Jake says...No more presents...No more trees.....

...so back to "cute" pictures of Emmie and me!

"Peek-a-boo, I see you too!"

Gabe was really enjoying the ipod that he got for Christmas....He was singing along and jammin' down! Emery wanted to "try it". She really liked it too! And she liked the big bag that Gabe's car case came in. Standing in it was not a problem, but when she leaned over, it dumped her out and she got a boo boo on her elbow, a small carpet burn.

Emery loves Gabriel and Alexis so much. She runs and plays and giggles the whole time she's with them!

Bye Bye Grandee, Have a safe trip!

Emery had a great week and very nice Christmas with her Grandmother (Grandee) from Texas who came in last Sunday to spend the holidays. She has to leave today to go back to Dallas. I know Emmie will miss her.Emery's favorite words are; "Read It!"

All dressed up for Christmas 2008

One more day....one more day..... one more day......

Future "Wildcat"

University of Kentucky needs to be getting ready now for "Tooter" Grasham, an up and coming football star!
..Oops, time out ~ the helmet comes off for a candy break!

Christmas Morning at Mamaw's house

Jake loves his Sponge Bob P.J.'s that Mamaw got him (to wait for Santa in) He spent the night at Mamaw's house waiting for the little fat man to get there!

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!

Alexis is losing her baby teeth, but her new ones are coming in really fast!

Not all Santas ride in a sleigh!

...Some ride a Harley with their hubby Fred! Oops...maybe that was Rudloph, (judging by the red nose?) Or perhaps the red nose was from riding in the COLD! I tell ya, ya'all just ain't right! But anyway, thanks Rebbie and Fred for coming by to see me on Christmas day, and for the groceries that you and Renee gave me for Christmas! I wonder sometimes what I'd do with out the both of you. You and Renee make everyday seem like Christmas! Thanks for all you do!

Wake up! Wake up! It's Christmas morning!

I don't care what color Santa is wearing, I'm ready for him NOW!

Merry Christmas everybody!

Not all Santas have a white beard or wears a red suit!

....Sometimes they wear Kentucky Blue and have a black beard! Thank you "Santa David" for the groceries, and for bringing all my favorite little Elves to see me for Christmas! Also, thank you for all that you and Rhonda do for me all year long The Anderson Elves left to right:

Front row: Ashley, Emily, Rhonda and Whitney!

Back row: "Hot John" and Santa David

Following in Dad's footsteps!

Emmie's latest new thing is if she sees you doing something, (no matter what it is) she'll say; "me try it!" Of course you have to let her "try it" Mike was playing his Euphonium and he said she actually at one point managed to get sound out of it! Keep it up little miss independent and maybe you will get a scholarship too someday!

They go together like....cornbread and beans!

Merry Christmas to my crazy cousins in California! It was good to get to talk to you today, and I'll bet you didn't remember that I had these lovely pictures of us! I hope you will enjoy this mess that I've made! Keep scrolling and always click on "older posts" to keep going!

Angels come in all sizes....

Emery was an Angel in their Christmas program at church Sunday night. She was so excited getting into her wings and halo..but..being the little "impatient" angel that she is, she didn't take too well at having to wait for her turn to go on stage. Her Dad had to take her into a side room and keep her entertained for awhile. All the other Angels were 3 times her size, and that was what made her so cute going up the aisle. Once on stage, you could hear her singing above all the rest. Yep, our little Angel was definitely the center of attention!

The cutest little Angel this time was not on top of the tree, but had shed her wings and was standing in front of it. I want to thank my "Angel" friend Rebbie for taking me to see the program. I wouldn't have had a way to go if not for her. (I called her at the last moment on a very cold night to come and take me.) Of course she had to show hubby Fred a copy of the program so that he would believe that's where we really went! I can't imagine why he don't trust us!!!! He should know by now that we are, and always have been perfect Angels! Right Fred?

Waiting for Santa!

Gabe and Alexis really have grown since last Christmas! Alexis has lost a few teeth, and Gabe has a new hair style, (which I love). I can't wait to get to see them this coming Friday.

Let a smile be your umbrella......

