More Pictures From This Special Day

Aunt Lillian and Adalie

Adalie with her Godparents, Matt and Claire Williams and Mom and Dad

Is this the "Gerber Baby" or an Angel??...Oh...it's baby Addie! Isn't she precious!!!

Baby Addie and Jonathan. Addie LOVES his beard!

The Baptism Celebration Continues

Adalie Cavanaugh Darlson's Baptism

Violet O'Hara

Michelle, this post is especially for you. Meet Violet O'Hara, our Tonkinese kitten.

Violet is a Platinum Point Tonkinese from Charlotte, NC. She arrived in our lives just after Thanksgiving by way of Jacksonville, FL., courtesy of Matt and Claire Williams. (They picked her up from the breeder in Charlotte and drove her to Jacksonville.)

Meghan, Addie and I picked her up in Jacksonville and Violet "cried" all the way home...And that was just the beginning!

The beginning of what you ask?

The beginning of the END of this little Tonkinese being a part of our family! I came to the conclusion just yesterday that she is just NOT going to work out!!!!

The Tonkinese breed is a Siamese-Burmese mix. They are a smaller than most cats, have hypo-allergenic fur and loved for their dog-like personalities. Violet's personality, while very affectionate, is more like an alley-cat! She is very skittish and runs away, hiding from me. When I reach my hand out towards her, she can not get away fast enough.

My last Tonk, O'Malley, was so much like a dog. He was always underfoot, followed me everywhere, would play "fetch", loved everyone and very affectionate...he was perfect! And he was not unusual for the breed...Violet, however IS!

So it looks like we will be switching her out for another cat as soon as one is available.

Our 2008 Christmas Tree

I'm excited about Christmas in general but I am so thrilled with our Christmas tree this year, I just had to share it with you! I think it's the prettiest tree I've ever had. The idea for brilliant blue came from Alaska.

When I was visiting Beth in Anchorage, as we drove around the town I began to see these amazing blue lights on the trees and buildings. The blue was such an intense color. It was especially spectacular reflecting off of the white snow. In Anchorage they put up their lights early and take them down late...it seems their Christmas lights are up from fall to spring!

I was so taken with these blue lights that it became the basis for my color palette this year.

The actual tree (a gift from Mark...which has a story of its own) is a fresh tree, tall and full and VERY fragrant.

Don't you think this is the most wonderful time of year?

Our Very Own Addie Bug!

Adalie changes so much between our visits. She is a wonder baby, always so happy. You should hear her laugh!

Addie, fresh and clean after her bath.
LOVE this picture...she what she has to put up with when she comes to visit her aunts?

Now that's a beautiful baby!

I adore this picture a Adalie and her mother. Meghan and Adalie look like two angels.

OK...I just HAD to include at least one naked baby shot (Addie's very discreet.)

Thanksgiving Continued

We had such a wonderful day...and the thing that makes any day special is always the people you're with. These are just some of the special people that went spent Thanksgiving 2008 with:

Mom and Dad having coffee by the fire.
We had the best time outside, sitting around the fire and playing word games. From left to right: Erin, Gavin, Felicia and Sarah.

Mark and I

Meghan and James

My sister, Julie

Thanksgiving

I thought I'd better post Thanksgiving before I started taking Christmas pictures. We had a wonderful day AND night with lots of friends and family coming and going. There was SO much food!

Great Grandmother Eddings and Adalie
Everyone loves the baby!

Caleb

Mattie and Felicia

Mark and Lee with the dueling turkeys...yes, there were two. Now that's what I call a feast!!!

Beth's Senior Recital

This is Beth and her accompanist, Gwen in the Recital Hall at the University of Alaska, Anchorage. THIS moment was our excuse, I mean REASON for going to Alaska in November! Beth was truly amazing. She sang songs in English, German, Italian and French. Tears came to my eyes as I listened to her sing. Beth has a beautiful voice and her personality shines through as she performs...I am overwhelmingly proud of my sweet sister!!!

Beth and an Alaskan friend (whose name slips my mind right now) after the performance. Doesn't Beth look stunning?

This is Debby, Beth's sister from Arkansas serving at the reception following the recital.

The "SISTER'S": Debby, Melanie, Julie, Beth and Lisa.

To Beth's House We Go!

Julie, Melanie and I decided to travel to Anchorage, Alaska to visit Beth and attend her Senior Recital. We just didn't tell her Julie and Mel were coming! This is us as we're traveling on the L-O-N-G flight there.

The mountains were amazing as we were about to land in Anchorage.

For all of you who haven't visited Beth and Dale...YET, this is their living room. Doesn't Beth have an awesome view when she's playing the piano? The windows to the right face downtown Anchorage.

Another view of Beth and Dale's lovely home.

La Cita Bed and Breakfast

This is Siobhan O'Leary Wills and I in front of the La Cita B&B. Siobhan's sister, Marian lives just around the corner from me and their family owns the La Cita...we also LIVE on the La Cita Golf Course here in Titusville. If you're going to Ireland and plan to kiss Blarney Stone, you'll want to stay here! It's just minutes away! Check it out @ lacitabb.com.

Meet Siobhan's daughter, Orla. Isn't she a beauty!

Another beautiful girl, Niev. Niev is Siobhan's niece and she helps out at the B&B...it's a real "family affair" at the La Cita and while you're there, YOU ARE part of the family!! Doesn't Orla look like a little doll baby in this picture?

Beth and I are pictured here in our room at the La Cita. What are we doing...well, I'm displaying all the magazines that I brought and bought while in Ireland. And Beth...I think she was collecting playing cards.

So...On We Go!

Well, this is our beautiful drive from Powerscourt to Cork and the LaCita Bed and Breakfast (More about La Cita later.). Cork is south west of Powerscourt.

Look at the building to the right and back of this photo. For we Americans, it's quite and awesome sight to turn the corner and see a CASTLE!!
This is a lovely street. What town are we in??? I have NO IDEA...it was a town that we entered by accident...yes, in other words...we were LOST. I take full responsibility as I was the navigator. Beth was the official driver because she is much better at driving on the wrong side of the road than I am! And besides, I'M better with the map and I have a pretty good sense of direction. Oh...that's right I'M the one that got us lost.

Can you just imagine opening this gate everyday to come home to this vine-covered house?

Notice the church in the far left background.

This is the same little town as the picture before. You can't see it but just beyond the wall is a wide, beautiful quick flowing river. We crossed a bridge to enter the town.

On Thursday, November 6, I'm headed out to Alaska to see my sister, Beth. So...It's time to complete (I know, FINALLY) our Irish adventure.