While I absolutely love Dolly Parton, she isn't the only reason I like going to Servierville. I love visiting Stacy and Granny Helen and Granddaddy Bill. This trip we rode around and Granny Helen shared some family history and other local stories. She has traced her ancestry back to the signing of the Magna Carter. Granddaddy doesn't say much, but he is the sweetest man and Stacy is a hoot. Shane, Granny, and Stacy took me to downtown Sevierville to see the statue of Dolly! I had no idea it was there, so it was a pleasant surprise. I was even told a story of how when Dolly's daddy was alive he would sneak down each night and wash the bird poop off of Dolly's statue. Shane and I went to Dollywood and really enjoyed the Christmas lights, but it was freezing and after a while all the lights look the same so we didn't stay long.
Shane let me open a few gifts early and we went to my grandmother's with most of my family on Friday. I always enjoy seeing them because it has been almost a year since we've seen most of them. I made a new buddy in my cousin's little boy, Jaxon. Really makes me want a little boy, but we'll wait on that ;-)
I really miss living near my family at times, but it usually doesn't take long for me to remember the benefits of living away. Lol. And Avery liked the paper more than the gifts. Our living room is full of new toys and old, and the ones getting the most attention are the old ones.
We hosted my grandparents, mom and boyfriend, Shane's mom and husband, and his other grandmother, Mummy, on Saturday for lunch. It was my first time hosting an "event" at my house and needless to say I forgot some things. I forgot to make the mashed potatoes (the only food I was responsible for as the guests brought everything else), I didn't have a platter for the turkey, or enough pot holders. I almost ran out of cups, but my mom bought us new wine glasses for Christmas so that saved us. Other than that, things went rather smooth. It snowed a lot, but everyone got up here and back home safe and I later took down my tree that same day. Call me scrooge or whatever, but I hadn't watered the poor thing in weeks and the branches were hanging low all melancholy-like and needles were falling all over the place. Good thing we don't smoke because if we did, I envision an occurence similar to the Christmas Vacation where Aunt Bethany's husband lights his cigar by the tree and catches the tree, and himself, on fire.
Now it's back to the daily grind. I'm trying to organize and get my life under control before the new school semester starts in 2 weeks and wrecks havoc on whatever sanity I can muster up between now and then. :-)
