Christmas w/ my family

This was far the best in several years for gatherings at Christmas. I have not really spend Christmas with my whole family in many, many, many years and this year I went to my aunts in Piedmont to see cousins, their kids, aunts and uncles and I left there feeling sad and bless all at once. Sad cause I missed sooooo many of those gathering, I see my boys with my cousins kids and think about they are some what close in age and live nearly close enough that they could have all grown up together and share stories of growing up something that I feel bad for my kids for cause they really won't have memories of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparent like I do. They will have other memories but not family ones. But I feel blessed that we have a 2nd chance to make memories and we get to spend time with my family. The boys have a chance to get know my family and their 2nd cousins and they are still somewhat young enough that they can go from here.. My cousin Rita took her daddy's old home movies and Costco and had them put on DVD and we watch that and seeing my uncle Doyle, Jim and Mamma and Pappa in those videos brought back a sense of sweet memories of each one of these people from Doyle asking picking on me asking if I have plug the sun when I got up in the morning to asking me why my neck was so red, must be cause I was I redneck. I loved going on to the Chastin and spending time with them. My uncle Jim his pipes and his distinguish look he always reminded me of a dad from Leave It To Beaver. Then my wonderful sweetest grandparent John & Ethel Yates words can't explain the love they had for all of us. Papa would take us for walks and scare the dogs off with his cane, he would give us a $1 for chewing gum (this was when you could get it for .25 cents), his little jig he would do sometimes, Mamma and her banana pudding, "delaw", rings and necklace that she would let me play with when sitting on the couch together, Price Is Right, lunch at mamma and papa was a 12pm and if you were late well get in the back of the line, her doll beds made out of baskets. There are so many memories on Beattie St.. Then the memories of Daytona Beach 1st week of August that we would go. This was when you could go to Sea World and Disney World in a day, some restaurant we had to cross over a long bridge to get too and we got sherbet for dessert, Rita and her pageants and getting stung by a jellyfish. Andy and his stories and laughter I think GOd was right on when he called him to preach. Greg and the Yates boys talking about Monty Python sometimes there talks went right over my head. Johnny holding onto me as we were on the Swamp Fox at the beach so I would not fall out, him and Evelyn living in the apartment in Mauldin, the stories of him, Lisa & Lynn alot involved somebody laughing so hard they peed on theirselves. Of course Karen our summers we spend together for a week at her house for VBS and her our sandwiches w/ potato chips then we would go over to mamma and papa and spend the night and me, Karen and Mamma would all sleep together on her pulled out couch and how could I forget Ahchi Foxichi the monster that lived the closet. My aunts, Johnnie Ruth, Katheryn and Susan the example they have set before me of Godly Christian woman and their sweet quite, submissive wife's they were and are to their husbands they were some wonderful examples. Yes, I have many happy memories and I treasure each of them... I pray that 2010 will bring more family time together and new memories will be made. I have always love my cousin Rita and always thought the world of her and I believe that if distant was not the case we might would have stayed more connected. Her and John has raise 4 great young adults and she gave me the best advice that day.."I talk to much" not in general (sure some will say yes to that) but with my kids and I got what she was saying and took it to heart cause she too got the same advice from her mother. See these are the things I am glad to have back in my life... I thank my sisters Lisa and Lynn for making me come around the family and for inviting me. Whatever difference are there with any family members it is not worth losing a great group that came from the John & Ethel. So, yes this family gathering was a well blessed and cherish time. I can't wait until the next one...

My uncle Wallace, my daddy, cousin/Godfather Al, his beautiful daughter that just graduated w/ CJ Spillers Elizabeth and my mom


Tyler took this picture of most of us but not all.


Some of the Chastin/Shealy kids- James Shealy, Amy Chastin, Patrick Chastin and Melody Shealy- some great kids.


My cutie Tyler w/ my beautiful niece Olivia. They hit it off the 1st time he met her.


Funny, just another memory hit me was at the Chastin was all the golf balls and Eric took the kids across the street to the golf course to find some and I think there a couple in my car still rolling around... I do hate I didn't take more pictures next time I will..