I've noted this several times already, but it's the last day of the year and bears pondering again. Where did this year GO???! I can hardly believe this is my last entry of 2010. Wow.
I'm not making any new year's resolutions. I am considering making some life changes. There's a subtle difference. More on that later in the coming week.
Last night, I took my poor little Princess Buttercup (my yellow PT Cruiser) in for a *much* needed bath! I did take pictures, but I won't post them. I'm so silly! But she drives so much better when she's clean and sparkly!! Plus, she was driving us through the Galaxy of Lights, and I wanted her to look sharp!
Todd, Jason, Joc & I were going to go to dinner and then through the light show. Unfortunately, Todd's been battling a terrible sinus battle, and he was miserable. But because it was the second-to-last night of the show, it was now or never. So I met Joc & Jason and the three of us ate and headed over to the Botanical Gardens.
We met for dinner early (5ish), and then headed over to the Gardens, so the traffic wasn't too backed up when we got there.
Joc noted as we drove up, that there was an odd lack of "be ready to pay" signage. I joked that it was because it was "free!" We knew it wasn't, but I had a comp card for free entry, so we didn't know how much it was. It blew my mind when we pulled up to the money taker and she asked for $20!! I looked at her with a straight face and said, "You mean it isn't free?" You should have seen her poor face!! I quickly grinned and handed her my little freebie ticket, and the relief on her face was noticeable!
There were lots and LOTS of fun light displays. According to the program you can tune to on your radio as you do the tour, about half the light displays are the same every year. It's a fairly long drive through the Garden -- two and a half miles long, to be exact.
Both the above and below Christmas-y scenes were new this year. Love the Santa in his sleigh!
I couldn't see this one without singing it!
I don't recall seeing the Nativity Scene there before, but Todd said he though it was.
There were lots of singing groups!
This one, of the pumpkin carriage traveling to the palace, has always been a favorite of mine.
Huntsville is, after all, the Rocket City!
Evidently, we're also the "dinosaur city". Who knew?!?
These owls were new this year. Joc, who's fallen in love with owls this year, noted them right away.
Followed by Todd's favorite woodpecker . . .
Then my favorite cardinal . . .
And every one's favorite clown, the blue jay!
What? No wren?? What do these people know, anyway? LOL!
There was a fairly decent trail of cars. At some points we were driving bumper to bumper. I tried to keep it a little more spaced out, as did the guy behind me. That made it very nice!
This was the final shot before heading out of the Garden. When we pulled back out onto the main road, we could see that the line to get in was WAAAAAY backed up! Glad we got there when we did!
It was a nice night. The weather was pleasant and the night was clear, so we were able to open windows (and the sun roof) to take good pictures. One year I'd like to do the walking tour, which they offer at the beginning of the season (it opens in November). I think it would be pretty to walk through all the fun lights and take as long as I wanted to "ooooh" and "aaaaah!"
I really enjoy the Botanical Gardens. I've often thought about getting a membership; now that I have grandbabies, I may look into that -- they do offer grandparent packages. So much for the two adult grandparents and then it includes each of your grandchildren under 18! Pretty nifty!
I have to share this. In all the Kindle advertising and instructional material, it refers over and over to the "reading experience" and wanting readers to "lose themselves in the story" or to "give themselves over to the pages". I was reading in bed this afternoon (a brief foray before I napped, preparing myself for a late night of babysitting). I'm just reading and reading away, when all of a sudden, I realized I'd reached my fingers up to turn the page!! LOL! I'd say I'd definitely lost myself in the story -- way to go, Kindle!!!
Todd was to be on shift tonight, and I'd agreed to spend the evening with my darling cherub. If I couldn't spend the evening with my hubby, Sawyer was my second choice!! Poor Todd - he still wasn't feeling well this morning, so he called in. Now he'll be home alone, but I imagine he'll be tucked in bed shortly after I leave.
