NANA NOTES

COTTON BRANCH IS A WINTER WONDERLAND---AGAIN!

"They" said it was coming but should we believe it?  We watched the weather all day long.  At dark, the call came.  "It's snowing outside!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flakes were big as quarters and were falling fast!  It looks like we got about three inches on the deck.

What a beautiful gift this was!  I walked outside several times expecting to hear Christmas Carols being sung by the angels.

   Christmas came early and I'm sure the children will have a cold, wet, fun morning in the snow. 

Thank you Lord for this beautiful covering for our little world on Highway 98.

THANKSGIVING SURPRISE

Our home was filled with family for Thanksgiving. We had lots of good food and fellowship.  When we were done and the guys were gone hunting, Becky came out with this beautiful plant--that had no blooms.  This is what welcomed me home today.  Isn't it beautiful?!  Thanks Becky and Hillary for the gorgeous Thanksgiving cactus!  I've never seen a yellow one.   

GRAHAM'S TURN!

Sort of a "right of passage" when the boys turn 12 Papa takes them to West Texas to Longfellow Ranch to mule deer hunt.  Ryan and I have been and they closed down last year.  Graham was much disappointed that he didn't get to go. They opened back up and this is his year!  Ever since he found out he was going he has been so excited.  Getting clothes together, planning, anticipating--that's part of the excitement and fun of the trip.  Making memories!  Today he and Papa left for New Orleans to spend the night so they wouldn't have to get up so early to catch the plane.  They felt it necessary to call and tell me that they ate supper at Middendorfs--one of my favorite places.  Graham had fried shrimp.  Sadie and I had frozen pizza and sugar free cookies!

 Jennifer saying goodbye to her #2 baby boy. He will always remember this.

 Sadie was less than excited for Papa to leave.  She's been sitting by the door listening for him to come home.  She's stuck with me however.  Maybe I can win my dog back!  I'll keep you posted on how Graham does with his hunting.  The chances of a big "kill" are good.  Ed has one of the best guides out there and the weather is supposed to be very cold!!
 

AM I JEALOUS OR NOT???

Ok, Sadie is supposed to be "MY" dog!  She goes with Papa almost everywhere he goes.  She is covered with orange paint [like most everything else around here these days!] and pouts when he leaves her!  Now this!!   Ok, yes, I'm jealous!!  This has gone too far!  She loves him!

FUNNY FOR THE DAY!

 I was "surfing" and found the comics on the web.  This one caught my eye and I thought of Sam and us doing homework together on Wednesday afternoons.  I get to help him with his "figurin'" and reading. We haven't made it to the "flowers and old news" yet.  He's a smart little boy and I enjoy helping him.

BIKE TEAM HAS A REDNECK TIME!

The Herring Gas Bike Team finishes the season with a dinner at Cotton Branch each year.  This is a time when they all get together to "relive" the season and eat and visit.  It's a time when the wives and families come and enjoy being together.  Ed and I have a good time feeding our "family" and listening to the stories.  This year we decided to have a pig roast.  After all, we do have a pig cooker!!  I don't think they believed we were really going to do it but it happened. 

 Frank and Kenny came over to help Ed cook.  They did more riding around on the Ranger than cooking but they had fun.  

 As the crowd gathered the pig cooked.  I had a board cut to put him on and we didn't think about getting it through the door. That was a trip! But--the guys figured it out and got him in. 

 
 Candy couldn't resist getting a picture of the carrot tail; I choose the apple in the mouth!! :)   

 
  Kenny and Frank clowning around doing a parody of David and Laura (some of the other sponsors).   

 The most fun is talking and waiting for the food; Taylor is carrying the next generation of HGC bikers!!   

 Just as we were getting ready to eat someone noticed the sunset.  We went outside and watched it.  Nothing could have made the afternoon more perfect than seeing what God had created for us.  We went back in for the blessing and a delicious meal.  

 Bill's beans, cole slaw, hash brown casserole, pork and rolls.  Finished off by one of Sue Sullivan's cheese cakes and Gooey Chocolate Brownies.

I have a picture of what the pig looked like when we finished but I just can't show it.  There was nothing left but head and bones.  Frank took the head.  I don't even want to know what he did with it.

 Even Sadie got into the act--Cagney put the wig on her and she posed!!

