Baby Vivienne

Grandma and Vivi in Nashville 

Vivi's first Easter Bunny Visit

USF Vivi
( where Shell went to college) 

Dressed up to see the Easter Bunny

All " little girl"

It's so fun having a " new little girl" in our family.  Michelle is a wonderful mama and is " playing dolls" with Vivienne as Chuck said I did when I had Michelle.  I always have thought if you are lucky to have a daughter then you should dress her like a girl is suppose to be dressed.  Ribbons, bows, lace, smocked dresses and pretty little shoes.  Michelle wore a dress 99% of her childhood.  Call me "old fashion" but how can anyone call all those " junk printed on clothes" that people put on kids these days, pretty?  It does my heart good when I see a little girl in a pretty dress, carrying her doll, shopping with her mommy.  I'm sure you will never see Miss Vivienne in just her diaper or her underwear on Face Book.  She will be dressed to the hilt!

There's a Baby in the House...

Mimmie ( Gene's mom)  and Vivienne 

Becca and Vivi

Becca and her two boys, Lainer and Davis
 with Vivi

Becca sharing Vivi

Lady Melanie and Vivi

Grand Daddy and Vivi ( at our house) 

When there is a baby in the house, of course everyone wants to see and hold it.  Lucky Vivienne  has so many people who are in her life and love her.  As we celebrated Georgette's long life, we also celebrated the new life of Vivienne, by showing her to her Alabama family.

Fun at Carmichael Hall

Miss Vivi getting a bath in the sink before leaving for the funeral. 

Lady Melanie coming down the stairs, headed to the funeral. 

To get us all to Georgette's funeral, it took some fast thinking once we found out what day it was going to be.   Michelle had to come from Nashville and we all had to get down to Montgomery by Friday morning.  Michelle and Vivienne both had Dr. appointments on Thursday so, they didn't get to our house until dinner time.  We packed up and headed to Birmingham to Carmichael Hall to spend the night with Lady Melanie.We got there just at bedtime.   Everyone had their own bedroom and there was " Downton Abbey" breakfast in the dining room the next morning.  After baths and getting dressed, we all headed to Montgomery for the day.  A big "thank you" to Lady Melanie for welcoming us to spend the night at such a short notice.  

To Georgette

A toast to Georgette from her children
Harry, Georgette and George

Ashley making the punch Georgette always made

Toast

Becca's red shoes

We have known our best friends Gene and George for about 44 years now.  That means we have known their family for just about that long too.  We have many, many stories and memories with them all.  George's mother, Georgette was a feisty little woman who spoke her mind...ha.  Twenty some  years ago, she had her children throw her " wake" .  She said she wanted to be there when people talked about her.  So, Nancy and Harry ( her son and DIL) had it at their house.  Had the black wreath on the door and all.  We thought that was so funny and chalked it up to Georgette.  Well, she lived to be 98 years old.  She had four grand daughters and one of them wrote a wonderful story about remembering her Grandmother and playing in her red shoes when she was little.  So, the word got around to the family ( and us) to wear red shoes to the funeral for a tribute to Georgette.  It was fun seeing how many red shoes were worn.  After the funeral, the family went back to Gene and George's for some lunch and a toast to Georgette.  We feel so lucky to be part of their family.  They truly are a part of ours.  

Daffodil Days

My vase says " Daffodil Days".  How Perfect!

It's here!!! Daffodil Days.....they are everywhere!!  In everyone's yards and all along the sides of the roads.  Oh how I love this time of year!!!  It makes enduring the cold weather all winter long so well worth it.  Spring is fantastic up here!!  I planted tulips all along each side of the walk way from the front porch.  Oh how they are going to be so pretty when it's time for them to bloom.  Flowers like these where just " grocery store" flowers all those years I lived in Florida.  To have them grow in your yard is almost like living in a fairy tale.  Come every season, I realize how lucky I am to live " up north".  Right now Spring is my favorite.

Did It Again!

Joe Wheeler Quilt Block

20 judges picked the 25 quilt blocks
(mine is the second on the left on this table) 

Well, I did it again!  I entered the Joe Wheeler Alabama Quilt contest.  They give you a subject and you make a quilt block accordingly.  This time the subject was " what put us on the map".  Since Joe Wheeler is such an important part of history for the South, I thought I would make my block with his house on it.  We have toured his house a couple of times and have thoroughly enjoyed it.  Well, Joe must have brought me luck because guess what!!!!  My block has been picked to be in the Alabama Quilt for this year!!!!  The quilt will be finished by May or June and will tour around the state of Alabama before being hung in a building in downtown Montgomery.  Wouldn't my " quilting mama " be proud of me.  ..(smiling)

Biltmore Green House

These were my favorite....lavender tulips

Pretty flowers, pretty cousins

Orange tulips

This room was filled with white hyacinths and the smell was over whelming.




After our tour of the house, we headed back to the explorer to go see the beautiful green house that keeps the house in flowers throughout the year.  Of course the gardens outside were bare because of the winter weather.  Soon it will be covered in daffodils and tulips.  Oh how I wish I was going to get to see it all.  The next stop on the tour was the winery and wine shop.  We bought another Biltmore wine to take home to toast our trip.  We were on the road again, heading to Becca and Ro's house just outside of Atlanta.  What a fun night that was.  We each had our own bedroom and Becca/Ro cooked us the most wonderful fish, roasted veggies dinner.  The next morning, breakfast was served in the pretty formal dining room.  It was sad to think our fun trip was about to end.  George and Jacob came and picked up Gene and we took Melanie back to Birmingham before heading home.  As always....I have a wonderful time but it sure is good to get back home.  ....Sweet Home Alabama!