Day Three Hundred Sixty 2010

Sunday Snow (Birds)

Day Three Hundred Fifty Nine 2010

Mabry Family Christmas 2010

After all the careful preparations and hurry and flurry, the big day finally arrived and brought snow along with it for the first time in seventeen years here in the mid South. The best part of any Christmas is family gathering together to share a fabulous meal, laugh and remember times past, play Dirty Santa and exchange other gifts and simply enjoy being together with loved ones we don't get to see every day. Once again, my sister Ann and her husband Terry went above and beyond to make their home welcoming and festive for our family Christmas gathering. Can't thank you two enough for all the preparation and hard work you put into hosting this occasion. It was totally fabulous, as always. You guys rock! Here is our Christmas 2010 Mabry Family Portrait and all those who were able to attend:

My brother Ken Mabry and his children Chris Mabry, Kendra and Al Shelton, Ian Mabry and Evan Mabry

My late brother Robert's son Alex Mabry

My sister Ann and her husband Terry Sissom

My sister Jane and her husband Don Foy and their daughters Sarah and Julia

My daughter Kelly and her husband Kerry Kimbrough

My daughter Holly and her husband Jerry Myers and their children Shelby and Elijah

Moi and my hubby Neil Ranft

And of course the reason this gathering of loved ones exists--my 89 year old mother Hamp Mabry

Another tender Tennessee Christmas has come and gone, one for our memory books. God is so good and we are so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful loving family.

Merry Christmas!

Day Three Hundred Fifty Eight 2010

Ranft Family Christmas 2010

What a wonderful Christmas! Merry Christmas To All And To All A Good Night!

Day Three Hundred Fifty Seven 2010

This Big Orange University of Tennessee Nutcracker is the latest addition to our Nutcracker collection. Grandson Elijah loves playing with them and noticed the new one the other day. He picked it up and said, "Hey, Shelby, look at this scary Nutcracker!" Nutcrackers are kind of scary--like clowns--but this one looks positively wicked! I'm not sure what his problem is. Maybe a toothache? He looks like he wants to bite something. I like him.

Day Three Hundred Fifty Six 2010

Each Christmas I remember

The ones of long ago;

I see our mantelpiece adorned

With stockings in a row.

Each Christmas finds me dreaming

Of days that used to be,

When we hid presents here and there,

For all the family.

Each Christmas I remember

The fragrance in the air,

Of roasting turkey and mince pies

And cookies everywhere.

Each Christmas finds me longing

For Christmases now past,

And I am back in childhood

As long as memories last.

~~Carice Williams, Christmas Past

This is a picture of my hubby/honey Neil, sitting on Santa's lap, circa 1955.