MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Midnight Mass! Nothing could make a holiday better then going to Midnight Mass on Christmas Day! And at the Cathedral! Thats home to me and my family, always has been, always will be. So, for the first time in many, many years we went to midnight mass at the Cathedral. When we were wee wee kids we went to the children's mass that Father Flemming did. He always had gifts for us! So now we are starting a new tradition, Midnight mass at the Cathedral, and until we have our own children, I do not believe we will go at any other time. 

The music was like being in heaven! It was beautiful, I felt like the Angels were singing to us. There were people everywhere! Standing room only. I saw friends of mine from my childhood that I had not seen in years which made it even more special of a night. I went to take some advil because my sinuses were acting up and saw so many people I knew. Then the icing on the cake was seeing Bishop Choby come down the isle along with the in-cents, candles, deacons, the priest, seminarians, and alter servers as we sang. It 

was an amazing evening filled with such Joy, and Holiness. Midnight Mass made me feel new and refreshed. No need for presents, life was complete now.

This is why I am Catholic, because of nights like last

 night, days like today, It truly is an amazing place to be.

Christmas this year was simple, still tons of gifts, but not the load that we had as kids. It was a wonderful morning with my family, and a wonder

ful breakfast. And now as we all lay around happy and fat, I thought I would wish you all a Very Merry Christmas! I think I shall go hunting in the fr

idge for snacks and help mom prepare the feast we will have tonight!

Love to you all!

Tis the season...

So, its winter break....."WINTER BREAK"?? Its been GRAY, over cast, misty/raining, cold/warmish?, funky, nasty, gross, damp, outside for the last week. And its going to be that way for the next week. I said last night "I think I rather live in Alaska, if its going to be like this all the time. At least there it snows and you can see Russia" This weather has me down in the dumps. All I want to do is sleep and be depressed. I find when its nasty out like this I think to much about things, being, money, the future, school, parents health, siblings, economy, gas prices, the list goes on and on. I need the sun to come out already! I need to perk up! ASAP. 

This was the first semester my smart brother was afraid he was going to fail a class. He had a professor who was female, and knew everything. No one could be smarter then her. And she made sure to belittle you in the class. If you argued the topic, kiss your grades goodbye. Everyone in the class was failing. He stressed over this class for the past few months. It came down to hindering his amazing GPA and graduating with honors, and being on probation with the Fraternity. MY BROTHER!? HA! right, he does not fail. Well he got his grades back and he ended up with a C+ in the class. Again, he doesn't get anything below an high B or A. So this was tough for him, but HE PASSED!!! his high spirits are back, and he is himself again. Its been nice to have my sweet, loving, caring, little brother back again. Daniel and I have been spending a lot of time together and its been amazing. 

Christmas is in a few days, my friends have gone home (which is depressing) and my friends I grew up with are on their way back here. Im ready for lots of visiting and catching up with everyone. I know it will be a short Christmas this year, but it will be a sweet one. A dear friend of mine and  Daniel's got married last weekend. It was a very nice wedding. The week has been busy! I have gotten some shopping done, and what shopping I have done has drained my bank account. Tis the season to spend money. Boo!!! I think I like going out every now and then and buying something here and there instead of one mega-thon of spending.

Yes....

ITS CHRISTMAS BREAK!!!!!!!!!!

Shopping needs to be done next. I have one week. So not gonna get done. An IOU to everyone!

Where I come from....

Alison, Matt, Catherine, Alicia, and Daniel

Thanksgiving, 2007 

Catherine and I are dangerous when it comes to our sweets!

Me, Catherine, Carol, Erica.

Just thought I would put up a few pictures of the family. When I get this years I will show off more of my family. this is just a few of us. VERY few of us. out of tons.

Grandma's kids and their spouses:

Michael, Patricia, Susan, Steven, Jan, Rita.

Kate, Daniel, Rick, Michelle, Bradey, Bobby

Grandkids: 

Kate, Peterson, Amy, Leslie, Sarah, Daniel.

William, Patrick, Alison.

Randy, Bryan, Catherine, Michael.

Alicia, Erica, Andrea.

Carol, John, Mary.

William, Samuel.

Great Grandkids:

Grace, Joseph, Samuel, Ethan, Jackson, Jayden, Mallory, Mary Mea, and one on the way.

This is who all I spend my holiday's with. I thought it would be cool to name them. Now granted some of them live in other places and countries. But pretty much we are always there!

I LOVE MY FAMILY!

ONE MORE!

How could I forget this dear, sweet, crazy family!

THE GAUTSCH'S!!!!!

I am so very thankful to have you all in my life!

Much love always!

Better Late, then Never.....

