What a special day this past Saturday was. Friday Lindee, my friend Charlotte, & I traveled to Greenville for our annual trek to the Christmas Craft show. We haven’t all been there every year, but I don’t think I’ve missed a year going since we moved to the Carolinas in 1982. That evening Jackson brought Mallory & Clara down to meet us, & brought Charlotte back to Clover with him, so she could be here for her kids’ visit the next day. Sherri, Lindee, the girls & I spent the night in Greenville, & then early Saturday morning headed to our Smith Christmas #2 of the season, where we celebrate with all of Daddy’s extended family. There was a great turnout this year, and as always, it was just so much fun visiting with everyone. One really great thing Aunt Norma Jean set up this year was that a photographer came and took a group picture of everyone. I can’t wait to see that! I didn’t get many pictures of the celebration – too busy talking & visiting, of course – but did get this one of them trying to get everyone lined up for the photo shoot 🙂
Normally after the reunion we head to Helen to spend the night, but this year it was raining, so instead we went back to Greenville & took in the Roper Mountain Lights, and spent the night there. We had not been to see them in years, and it was great. They had a small area where you could walk around & get hot chocolate & marshmallows to roast on the fire, and then at the back of the amphitheater there was a display of Christmas “cards” – each the size of a piece of plywood – made by different schools in the area. Many, and maybe all, of them used recycled materials. This was one of our favorites – the “Monarch” Express, from Monarch Elementary School. The sky, tunnel, and snow are made out of different colors of plastic grocery bags; the smoke is can lids. Very cool. It was just such a good, good day.