Turkey Day right around the corner!!!!

Thanksgiving is around the corner and I can't wait.... although it will be much different from the Thanksgiving we grew to know as kids now that Grannie is gone. Just like Halloween, our family had Thanksgiving traditions that we hardly strayed away from.

Here's how they would go...... around 10:30 the phone calls would start... .first from Diane wondering where we were because she's hungry and they wanted to eat lunch by 11 or 11:30....hehehee!!! We live less than a 1/4 mile from Grannie's house... it's not like it's gonna take an hour to get there. Then if we didn't get over there within ten minutes of her phone call, we'd get another and then another until we got there. We'd all stand around the kitchen and living room at Grannie's house and hang out until everyone got there, say grace.... which sometimes was just the grandkids yelling GRACE really loud and then grabbing plates, then eat lunch. OH the lunch.... turkey, turkey soup, ham, mashed potatoes, rice, green beans, corn bread, rolls, corn, seems like some other veggies that I never ate, and then desserts..... pecan pie, coconut cake (which I'm not a fan of but boy did they look pretty), pound cake, and several others. We feasted like kings. I remember that before we did anything else, we'd have to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving parade on tv just long enough for Diane to see the Rockettes and for us to see Santa, then we'd run to the den and start digging out the Christmas decorations and Christmas records.

We'd listen to Bing Crosby, Alabama, Elvis Christmas and many others.... Blue Christmas was my favorite that we'd all sing out loud as we decorated the tree and we hardly ever listened to anything new.... always the same songs every year. I love those songs to this day. Putting lights on the tree was always entertaining.... it'd always start with one of us being told to put the lights on, but somehow Lanier would hate it and then he'd get in there and have to redo them. The mamas would each grab the ornament boxes and start hanging them on the edges of them so that it's easier for us kids to grab and put on the tree. 2 things that HAD to go on the tree before we were finished.... Grannie's special ornament that she's had since she was a little bitty girl and the Red Headed Angel, which I am very lucky to have now (she doesn't top my tree, but gets a very special place in the house so that everyone can see her just the same).

I currently don't have any pictures of us decorating Grannie's tree when we were little, but that will change soon enough. I hope to find those pictures and scan them in someday, but below are pictures from several Thanksgivings that the second (or third- depending on who's reading this) generation decorated.

2004- Mathis taking care of the lower limbs with Adena in the background manning the cd player. We used to use the old record player but sometimes it was just easier to pull out the cd player.

Grannie putting her special ornament on the tree- front and center.

Andrew and Walker waiting their turn.

Dad and little Kyia.

Walker Wild Man Wing! ; )

Steve, being the tallest in the family, gets the duty of lifting the lightest kid up to put the Red Headed Angel on the tree..... This year it's Walker's turn.

As we got older, the grandkids took over the ornament distribution so that the mamas can do other things.

Mom and Kyia.... she's looking a little sleepy.

The den.... our favorite family gathering place. Going to miss that place. The wood paneling from floor to ceiling, the pictures on the walls, and the smell of Grannie's cigarette smoke.

2006. Mathis gets to put the angel on the tree. My how these kids have grown. Hard to believe this was just 2 years ago.

Kyia is big enough to decorate the tree now.

Smiling Mathis

Little Brendan

I think I remember us having to go back in and move some of her ornaments around. She insisted on putting them all on the same branch. Gotta love it!

Steve and Matt stringing the lights. Yeah... a little out of order, but I'm actually surprised Lanier isn't standing in the background pointing out directions.

Andrew, Walker, and Mathis

Mom handing Kyia and Brendan more ornaments.

Now with Grannie gone and mom and dad have moved to Florida, this Thanksgiving will be much different. Still fun, but much different from what I'm used to. Now is the time we all start our own Thanksgiving traditions but I hope to keep some of the same ones intact from back in the day and again, I hope that once my sisters and I have kids, that we'll bring back the old Thanksgiving Day Lunch traditions with the big lunch and the decorating of a tree.... somewhere.

