Trick Or Treat 2009

I was going through pictures and realized I didn't post G's picture. A princess once again...

Sweet Friends...

The only pics I took while in MS in November:

Georgia and Sanders.


Georgia and her boys (Samuel and Hudson).

My View...

This is my view when G sits on my lap:

I love this sweet face!

...And Sugar Plums Danced...

Georgia's ballet recital was cancelled on December 5th because of snow and rescheduled for December 12th. It is always fun watching them have a good time with each other. The older girls at the school performed a contemporary piece after all the classes performed. G and the girls were in awe of the "big" girls. I enjoyed watching the "little" girls watch the "big" girls!

Hanging out before the recital.



Little G and Big G.



Girls from G's ballet class plus a little sister.



Ms. Jennifer putting purple flowers in the each girl's bun.



Let the show begin...















Big G and Little G with their flowers.
The "Little" girls watching the "Big" girls perform.

The Garner Christmas Tree 2009

These pictures did not come out very well, but at least we had a tree this year. Last year was too crazy, and we opted to use a tree I normally put on the porch.

G's Turkey Cookies...

This post is overdue, but here are the cookies we made for G's class for the Thanksgiving party.

Conversations With The G...

Rick and Georgia went to the Amish Market yesterday to pick up steaks and grillers for dinner and to give me time alone to clean. The parking lot of this place is ALWAYS busy. There was a fender bender near the front door of the market that Rick had to avoid. While maneuvering around the debris the conversation in the car went like this:

G: "Look, Daddy, the Pilgrims are outside eating ice cream!"

Rick: "They're Amish, Babe, that is the way they dress."

G: "Well, they look like Pilgrims."

An Amish man and woman were outside watching all the excitement of the fender bender and only the man was eating ice cream.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope you enjoy your time with loved ones today and remember those who are not with their families. The Garners are especially remembering Leah Helms and her precious little man, Pierce. Please keep this family in your prayers. They are from Mississippi, but Pierce is in the DC Children's Hospital because of his need for a heart transplant. Surgery was possible, but as time has passed that is no longer the case. The doctors are hoping to send him to the Arkansas Children's Hospital.

It is a privilige to help a fellow sister in Christ, Mother, and Mississippian. I am thankful for the opportunity to help and to make Thanksgiving NOT about me or my family!

I am also thankful for Rick and Georgia, and that Rick still has a job. His company is going through their third layoff, and we've been told he is safe. God is the only one who knows for sure, and He is in control! Thankful for all of my family! Thankful for friends and those who will pray for Leah, Pierce and their family. Love you guys!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

1st Day of Kindergarten!

Just Finished Reading...

I saw this book at Target and picked it up to read. Probably because it's about a horse because I have never heard of the author. The horse is my favorite animal. This book is definitely a good read, but be prepared to cry through the last 3 or 4 chapters. It was worth the tears!

Conversations With The G...

Let me just say, I do this blog for myself to remember things about Georgia. So don't be offended because I am not trying to be offensive, but merely recording my crazy life.

Grammy and Poppy pick up Georgia from school on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help Rick and I. Poppy and G were watching the cartoon Arthur on TV when G turned to Poppy and said, "Boys don't have po's like girls. They have curly ones!" Poppy said he had to cough to keep from laughing because it was an "out of the blue" comment.

Later that evening at the University of Maryland girls basketball game G whispers in my ear, "Momma, boys have curly ones!" I'm thinking what is going on here and why are we saying this. I told her this is not the place to talk about it. G goes right on like it's no big deal what she has said. On the ride home I bring it up and ask why G said what she said. This is what happened...

When G's class goes to the bathroom the kids have to wait between the two bathrooms until everyone is finished. G was waiting near the boy's bathroom on Thursday when one of the little boys came around the wall and stood in the door with his pants and undies around his ankles. This is how G came to her conclusion that boys are not like girls.

Just Finished Reading...

