Happy Birthday Sister!

Happy Happy Birthday to Nita today!

Cline Family Reunion

Yesterday, 41 Cline's (by birth or marriage) all gathered together at Jimmy and Judy Cline's house for a family reunion. Daddy had a family reunion 12-26-1995 at Nita and Ray's house and we have not had one since. I remember how he was so excited and determined to have it. When we were growing up, we always had big celebrations for Christmas, Easter and 4th of July. Each year the Christmas party was at a different family members home and I remember that we would decorate our garage and have the food out on top of the washer and dryer! Wonderful memories of being together and celebrating. Yesterday was bittersweet, so great to be together and see family from Georgia, Kentucky and even Mississippi but sad that so so many of our family are no longer with us.

Catching Up, Long Post!

Well, Christmas has come and gone now and I usually feel so let down when it is all over. This year I think I took it all in more and savored each moment to the fullest. In my almost 50 years, I think that this Christmas was one of the best. I thought alot about Daddy, Aunt Ree, Mema, Cheryl and Ned. I watched old videos of the family singing the 12 Days of Christmas and getting in the circle and counting. Traditions have changed and new ones implemented, we have lost loved ones and welcomed new ones in and so life goes on.

Patrick and I missed the family Christmas get together at Nita and Ray's because of work but Leslie took some wonderful pictures and video of the night. Mom presented all the little ones with a book of her favorite poems from childhood and they all loved

the books.

Christmas Eve was spent in the kitchen with Lauren and Patrick cooking and baking. They set me up a little desk and chair so that I could oversee and call out the ingredients needed for the recipes. We made lots of deserts and made a traditional Christmas dinner!

The Pigue's came (another tradition)over after we had dinner for desert and coffee

and to exchange gifts.

Mom came over to spend the night (another tradition) and she took her bath and put her Christmas pj's on got settled in her bed and Patrick and I manned the kitchen with the preparations for our Christmas morning breakfast and the sugar cookie decorating. (another tradition)

Before turning out the lights I got the coffee ready with the Christmas cups Mom gave me several years ago (another tradition) and then it was off to bed.

We woke up Christmas morning and had our Christmas toast and sausage pinwheels that Corinne sent us. We opened presents and everyone was delighted with their gifts.

After breakfast, Mom and I settled in the bedroom to watch Christmas shows that I had collected over the past few weeks and then it was time for work. Mom packed all her stuff up and Patrick came to get her while Brad and Lauren went to the Pigue's family Christmas at his parents house.

Then it was all over and this is what remained !

Friday was my fourth annual party for the little ones! We met at the Veranda for breakfast and I was in my glory! What joy it brings to me to see the little ones and to have them all in one place at one time is pure happiness! Brand new baby Will Carter is still too little to come out but he will be at the next one and also we look forward to having Mary Hollis too! (I hope that is the name they will give her) I found a place on line to have books made for each one of them with the story about them. They were just squealing when they realized that it had their name in the story and their friends names too!

Leslie took some awesome pictures with the new camera she got from Russell for Christmas and I am going to make one slide show of everything in the next few days.

A new tradition this year was a girl gathering with Starr and Samantha that we planned back in November. Samantha provided some amazing appetizers and Starr provided the Mimosas. We had a ball just talking and laughing and catching up.

Annual Mother Daughter Day

In Keeping with tradition, Mom and I had our Mother/Daughter day Friday. It has been on our calenders for weeks. We started this tradition in 1998. I pick Mom up in the morning and I have her a caramel swirl capacino waiting. We head to IHOP for breakfast and our planning session. We pull out our shopping lists and compare coupons and get our game plan. After breakfast we headed to Macy's. We found a spot right at the door and Mom was convinced that it was a sign that we were going to be successful. As luck would have it (another sign) someone left a Linens n Things buggy at the door. We discussed it and decided that neither of us could carry anything very well and I could push it for walking so off we went! We did receive some odd looks but I think other shoppers were just wishing they had one too! We went right down our lists getting what we needed and then it was time to go to Starr for our pedicures. After all that walking, it was great. Starr had the cutest animal print notepad and feather pen and a Vera Bradley change purse/key ring for me. When our toes were dry, we were off again to Chick fil-a for a little snack. Then it was to Bed Bath and Beyond. We were laughing over the fact that we were picking up items and saying you get this for my stockling and I will get one for your stocking!

