Getting Prepared for Tomorrow

Jack is a perfectionist. He lays his clothes out every evening in preparation for tomorrow (I don’t tell him ,he just does it). Look at how he lays them out, as if they are on his body...right down to the underwear and sock placement. LOL This is sooooo his fathers son.

 

Katy's Catfish Cabin

Another roadtrip yesterday, this one with my cousins. We went on the "Hammers World Tour". We managed to make the rounds to three different Hammers stores yesterday: Fort Payne, Al, Guntersville, Al and South Pittsburgh, Tennessee. We stopped into Katy's Katfish Cabin for some lunch. I had the best onion rings in my life there.
The door to the cabin was this turquoise one. There was some railing outside with the most wonderful texture and chipped paint on it, so I took that picture too. I thought I could use it in some backgrounds or something.

Jesus Loves Us All

Jack has never written on our family chalkboard. We’ve had it for years. Just me and Elaina, sometimes Brock. Never, not once Jack. But I noticed this message last week, I don’t know who long it had been there before I noticed. I had to take a picture of it. Its my phone wallpaper.
So precious!

 

Jack is Baptized

My youngest, Jack, made the decision to be baptised on Sunday November 21st, after being saved last month at a community event called "Awakening". In fact, he actually spoke and arranged his baptism with the preacher, and then told me!
We are very proud of Jack in his decision. He is a joy in my life and a very special young man.

Birthday Breakfast

We, Clemati, celebrated the birthdays of Sweet Melissa (aka Thriller) and Miller (aka Luda) with a birthday breakfast from 9-11. We had breakfast casserole, fruit, nuts, blueberry cobbler and mimosa's.
Not getting older...but getting better. Here is to my girls.....

Quidditch on the Campus

I was hired to take pictures on the campus of University of Alabama. I asked Brock to meet me so we could spend a little time together before and after my gig. While I took pictures, he led his grandmother and sister on a tour (a very goo one I was told) of the campus. Hopefully I will get a raincheck for another tour.







But it was what happened as soon as we arrived, parked the car and got out that was really interesting.
A boy went running by on a broom.
A broom.
Between his legs.



Brock began to laugh as he explained, "Oh, my goodness. They are playing quiddich....you know, the game for Harry Potter. I actually ref'd a game earlier this week. There were a thousand kids there." About that time we rounded the corner to find close to a thousand of college kids... Some on brooms, many in costume, most speaking with a French accent.

Here is the article from the campus news of the day event:
http://uanews.ua.edu/2010/11/ua-students-mount-brooms-for-ground-quidditch/

Tuscaloosa News:
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20101115/NEWS/101119782

Video:
http://www.cw.ua.edu/2010/11/15/quidditch-on-the-quad-video/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HVeDL41NNc&feature=related

Kathryn Tucker Windham

In September my mother celebrated her birthday. For that occasion, I gave my mother tickets for her and I to see author and famed storyteller, Katherine Tucker Windham speak at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on November 7th. Ms. Windham appeared with another storyteller and author, Dolores Hydock. They spoke of fond memories, growing up. It was a delightful event! And one that I enjoyed sharing with my mom.

Bell Buckle Cafe

I love a road trip to Bell Buckle Cafe. It's always a pleasureable trip. Today was no different. I made the trip with my mother, Aunt Wanda, Uncle David and cousin Gina.
I had a vegetable plate for lunch: skillet potatoes, cucumber salad, broccoli salad, slaw, blueberry salad, cornbread and to top it off....a slice of warm oatmeal cake. Bell Buckle, my favorite restaurant!

Day of the Dead Celebration

My friend Zinnia (Warrior Princess) called me last night and invited me to go with her to the Day of the Dead Festival downtown Birmingham. "YES!!!!" I shouted. It was a festival I have wanted to attend. And if I couldn't attend in Mexico, the next best thing was to be with my Mexican friend in Birmingham at the Bare Hands Gallery.

The Day of the Dead Festival in Birmingham was the Fifth annual art and cultural festival honoring the Mexican celebration of lost loved ones.El Día de los Muertos at Bare Hands Gallery honors the Mexican tradition in which families gather in local cemeteries to remember their lost loved ones. It is similar to what we in the southern United States refer to as Decoration Day. However, In Mexico, Day of the Dead is an artful, multi-faceted celebration. Each town has a unique way of commemorating the day, but certain symbols are constant. Altars of remembrance display photos of the deceased; their favorite things in life, such as foods, books, games, beverages, cigarettes; marigolds; prayer candles; salt; spices; and copal incense. Family and friends gather around these altars at home and in the cemeteries to share music, memories and prayers.

The ancient belief is that the souls of the deceased will come to visit during Day of the Dead guided by the familiar colors and scents of food, incense and flowers. Other traditional elements include skeletons depicting the deceased doing everyday activities; monarch butterflies whose fall arrival in Mexico symbolizes souls returning to visit; flowers, particularly marigolds, adorning every altar and gravestone; sugar skulls which children decorate and place on altars, and bread of the dead a special bread baked for the occasion. The holiday is a celebration of those that have gone before us and of the memories they have given us. Day of the Dead acknowledges death as an aspect of life. The annual commemoration at Bare Hands Gallery combines community art installation and procession with remembrance, creativity, performance, music and food, honoring this rich cultural tradition and yielding an exquisite downtown arts and cultural event.

The festival was AWESOME! I learned so much!

I couldnt post all my photos tonight via blogger, so I hope you will take the time to watch the slide show. Its quick (you can adjust the speed) and you can see the photos quickly. And you can see who I got to honor in an improptu celebration of the dead.

Peace. And may you find comfort in the loss of any loved ones you might be missing. I pray you take comfort in the celebration in Heaven.

Link: Outdoor Wednesday

Halloween Party at the Claridy's

Saturday was the day we had looked forward to all week. It was the day of the grand Halloween party at my friend, "High Mae's" house. I wanted to invite you to come along too. You must see! Come on inside...

You must see her decorations (click on any picture to enlarge if any do not appear, click on the "X" and then back....it should be there then).....

Spiders everywhere!







I LOVE the witch in the mirror. These decorations were all "wallies".











Allow me to fix you a drink...


But the decorations were just the beginning. High Mae had games planned too. The first being a scavenger hunt. What's "spooky" about a scavenger hunt? It's spooky when what you are looking for are BONES!

WAAA HAAAA HAAAAA HAAA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (scary witchy laugh)

The children were seperated into three groups. Each group was given a clue card that contained a clue to a skeletal part, ie a femur bone, etc. The kids would go places to find the bone, even having to dig up bones in the yard. Every clue brought them to another part of the skeleton. When all were found they had to come back to their "base" to assemble the body.

Creepy enough?











The losing teams were forced (sorta) to eat brains. Marshmallow brains.

The more gross the better for kids.

Gross.
After the scavenger hunt, there were cupcakes to decorate. And marshmallows to dip into bubbling chocolate ...









Following a bite to eat, there were mummy's to be wrapped. IT was a contest to see who could wrap the mummy the fastest using an entire roll of paper...without breaking the paper.







The party was a great success! My sincere appreciation to our party host, The Claridy's!
I'll leave you with a few more pictures from the party...