Christmas Eve 2008

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Christmas Eve 2008

Al and I had a wonderful Christmas Eve in Nashville visiting with Mary Evelyn, Mark and family, Elizabeth and family, and Mother. They say "a picture says a 1000 words" so I will let pictures show what a great time was had by all. Check out the Smilebox and enjoy the fun. Thanks to Mary Evelyn and all her helpers for a lovely brunch! We so enjoyed seeing everyone and being with family for Christmas.
Theresa

PS. Click on each picture in Smilebox to see up close.

Home for the Holidays

Monday 12/29/2008
Christmas is over and the the last week was a whirlwind. We drove to Nashville on Tuesday, December 23, to visit Mary Evelyn, our sister-in-law, and family. Visiting from Washington,DC were Elizabeth, our niece, with her husband, Matt, and one year old Alex, whom we saw for the first time. Mark (our nephew) and Amy with Evan and Kate came over on Christmas Eve for brunch and opening gifts. Mother had been driven to Nashville by Mary Evelyn and Elizabeth on Tuesday and spent the night with Mark and family. We then drove with Mother to Bruceton to visit with her for a few days.
Coming back it looks like we drove over 1000 miles. The drive was uneventful but long. Lots of traffic around the metro areas, but not too bad once you left the cities. It's a interesting that thru Tennessee and Kentucky where the speed limit is 70 MPH there is always someone driving faster than you. You drive 70...someone is going by at 85....you drive 80...a car passes you at 90. Must be something in our psyche.
The rain gauge shows 2 inches of rain during the 6 days we were gone...maybe it means we will have a beautiful spring.... and today turns out to be a sunny one, which we could surely use. Time to go outside and play lumberjack with the saw and clean up the yard which has quite a few limbs and twigs scattered around.
Al

Merry Christmas to All

Make a Smilebox greeting

Happy Anniversary Tom and Yvonne

Well Saturday was my friend Tom's 50th anniversary. Renewed his vows and held a party at his country club Sunday. Would love to have gone but a huge storm crossed Lake Erie and the ride up to Canada would have been quite dangerous. We are going to drive down to Tennessee to be with Theresa's family for Christmas and we will be leaving on Tuesday. On Saturday, I picked up $165 at the track . Not much to show for it but a lot of fun. Some very close calls to a nice win but my selection got "nosed out". Friday night one of the $2.00 trifectas paid $80,000...!!! Not to me!!! Not to anyone, I hear, but someone did win half of it. The wind has been howling the last couple of days and at 22 degrees I bet the wind chill is below zero. The football game in Cleveland on Sunday I heard was played at -6 degree wind chill. We lost anyway (as expected). We think the coach will be fired...what a nice guy...but that might be part of the problem. With Hanukkah here we had a standing rib (prepared by me), potato latkes (prepared by Theresa) with sour cream and a tossed salad. No brussel sprouts or broccoli (thank you Lord). A nice glass of wine topped it all off. Theresa baked many cookies to take to Tennessee but I am sure she will let me be her "tester" !! Don't cookies have to have a tester??
Al

Our Bears Have Winter Fun

The Pollack Bears enjoy the winter so much, especially when it snows. Last winter we had a blizzard in Ohio on March 8 and the bears grabbed their sleds and had a grand time! Take a look at the Smilebox below and see just how much fun they had!

Bears Sledding

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Jewish Bears

Hanukkah will be here sooner than Christmas and our Jewish bears will be celebrating by lighting the candles, opening gifts, and playing with their dreidels for eight days and nights. They made a movie of last year's celebration and wish to share it with you. See it in the Smilebox below.
Rabbi Hymie

Happy Hanukkah from the Pollacks

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Hannah Montana Makes Appearance On Our Blog

Hannah Montana was out Trick or Treating last Halloween with an unidentified friend and her picture was made by one of the paparazzi who follow her. We were lucky to get one of the photos to publish here. But on further review, we believe this to be no other than Kate Mitchell....a star in her own right. You should see her dance and hear her sing. But she makes a very cute Hannah Montana !

Reported by Theresa
Photograph by Mark

Christmas Greetings from the Pollack Bears

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas!

The nasty weather may be finally coming to an end. Saturday is supposed to be clear. Might be a nice ride to the racetrack. Pulled a muscle in my shoulder and it pinches when I lift my arm. Have to do everything right-handed. Try it sometime ( I am left-handed). Have most of my selections ready for the races so wish me good luck.
Theresa hung the outside holiday trimmings around the house yesterday and I helped!! The snowmen are up and the wreaths, house looks very nice, ready for the holidays. The best part was the hot chocolate she made when we were finished.!!! Will take pictures when we see some sun!! (Showing picture of snowmen from last year.)
Inside, the house is looking festive. Much greenery with gold and red bows. Picked up some beautiful Yoder Poinsettias sent down from the Canada greenhouse on the truck yesterday. They selected some outstanding specimens for us.. Tree going up tomorrow and the teddy bears are all out quivering with excitement in their Christmas finery. We have so many... they are up and down the stairs, in practically every chair, and the ones who behave best get to sit under the tree. Will include pictures when we finish.
Al

Meredith and Mark's Trip to Washington State

Meredith, my niece, celebrated her 40th birthday on March 19. She has been celebrating since her birthday with many events including a trip to Washington State in July with her husband Mark. I have included some of the pictures from that trip. Take a look of them dancing the Charleston...not bad for a 40 year old!!!
Theresa

Alex At One Year Old

I received a new picture of Alex from Elizabeth that I would like to share with everyone. He celebrated his first birthday on November 30 and this is how he looks at One Year Old. How cute he is!!! Just want to give him a big hug!!
Theresa

Thanksgiving 2008 Slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thanksgiving at Norris, TN November 2008

We spent Thanksgiving 2008 with Jack and Loy at their home in Norris, TN. Attending Thanksgiving dinner at their home were Mother, Cecilia, Rob, Beth, Norris friends Frances and Gene Oates, Frances' Mother Big Frances, Al and me. Jack prepared a wonderful dinner of Creole Roasted turkey with all the trimmings. Thanks to them for hosting a wonderful holiday. Please enjoy sharing the day by veiwing the smile box slideshow. We all enjoyed the delicious food and wonderful hospitality.

Theresa

The Beginning of Our Blog

Well, we are off on a new adventure. Blogging!

The birds have emptied their feeders. The last few days have been snowy. Not the kind of deep wet snow but the fine stings-your-face kind. It took three days to accumulate 3 inches. The birds seem to know it will not be a serious snow so they have cleaned me out.

Last night I had to call the racetrack to tell them I was not anxious to chance the interstate driving home at 11:00 P.M. and would not be there. They usually save me a seat on the finish line. I played the races on the internet instead and picked up over $1000. But there is no feeling like the thundering hoofbeats pounding down the final stretch when you are there in person.

Today will be another day in (Ohio) paradise, still snowing off and on, so it time to put on my boots and fill the feeders.

The Beginning of Our Blog

Today, Al and I created a new blog that will feature our interests in birds, photography, crafting, and other daily events that we enjoy. Today, the trees and ground are covered with new fallen snow and the temperature is in the teens. It is a good day for decorating our home for the holidays inside but not the outside. I will wait to decorate outside until a warmer day.
We hope you will enjoy our blog.
Theresa