. Then you have to get the boxes from the storage unit, fill them up again, and take them back to storage. I refuse to stress out over it. Christmas isn't about the decorations.

Yesterday, I was explaining to Georgia that we will have a Christmas tree, but it will not look like the one we had last year. Here's how the conversation went:

Georgia: "Why, Mommy?"

Mommy: "Because we have a small house, Mommy wants a bigger house, we've been sick, and time has gotten away from us."

Georgia: "Mommy, our house is just fine for us. Right, Mommy?"

Mommy: "Yes, honey it is."

Georgia: "Right, our house is fine, and it's cute too. Mommy, our house is beautiful!"

See, out of the mouths of babes. Georgia is absolutely right! Our house is just fine for us. The Lord will provide when we need it, and I am not stressing about Christmas decorations. I'll be good to even get Christmas cards out this year!!

Thank you, my sweet precious girl, for putting it all in perspective!!

Christmas Singing

Georgia's class at school read the Christmas story and sang songs to the English As A Second Language classes. The church where the school is teaches these classes. Georgia and her two boyfriends where the three wise men. Yes, Georgia has two men - twin boys named Taegon and Jaegon. Enjoy the pics!

1st Grade Proverbs

A 1st grade school teacher had twenty-six students in her class. She presented each child in her classroom the first half of a well-known proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. Their insight may surprise you. While reading, keep in mind that these are first-graders, 6-year-olds, because the last one is a classic!

1. Don't change horses - until they stop running.
2. Strike while the - bug is close.
3. It's always darkest before - Daylight Saving Time.
4. Never underestimate the power of - termites.
5. You can lead a horse to water but How?
6. Don't bite the hand - that looks dirty.
7. No news is - impossible
8. A miss is as good as a - Mr.
9. You can't teach an old dog new - Math
10. If you lie down with dogs - you'll stink in the morning.
11. Love all, trust - Me.
12. The pen is mightier than the - pigs.
13. An idle mind is - the best way to relax.
14. Where there's smoke there's - pollution.
15. Happy the bride who - gets all the presents.
16. A penny saved is - not much.
17. Two's company, three's - the Musketeers.
18. Don't put off till tomorrow what - you put on to go to bed.
19. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and - You have to blow your nose.
20. There are none so blind as - Stevie Wonder.
21. Children should be seen and not - spanked or grounded.
22. If at first you don't succeed - get new batteries.
23. You get out of something only what you - See in the picture on the box
24. When the blind lead the blind - get out of the way.
25. A bird in the hand - is going to poop on you.

And the WINNER and last one!

26.Better late than- Pregnant

I'm Alive!!!

Man, bronchitis is some NASTY stuff! I think I am finally on the mend. I went to a real doctor on Tuesday after seeing a Quack on Thursday (Thanksgiving Day). The real doc gave me a Z-Pack. I took the first dose (two antibiotics), and I thought I was cured! After coming down off that high, I realized I wasn't and missed work yesterday. I was also at home on Monday and Tuesday this week. I hate missing work. I always feel guilty calling in sick, but I really needed to rest. All that to say...I'm alive and kept both my lungs!!

Yuck...The Crud!!

Everyone in my family has been sick! G had bronchitis in October. It officially returned the Monday before Thanksgiving. I don't think it ever went away. Rick was sick before G got sick again, and now it's my turn!! I am tired of feeling like a lung is going to come flying out of my mouth. I apologize for the fun explanation, but this too shall pass!!

If you have a little girl...

You have got to check out the Fancy Nancy books. Aunt E introduced them to us, and G is hooked. Fancy Nancy and Angelina Ballerina are the IT books in our home. I believe I am raising a little reader because G loves books! The Fancy Nancy's below are the hardback books, and are G's favorites. There are some paperbacks and a few reader books.

The American History Museum

Today the family went to the renovated American History Museum, which is part of the Smithsonian. It has been closed for two years and re-opened November 21st. Well, we thought with it being Thanksgiving weekend no one would be there. WRONG! Not only was it extremely crowded, but half of the museum is still closed. Several of the exhibits don't reopen until January 2009. I will wait until February or March to go back in the freezing cold when all the tourists are GONE!!

The one good exhbit we did wait in line to see was the American Flag that flew over Fort McHenry in Baltimore and inspired the Star Spangled Banner. There are pics from Fort McHenry in an earlier post. When we visited Fort McHenry we bought Georgia a book about Mary Pickersgill, the lady who made the Star Spangled Banner flag. A picture of the book is below. Mary came to the museum to talk to the kids about the flag and had the kids help her put the flag together. It was neat to bring history to life for G. I hope that while we are here, she remembers all the wonderful things we show her about our American history.

My only comlaint...I wish it had details on how their

TLC show came to be. Otherwise...great read!

I love that it is full of scripture!

First Big Girl Puzzle

Georgia completed her first Big Girl Puzzle tonight with no help!

Just Finished Reading...

Nice book on taking advantage of every day, but sad because who knows if he knew Jesus Christ has his personal Lord & Savior.

Finally Finished Reading...

This book took me a while, simply because I don't always have time to read. I wish life could be more like this book. Even if it means not having all of our modern conveniences. I have also read two other of Elisabeth Elliott's books, Passion and Purity and Shadow Of the Almighty. I loved these books, and if you haven't read any of these - do it!!

Fall In Maryland

One of the things I love about Maryland is having actual seasons with temps coinciding with the season. I can remember Thankgsivings in Mississippi wearing shorts to the dinner table. We always went to Kentucky for Christmas, so I don't know what it was like in Mississippi for Christmas. In Maryland, it's long sleeves and coats every year. In Mississippi, Georgia had a couple of heavy sweaters to wear when it was cold. Here, she has five or six coats of varying degrees of warmth, a pair of snow pants, and snow boots.

Anyway, I meant to take pictures of the trees this Fall, but never got around to it. While I was in Mississippi, Rick took these pictures for me. It is late in the season and most of the leaves have fallen, but it gives you an idea of the beautiful Fall trees outside our door. My favorites have already turned and lost their leaves, but I hope you enjoy!

Larriland Farm

Aunt E came to vist for the weekend since she will be in Argentina over Thanksgiving. While she was here we went apple picking at Larriland Farms. The drive over was absolutely gorgeous. We picked apples, bought home-made goodies, and G went through the maze. It was a lovely family adventure, and one that will have to be an annual tradition!

Different views across the farm

Aunt E took these, and I thought she was going to get G

in the maze. However, I am sure G was not cooperating!

Georgia picking apples!

I still don't know what we are going to do with all of our apples.

We only picked the sour ones, ugh!!

http://www.pickyourown.com/

Hat Day At School!!

It was Hat Day at school today. Poppy was proud of Georgia's selection, but he also bribed her with money to wear it! If you can't tell, it's a Univsity of Kentucky cap. Can you see what G is watching in the oven? We made Taco Soup and cookies for dinner. G's making sure her cookies bake right!

Charleston, South Carolina

Below are pictures of Charleston, SC. I don't know what most of them are so I am just putting them in this entry without any explanations. We took a horse drawn carriage through the historic district. I don't know who loved it more - G or me? I love and miss the South!