I hope ya'll all have a very happy, safe, and turkey filled Thanksgiving!!! I plan on breaking out Elvis and singing some Blue Christmas. ; )

The Adventures of Black-E and the Tab-O's.

Aka.... Krekel, Wrigley, and Prissy..... The Fur Babies. So... an update on their progress for those of you on the edge of your seats wondering how they are adjusting to each other... so far so good. No major beatings.... no lost fur... carpet and furniture still intact.... no deaths....overall it's been pretty good.



Now, the food situation has been interesting. Krekel isn't exactly.... the smallest of cats. She's got a small frame, but she weighs a ton. I have no idea how such a small cat can be so heavy. Prissy isn't small herself, but she's had nearly 9 years to pack on her weight. Well, in a way to control Krekel's small weight problem to insure she doesn't end up 26 pounds like mom and dad's cat Bailey (see below), Chris feeds his two babies once in the morning before he leaves for work..... they finish that, they are finished for the day. Prissy, on the other hand, has it made compared to them. She's got this problem where she eats TOO fast and barfs all over the place. OH yeah... not pretty. Doesn't even look like she chews her food either. So, in an effort to calm her nerves that once the bowl is empty that she's going to get fed again, I have an automatic feeder that turns the bowls around twice a day. It's great! Except for the fact that Krekel and Wrigley found out and as soon as I let Prissy in the house, they sneak in the garage to eat her food. hehehee!!! Sneak, but she knows that's what they are doing, so she runs in there and chases them away.



So luckily, fighting over her food bowl with the never ending amount of food in it and who's going to sit in my lap next, has been the only issue so far. I think once she spends more time with them, Prissy might have issues on who's going to be the boss in the house. Right now, she chases poor Wrigley a lot. She can't figure Krekel out just yet.
Insert the theme song to Wild America as I stand by and observe these fine creatures react to each other....... Prissy and Krekel.... trying to ignore each other.... the scowls on their faces pretty much describes it best.... It's almost like they are saying "B****, whachu lookin' at? You best not be gettin' up in ma space!" and the other saying "Don't you be worryin' B****, you stay outa ma space, and I stay outa yours!" hehehee!!! Don't have a clue why I have them speaking thug to each other, but you just can't help but think it.
Another encounter in Krekel's hide out. No growling.... they actually don't growl at each other... just creep around and sometimes you hear Prissy chirp at her. Other than that.... nothing out of them....yet. I think they are still just feeling each other out.
Wrigley gets the growls... swats... hisses.... and chased a lot. He's kind of scared of her, but he also likes to follow her around to test how close he can get to her.... he's gotten close enough to almost lick her a few times. WHEW..... not a happy girl. No one licks her! hehehe!!!
And here's the 3 of them together. Krekel just standing by giving the stink eye, but pretty much letting Wrigley take care of himself.



In case you were wondering..... this is what they do on a NORMAL day when they aren't stalking each other all over the house.....hehehe!!! I hope to add more.... I have discovered cat prints on the top of the kitchen cabinet doors where Krekel is apparently jumping up on the counter, then the fridge, then LEAPING over the doorway to the other side of the kitchen on the TOP of those cabinets..... I plan to stalk her and see if I catch her in the act.

A smiling Wrigley on his favorite stool. I tell ya, this turkey will sit anywhere that cushion is, even if it's in the floor and will also pace around it if there's anything sitting on it.
They can't WAIT to find the warm spots in the bed to snuggle up. Kind of hate to make the bed up because they look so comfortable.

Prissy in her usual spot. She's getting used to having to deal with my computer in my lap.... but she insists on laying her head in the way as much as she can.....



Ah yes... the infamous Bailey Biter Bear Ditmore and his 26 pounds of fury! This picture cracks me up because it was like he just KNEW he was going to the groomer the next day, so he tried as hard as he could to pack as much dirt and grime in his fur as he could before he went. The smile on his face shows that he succeeded.

