Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

It's been awhile since our last post. However, Scotty has gotten technologically inclined so we've been doing lots of video, less pics and no time for anything!

Thanksgiving went by in a whirlwind. We went to Trackrock with my parents and stayed in a cute cabin. It was a lot of fun and Baxter and Lillee Grace had a lot of fun on the playground. Carlo, the elf, found us there and met us early Thanksgiving morning in a pile of (fake) snow! We really enjoyed his mischief over the holidays!!!!

Christmas came with no less drama than was expected. December was a tiring month in the Key home. However, I think we took it in stride and really grew a lot. I love that Scotty!!!! We trudged through Journey to Bethlehem. It would be great to see some pics from that! We had our annual at Katie's. It was the most enjoyable time. Lots of friends and a very festive occasion, and a VERY late night! Moving to Christmas. My parents were not here. Scott's parents were. There is no two families who do the Griswald family justice as much as ours. Baxter woke up with a Jeep while Lillee Grace got herself some loot. Ponyville, a CD player, wig for performances, no doubt, along with lots of other can't live without things!!! Scott's big Christmas gift was tickets to a Thrashers game the day after Christmas. We had a great time. Love me some violence.

New Year's was spent with some great friends, we like to call "The Skyline Five". We did make it to the Historical Society party, in great care of Shelly, Dial-A-Bus driver. She apparently has a baby because some of us sat on either side of the #3 Earnhart car seat. Got home by way of "Bandit Josh" and then had to make an additional stop around the neighborhood to break up a rock band rendition! Went to Brunswick New Year's Day to oysters and collard greens. Lots of fun and the best playground ever at the St. Simons pier. Oh, did I mention shopping? Yes, good.

Back in full swing in this new 2009 year. No real resolutions. Lose weight, sit up straighter, be nicer. Ok, none of these will ever come to fruition. Let's not kid ourselves.

New preacher announced today - January 11, 2009. Dr. Bill and Jane Hardee. We are so excited for them and for us. What great people they seem to be. They also seem to be very REAL people. I think at this time, with the economy and trials people are going through at this very moment, it is a good time to reflect at the moments in our lives that mean the most. We should evaluate those things and strive to make them the moments that are the most frequent.

Another Year at Brasstown!

Once again, we were back in Young Harris at Brasstown Valley. It is a beautiful place with the most breathtaking scenery. These pics don't do the leaves justice. They were the most vibrant reds, yellows and oranges. The air was brisk. The sun was shining and there was a nip in the air. We arrived early Friday a.m. and enjoyed an exciting weekend!
Breathtaking views out the window overlooking the stables. No horseback riding for us. The closest I got to that was watching Flicka with Tim McGraw Saturday morning. What a sad movie.

Friday night was the big cocktail party. It was a lot of fun. I really wish that I had my camera. There was an apple pie in a cast iron skillet that was about 24" in diameter! At dinner I got to hold Christina's baby, Cate, while she and Kyle ate. She's two months old and just perfect. I also got to meet Ken Sharma, the culprit whose name has been inside Scott's new suits. He and Ricky seem to think they need tailored suits. I'm thinking I may need those boots I've been checking out on J.Crew! Ken and his wife were super sweet. Still hoping to be invited to their only son's wedding that we hope will be in the works soon!
On to mingling. We had a great time with a lively group of people. Let's just say the night ended about 1 a.m. in the sauna! No explanation folks! Then Scott made it in a good bit later after a long night in the lobby next to the fireplace.
Here we are at Mark of the Potter. What a cool place!!! We try to make this trip every year. We drive around the mountains to look at the leaves and take in the sites. We started in Hiawassee at The Hen's Nest, then on to Mark of the Potter, next, The Sautee Store and then into Helen for our annual trip to Betty's Country Store. There's so much yummy stuff there!

Saturday night we grabbed a quick supper with Lee and Fay at the restaurant downstairs. We were watching Cops on Fox at 8:30 and asleep by 9. That goes to show what people do while on vacation sans kids. We watched so much Law and Order on TNT and got very familiar with "Movie and a Makeover" on TBS. It was blissful watching whatever we wanted!
The underneath mill is so interesting and we love to feed the enormous trout!
We were able to watch this woman form a bowl in about 10 mins. It definitely was not Demi Moore in ghost but it would have been interesting to see what this woman would have done had Patrick Swayze wrapped his arms around her!
Our pics that we must take each year to compare to the previous year!!!
Breathtaking views - am speaking of background instead of foreground. lol

Election Night

There has to be some hope somewhere...
Mmmmmmm.....pizza,salad, wings and pasta.... our last venture in eating out for awhile now. Will be getting to be good friends with Denty Moore Beef Stew and Mr. Ramen Noodle himself now.
Bax, Knoxie and Mary Kate enjoying some Palin cake.
Lillee Grace had play practice but came home just in time for cake cutting.
Gray was a big hit doing his own personal moves to the lyrics from Hank Williams, Jr.
"Super Sarah" - Thanks to our favorite babysitter, Bethany took care of bathing kids!!!
Mr. David (Daniel) and Mrs. April read their favorite Curious George book to Bax and LG. I think Claire Ann was enjoying as well!
Here's the crew watching the returns pour in.

