Happy New Year!!

Wishing you all a very happy, healthy,
prosperous and safe new year.
Blessing and love to all of you!


p.s. Keep us in your prayers as we'll be traveling this weekend.
Heading back up to NYC for a long weekend of good food, shows, shopping and FUN!
I especially need the prayers as I am a HORRIBLE flier. Thanks.

Camera Boredom

I bought some little mini animals at a toy store and had some fun putting them around the house and snapping pictures....


The horrible dragon has attacked my 70's era plastic Christmas decor church. He's like King Kong.....tis beauty that will eventually kill this beast.........

This poor penguin is lost....

This is R2D2 looking lost as well on a lonely, icy planet (Hoth?)...A space creature lurks in the background of the mountains...

Disney Anniversary Trip

We went to DisneyWorld to celebrate our 6 year anniversary in December. We had a delicious dinner at the French restaurant in EPCOT. We mainly just enjoyed looking at all the amazing decorations Disney has for Christmas. We tried to go to the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT this year but it was just too crowded. We'll have to get special tickets next year.

I can't believe it's been 6 years! They've been great and I wouldn't change a thing. Thanks for a wonderful trip, sweetie! I love you!

Selecting my dinner items.

We were pretty excited to be there.

In front of the huge Christmas tree at the Wilderness Lodge.

I finally got a great picture of my favorite part of one of my favorite rides. This is from Spaceship Earth, the ride in the big ball at EPCOT. This is around the time when the narrator is talking about the "first backup system"....Matt and I love this guy with the onion hat. He rocks. If Disney sold this hat as a souvenir we would have 4 or 5 in different colors.

Willingham - Christmas Night - SANTA!

Our last Christmas celebration was Christmas night at my parent's house.
We had a huge surprise for my dad and I was so excited for him to open it!!


Here he is, we hid it in the basement and sent him on a short scavenger hunt because this would have been to obvious under the tree.

It's a Flat screen LCD TV!!! Me, Matt, Momma, Andrea and Robert went in together on it.
I think Daddy is pretty proud of it.

Momma got a photo book of me and Andrea.

Andrea got a Magic Bullet, but disappointingly, she did not break it out to fix us breakfast the next morning.
"Breakfast, it's always such a production!"- Lady from the Magic Bullet infomercial.

This was the Year of the Snuggie. Here are my parents sporting their matching blue snuggies.
I think they can join the same choir Ed and Dale are in. Could be interesting.....


Ok, That's all my news on the Christmas front. I hope all of you had as much fun as we did.
2010 - HERE WE COME!

Willingham - Christmas Morn - Grandma and Grandpa's

After breakfast and presents in Florence we headed to my Grandma and Grandpa's for a little lunch and presents in Tuscumbia.


Grandma got the coffee maker she's been wanting.

All of the family watching them open. They look like a wild crowd don't they?
Haha. I think they were all a little worn out from Christmas festivities by then.
And a huge lunch.

Grandma with her warm blanket I made her and Grandpa with some dress pants, which I did not make.

Crockett - Christmas Morn

After the polar bear swim we got dressed and opened presents with Matt's parents, Grandmother, Martin and Michael.


O Christmas Tree

Matt and I gave Dale a book of pictures of her kids and a framed photo of a picture of the 4 siblings. (Which can be posted online now that Christmas is over!)

I got a fisheye lens for my camera. I think I'm going to have a lot of fun with this one.

It SNOWED on Christmas. You probably can't see the snowflakes in this photo but they're there. It was really pretty and heavy for a little while. I can't remember ever seeing snow while opening presents on Christmas morning. Makes me want to sing the SNOW song from White Christmas....(I think only Andrea can join me on this one. I probably just got that song stuck in your head, right Andrea?)

My Husband is Crazy

Ever heard of a Polar Bear Swim? I think Matt may have started a new (insane) tradition on Christmas morning this year. Here he is on the pier. It's Christmas morning. It's 7:30. It's incredibly windy from remnants of storms and wind the day before. It's probably 25 degrees on the water. It actually snowed later that morning. (Have I sufficiently reminded you of how cold it was yet?)

Did I also mention he is crazy?


Matt in his festive green swimsuit and Christmas message emblazoned on his chest.
7:30 a.m. Christmas morning, 2009.

The jump.

The aftermath.

He said the water was so cold the air actually felt warm. He immediately ran up to the house and got a warm shower.

And I did not join him on this jaunt in the water. I only bundled up and grabbed my camera.

Willingham - Christmas Eve

After dinner and presents with the Crockett's we head out to Colbert Heights for presents with my MawMaw and PawPaw.


PawPaw always ends up with a lap full of presents.

Bradly tries to help PawPaw with his new hat...it was hilarious.

Matt and Robert (Howard) marvel over the amount of note taking space in their notepads/satchels.

You think that looks like me on the back of the Doritos bag?

Crockett - Christmas Eve

It's time for the blogs of Christmas festivities!!

Our first Christmas celebration was with the Crockett's on Christmas Eve. We enjoyed attending the Christmas Eve service together, having some wonderful seafood and opening presents with Marg and Tyson as they would be with Tyson's family on Christmas day.