We're already looking forward to next year but I don't think we can measure up to this one!  :)  Congratulations guys on a good season.  You're the best!
 

 
 
 

MUMC BAZAAR WAS GREAT!!!

The MUMC Bazaar was tremendous.  Not a huge crowd but enough to have a wonderful day.  Here are a few pictures to show you what was there.  For those of you who will be at church on Sunday, you still have a chance to purchase the items that are left.  Thanks to everyone who helped make the day such a great one!!

Cakes, pies and peanut brittle!

 

Chocolate cashew clusters that even had samples!!  Yummy!

 

 

 

Treat filled decorated paint cans for special occasions. Very cute!

 
  

 

 

Beautiful homemade aprons!!  I thought of that last year after the bazaar but forgot about it.  I'm glad Suzie did them. They were gorgeous!! 

 

Heritage Candles--smell good! Sold well!

 

MUMC Coffee Mugs--perfect for my Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate Mix!!

 

Ms June and Mr. Mark did a  wonderful job with biscuits and sausage and the awesome "West Burger" for lunch.

 

Those wonderful "Pot Scrubbers" are back!!  Cute blankets and burp pads too.   

Grandma's attic was in the pavillion.  What a wonderful place for that.  Barbie did a great job.  Maybe we should move the whole Bazaar out there if next year is as beautiful as today was!

 

Thanks again to everyone for making the Annual Fall Bazaar a good one!

And Doc, you took my Diet Dr. Pepper!!

**The report at church today was that we made over $4000.00 for the Building Fund.  AWESOME!!

HERE COMES THE BRIDE~~

The rehearsal was yesterday and today was a gorgeous day for a wedding.  The air was crisp and cool and the sun was shining.  As the day progressed things around here became more beautiful and more "hectic". People appeared out of nowhere with food, flowers, and more food! :) A huge cake was put together in the kitchen and decorated.  The atmosphere was one of love and family.  Two big families were about to become one huge one!  Angela Moak-daughter of our friend Wanda Moak and sister of Brad Moak became the bride of Glen "Boo" Mire today at 2:00 pm out by the pool.  The ceremony was beautiful.  Gorgeous music, flowers and people.  Here are a few of the pictures that I took.  I can only imagine what the "real" photographer captured.  She was a fun person as was the wedding coordinator!

 Wanda, Angela, Boo, and Mr. Doug

Aren't they all very nice looking?

 

Angela's family-her two brothers and her grandmother along with part of the children. Tim's son Mason was taken to the hospital yesterday and his wife was with him. We pray he is getting better.

 
  

Braedon [and I hope I spelled that correctly] Moak. Have you ever seen a sweeter face?  She needs to meet Sam Cowart!!!

 

The beautiful brides cake! It was enough to feed an army!

 

 

 

The grooms table--do you think he likes LSU???  There were FIVE kinds of cheesecake on this table!!  I didn't eat a bite! Now I wish I had some.

They did the "Sand Blending" instead of the Unity Candle. LSU colors and I loved it!!  The story Brad read about the sand was very sweet.

 

Sweet couple who looks very happy.   

 

Angela's grandmother is a beautiful, fun lady. She's welcome at our home anytime--especially if she brings fudge!!  :)

I was in charge of the truck keys but I couldn't keep Wanda away from the back of the truck!!

(Just kidding, she was just holding the cans up for the picture!)

 

And out they come and off they go--or so we thought!  In the middle of cleaning up we looked up and there they were.  All comfortable and happy!  Best wishes to you both.

 

Thanks to all of you for letting Ed and me share in this wonderful day.

I'll add an album to the blog of more pictures--just click on "Angela's Wedding" on the sidebar.

THERE'S A WEDDING TOMORROW!

We offered our home [actually our pool area] to a friend for the wedding of their daughter who wanted to get married outside.  Today they started setting up and had the rehearsal late this afternoon.  This was as "low key and easy" as any wedding we've had here.  I know tomorrow will be a beautiful day for Angela and her groom.

 

Lots of pretty white chairs are surrounding the pool and the reception will be on the deck.

 A sneak peak at the rehearsal without giving away too much detail.

The bride's bouquet is gorgeous. Her mother-in-law to be did the flowers. How lucky am I to have a cooler! It's full of beautiful flowers! Stay tuned--tomorrow I'll post wedding pictures!! And tell you who it is!

LOCKED AND LOADED!

