I LOVE Decorating for Christmas....

Happy Holidays!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We sure did! With Joey away at Bama now, it makes it extra special when we are all seven around the same table!

As for Black Friday... we decided to forgo the shopping and instead, we all got busy decorating for CHRISTMAS!!! YEAH!!! Our home is warm and cozy and so festive! I love this time of year!

Joey was the only one not helping with the decorating, as he was up early and headed back to school for the 2010 Iron Bowl. It was a great game... well, except for the ending. Next Year!!!

And... we finally had a cold front come through and were able to pull out a few of our winter clothes! I was beginning to wonder if this was going to be an "Australian" Christmas... meaning summer weather for the holidays. : ) But nope... it was 28 degrees when I took the puppies out this morning... YEAH for that too! I am ready for sweaters and boots and coats!

Better Than Coffee...

Each and every morning, I fumble my way to the kitchen to get my coffee started.

Many mornings, Joe will get up a little early and have the coffee all ready for me. That is a welcome surprise... and always scores him a big hug.

I guess Lilli has learned that one sure way to my heart is coffee.... This is what I found this morning....

Sweet Sweet Lilli!

From the Old Photo Bag...

Holly decided to pull out the "old" photo bag... as in the bag that holds all of our photos that are not digital. "Bag" being the operative term here... I am not your scrap booking kind of 'gal as much as I have tried. All the old photos brought a chuckle...

My brother and I about 29 years ago... HA!

My mom... taken last month.... ok ok... last year! :)

Me and the "twins" taken in the late eighties...
Joe and I during our engagement...
The older kids when they weren't older... enjoying bunnies in Monterey, California.

Attempt at a family photo... this was for Joe'e DIA nomination package. We were in Honolulu at the time.
We love to fly and it shows ... or doesn't.... my first apartment... Blue and Mauve couch?????
Many generations of Judge men.
Grandma Sharp... or just "Vernie"... who wanted nothing more in life than red shoes and ear bobs.

My mom and I at my brother's wedding... South Carolina was beautiful in the spring.

Throw me something mister! Mardi Gras... always fun!!!
Papa celebrating a birthday a few years back in Washington DC.
Joe and I on a cruise. Why was I not scared of the water????
Baby Abby.
Me at work in Indonesia... can you tell which one I am? What was I thinking with that hat? : ) JK... it was traditional Indonesian clothing. The BEST job ever! I so loved working with the Indonesian folks!
Joe and I and the kids shortly after we moved to Jakarta.
Nothing but hair... seriously... how did I get that hair to defy gravity like that? I think I needed a straight iron ! : )
Beautiful Holly on Waikiki Beach.
Baby Joey - Christmas in Bangkok.

Joe and I last week... hahahaha!
Joe ready to take off...
Hawaii again... we much prefer the casual pictures!
Joe in Venice... where was I???? Home taking care of 8 day old Daniel! Joe had the trip of a lifetime... he had to deliver a C-12 airplane all the way from Georgia to Italy. He stopped in Iceland, England, Spain... and of course Italy! I was a "tad" bit jealous!

Joey... loved the magna dootle!
Look who is getting married... again... what was I thinking with that hair? And how did I accomplish that???

Me and baby H0lly in Bangkok... really, it seems like yesterday!
In DC... kids were young and Jake was at his prime!~
Me in college.... missing Joe!
4th of July a few years back.... about 14.5 to be exact. Daniel and Jake were both new additions to the family!
Can a dog get any more beautiful than Mr. Jake?
Joe playing volleyball in Hawaii... He would play volleyball anywhere!

... and last, another picture of Jake... posing as home decoration!

Abby's Veterans' Day Program

Thank You.

On Veteran's Day, I would like to say thank you to all those that serve and have served our country.

I especially want to thank the Veteran above (pictured with the President and First Lady of Indonesia) - Joe ~ aka COL Judge ~ aka my husband.

I have watched Joe work tirelessly over his thirty year career to insure the safety of our country. Being his spouse for the past 21 plus years has also given me a life so full of adventure - I did not dream possible. I have been around the world and back... and have an amazing family that I am thankful for every second.

Thank you Joe!

Will We Be a "House-Divided" Next Year....

Holly and I have spent a lot of time visiting colleges over the past year. We have been everywhere it seems. That being said... one of the reasons that Joe and I picked where we live to "retire" was the choice of two awesome public universities within a short drive - Alabama and Auburn. Joey - from day one - was all in for Alabama - Roll Tide! Holly - from day one - had (currently the list has narrowed to four - thank goodness!) a list of Universities a mile long!

Auburn has an amazing Engineering program and Joe and I are thrilled that Holly is considering Auburn as a choice for her future.

Yesterday, Holly was invited by the Auburn admissions office to attend Auburn's homecoming game. So, I loaded up Holly and her friend Jamie and we departed in the weeeeeee hours of the morning.

Auburn won and the girls has a blast! I think they actually enjoyed the long standing tradition of "rolling" Toomer's Corner after a football victory, the most ... followed by some fresh squeezed lemonade for the road trip home!

Did this trip help make up Holly's mind.... not fully... but I think it might have nudged her a notch closer to four years of wearing blue and orange!

There is still a chance that she will make a different decision... but I am now seriously looking at the cool fan stuff for those of us that live in a "House - Divided"! ... and wondering which team I will cheer for during the next four Iron Bowls????