The feast is over:( So sad. It was a very nice day indeed though. I slept till noon (Not good) Then was up running around like a chicken with its head cut off. First things first, I had to bake the mississippi mud pie. So I started the cake, and while it was baking my MOTHER sent ME to PUBLIX! Chris, I thought of you at this time, when I was handed the card and sent on to the store. I looked around to see if I was in the right house. And I was. Well guess what, publix is closed on thanksgiving, so Wal-Mart it was. Got what we needed and headed back. I finished baking my pie (Its really a cake) and got ready to go.

Grandma's house was full of people, and BABIES!!!!! Everyone who is married has either had their first or is on to the next member of their clan. Big bellies and little angeles around every corner of the house. It was nice. There was so much food, I over ate, but worth it. Then when it came time for desert I was cutting up the mississippi stuff and I turned around and I had formed a line. The stuff was GONE in the first two seconds of there being a desert call. I told Aunt Jan that I guess this is what I am bringing from now on. 

My cousin Andrea who I guess I would be the closes too in many ways along with age came home with us, then we met up with her sister and went shopping at Midnight. So much fun. We pretty much went into every baby store and bought them out. I was getting rather bored because I dont have any babies to shop for where Andrea and Erica have a new baby niece and we dont shop for our cousins kids, just the aunts and grandparents. There are to many of us for that. So by baby store number three I was shopping.....SUCH A BAD IDEA! I could have done some damage. But I have two cute tops for some little guys I know that will like them....I hope :-D

So I guess I will put a few things I am thankful for. The christmas lights are going up as we speak, and I am ready for the christmas music to begin!

1. Family, all 8781793874 of them. No matter what, my family is there, even if we have our moments of arguing and not getting along, we brush it off and stand by each other. 

2. All the hugs and kisses from EACH cousin, aunt, uncle, and kids and Grandma, when you arrive and when you leave, no matter if you are male or female, its what we do! And I LOVE hugs!!

3. My parents, my mom being the disciplinary! Thats why we turned out so good. My daddy, for being the spoiler! and giving us everything!

4. My brother!!!! He is my rock! The go to man, the one who is there at the drop of a hat, always making me smile and keeping me in check. He is just plain AWESOME!

5. My FRIENDS! Becka, for just being so awesome, and caring. Nathan H. my other brother, who I can call anytime and VENT TOO! 

6. The new friends in my life, who I am so blessed to have you as friends now, Robert, Dan, Cale, Becka, Stephanie B. Stephanie L. Yall are the bestes.

I am thankful for so many things, I dont think there is a page long enough for me to write everything, but these are just a few that are on the top of my list!

Hope everyone is recovering from their feast!

WATERMELONS AND GOLDFISH, Im Getting older.

I know, it makes no since, but you laughed when you read the head line right!? RIGHT!!!

Im a year older. AH! It was by far the best birthday EVER! I am so blessed with amazing friends, and family. It started off small, I had a few things from my parents on my birthday, and of course my AMAZING gifts from the kids! They had a little party set out for me when I arrived at work, even a CAKE! Yum. It was a very sweet and simple day. Nothing major, which was nice. 

Friday was Daniel's senior recital. It was the most amazing show anyone has given! He had RAVE reviews!!! He wont know his grade though till the end of the semester. He had me play a hymn with him, which was very sweet. He got me up on that stage tho with ALL those people and had EVERYONE sing happy birthday to me. I could have killed him. I was so red in the face. Its on tape, Im hoping I can get it cut out. haha! He did an awesome job though. Anyone who wants to see if let me know, we will have a concert watching night.

I also had some friends come and visit over the weekend. We went out Saturday night down-town....Im not going to lie, it was AWEFUL! I am so sorry to those of you who are under 21 and would like to go out on the town here in Nashville. Jessie was the only one under 21. The rest of us were old enough to get in anywhere, so we went to places she could go, places we will NEVER GO AGAIN! Im still scrubbing my clothes from that one. We ended up at  friends house watching movies and playing games. WAY BETTER! But its sad that the only fun things to do down town are for 21 and up. They are hoping you will drink, but there are kids out there who DONT DRINK! So give them something to do, besides hang out at the mall parking lot.

Ok, so the week has come to an end again! WOOT! Im headed to Atlanta for an intense weekend of piping and drumming. Then back to Nashville for the Titans game! Im all over the place! I have been sick for the past two weeks, but IM not letting it stop me, that might be why Im still sick. Im hopping I start to sound less like Snuffaluffagus (Sesame Street)

Im HAPPY! Im BLESSED! things are looking good for me. I dont think I have been this happy in a long time! If ever. Its nice, I like it, plan on keeping it this way.

I know, choppy post. Better soon, hopefully!