Happy Birthday to my Mother

This is my mother. Isn't she gorgeous? When I was in elementary school, I remember sitting at the lunch table, feeling so proud as all my girlfriends talked about how pretty my mom was, and how young she looked. Now, a couple of decades later, I feel the same way, only now I am proud of her for so many more reasons. She is a loving wife, a talented counselor, a smitten grandmother, a loyal friend, and a loyal follower of the Lord. She is witty and cute and charming. She is a great Nana to my children, always observing them and really relishing their little personalities.

Today is her birthday (I won't tell you how old she is. She's a lady, so don't ask, either). Here she is sharing HER birthday cake with Ada. I love how caring she is, even when she's just feeding her dessert.



Happy birthday Mom. I am so glad that God blessed the world with your birth.

Stylin'

My mother is one of the most stylish people I know. She has a leather coat in virtually every shade known to man, but my favorite, of course, is her red one. I think it’s Roxy’s favorite too.

The one thing Ada wants...

is a baby brother.  ‘Til that happens, her friend Allie has one she lets Ada love on.

Roxy is happy just loving on Allie.  She’s a little less demanding on that front.  Thanks, R! 

Monday, 7:14 p.m.

Lindsay:  Putting off bedtime until David gets home so he can see his girls.

Roxy: Putzing around the house, observing Ada.

Ada: Removing the dollhouse stairs from the dollhouse, making the dollhouse people fall down the tiny stairs, and acting out their terrified screams.

This calls for a family (minus David) portrait:

Happy New Year!

I’m pretty excited about 2009.

So far, I’ve had lots of time with D. Mast and my girls, as well as some dear friends.

David and I were so happy to be reunited, and I so tired from traveling back from my in-laws that we took down the tree and crashed New Year’s Eve night.  We did drink some sparkling grape juice to celebrate.  I don’t need much more special than that!

Then, yesterday it was time for the traditional Hoppin’ John and collard greens.  I sautee my collards with a little olive oil, sea salt and garlic.  The Hoppin John includes bacon, onion, green and red pepper, celery, cajun spice and brown rice.  It was the best batch yet.  We shared it with our friends Todd, Amanda, and Manning. The kids liked the Hoppin' John, but their real treat was Amanda's cupcakes

More to come on resolutions… not sure what I’m going to resolve, as I am always making plans and changes here and there.  I’m on a constant life-tweaking plan.  If anything major comes up, I’ll let you know.

Christmas Wrapup

Christmas has come and gone, and, besides the stomach virus that made it’s way through the family, was really a lovely holiday.  Grammy (My dad’s mother) got the girls a teaset with violets on it.  Gram loves violets.  And lemme tell ya how CUTE these girls are, playing tea party.  Roxy likes to stir her spoon in her cup, and Ada enjoys pouring.

Roxy got a new baby to throw up on her li’l shoulder. 

Then she got so overloaded that she just stopped.  “Roxy, do you want to open this one?” *vigorous head shaking, no*

Our friend Caroline came for brunch (pumpkin pancakes, thick-sliced maple bacon, fresh fruit and cheese grits casserole).  Then she read Ada from the book she brought for the girls.

I got a gorgeous new apron from my sister Lesley.

Everybody slept…

Then we had dinner… Horseradish crusted standing rib roast, white cheddar mashed sweet potatoes, creamy bacon brussels sprouts, green bean casserole, cranberry Parker House rolls and pumpkin cheesecake.  Delish… especially the roast beast.

(Pink) Piggy-Wig and (Pink) Piggy-Wee

In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess I don't really get the Pink Pig. But by golly, if it's good enough for generations of Atlanta kids, it's good enough for the Mast children as well. As you can see, Ada is pumped for the trip around the tent, where she will be regaled with the tale of Priscilla the Pink Pig, who lives in the mountains of North Georgia and visits the big city every Christmas with her mother.
Edamame. That is, Ada-Mommy:
Delight!

Roxy points.

More to come from Christmas at our house... including the tale of the second loaf of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer bread, and how he came to lose both his eyes and his red nose....

Christmas Greetings

Today we ate Rudolph for breakfast. See?

He was a gift from our friend Tina. She is way too good to us. We heart her.

Rudolph got Ada in the Christmas spirit. So she caroled for you.

Then she quizzed her sister on her new words:

I think Santa would agree, they have both been very good girls.

Fight!

Today I took out the camera to take a picture of Ada watching Mary Poppins in my sunglasses.
This prompted Roxy to insist on a picture session with me...
which led Ada to want in on the action.
Now watch what happens. Roxy notices the sunglasses...

Reaches for them... but blocked by Ada!

And then... Fight!
By the way, I just noticed the glasses are totally broken. Blast!