Caroline the Super Kid

The award certificate Caroline received from school:

She wrote an essay about peer pressure and the ways her classmates could resist going along with the crowd instead of making bad choices to fit in.  She got a shiny medal with a patriotic ribbon.  You'll have to take my word for it when I say she looked like an Olympic medalist because she refused to consent to any photo.

Last Friday, she brought home a letter from her teachers saying she was eligible to compete in a spelling bee. She has monster spelling skillz, and I'm thinking, is it possible to get a lot of college tuition money if you make it to the late rounds of the Scripps spelling bee?  Right about the time I get ready to Google that, she says she isn't going to do it anyway because she doesn't like getting up in front of people.

Okayyyyy

We are proud of our Super Kid for working so hard on her project and getting the highest recognition as a reward!!!

The Best of Franabelle's Fancy, 2008-2013

I didn't blog a lot in 2013, so 2014 should and will have more blog posts.

I went back through all the years of blogging, and decided there were some posts that needed to be highlighted.  It should be nice for new readers to see what I've written before.

Hope you enjoy "The Best of Franabelle's Fancy."

From 2008
Happy Birthday Sharon
Auld Lang Syne

From 2009
Caroline Sings
Regarding Joan Didion
The Peace of Wild Things
The Date is Important
Reunion Reflections
On Fran's Bookshelf
For Kismet (and Beamer)
Bedtime Prayers

From 2010
Time Marches On

From 2011
Easter Clothes at Dickson Azalea Park
Dear Alexander Pope
National Scrapbook Day

From 2012
Seen About Town

From 2013
Is NatGeo Hiring?
Prom at Summer Camps


Please post a comment if you have one!

Love, Traditions, and Laughter

New pajamas on Christmas Eve are one of the kids' favorite traditions.  (Right after the hot chocolate, that is.)  Getting them to pose anymore is one part bribery, one part begging, and one part a limit on the number of images I'm allowed to capture. Ahem. I've learned to keep taking pictures of them whether they're posing or not.  I get fantastic candid photos, and in between are the ones that make me laugh till my cheeks hurt.

JS and CG

Florida State Seminoles

Rose Bowl 2014
Florida State Seminoles
National Champions!

Florida State Seminoles 34, Auburn Tigers 31

Joy & Beauty

Scrapbook Layouts from 2006

Sometimes I miss the days 

when they were just my "littles"

RAKs

The concept of Random Acts of Kindness has become mainstream, and I've been the recipient of more than a couple.  My new neighbor ran down the truck and trailer carrying the new recycle bins when they passed me by after I yelled to them that I needed one.  A client at the office where I used to work brought me the loveliest place mats and napkins because she was happy to get an appointment on short notice. About 88% of my stolen jewelry was returned to me.  One of the guys from the lawn company who mows the yard at the house next to me always blows all the leaves off my porch and driveway.

It feels good to have given out some RAKs too.  I think they won't count if I share them, and I don't want to keep track, either.  There isn't a limit on how many to give or receive!

This is a unique RAK that I absolutely loved.  It's not often I get a chance to choose.  :)

I resolve to take action

Instead of resolutions, I've decided to make [another] to-do list.  The goal is to finish these items by February 28, and then make another list.

1) Get back yard cleaned up.  Monster task.

2) Read all the books I have piled on the first shelf of my bookcase, meaning all the books signed by the author.

3) Make outline for getting-longer-every-time-I-work-on-it story.  It needs a skeleton.

4) Clean top shelves of bedroom closets.  Not even sure what’s up there.

Sometimes resolutions I've made haven't resulted in much.  When my first list is done, I will have accomplished a lot.  Feeling satisfied with a job well done is one thing I "resolve" to do in 2014.

NYE 2013

2013. New Year's Eve around here:

Better-than-Cracker-Barrel brunch

Standard dinner

At the Bar

Sparkly

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2014!

Christmas Day 2013 Photos

With Holiday Love from Our House to Yours

16 minutes till Christmas Day

All the Christmas Eve traditions were repeated this year, including my lack of attention to the Christmas Carter Balls.

Cooking little smokies in the crock pot, drinking hot chocolate, riding around looking at Christmas lights, opening the one present that's always new pajamas, making sugar cookies with the homemade icing.  Repeated reminders about how anything in the stockings is fair game, and presents have to wait till I get up and have a full cup of coffee in one hand and my camera in the other.

An unexpected joy arose when the hand mixer stopped working just after I started blending with it. Unbelievable how long it take to mix icing by hand.  Note to self:  Make sure the $5 appliances are in good working order while you're making the grocery list.

I'll wait a couple more minutes to try to catch Santa, and then, night night :)