This summer Ed has been building a "pond" which has turned into Okhissa 2! It will be the Grandchildren pond with a great place for them to fish until they are tired of fishing. I can't imagine any of them being tired of fishing!! It was planned to be a three year project. The pier is built after a couple of months of "dirt work". Yesterday the Fish Truck came.  For me, that was an experience I've never seen.    

 This truck was loaded down with fish that had come all the way from Oklahoma---and had survived! That in itself is amazing to me. Technology!    The guy is Josh and he was very careful dipping them bucketful at a time and acclimating them to the pond water.   

He put in about 20 carp which are grass eating fish to keep the pond clean. They were the biggest fish that he put in.   
  

Then he put in catfish, coppernose bream and bluegill bream.  The poor little things looked like minnows to me but they should grow fast. (That's where the three year project comes in!!) That and filling the pond which God seems to be handling quite nicely lately.

 

 And then when it was finished, the guys do what they always do--stand around and talk about what they did!  You can see that Sadie and I were feeling the same way--it was time to go to the house.  I do have to say that I learned a lot and can't wait to go fishing with the grandchildren and Papa. When the deck is finished, I'll show you what it looks like.
 
 

I WAS ASKED TO POST THIS AGAIN--PLEASE VOTE!!

Tomorrow is the last day!!  Please, please vote!!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO VOTE EACH DAY. WE HAVE DROPPED TO #4 AND NEED YOUR VOTES TO PICK US BACK UP. YOU KNOW YOU WANT OUR KIDS TO GET THE GAMEROOM MAKEOVER!!

Gameroom Giveaway

Source: xbox.childrensmiraclenetwork.org

Microsoft has partnered with Children’s Miracle Network to provide three Children’s Miracle Network pediatric hospitals an Ultimate Gameroom experience - YOU could win an Xbox 360 as well!

MESSAGE FROM STEPHANIE SLAUGHTER--VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!

"Hello everyone!! Just a friendly reminder that this is the LAST week of voting for the gameroom giveaway! Voting ends Next Friday the 16. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember to vote everyday....We are getting so close! Also, many of you are concerned that we are not in the number 1 spot.  Remember that the TOP 3 hospitals will win the gameroom so we are still in the game!!! Once again thank you for your support of the children and families of Batson!!"

http://xbox.childrensmiraclenetwork.org

Remember you can vote 10 times at once--every day!!

LATE BIRTHDAY DINNER W/ FRIENDS

For the last few years Ed and Jimmie Lou have been having a birthday dinner together. His birthday is on the first of October and hers is on the second.  This year we went to The Caboose and Libby and Josh and Cagney went with us.

 

We all enjoyed our food and conversation.  We didn't have dessert at the restaurant.  Jimmie Lou loves "Walmart" birthday cake!! 
We stopped and got one and came home for cake and homemade ice cream.  Another fun birthday for two great folks!!  Happy Birthday, guys!

PLEASE VOTE!!

Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children at the University of Mississippi Medical Center

Mississippi's only Children's Hospital is a seven-floor, 250-bed facility where more than 150,000 children come from all of the state's 82 counties for treatment. Children's Hospital houses the state's only Level I pediatric trauma center, intensive care unit, Level III newborn intensive care unit, children's cancer clinic, rehabilitation center, child psychiatry unit, dental clinic, child development center and surgical facility-a state-of-the-art unit with seven operating rooms.

The Children's Miracle Television Network is giving a Playroom Makeover to the Children's Hospital with the most votes.   http://xbox.childrensmiraclenetwork.org/    Please click on the link, register and vote--you can vote ten (10) times at once every day until it's over.  Please help get our children's hospital a make over.  We've all been touched by this hospital.  Please vote!!

 

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!!

 

 October 1, 2009 is the beginning of a brand new year for my sweet husband.  I won't tell you how old he turned today but he and Herring Gas were born the same day and that was in 1946.  He spent the morning at the store and the afternoon on a tractor fluffing hay for Ryan. Tonight we attended the first night of a Bible study.  That's how birthdays go when you get this age.  It's been a good day. He heard from all the children.  We look forward to many more.  Happy Birthday, Papa!
 

THE LAST TRIP HAS BEEN THE BEST!

This weekend has been the most fun.  I finished up my dental work--Thursday was the worst, then checkups on Friday and Saturday.  Now my teeth look wonderful and I'm glad it's finished.  Ed and Dennis went fishing and had had a great time. 