Definitely a good read! I forget about Terri Blackstock's books until someone reminds me. It's always nice to read a Christian novel.

More Sample Pics...

Splendiferous Christmas...

The new Fancy Nancy book is available and every little girl needs to be Fancy!! I can't wait to read this with G. It has already been purchased and hidden away with her Christmas pj's. Along with the story of Jesus' birth I am sure we will read Fancy Nancy, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve. Gotta love those family traditions! Merry Christmas, and I hope you have a Splendiferous Christmas!! ;-)

G's Jackson Photo Shoot...

While in Jackson, MS this past weekend, G had a photo shoot with Beth Morgan, a photographer who is moving to Jackson. If you need some pics taken, she's the one to go to. Here is Beth's blog to check out her photos: http://www.bmofoto.net/

This was taken in the front yard of our old house.

I love this one because we laugh A LOT in our house!

Breaking out the ballet moves.

Bribing G with a milkshake at Brent's in our old neighborhood.

The best milkshake EVER!

I love those blue eyes! This was also taken in our old front yard.



Still in dress up clothes playing with the Princess wand.

This is our old address in Jackson, and the house

we brought G home to.

Conversations With The G...

Sunday morning G was already dressed and waiting on me to finish fixing my hair. She was sitting on the bed in my room playing with a little pink bunny. The rest of the moment went like this...

G: "Momma, my bunny's name is Serflacapena." (This is what the name sounded like to me. I guarantee bunny would have a new name today no where near this one.)

Me: "Wow G...that is quite a name. Where did you come up with that name?

G: "MMMooooommmmmaaaaa (Said in a long Southern drawl)...My brains!" (As she pointed to her head.)

Conversations With The G...

Asked the G to say her Bible verse for the week. G said, "Honor your Fodder and Mudder. Exodus 20:12."

I Will Survive...

Yes, You're Driving On My Road!

(I had to steal this post from Rick since he worded it so well!)

DC / Baltimore drivers are rude. Not NYC rude. That rudeness is expected and almost permissible...a natural byproduct of a concrete jungle with too many people, too little road, and too hurried lives. No, the selfish aggressive driving in this area is confounding to say the least.

Parking spaces are wonderful displays of people's behavior. After searching relentlessly for a space and finding one - unoccupied or soon to be - another driver approaching the opposite direction should see the turn signal you recently engaged. Instead they attempt to claim your parking space. Had they seen it first? Doubtful. Plus, you called dibs. Sometimes a honk can shake them into reality but other times they still manage to claim your space. Perhaps it's the singular focus of securing the cherished parking prize that causes drivers to be blind to someone's blinker. But when dibs are called on a space, respect it!

Trying to exit from a parking space is another slice of fun. Finding another driver wanting your space isn't uncommon. However, finding the other driver positioned in such close proximity to protect the claim and barely leave you room to exit - that's just rude. Granted, there are some moments when the vehicle wanting your space has been boxed in by another clueless driver behind them. I prefer to combat this arrogance with a slow exit or never leaving the parking space.

I'm not certain if it's the diversity of drivers in the DC / Baltimore metro or if merging is simply an impossible concept. However, this issue seems to be universal to any road which has an onramp or where two lanes become one. Again, instead of looking out for the other driver's welfare and attempting to keep an orderly flow, drivers will do whatever possible to claim their piece of asphalt. Maybe the thought is to "get out of the other driver's way" but the end result seems more "I'm first and you're not!"

A cousin of merging is interstate lane changing. Activating a blinker may announce your intention to change lanes but don't expect any to let you over. Instead, they will again speed up to make sure they're in front of you - not knowing if you will impede their progress or not - rather than slow a bit to allow you in their lane.

At the root of this is: me, me, me. I want to be first. My time is more valuable than yours. Let me get out of way...but I'm still first.

Folks, see past the end of your nose, show a little hospitality and compassion to your fellow drivers, and take some time. You might have fewer accidents but you'll definitely have lower blood pressures.