As I noted on my facebook page earlier . . . the joys and blessings of this year have far outweighed the trials it's presented. A toast to 2010! You ushered in a precious new grandson and the promise of another. Family and friends blessed us with their love in lavish and wonderful ways! We were commissioned as missionaries -- something I wouldn't have even dreamed possible at the beginning of the year. Our ministry in Camp MACOBA and with the Madison Baptist Association has flourished. We celebrated a special, golden anniversary of my mom & dad. I had lots of quilting firsts, retreats and finishes. We remained relatively unscathed by the sluggish economy. We've watched the marriages of both our children grow strong, blossom and mature. And I spent it in the company of my best friend in the whole world, my darling, selfless, loving husband. Here's to you, 2010!
I do count it all joy!
:)
I'm not making any new year's resolutions. I am considering making some life changes. There's a subtle difference. More on that later in the coming week.
Last night, I took my poor little Princess Buttercup (my yellow PT Cruiser) in for a *much* needed bath! I did take pictures, but I won't post them. I'm so silly! But she drives so much better when she's clean and sparkly!! Plus, she was driving us through the Galaxy of Lights, and I wanted her to look sharp!
Todd, Jason, Joc & I were going to go to dinner and then through the light show. Unfortunately, Todd's been battling a terrible sinus battle, and he was miserable. But because it was the second-to-last night of the show, it was now or never. So I met Joc & Jason and the three of us ate and headed over to the Botanical Gardens.
There were lots and LOTS of fun light displays. According to the program you can tune to on your radio as you do the tour, about half the light displays are the same every year. It's a fairly long drive through the Garden -- two and a half miles long, to be exact.
I couldn't see this one without singing it!
There were lots of singing groups!
This one, of the pumpkin carriage traveling to the palace, has always been a favorite of mine.
Huntsville is, after all, the Rocket City!
Evidently, we're also the "dinosaur city". Who knew?!?
These owls were new this year. Joc, who's fallen in love with owls this year, noted them right away.
Followed by Todd's favorite woodpecker . . .
Then my favorite cardinal . . .
And every one's favorite clown, the blue jay!
There was a fairly decent trail of cars. At some points we were driving bumper to bumper. I tried to keep it a little more spaced out, as did the guy behind me. That made it very nice!
This was the final shot before heading out of the Garden. When we pulled back out onto the main road, we could see that the line to get in was WAAAAAY backed up! Glad we got there when we did!
I really enjoy the Botanical Gardens. I've often thought about getting a membership; now that I have grandbabies, I may look into that -- they do offer grandparent packages. So much for the two adult grandparents and then it includes each of your grandchildren under 18! Pretty nifty!
I have to share this. In all the Kindle advertising and instructional material, it refers over and over to the "reading experience" and wanting readers to "lose themselves in the story" or to "give themselves over to the pages". I was reading in bed this afternoon (a brief foray before I napped, preparing myself for a late night of babysitting). I'm just reading and reading away, when all of a sudden, I realized I'd reached my fingers up to turn the page!! LOL! I'd say I'd definitely lost myself in the story -- way to go, Kindle!!!
Todd was to be on shift tonight, and I'd agreed to spend the evening with my darling cherub. If I couldn't spend the evening with my hubby, Sawyer was my second choice!! Poor Todd - he still wasn't feeling well this morning, so he called in. Now he'll be home alone, but I imagine he'll be tucked in bed shortly after I leave.
As I noted on my facebook page earlier . . . the joys and blessings of this year have far outweighed the trials it's presented. A toast to 2010! You ushered in a precious new grandson and the promise of another. Family and friends blessed us with their love in lavish and wonderful ways! We were commissioned as missionaries -- something I wouldn't have even dreamed possible at the beginning of the year. Our ministry in Camp MACOBA and with the Madison Baptist Association has flourished. We celebrated a special, golden anniversary of my mom & dad. I had lots of quilting firsts, retreats and finishes. We remained relatively unscathed by the sluggish economy. We've watched the marriages of both our children grow strong, blossom and mature. And I spent it in the company of my best friend in the whole world, my darling, selfless, loving husband. Here's to you, 2010!
I do count it all joy!
:)
