It's the holiday season...

At the 18th at Oxmoor Valley on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail:

Two weeks back, my parents and our wonderful friends the Fallers came to Birmingham for a golf trip and vacation at Ross Bridge. After a near-freezing first day, the weather cooperated pretty well and I think they had a nice trip. Blakely and I negotiated three babysitters on three consecutive nights and ate - and drank - like kings!

First golf cart ride with the Grandparents Kute

Smilin' with Granny K at breakfast.

Santa Claus was going to bring Jane a stroller for her Lulu doll, but Mrs. Faller beat Santa to the punch!

Jane's Dentist/Uncle David attempts to bargain with her for a bedtime story. He got a lot of practice because he's going to be a Daddy in the spring!

Playing peek-a-boo with Aunts Ashley, Megan, and Uncle D. She has no idea that she's laying on top of her future best friend growing inside!

Saying bye bye to Aunt Ashley on Sunday morning....sad.

She seems thrilled that we're taking her to Mass and we just had the "quiet" talk. It goes over like a lead balloon every Sunday.

Here you have my best attempt to channel my beloved late Grandma Nellie Kute. Dressing should be balls, not pressed into a pan, damnit! I only had to call out to heaven once for her help when one crumbled apart. They turned out pretty well!! I made real gravy in an iron skillet and served our turkey on Nellie's blue willow fried chicken plate... Makin' my country Grandma proud!

Since Blakely worked Wednesday, today [Friday], and she works all this weekend, instead of marathon traveling to just eat a meal and get back, we did it ourselves here at home. We did pretty well for a first attempt!

Sitting down for a turkey and carb bonanza. We did have green beans too, they're on Blakely's left.

Stick the fork in me - I was dunzo.

PS: That's Wanda's gravy bowl on the table...and I took the price off of it to use it! Must have been a prized possession, huh?

J-bird rockin' the pilgrim collar.

Blowing off some calories

Our holly tree looks really good right now, so we tried to maybe get a picture for our Christmas card. She wouldn't smile - or look at me - she was more concerned with razor sharp leaves and poisonous berries. Imagine that, my kid playing with fire...

My girls. If that ain't Heather Dueitt, Jr. on the right there isn't a cow in Texas!

One passed out pilgrim.

As you can see from above, we've had a fun and exciting few weeks of visitors from Louisville and a small Thanksgiving of our own here in Birmingham. We have enjoyed every minute of it! The time seems to fly here when we're either getting ready for something and/or somebody who's coming in. As of today, I suppose it's the Christmas season and I'm going to need to haul out our tree and all that jazz soon.

I know I'm from Kentucky, but I REALLY need the Vols to pull it out in Lexington tomorrow. There is a lot of fun to be had in Atlanta next weekend if the Big Orange can do it at Commonwealth Stadium tomorrow. Sorry Uncle Billy, but this year can't be it either. Now that Arkansas took down LSU, I'm anxious to see how we would fare in the SEC. Woot!

I hope everyone had a great holiday yesterday. Keep well and stay in touch.

Love,

TK