We finished up around 4:00 in time for me to get Mom home for another tradition she has of making chocolate covered cherries with friends that have done this for years. We were tired but it was a great day and another wonderful memory was made!

It's not about the tree.....

Over the past two weeks, our living room and dining room were completely jammed with plastic storage tubs galore filled with Christmas decorations. Since I can not decorate the way I love to, I have had to choose certain things that were a must. I spent lots of time going through each tub and inspecting each ornament. I came across 45 of the balls that Aunt Ree and I spent months creating. We used styrofoam balls and decorated with fabric, beads, pearls, sequins and anything else that we could find at Ben Franklin or Woolworths. (That gives you an idea how long ago they were made) They were our treasures and each year we wrapped them carefully in tissue paper to preserve them. She gave me the treasured ornament collection after I was married in 1984. I still have them and they are have aged over the years but they still contain the wonderful memories today from that precious time spent with her. Patrick and I went through another tub of all of his ornaments. Nita gave him a collection of Crayon ornaments for the first 8 years of his life and then when they were discontinued, she gave him Vanderbilt and other sport related ornaments. He has many ornaments that Mom gave him, some from her trips to New York, Austria and many with his name on them. He has a Big Bird that Tracey gave him on his first Christmas and several from Jacque that were made especially for him. When we got to the bottom of the box, I found this ornament in the picture. It was the first of many that he made for me over the years. He was 3 years old and attending Alta Loma Daycare. It is very worn and fragile but I wouldn't take anything for it. I guess the point of this post is that no matter how fancy the decorations, or how elaborate your house is decorated, the memories are the part that I want to remember. I am not going to be upset that our house doesn't have a tree in every room or that I didn't get to try to make our house look like all the pictures in magazines that I tore out to copy. As Tom Signs reminded Starr and she reminded me, " It's not about the tree".

Make a memory and treasure it.

Happy Birthday Tara !

Happy Birthday to our sweet Tara !

Cline Cookie Swap 12-13-08

Today was the Cline Girl Annual Cookie swap that Leslie hosts for us each year. It was so much fun and another wonderful memory was made. The little ones are another year older and seem to enjoy the decorating more each year. Leslie had a perfect "Martha Stewart" lunch for us all and then we filled our tins with delicious cookies. The day was topped off with entertainment by the little ones and it was priceless to me. We were delighted to have two more Clines added to our group this year, Faye and Alice. Alice made us all cosmetic bags with our monogram on them. Alice also was the co-picture maker!

You are cordially invited to
A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!

Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ
Date:

Every day. Traditionally, December 25but He's always around, so the date is flexible...

Time:

Whenever you're ready.(Please don't be late, though, or you'll miss out on all the fun!)

Place:

In your heart.... He'll meet you there. (You'll hear Him knock.)

Attire:

Come as you are... grubbies are okay.He'll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something aboutnew white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.

Tickets:

Admission is free. He's already paid for everyone... (He says you wouldn't have been able to afford it anyway...it cost Him everything He had. But you do need to accept the ticket!!

Refreshments:

New wine, bread, and a far-out drink He calls "Living Water,"followed by a supper that promises to be out of this world!
Gift Suggestions: ; Your life. He's one of thosepeople who already has everything else.(He's very generous in return though. Just wait until you see what He has for you!)

Entertainment:

Joy, Peace, Truth, Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness,Communion with God, Forgiveness, Miracles, Healing, Power,Eternity in Paradise, Contentment, and much more! (All "G" rated, so bring your family and friends.)


R.S.V.P. Very Important!

He must know ahead so He canreserve a spot for you at the table.Also, He's keeping a list of His friends for future reference. He calls it the "Lamb's Book of Life."

Party being given by His Kids (that's us!!)!Hope to see you there! For those of you whom I willsee at the party, share this with someone today!

Happy Birthday to Drew!

Much love to you Drew on your birthday! I am so proud of the man you are and I love you very much!

I meant to post this article about Drew a month ago so today is a good day to put it here!