The entire crew:
Shannon, Michael, Marg, Tyson, Dale, Ed, Martin, Grandmother, Matt and me

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care..."

Marg and Tyson gave me the movie UP! I love it!

Dale and Ed got snuggies for Christmas and Tyson got a Christmas poncho...a long story that I will probably tell later....

More to come!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I'm currently at work and counting the hours until I leave and head home to Alabama for Christmas (and these hours are WAY in the double digits.)

I know that Matt and I will have a wonderful visit. It will be filled with family, friends, lots of tasty food, photo opportunities, laughter, memories and fun watching everyone open the presents we got them.

This season can cause a lot of stress and we've certainly been feeling it with planning days off from work, lots of traveling, long drives, splitting up time between the families and did I mention the LONG drive?, but when I read that sentence about how wonderful my visit home will be. I remember all the joys of being at home at Christmas. I remember it doesn't matter how long I'm able to stay somewhere and whether or not I arrive late. What matters is making the most memories and fun with the time I've got. Remember your blessings this Christmas and enjoy your family even when they drive you crazy (which mine NEVER does...right?{..they read this blog....love you! :-)})

Wishing sugarplums, visits from Santa, birthday parties for Jesus, cookies, turkey, hot drink, gumbo and more to all of you and yours this Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all the Merriest Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year!

'Twas the Night....

My good friend Ben sent this to me on Facebook this afternoon and gave me permission to post it here. He is incredibly creative and is a Bama fan currently residing in Auburn....if I think living in Tallahassee can be bad surrounded by Florida State fans, then I'm sure that's nothing compared to being a Bama fan in Auburn. Luckily, this circumstance has brought out the best in Ben. Thanks for sharing Ben!!

An original poem I wrote for the Holidays

Twas two weeks before Christmas, so cold and so damp
And the dominant Tide were the SEC champs
They crushed their opponents, they cut them no slack
And they broke Auburn’s hearts in two games back to back.
All good children were sleeping, as everyone knows
(But awake were Lane Kiffen, and his UT ho’s.)
While those who loved Bama with all of their soul
Dreamed of number thirteen and the scenic Rose Bowl .

When out on the lawn there arose such a ruckus
I sprang from my bed to see just what the fuss was.
“Why should I be woken?” I cursed, as do sailors
While all my Barn friends got to sleep in their trailers?
What I saw next is hard to describe in a rhyme
It seemed louder and bigger than old Denny Chimes.
But what to my wandering eyes did appear
But a big crimson sleigh and eight GIANT reindeer!
When he yelled ‘bout “the process,” so smart and so quick
I knew in a moment, it must be St. Nick!

I laughed at the deer that did pull on his sleigh!
They were huge, they were strong, and he called them by name:
“Now Ingram! Now G-Mac! Now ‘Rondo and Javy!
On Tiffen! On Trent! On Marquis and Cody!
“From Mobile up to Florence, all over this state
Don’t you dare stop it now boys, you’re doing so great!”
They’d beaten the Gators, they’d made many cry.
We all knew their attitude: never say die!
So right up to my condo in Auburn they flew
With a sleigh full of joy, and St. Nick was there too.
Now up on the housetop they made such a din
That I thought Terrance Cody would cave the roof in.

As I drew in my hand and was turning around
Through the doorway St. Nick Saban came with a bound!
He was dressed all in crimson, from head to his foot
And his rings they did glisten, as my hand he shook.
A bundle of trophies was slung on his back,
And he grinned like his team had recorded a sack.
His straw hat was stately, his bearing so proud
(And a headset lay broken nearby on the ground.)
To Auburn this year he had already been
But he found that the village was quite filled with sin.

“Bama fans,” he exclaimed as he looked at my lights
“Are the only ones around here getting a prize.
But still, I am pleased as I go through this town
Our numbers are growing by leaps and by bounds.
AU fans who say ‘Go gators’ or ‘Hook ‘em horns!’
Will only find coal as they wake Christmas morn.”
“Thank you, St. Nick!” I said, all while so filled with glee
“Now let’s go out to Cali, let’s pick up thirteen!”
“Right” he said to the reindeer, “Let’s get back to work!”
Out the door to recruit more he turned with a jerk.
An SEC title he’d won us already,
And now ‘twas his job just to keep the team steady.
He sprang to his sleigh, to the squad gave a yell
And they quickly left Auburn, like bats out of Hell.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight:
“Rammer Jammer to all, and to all a ROLL TIDE!”

-Ben Grover

We've been decorating for Christmas since before Thanksgiving, but now all of our decorations are up and complete! Now only a few weeks until I reverse this project. Until then I plan to completely enjoy the new sparkling magical look that has taken over the house.


Tree in our bedroom. The is the top 2 parts of my tree I usually put in the living room.

Kitchen tree. Full of Disney ornaments and colors to match the kitchen/dining room.

Made this Mickey ornament using scrapbooking stuff and a clear globe christmas ball.

Living room. Green and red. My favorite Christmas color combination.

Rammer Jammer

Rammer Jammer

Need I say more?

Roll Tide Roll!

Image taken from: http://www.birdsireland.com/