No smiles here... but we tried! We couldn't get a good picture of these two for love nor apple butter! Anyway, they did like their umbrellas that they got yesterday from each other.

Christmas came early

Since Emery and Jake won't be seeing each other all next week, they had their Christmas with each other today! They both got Gabba Gabba shirts, P.J.'s, books and socks with Rudolph on them. Mamaw got Emmie a Dora Doll, and a Curious George Book. Jake got a flashlight and umbrella from Giggy.

They had fun opening their presents. After Christmas they will get to play longer together.

HO HO HO, (or Boo Hoo Hoo!)

Michael and Brooke took Emery to Lexington this evening to see Santa! Mike said she cried a little at first, but stopped when she heard some jingle bells ringing! She loves seeing Santa on TV, but I suppose she was a little cautious about seeing him in person for the first time.

Nate Waits for Santa!

Hmmmm...... A fat little man with a beard you say?

That might have been my grandpa Frank!!

Gabriel, Alexis, and Emery ~ Christmas Last Year

Emery absolutely loves this picture of Gabe in his "Diego" PJ's. She has it in her own photo album and always points to it and says "Gabe!".....Emmie sure has grown since last Christmas!

Santa's Lil' Helper

This is Jake's first Christmas! I don't think he could quite fit in his stocking like Emery did for her first one, but he sure does make Mamaw smile in his little Elf outfit!

I miss my "little" boys!

Sometimes I wake up and can't help but wonder how I could have been so blessed in my life. My boys, Matthew and Michael and now my precious grandbabies have made me feel like the luckiest person on earth. My own "little boys" just grew up too fast, and I miss that, but things happen that takes you back to days gone by. Last night, I was feeling kind of blue, then out of the blue, my son Matthew called me. He told me that he had thought of me a lot yesterday, because of something (that I don't even remember) that he said I did for him and a friend of his 28 years ago to the day. To think that he still holds some of the memories that we made still close to his heart, is the best gift he could ever give me.
I look at old photos like this one, and I do remember how much fun we had when they were little boys. I would not want to trade my life as we lived it, for one to live any other way. Just goes to prove a person can be "rich" in many ways other than money.

Get me to the Doctor...Quick!

Taking care of Emery during her illness has passed the bug to her Dad and Mom and now to me. Mike and Brooke both had already been to the doctor for antibiotics and I thought I had escaped it, but I coughed all night and had the scratchy throat coming on, so rather than take a chance on giving something back to Emery this week, I went to the doctor too this morning. My symptoms are more like a chest cold rather than a head cold but I didn't want a round of bronchitis settling in. I can never get rid of it when I get it, and the consequences of having it are so miserable that the last time I had it, I wrote a song about it! Want to hear it? Here it goes! (make up your own tune) ha ha.
"Oh bronchitis is hard on the bladder- you cough and you pee and get madder - that you can't go nowhere or sit in a dry chair 'cause bronchitis is hard on the bladder!
Those pads that I wear aggrivate me- but I'll have to a lot more here of lately-
they'll bunch and they'll bind and rub my behind and the slippin' and drippin' irritate me.....but.......bronchitis is so hard on the bladder, I'll wear the granny pads and it won't matter, 'cause it won't run down my knees when I cough or I sneeze..ooohhhhh bronchitis is hard on the blaadddeerrr!"
There! I hope you liked my song! ~My tribute to grandmas everywhere~

It's a Boy, and It's a Girl! Congratulations Todd and Emily!

Emily holding Emery when she was a baby.

Yea, yea,and a big whoop-ti-doo! I got the good news last night that Emily and Todd's twins are one of each! What a thrill! Nate will get the little brother that he wanted, and Todd will get his girl! I am totally filled with JOY! I get to be "Giggy" again twice at once! The twins are due to arrive in April!

School Picture of Kyle Cassiday

Kyle is Renee's nephew. He lives with his mom and dad (Thad and Gloria) on the island of Kwajlein in the Marshall Islands. Kyle is a Sophmore in high school.
He only gets to come to Kentucky to visit her once a year. We have watched him grow from a cutie putie little kid to a "Woo-Hoo and hold the same train that Hot John rides!" Yes, we are talking about the Hot Tamale Train of course!