Dear God.... I REALLY need to get a job soon..... hehehehee!!! Once I run out of things to write about these cats, then I can see myself staring out the window at the neighbors and creating back stories for all of them next...... Please don't let me be THAT girl! hehehe!

Butt Family Reunion 2008- Oh the Places We Used To Go...

This weekend was a blast! It was sooo nice to get up to the mountains and visit with the Shoemakes and my family for a nice relaxing weekend. Unlike most Butt Family trips, the weather kind of prevented us to do any hiking or rappelling, so we went and visited some of our old stomping grounds. We also got to check out the back 50 acres with the Little Red House and barn that will eventually be a guest house. I LOVE old barns.... you'll be able to tell that just by looking at the pictures. Just couldn't get enough!

Bubba Butt with Killian.... not sure what we decided his name to be.... was Beer Butt, but could be something different by now. ; )

Buffett and Butter Butt playing marbles as soon as we walked in the door.

A visit to the barn. Chris, Marvin, and I took the Wild Toad through the woods and pasture to get to the barn and the house while the rest piled up in the pick up truck... old school style.

The Little Red House.... looking from the barn.

This contraption is what farmers use to trap the heads of cows while they either brand them or examine them. We thought we'd test it out. Works!

Little ladder on the upper level of the barn leading to the loft.

The Women Folk

Booger, Bubba, Baggy, Bond, and Buffett Butts showing their best impression of cowboys.

Bond Butt went as far as chewing on grass.... I wouldn't... I saw the poop piles around him. Bla!

Little chairs left behind on the front porch.

Pick up truck ride back to the Hab House.

Ah... one of our favorite places to go as kids.... Old Sautee Store. It's pretty much at the end of the dirt road from the mountain house and we used to go there all the time as kids..... begging for candy and troll dolls. Not too much has changed from the last time I remembered. They have a lot more gifts and the parking lot was packed!

Badinkadink Butt with Baby Beer Butt.

Julie and Kyia dancing to the old timey piano

Playing Indian

I don't remember too much about this building other than it was here when we were little.... now it's a sandwich shop. We'll have to check it out sometime.

The front of the store.

Kyia in her party dress.

Back in time for the game. Killian in his silver britches ready to root his dawgs on.

More marbles

Chris, Megan, Kyia, and me took another Toad Ride back to the barn to get more pictures. We figured the light would be better.... the hill was in the way of the sun, so I'm not sure how Chris's pics turned out.

Jumping over ant hills and cow poop.

The loft

States (Butane) with his Spookiest Halloween Costume award! He was sooo surprised! The funniest thing was Kyia. She asked how we made the trophy to look like his costume and then why he got the award. I told her that everyone voted for him and he won.... then she asked if the trophy was John McCaine. hehehehe!!!!! Funny things kids say!

Bathseba and Baby Beer Butt sitting out by the fire.... roasting marshmallows and our faces to stay warm. Almost too warm.

It was soo hot that Marvin (Booger) thought he'd lay down in front of the chimney to keep from burning his face. This picture looks more like he's choking on the marshmallow than eating, but not to worry, he is fine.

Bessy (Brenda), Butter (Kyia), and Bubba (Dad) all bundled up.

Walker (Boney) thought it would work out better if he stood next to the fire place to roast marshmallows.

Sunday morning and he's wide awake.... for now. ; )

Kyia is such a good big cousin.

Views from on top of the hill. I just love this place!

My favorite little church in front of Lynch Mountain... or as Kyia calls it.... Ant Mountain. Funny how we remember the ants being vicious when we were little and hiked up there.

The Hab House

Dad with his little buddy again. He just LOVES babies! hehehe!

A visit to another one of our favorite places....Mark of the Potter. These fish below are HUGE!!!! You pretty much go there with pockets full of quarters so that you can get fish food to feet them.

Julie feeding the fish... or at least taking pictures of them in their feeding frenzy.

The falls

Walker feeding the fish

Michael describing about how big the trout were.

Goofing off back at the house before we all had to head home.

Chris and Steve out following the cows around.

Kyia REALLY didn't want us to leave. hehehee!