Alma and I toodled around Boca Grand and did a little shopping.  I even found a couple of Christmas presents.  We went out to eat on the boat and saw some beautiful homes.  

The colors are so beautiful and the homes are HUGE!!  

Nothing like living on the point and having water all around! 

This one is awesome. It has a screened in porch that coveres two floors and the pool.  Loved it!

Naomi, Dennis and Alma as we were loading onto the boat to go to a restaurant to eat dinner on Friday. Aren't they a lovely family?

Ed and me on the boat ride to the restaurant--wind blown hair and all! But don't we have beautiful teeth??? :)

We ate bananas off the trees in their yard and I learned about "sea grapes".  I bought a jar of Sea grape jelly to benefit Relay for Life.

  

 

    This picture shows the sea grapes when they are green.  They ripen to a purple red and are wonderful. My plan is to get some to see if they will grow in MS.

We fly out tomorrow and life will get back to normal.  What's normal?????

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT!

When we got home on Sunday night these were sitting on the cabinet. Didn't even remember it was Grandparent's Day  [since not much fuss is made over it on TV] and they were such a lovely surprise.  Mums always bring the message that Fall is right around the corner and we have much to look forward to with the seasons changing.  Thanks to Ryan, Graham, Ben and Sam [with a little help from their Mom I'm sure] for the beautiful lavender mums!!  My favorite!

SAM MAKES A "HAPPY"

Over the Labor Day weekend we had lots of company. During a "grocery run" with Libby we both bought "Pot Holder making kits". You know what I'm talking about--used to be red metal with a wire hook--now is plastic-with fabric loops for making pot holders!  I've made many of them when I was young!  Sam thought it was cool and wanted to make one. He picked out the colors and got right on it. With very little help, he did it.

He was very proud of it and wanted to give it to his Mom. 

She loved it and I'm sure she uses it every day!

ANNUAL DOVE HUNT 2009

The only day we dove hunt is opening day.  It turns into an event very quickly.  It's usually family and a few close friends from out of town.  Having nine grandchildren that love to hunt already makes a crowd!  The week before opening day is like the day before Christmas!  Everyone is hustling around getting shells, looking for just the right hunting clothes and making sure their guns are ready.  I'm usually making trips to the grocery store and more trips to the grocery store and cooking for several days getting things ready for the big "dove cooking".  I can only remember one year that I had to make a run to the grocery store for CHICKEN!! 

                 Top picture Jody 3rd from R; bottom, Sam B. 3rd from R.

Jody and Sam B. took turns taking pictures so that's the only difference in these two pictures.  I didn't want to leave anyone out.  There were five other hunters but they were gone when this was made.  Quite a motley looking crew!!  They came through with the product though.  Ed said it looked like "restaurant quality" and I agree.  After being on the grill for a while cooked by expert cooks they were delicious. Nobody does it better!! 

175th CELEBRATION at MUMC

After months of work the day is finally arriving--the 175th anniversary of our church--Meadville United Methodist.  The committee has spent countless hours working and planning for this day.  Although I wasn't on the committee, I got to work on a couple of projects for the event. I designed and sold tshirts. So far that has gone well.  We've sold almost 100.  I also got to put together four bulletin boards for the church--this let me put all my scrapbooking equipment to good use!! 

I picked up a couple of fall wreaths for the doors and Beverly added the bows. It made the front look so inviting. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This board is in the front foyer. I wanted a border but couldn't find one I liked. My theory is "when in doubt-don't" so I left it plain.  The emblem in the middle is on the back of the tshirt.  The Military board has to be one  of my favorites.  It has the sons and friends of our members in the military on it that we are praying for.  Be sure to check it out.

This is really a good one--and I can't take full credit for the idea. But--I did do it with my own creative additions. It's on the board going into the Fellowship Hall. Check it out!    Downstairs in the Sunday School foyer is this board.  I thought it turned out well.

Today when I carried my food to the church there were beautiful flowers everywhere and the video with pictures was tremendous. I know the music is going to be good and the sermon and other speakers should be wonderful as well.  I hope I can take my camera tomorrow and get some shots of the day. This will be too good to miss.  Muffins and coffee at 9:30 AM with church to begin at 10:30 AM.  Come if you can.  You won't be disappointed.