It's A Wonderful Life

If you know me at all, you know my all-time favorite movie is Frank Capra's "It's A Wonderful Life," the story of a man who sacrifices all his own dreams and desires for others, and serves, and gives, and can't seem to make things happen for himself. He reaches a point in his life where because of the mistakes of someone else, his company is in dire straits, and he feels so desperate, he considers suicide. Heaven intervenes, sends a guardian angel, and shows him what a 'wonderful life' he has, and what it would have been like for those he loved if he had never been born. I don't know how many times I've seen this movie, but every time it makes me cry. Every time it touches my heart. Every time, by the end of the movie I feel more grateful for my own life -- with it's bumps and bruises and failures and successes and all that life brings.

My fabulous "It's A Wonderful Life" village on top of our entertainment center -- in a new corner this year!

As has become our tradition for the past several years (see more HERE), we went to the viewing of the movie on the BIG SCREEN at War Memorial Theater in downtown Nashville again this year with our friends, Becky Pinney and Jesse & Diane Hubling. Becky's sister, Barbara and her husband Lawson (read more HERE) work with the "Wonderful Life Foundation" and they sponsor this viewing each year as a fundraiser for the foundation.

This photo is terribly blurry, but shows Jesse & Diane Hubling (back) and Becky Pinney
and her sister Barbara with us at the silent auction following the movie on the big screen.

After the show, we all enjoyed a DELICIOUS dinner at J. Alexander's in Cool Springs. Steve and I like to each get the big house salad, and then split the "Rattlesnake Pasta" which is a spicy chicken dish. YUM! And of course, we saved room for J's FABULOUS CARROT CAKE! They serve it warmed up, and it has lots of walnuts and cream cheese frosting. Simply perfect!

 

 

Salad, Rattlesnake Pasta...and CARROT CAKE!

 

It's all about the great movie, great company, and great food!!





Thanksgiving

Randi and the boys came over on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, and we enjoyed a couple of days together celebrating the holiday. We did NOT go out on Black Friday -- are you kidding me?! We are crazy, but not that crazy!

Not included in the photo were mashed potatoes & gravy, green bean casserole,
pumpkin pie and probably something else I'm forgetting...

The boys were SUPER EXCITED about cherry pie! They LOVED it!

 

Delicious homemade turkey pot pie made with leftover Thanksgiving turkey a couple of days later.

 

Second Harvest

As part of the community outreach efforts at Corizon, about 15 of us went over to the Second Harvest Food Bank in Nashville and donated an afternoon to inventorying and boxing food items for the needy in the Nashville area. Since it was open to 12 years old and up, I brought Grayson & Sam with me! My co-worker, Melanie Taylor also brought her 12 year-old son, RJ, Scotty Lee brought his wife and daughter.

Back Row: Jennifer Chambers, Scotty Lee, me, Grayso, Schuronda Hodge, Jennie Latimer, Briana Andersen,
Melanie Taylor. Front Row: Scotty Lee's wife & daughter, Melanie Taylor's husband Rick/son, RJ,
with Sam in the middle of them.

Our first assignment was in the FREEZER sorting meat and other frozen items...BRRRR!

Our next assignment was in the food sorting/boxing area, where we worked with about 25-30 other volunteers.

Grayson and Sam were so thrilled to pose for a photo.

Jennie Latimer, Melanie Taylor and I

We all went home counting our blessings.