What Did YOU Get for Christmas?

We had a fabulous Christmas this year.

I had the best gift of all.  When my Grandson arrived for the festivities, he was all dressed up in his holiday best.  Everyone kept urging me to "take off his vest".  TAKE OFF HIS VEST!

I obliged.  I unzipped that little red flannel vest and found the absolute best gift written there on his Christmas Onesie.

 

Not gonna lie...it took me a minute to soak in the news.  I was flabbergasted, really.  I had thought they were going to wait a bit longer...seems the mom is the last to know...

We did have a little fun with the news.

We adore this little kid more than anything.  I sometimes wonder how big my heart can get...will there be room enough for another? Surely, my heart might explode.

I could not be more thrilled.  

Secretly hoping for a girl this time...

Reminder...Please vote!

In honor of Throwback Thursday (#tbt) and Gavin's run at winning a photo contest, thought I'd share a winning photo of my own!

TA DA!

Yours truly...1961

I'm told this photo won $50!

Yes, that was a lot of money...

Don't forget to vote for Gavin (you can vote once per day).

Voting ends Sunday, December 14.

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We thank you very much!

My Dad

Ronald Day Thomas

12/2/34 - 4/19/87

Today would have been my dad's 80th birthday.  I can hardly fathom what that would be like, but boy do I wish I was lighting up 80 candles on a homemade chocolate cake...

I lost him when he was just 52.  Not fair.  Not fair at all.

I have very few pictures of my dad. I fear they are forever lost.  This makes me so very sad and is the number one reason why I take pictures.  Why I record memories.  Why I scrapbook.

1960
I'm guessing just before I was born.

He was so very handsome.  I can remember watching him craft that classic duck-tail hairdo and the smell of Brylcreem.  Carried the little black comb in his back pocket.

He was very strong. I used to hang from those tattooed biceps (aka guns).

He was a charmer.  He'd never met a stranger.

He was the life of the party. A  funny man.  He used to write down jokes and keep them in his wallet.

He was a wanderer.  A nomad.  He traveled the Continental US in an 18-wheeler.

He died in that truck.

He was my dad.

Man.  I loved this man.

This is one of my very favorite pictures...even though it's blurry. That picture on the table? My mom.

Yes.  He was a smoker in his early years, but would later quit.
Yes.  That's a real newspaper, pretty sure it was the comics.
Yes.  Loved a good cup of coffee.

Very "Leave-It-To-Beaver-esque" right?

He was 26 when I was born.

I was 26 when he died.

And today...I have lived exactly 1/2 of my life without him.