A New Start

 

I just LOVE~LOVE~LOVE a new start!  Gives me that "2nd Chance" feeling to fix a mess-up!  An opportunity to "correct a  wrong"...anyone with me on that!!!  A new start can be huge or little in regards to dates.  For example...can be as simple  as a Sunday...1st day of the Week...or Monday...first day of the "work week"...could be the 1st day of the Month...or year....see where I am headed!?!?!  

When I found out a couple of weeks ago that the WW Plan was changing...I started to get excited!  I knew this was going to be a 2nd chance.  This could be a do-over.....!  This is the official roll-out week for the plan.  Great timing...the week after all the Thanksgiving week binges! 


Tonight is my weigh-in and meeting night.  I am quite certain that I have gained some weight...I haven't done the plan in a couple of months even though I kept paying each month...but I KNEW the day would come soon that would inspire me to jump on again and go for the 2nd Chance!!!


So tonight is the night.  I am anxiously awaiting the loss of another bunch of pounds soon!  I feel it!!!

I'll keep you posted!

Thanksgiving at the Wells' Home!

Our home @ Thanksgiving!

Annie Gracie...my 2 yo granddaughter

This week, 20 years ago, we spent Thanksgiving Weekend moving into our newly built home.  We did much of the "grunt" work of our house ourselves due to finances.  Not the REAL labor mind you, but the minor, simple, time consuming stuff...painting, staining, etc.  With 3600 sq ft...that is a lot of painting & staining!!!  So on that weekend, my husbands family, all came from Atlanta, SC, and Richmond to help us move from the little house to the big one.  That was the beginning of "Thanksgiving in Warsaw" for my husbands Parents, Brothers & Sisters and their families.  They even laid our  brick walkway.  Just amazing folks.  They usually come starting on Tuesday evening and the last group leaves on Saturday. 

enjoying the football game

As a rule, I would cook the Thanksgiving meal, and sort of plan and guide the production of the other meals.  That remains the same.  This year, I pulled an all-nighter b/c the turkey was 22lbs and would tie up the oven too long and would compromise my "schedule".  So after everyone went to bed about 12mn...I began the BIG MEAL.  We traditionally have a huge country ham breakfast and the cooking needed to be somewhat at a stand-still for the 2:00pm Meal Time.  So it was the best way to handle it.

Cousins....chatting on a blanket

We've grown in numbers through the years.  This year, there were 32 of us.  Due to the fact that the children are no longer "little", it has gotten a bit much to "house" the whole group for that long of a period like we use to.  My son and his family and my daughter and her husband stayed with us.  But the others stay at a local motel right off I-40.  It is only 3-5 miles from our home...so it works.  They spend breakfast-to-bedtime with us.  We have a blast.

Chloe in pink...Caleb the maltese watching

32 PEOPLE!!!  Yes, it is crazy, but we laugh, talk bunches and yes...go a little crazy!  Did I mention all of our dogs too?  This year we were down in numbers.  We had our 2, then an additional 4.  Yeah...crazy.  And my NEW Shi Tzu/Pomeranian had to learn the crowd and she was a BARKER!  Oh well...we lived through it.

Dad giving THANKS

One of our favorite times, it just before our Thanksgiving meal, we go around the  room and state 1 thing we are thankful for.  Special time and special memories usually with a few tears shed along the way.  This year, DAD, just turned 88 years old, quoted scriptures about giving Thanks...it was very special...then we hold hands or wrap arms around each other and pray. 

The POOP BOWL in progress!

Thankfully, the rain held off a little and we ventured outside for several hours which helps with noise control and helps to maintain a little sanity while the 2nd cousins get a chance to play and work off some energy.  The older cousins always have a traditional "football" game...they call it the "Poop Bowl" b/c invariably someone steps in the left behinds of one of the dogs!  Gross...Sorry!  This year was an injury-free event.  Not always so fortunate...one dislocated shoulder required surgery in years past!!!  This Wells' crowd plays to win!!!

My Sweet Little Mother

Even with all the mayhem of it all...I couldn't help but think about MY family having their traditional Thanksgiving at my sisters house in Vale, NC...this was the first Thanksgiving without Mother.   I know they missed her so much.  Mother was the Matriarch of our family.  And she LOVED a family event.  In her heyday, she was an awesome cook.  We loved to eat at Mother's.  In fact, my Mother was known for her sage cornbread dressing. 

 

 

Beth...my sis

Every year, for 20 years, I have called her and gone over the recipe with her...never could get it right.  This year, I called my sister Beth  to go over the recipe and give me hints...she did & it turned out superb.  I missed hearing my Mother's encouragement to me on my preparation of her recipe......I appreciate Beth helping me on it. 

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving.  I did.  And I am Thankful. 

Watching the "Poop Bowl" Football game!

Alyssa...my 4 yo Granddaughter

lots of computer time for this group...

My Daddy Was A Veteran!

Happy Veteran's Day!

 

This is a picture of my Daddy.  

This photo was taken during his active service in the United States Navy.  He served and fought in WWII.  He looked so young.  But he was in his early 20's.  He had become the "Papa Rabbit" after his Daddy died when my father was only 17 years old.  He had to look after the family along with my Grandmother.  She never remarried.  Until daddy's death, his siblings looked to him as they would to a father for guidance.  So, Daddy had lived a "life" already.  Then he was in the Navy. 

It was during this time that  he felt the call to the Ministry.  After his discharge from the Navy, he returned home to the Rockingham area of North Carolina and set about enrolling at Wingate College where he obtained his BS degree and then finished his seminary training at Southeastern Theological and Luther Rice Theological Seminaries....all while making a family.  A hard time, a hard life, but that was my Daddy.  He was made of sturdy stuff!  That whole generation was.  It amazes me. 

I was, or course, not born.  After all, I am the baby of 4 children.  But I heard the stories of Daddy back in the day.  I heard Mother talk about the struggles they went through and she went through during those times.  Perseverance.

Daddy died of Cancer in 1993 after serving many, many years as a Southern Baptist Preacher.  Many lives were changed due to his obedience to God.  Including mine.

My Daddy was a mighty man of God.  He served his country, his family and his God well.

Thank You Daddy for your commitment.  I thank God I was privileged to be your baby girl. 

Happy Veteran's Day Daddy...