Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Friday, November 26, 2010

Thanksgiving, Part 1

I have been sitting here all morning watching TV and goofing around on the internet, while Brandon is working hard in the kitchen preparing Thanksgiving, Part 2. Brandon decided this past week that he would spend Black Friday preparing his family (me) a delicious meal. He has cooked a ham, smothered it with honey, brown sugar, cloves and nutmeg. He has made from scratch macaroni and cheese and as I type there is a sweet potato casserole in our crock pot. I have to say....I am impressed. Everything smells delicious and I am pretty confident it's all edible. The word "proud" does not even scratch the surface of how I feel right now, although....maybe I should save my opinions for once the meal has been consumed!

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving, Part 1, we had an amazing day. Brandon and I got up and ran in the Autumnfest 8k race down on Neyland drive. Brandon had an amazing race and we both rocked it out. I was so happy to see him cross that finish line and beat the time he had expected by over 10 minutes. I think that is incredible for someone who has only been running for 3 weeks....way to go Brandon. He seems to amaze me more and more each day. I had a great race too and we both felt accomplished and were relieved when it was over!

After a long afternoon, Grandma Ryan finally made it to Knoxville for Thanksgiving dinner. The best part about the day was that she finally got to meet Camryn, her newest great grandchild. Wow...now if there was ever something to be thankful for...that is definitely up there on the list.

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving, Part 1:

Brandon with our niece Camryn (napping) and nephew Chandler watching a little football




Grandma Ryan or G.G. (Great Grandma) holding Camryn for the first time




The beautiful table


Our adorable niece and her chunky monkey thighs

Could she be any cuter?

We have so much to be thankful for this year, as with every year. Our families, health, and happiness, just to name a few! Happy Thanksgiving...Part 1.

Friday, May 7, 2010

For my mom.....

This Sunday is Mother's Day. If you are reading this and were not aware.....SHAME *disgraced head nod and finger pointed in your direction*

Mother's Day......
The way I see it, mom's should be honored more often than once a year. Although I am not a mother, yet, I am surround by mothers everyday. The unwavering love of a mom is untouchable. Moms love you through all of the struggles, highs and lows. My mom still loves me...she stuck it out through my teens, when life as my mother must have been hard. I look back at some of my lows....and trust me, it definitely had to be hard for her. I wasn't always the angel I am now (wink, wink)!

Moms get walked on, overlooked, taken advantage of, drained dry and constantly bothered; yet they turn around and welcome you with open arms. As a young adult I was not aware of how lucky I was to have my mom. I am hoping this is natural, and I was not the only ungrateful teenager out there. But, it's true...I was not a model daughter (and still am not...although trying to get better). When I was a young child I was ALWAYS told "you look just like your mother". I remember thinking..I am nothing like my mom. But, I was wrong. I look more and more like my mom every day. I act more and more like her all the time. We have mannerisms, gestures, and even sayings that are so in-sync it's almost scary. As a child I would have been mortified (like all children), but as an adult...I am thankful! Thankful to have had a woman who showed me strength, love, patience, and humor. I am thankful to have had such an incredible role model...someone who would claim me no matter my actions, even when as a child, I may not have been willing to do the same. My mom was a working mom who managed a career....and a family...an accomplishment that still amazes me.

But, most of all, she never stops being my mother. She doesn't necessarily have to "take care" of me the way she did when I was a child, but...I will always be her baby. To this day, I still call her when I am sick...and it makes me feel better. My favorite part....She's not just my mom, now she's my friend. And that means the world to me!

Thank you to all the moms out there who put themselves second so their child could thrive. Thank you for understanding and loving your children, even when it was the hardest thing you had to do. And thank you, always, for molding and shaping our futures! We are grateful....even if we don't always let you know!

Mom- I could never possibly get close to SAYING how much I love you. There just aren't words for that. But, I hope you will know how much you have meant to me over the years. Thank you for being the woman I want to be! And thank you for taking on the hardest job ever....being a mommy! I love you always!

Happy Mother's Day!