Wine of the Week....(it's BaAAAACK!)

If you're a Zinfandel or Cabernet lover, try this exceptional IGT Super-Tuscan made by Ruffino. It's juicy, spicy, and big: you'd be surprised to know that the blend is mostly Sangiovese. Modus is definitely not your Nonna's old-world Chianti. Think of it as a Napa-style wine with a hint of the vanilla/violet aroma associated with the Chianti region. Just plain YUM! Coming in around $30, it's a little pricey, but well worth it!

(And if you live in the Clarksville, Springfield, or Smyrna areas....please ask your local retailer for this item: Momma wants to win a trip to Italy!)

Whew! It was great, 2009, but we're moving on...

I wish they had an app for Blogspot so that I could update while on the road. But alas, they do not. So since we've been traveling for the last couple of weeks/preparing for me to go back to the old grind, there has not been much time for updating. This one might be a little long.

We left to visit my parents in Lancaster for Christmas/Mom's surgery/last time we'll probably ever visit before they move to Louisville. Packed up in my TrailBlazer, let's just say the ride was tough. A snowstorm kept us from traveling our normal route and we were forced to take the long way through Atlanta. After ten hours, 6 stops, two backaches, one tired dog and one unhappy baby, we finally completed our journey. (I wouldn't want to have been sitting in a carseat that long either...makes me wondjavascript:void(0)er whether babies have their limbs fall asleep in those things.) Needless to say, the next day Darren traded in my "Lil' Red" for a brand new Mommy-mobile. The trip back was comparably a breeze.

Mom's surgery went well and we are so glad she is recovering so quickly! She is cancer-free and although she had to have one more minor procedure, we think the battle is over. What a weird 2009 it has been! 2010 is looking so much more hopeful!

Dad starts at GE on Monday and we are so happy that he's finally found a new career. He will be doing design work for their new Energy-Star washing machines, so any and all complaints about the ones you currently have will gladly be taken. We're hoping to maybe be able to "try out" some of his work, especially since he's set his mind on coming up with a completely sound-free machine. (Samples, anyone?)

We spent Christmas in Knoxville and drove back through the snow-covered Appalachians to D's parents house. Even a week after the snowstorm, the drifts on the side of the road were enough to bury cars. We continued his parents tradition of eating Chinese on Christmas eve by having a lovely dinner at P.F. Chang's. (Why is it I never get tired of that place? It is so good!)

Finally we made our way back to the humble abode. We spent the rest of the week storing up sleep and preparing for me to go back to work. So far everything's been a breeze. I forgot how much I love my job...I mean, I get to drive around and enjoy wine with some pretty fabulous people. (Of course, it'll be a little while longer before I can actually drink the wine...right now I'm sticking to the old spitoon).



Miller's having a great time at "school" and I'm so happy that we've found such a great place for her. She's still growing like a weed and if she keeps this up we'll be having to get a new car seat soon because I think ours only goes up to 22 pounds. I can't believe she's getting so big, so fast. (She's been so cute lately, cooing and talking in baby-language. We'll buzz our lips at her and she'll buzz right back with the proudest look on her face. Adorable!)

Then and Now

In honor of our 10 year high school reunion this year, I thought I would post some pictures I found in my "Mr. Eggleston" scrapbook from 11th grade. It was great to catch up with all my DB girls at our annual Christmas Dinner, and I wish I had brought these pics with me to show. But here they are for y'all to enjoy! Merry Christmas!


Then.....


Now.....

(And sorry, Becca...I didn't have any fun pics of you in my book, so you'll have to dig yours up and find some since the rest of us have to be put through this humiliation!!)

Little Turkey

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance...A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.."
-Ecclesiastes 3:1-6

This is one of my favorite times of the year. It's a time to take inventory of the past twelve months that are slowly coming to a close and a time to give thanks for blessings past and future. It's a time to get together with friends and family and celebrate the good things in our life, even if the past year has been filled with hardship. We have so many things to be thankful for: most of all for Miller, who has a magical way of making people instantly forget their problems. Here are some pictures from Miller's first Thanksgiving!

Santa Claus is coming.....

Over Thanksgiving, the family made a trek out to the Opryland Hotel to have dinner and see the Christmas decorations and lights. It was M's first visit to Opryland with all of the lights up, and the family's first visit in a long, long time. Here are some pics:


Old Hickory Steakhouse...our favorite!


Lights in the Atrium


Mom looking cute in a Santa Hat!


Stopping for M's dinner...


In front of the Grand Christmas Tree.


Walking through the Atrium


Pictures with Santa! (Had no idea he would be there or we would have dressed up more for the occasion....now we know!)

Confession

It has been brought to my attention that I am really slacking when it comes to taking and posting pictures of M. And I will admit, I have NO excuse. I could lie and say "I have to SLEEP when the baby SLEEPS" and I have no free time for computers or scanning or writing. This is, by the way, the most annoying piece of advice to a new mom that you could ever give and I promise to never dole it out myself.

In truth, I should have all the time in the world. ***knock on wood*** M sleeps on and off from about 11PM to 11AM and is in a semi-wakeful state for the rest of the day. (For those of you who know me, it seems as though she has taken after her mother and can fall deep into a REM cycle at the drop of a hat). So the lack of posting is simply laziness (or obsessive constant cleanliness) on my part. (Now that Nellie is back, I spend a lot of my free time picking up dog hairs, ugh!)

I apologize. And I promise that more updates will be in store.

Things that annoy me in the news...

Since I don't often have the time (or mental energy) to blog lately, it takes a LOT to make me pull the "Things that annoy me" out of the closet and dust it off. This irritates the crap out of me:

Pinhead

So you're a starting linebacker for a football team that is not only expected to win the SEC Championship this weekend, but also a shoe-in for a National title and you can't make a better decision than this? Police said they had to risk their lives just to jimmy open the car window to put the car in PARK after this kid drunkenly fell asleep at the wheel with his car stopped at a stop light! Have the foresight to take a taxi and not throw away a bright future: whether it be yours or an innocent's. It's called "tolerance" for a reason!