Happy Birthday to Riley and Merry Christmas Pictures!

This pictures depicts the fun, loving, beautiful, feisty, little girl that encompasses our little Riley!! Today is her 4th birthday!!

This is the Christmas card that my husband and I are sending out this year if I can ever get around to getting it printed, signed, addressed, and in the mail!!!

Below is the one we sent last year. It is an illustration from a book that I am working on. Well, actually I just finished the last illustration and got it printed. So far, I've only had it made into copies for my family at Staples. I am checking into a publisher. The story is
T'was the Night Before the FIRST Christmas and begins:
T'was the night before the first Christmas when Jesus was born.
All the creatures were stirring all over the barn.
They knocked down the cobwebs and swept up the hay,
In hopes that a King was coming their way.

The next bunch of photos are some of my favorite ornaments:
Some that my children made when they were little. They are 27, 30, and 33 now, so these have been used for lots of years. The one in the center is one that a friend gave to my husband and me as a wedding gift since we got married just before Christmas!!

Next, is one that my mom bought at the China pavilion at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville. That summer is when my third daughter was born. One of the times I went to the fair, I was with my mom and sister. For some reason we parked in a place that was far from the entrance, so we climbed over a fence to get in! Yep, my mother, my sister, and I at 8 1/2 months pregnant, climbed a fence. That must have been quite a site to see!!

This little angel and bell were part of the decorations on gifts that we got for our wedding.


These bring special memories from my childhood. My aunt made the one on the left. She was one very talented artist, musician, and comedian!!! She was the mom of my cousins with whom I am very close!! (BTW my cousin who had the surgery on Monday is doing very well!) The star and icicle were on our tree every year when I was a child.

The Cat in The Hat represents my language arts teaching years. This is made from a light bulb!

One year I got into the angel making mood. I made bunches and bunches. This is the only one I kept for myself. She graces the top of our tree. I couldn't get a good photo because my tree is too tall. (Refer to my poem a few posts back.)

When I was teaching, I coordinated a bike-a-thon for St. Jude's Hospital every year. They sent me these ornaments as thank yous a couple of years. Most years they sent a plaque.

Another reminder of my teaching years. I always had my kids read The Wizard of Oz. It had all kinds of opportunities for teaching reading skills that are required. Also, it proved to the kids that they couldn't watch the movie rather than read the book and then do a book report, etc.... There are way too many differences. The book is so good, if you haven't read it, you should!

The next ornament really doesn't require any explanation to you blogger friends, since you know my passion for sewing. My cousin, who also sews, gave this to me.

My husband and his dad always had a red truck. My fil still does. My husband had to get a SUV when he started selling real estate, though. My mil gave this to my husband. I love it!

Here's the whole tree.