It's Someone's Birthday

Someone had a birthday today! It was sweet Tyler. He is here in the floor opening his presents after we watched his deer kill on video. Happy Birthday!

We had a Very, Merry Christmas

Hope that everyone had a very, Merry Christmas! It goes by so fast! We always spend the night with my parents, along with Fred and Barb (although they backed out this year) and then get up at 4am to open presents. It began when the girls where little that Dad said no one could get up before 4am. So, 4am it was! And has been! Some years it was Fred waking us up, but now it's the girls. This year, since Fred and Barb weren't there, the girls just called Fred at 4am and he and Barb were there within 15 minutes. You'll notice that there are no pictures of our time at Mom's. I've found out that I just don't enjoy myself as much if I'm trying to take pictures. I just try to sit back, enjoy the atmosphere, watch the family enjoy themselves, and try to commit it all to memory. We have such a wonderful time. I LOVE my family! Mom is always there making memories and keeping traditions alive, and Fred and Barb...well, you couldn't ask for any better brother and sister-in-law. Each year, we open presents one at a time beginning with the youngest to the oldest. This way everyone gets to see what you get and who got it for you. This year, Molli and I quietly went back to bed while everyone else ate breakfast. 4 am is SO early! Around 8:30 we headed back home to get ready to go to Jim's family in Cottageville to celebrate. Below are pictures of our time there.

This is a picture of the WHOLE family. Morgan set her camera on a tripod, set the timer, ran to get in the picture, and here it is. Not bad. I was adamant that we had to get a family picture this year. Riley got a racetrack, so Jim dug up some of his old match box cars that were still at the house.
Jim and Morgan playing "Don't Break the Ice".
Beautiful Maci.
The most handsome one there!
Jim and his Dad, Enos.
Our Family. (How Blessed I Am!)

The girls with their grandparents.

Two beauties.

Me and my girl. It is SO nice to have her home.

By the way.......I got a quilt that Mom made for me (I'll post it when I put it on my bed). A gift certificate to Mill Creek Trading Company (my FAVORITE store), a sign for over my bed from Mill Creek Trading Company, and an iPod!!!!! (Maci is going to show me how to put my favorite songs on it.) I must say it again, and not just because of the gifts, .......... I am so blessed to have my family!

Maci's Choir Cantata

Maci sang in the Grass Lick Baptist Church Choir Cantata. This is the last program of the 2008 Christmas Season. She sang beautifully! During the cantata, Maci, Kaylee, and a few other youth and adults played a Christmas song on their instruments.

Looking at the Christmas Lights Tradition

Each year during the Christmas season, we pick one night and the girls put on their pj's, get a blanket, and settle in to drive around and look at Christmas lights. Jim is again in the Christmas spirit.

(This hat has stayed in my car all season, and Jim wears it every time we travel somewhere.)
We always drive thru somewhere and get something to eat while we look. This year was McDonalds. It used to be Happy Meals, but we've long outgrown those.

This house is beautiful all year long. She decorates for each season or holiday. I've even gotten to take an inside tour and the inside is every bit as beautiful as the outside.

It just looks like a picture from a book.

Jim's best childhood friend, Kendall, grew up in this house. We took a picture because his mother tells me she reads my blog. Nice decorations Ron and Mildred!

The real reason we celebrate!

These lights are at Cedar Lakes. The lighted displays are truly amazing. People tell me that Cedar Lakes is much better than the lights at Wheeling.

This gingerbread boy jumping on the trampoline is my favorite.

If you decide to travel to Cedar Lakes to view the lights, give us a call, we live very close.

Grass Lick Baptist Church Christmas Program

Maci attends church with my Mom every since Dad passed away a couple of years ago. She spends the night at Moms on Wednesday night and on Saturday night each week. She is active in the youth program at GLBC. This year the youth acted out the life of Christ in silhouette. Maci played the part of Mary. (Don't the wings on the back of the angel look like a baby on his back.)

RHS Band Concert

Maci's freshman year Christmas Band Concert was held on Sunday, December 14th. Maci plays the flute (as you can see). We love to go to these concerts because the songs are always upbeat and they are Christmas songs that everyone knows and recognizes. This band wins lots of honors at the various band festivals they participate in.

Morgan's 19th Birthday

Morgan turned 19 years old on Sunday, December 14th. It is so hard to believe. Just yesterday she was little, playing T-ball, singing in the Kings Kids Choir, and playing outside with her friends. Collecting rocks, playing with dolls, and walking to elementary school. Time goes by so, so fast. Today, she has the world in the palm of her hands. She's made good choices for herself, acted wisely, and demonstrated Godly wisdom in her life.
I can so vividly remember the morning she was born. Molli and I were at Dad and Mom's and Jim was working at 84 Lumber in Catlettsburg, KY not due back to my parents until about midnight. At around 7:30pm I felt as though I was having contractions. I was lying on the couch and Dad was in his chair next to me watching TV. He got a couple of phone calls and I remember him telling them that I thought I was in labor but he was sure it was just false labor. As the evening progressed and I wanted to go to the hospital he continued to tell me that there really wasn't any need because my mother did this and they just sent her home every time. (She made Dad take her to the hospital about three times when she was pregnant with my brother, and each time Dad just had to bring her home because as soon as they got to the hospital her contractions stopped.) I asked a few more times to go to the hospital and each time Dad reassured me that there really wasn't any need to go now. When Jim came in around midnight, I remember going to him in tears stating that I REALLY needed to get to the hospital. While I was in the bedroom getting ready to go, I could hear him in the hall telling my Dad that we were going, to which Dad replied...Go ahead if you want, but I'm sure they'll just send you home. Anyway, myself, Jim and my brother Fred headed to Charleston to Women's and Children's hospital. On the way, I grew VERY uncomfortable. When we reached the hospital and they wheeled me to my room, they said that we would have a baby within the hour. It was a little longer than that...Morgan Faith Oiler was born at 5:53am. A little girl! We were thrilled! We named her Emma, but after a few hours it was evident that she wasn't an Emma...she WAS a Morgan!
Where has the time gone?

Snow Day!

When I awoke on Friday, the ground and trees (and roads) were covered with snow. The sight was beautiful. I really enjoy taking pictures of people, but occasionally views of the different seasons captivate me. It is truly amazing, and a great gift from God, how he 'decorates' the earth. Scenes like these below draw me closer to Him. I am in awe of the beauty.

These were taken just outside our front door and back door.

The icicles hanging on this wreath were beautiful, although, Jim tells me that this means the eaves are leaking. Oh well, add it to the list of home improvements for this Spring.

And.....you knew I couldn't post pictures without posting a couple of pictures of someone (and someone being Maci). Of course, there was NO SCHOOL this day. Maci got to stay home with Molli and Morgan, both who were already home from college. (Maci did text me at work to let me know that Morgan did not get up until 3:00pm. College life is hard on a girl!)

As I stated, I had to work which meant driving there in this 'beautiful' snow and ice, so hence the following picture of Maci playing outside in the snow in her nightgown.

A good mother would not have let that happen (if she knew it was going on).

She made a snow mommy and a snow baby. How cute.