Halloween 2008

Here's Baxter with nana and papa at Trunk or Treat! Kids had a fun time and the 35 mph hayride was a blast! Didn't get many pics of Lillee Grace.
Mom's good friend, Mrs. Boatright
Mom with our cousin Justin from Athens. Her theme was an old clawfoot tub. "Jesus washes sins away."
Baxter's fun Jeep. If Santa doesn't get some type of fast vehicle to our house by Christmas, we're going to have to transport this thing to the Griff.
The one shot I got of Lillee Grace's costume. Here she is with cousin Kaylee at Trunk or Treat. She then got to go to a Halloween party with her cousins. She had lots of fun!

NOTE TO READERS...

I have heard several people comment on the Disney blog and have had numerous questions about the snake. I will be writing a letter on behalf on the Glanmillers in order to retrieve SOMETHING for free from the mouse himself. I will share this privvy info with you as long as SOMEONE will comment. I read 10 or so blogs daily. It is just as fun to peruse the blogger's comments as it is to read the actual blog. So I ask you to please comment. I find it interesting to hear your words of praise only, of course.

Wow - what a trip!

Carmen the security guard, Amy the snake charmer and Wilma the night manager - more details to come. See below for complete snake story!!!!
Well, fall break is over. Whew - it was a trip. It started off with some sadness and guilt for not taking Baxter. Okay guilt trippers, we will forever take him on any trip again. Not to say he will be going on our next trip to the mountains. However, neither kid will. I am speaking of any trip that children will be on, he will go. Rewind to the Sunday a.m. when we left... Scott wanted to get to the airport 2 1/2 hours early. I suggested 1 hour. He dropped LG and I off at the curb with three bags to check as well as two carry ons. Oh, did I mention plus one 4 year old who had to go to the bathroom. So we checked the three bags and ran to the nearest restroom which was 15 mins. away. When Scott got inside I told him the gate that I had seen on our boarding pass (which he printed out 24 hrs. ago) and we were to go to C10. We got there with time to spare. Sat down and LG had some chocolate milk. Next thing you know they are calling zones. Great right? Actually they are boarding for Chicago Midway! Running through the airport like the Clampetts. LG having screaming meltdown. Got to Concourse D with 2 mins left. I try to run down the hallway to the plane. Scott is yelling, sorry, raising voice. Missed plane. Well, as it turns out this would be the 1st of an exciting filled Disney trip!
Eeyore having lunch with us at Crystal Palace.
Chipper and Norma were supposed to come over for a fun evening. However, it was so nice to have them come by to tell our story to and just chill out. We had fun riding the monorail and sitting out by the pool!
Just wanted to make sure there was a pic of her like this. Lots of the trip included little "moments" like this.
Her favorite princess "Ariel."
Sleeping Beauty in her regular clothes. We wondered where that pretty yellow dress was?
Here we go...... if you look closely you can see the snake wrapped around Elias's arm.
The snake was found at 11:45 p.m. We had turned down the air to 50 degrees to smoke him out.
3 foot of black snake. Please zoom in.
Complete story: Scott and Clay were at Epcot. Most of the time during this trip Clay and Scott were at Epcot. So no big news there. Amy and I decided to wake the girls up from their afternoon nap and go over to Downtown Disney. They were sleeping in OUR hotel room. Woke them up and Bethany did not feel well. She threw up and decided she felt ok so we went down to the bus. Get on the bus with about 20 other people and Bethany throws up everywhere. Bless her, we all evacuated and she was sick again all over the bus stop. Poor thing. She was terrible. Amy and I decided there was not a lot I could do to help her so LG and I went ahead to DD. Scott and Clay did not even know what was going on back at the homefront. While LG and I were at DD, Amy continued to text that B. was still sick and housekeeping was coming every once in awhile with new sheets, towels, etc.
Next, I receive a text from Amy: NEED YOU TO COME BACK TO HOTEL ASAP
ME: sure, R U OK?
AMY: SNAKE N ROOM
ME: WHAT?
AMY: bethany in hallway with trashcan. manager coming. some guy from wv helping.

of course, LG and I scoot back as soon as we could. The snake was in the room and had slithered away. There were SEVERAL people in the room looking for it. However, when they were on the hunt, they found a NEST!!!! WITH EGGS IN IT!!!!!

Finally, the Gledhills were moved to an absolute Rock STar Celebrity Suite!!!! Super duper cool. Elias found the snake around 11:45. We all ran in minus Clay, LG and of course, Bethany. Elias was the hero of the night.



Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom
The way Scott and Clay looked after a long night at Epcot.
Baxter's favorite Disney characters from Jungle Book.
Grand Floridian for breakfast. very cool.

Morrocco. Scott's birthday dinner - complete with belly dancer.
The birthday boy himself.
Epcot.
LG and I with Ray Charles on "It's a Small World".
Quincy and June

Happy Grandparent's Day

Nana and Papa came for a fun Grandparent's Day weekend. They were able to have lunch with LG and pick Bax up from school.