Getting ready for Santa

Emery loves the Christmas tree that her Mom and Dad put up for her over the weekend. I'm sure she will really enjoy it more once she gets to feeling better. You can see by her eyes in this photo just how sick she was the day the picture was made (Sunday). I talked to Brooke last night, and she had improved somewhat by yesterday. I will be keeping her today for the first time in a full week. She sure has been a sick little girl.
Emery has come a long way since her first Christmas when she was tiny enough to fit easily into her average sized Christmas stocking. She hadn't been home from the hospital but a few days and was still on oxygen and heart monitor at that time. She was our best Christmas present EVER!

No play dates again this week!

Jake and Emery won't get to play together again this week. Previously Jake had been sick and couldn't come over to see "Mimi". He finally got over his cold but before they could have a day together to play, Emery started feeling bad. Her mom and dad took her to the doctor Friday and she had an ear infection with a high fever. They had to take her back to the doctor Saturday (emergency room in the middle of the night) when her fever reached 104. She is now on antibiotics and antihistamine, as well as tylenol/motrin for the fever. The doctor initially thought she might have a touch of pneumonia, but called yesterday and after reading the xray said it wasn't, which was great news! If Jake misses her this week as bad as she missed him the last two weeks, I'll feel sorry for him!!. Hopefully, they will both feel better soon!

Jared's School Photo

Dear Santa,
Please bring Vickie a big stick for Christmas....She is going to need one to keep the the girls away from her son Jared. He is sweeter than a big bowl of Christmas Candy, and cuter than the jolly ole soul himself!

Oh my how time flies!

This is Gina, daughter of Richard and Marquita, niece to Renee, Rhonda and Rebbie. I can't believe that she is now taller than me!!! The first time she spent the night at my house, she was just two years old! She is now 17 and that makes me feel soooooo old! When she was small, she and I used to have the very best time when I'd babysit her. She loved to paint and cook, so we would paint T-shirts and make cookies. Matthew if you are reading this, how old does it make you feel! It seems only yesterday that you and I took Gina to Lexington to see the movie "Lion King" and you carried her on your shoulders! Gina could sing like a little canary so on the way home we were so impressed that she had remembered the words and could carry the tune to the songs in the movie. She was barely 3 at the time. Another Gina story that I love was from that same day (I think) while we were sitting at a traffic light waiting for it to change. Matthew ask Gina "what does a red light mean?" Gina quickly replied; "Stop!" Matthew bragged on her, then ask; "what does a green light mean?" Even quicker Gina shouted "GO!" Matthew really got excited that Gina so young knew the correct answers.....so he then asked; "Ok Gina, what does a yellow light mean?" Gina paused for a moment or two, and appeared to be thinking really hard...suddenly her little face lit up as if to say ah ha, I do know the answer...she leaned over toward Matthew and confidently replied;
"It's not red, it's not green!" *Note to Gina...Well sweetie, now that you are driving, I hope you have learned the value of that yellow light! I wanted to share this story just to brag on you, and maybe you can give your Aunt Rebbie a few lessons. That woman can't drive worth a crap!

A Thankful Day

Everyone had a wonderful meal today at Kalem & Jessica's. Kalem started the meal with a beautiful blessing of the food, then everyone chowed down.

Amber's fella, Amber and Rhonda (sorry Amber, for the life of me I could not remember his name.)
Rebbie(the camera hog) and Richard
Rebbie, Fred and Mary E.
I'm happy to say that poor Fred is now looking a lot better since he's been fed! Had it been left up to his wife tho, he would probably still have that starved and skeletal look as he did in a previous posted photo. I saw to it that he got a big plate of food when she refused to make him one (I've got to keep on the good side of my "ham man".)

Happy Thanksgiving to "Da Cassiday's"

Aloha Thad, Gloria and Kyle! Happy Thanksgiving from your family here in Kentucky. We wish you could be here to share the day with this bunch of "Turkeys", your sister Renee and Da rest of Da Cassidays!

Emery and her Grandmother from Texas

Emery says, "Happy Thanksgiving Grandee!"