By Princeton Premier
Dated: Nov 12, 2008
Drew Maddux, head varsity basketball coach and an instructor for Christ Presbyterian Academy, has been chosen for inclusion in the 2008-2009 Princeton Premier Registry.

Drew Maddux is the head varsity basketball coach and an instructor for Christ Presbyterian Academy, a parochial school that is committed to the education of the children who belong to the Christ Presbyterian Church. Drew has been in this capacity since 2005 and is responsible for teaching classes on speech and the Bible, and for coaching the boy’s varsity basketball team. He is a seasoned athlete who has himself, broken records and been honored with numerous awards for his athletic achievement. This proficiency is the primary reason for CPA’s success. At the conclusion of the ’08 season, CPA ended up 24-3 and 14-0 in the district and won the league title. Drew not only coaches his athletes to play like champions on the court, but to also pursue excellence in every aspect of their lives, namely the classroom. His goal is to prepare student-athletes to be Christ-centered and to equip them with skill sets that will prove priceless in their collective futures. Drew is well known for his exemplary record of service to both the academic and sports departments, and highly regarded for his professionalism. He credits his success to having great coaches and role models and aspires to continued service as an educator and coach to the youth of Nashville, Tennessee. Drew holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Vanderbilt College and serves on the board of directors for the local YMCA. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, travel, and of course, attending CPA basketball games.

In recognition of an exceptional career head varsity basketball coach and an instructor for Christ
Presbyterian Academy, Drew Maddux is being included in the 2008/2009 Princeton Premier Registry alongside the most prominent business leaders and professionals of every industry, from around the globe.

Introducing William Carter Routh!!!!

We are so thankful for this precious healthy baby boy! He will be one week old tomorrow and I still haven't had my hands on him yet but I plan to as soon as I can!

Proud big sister Anni and proud big brother Maddux loving their new baby brother!

Celebrating Brad's Birthday.....

Today Brad had the day off from work for his birthday. Since we were going in different directions yesterday, we celebrated today. Mom and the sisters gave him a hefty Macy's gift card for his gift so we headed there after I got him to run all of my errands. He wanted some new clothes for work so with coupons and gift card in hand we headed to the Men's department. It took just a few minutes to find several pairs of dress pants and a black shirt in his favorite Perry Ellis brand. He tried them on and they fit perfectly! I treated him to lunch at Friday's with coupons I got with my Fridays club points and we had a great time. It seems like ages that we have been anywhere together alone so it was a great outing. Now I am off to work and he is all settled in to watch a movie and keep the dogs quite.

In case you didn't know, Brad hates picture taking more than Ray and Russell put together!

Happy Birthday Brad!

Today is my wonderful husbands 47th birthday!

It makes me so sad to post the passing of Ned Maddux last night. Ned had been in the hospital for the past two weeks with numerous problems but Ned had not been well in years. I have been thinking of many memories of him this morning and I have smiled and shed tears but mostly just smiled. He was always so glad to see you and just fill you up with compliments. I remember telling him one time he reminded me of Eddie Haskell. I always related to him because we were both the child of the family that lived a little different from the rest of the gang. I also related to the way that being with all of the little ones in the family brought him his greatest joy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all that come to read my blog. We have an extra special blessing this year to celebrate, Will Carter Routh arrived yesterday and he and his mom Emily are safe and sound! We have all prayed many prayers for the safe arrival of this little one and our prayers were answered !

Back to Blonde

Today was a long overdue trip to see Samantha and Starr. Brad had been wanting me to go back blonde and when Starr took a look at me, she said it was time too! So, Samantha went to work and changed me back and I told her to go ahead and cut it while she was at it! I think I will really like the length and I hope it will just fall into place all on its own. I decided to post a picture of me hard at work tonight. I probably could not repeat what I am thinking as I take this call. The customers that call into Comcast are for the most part civil but the rest of them are just so worked up over their cable. You would think that it is just total devastation to be without cable. I think alot of it is just the attitude that people from Michigan have. The customers that I am assigned to are from Michigan, Maryland, Virginia and this week we got Florida. You can tell the biggest difference in people from the south. The Southerners are more patient and polite. I told Mom tonight that I get several elderly people a night that call in and just start going into the longest stories about not being able to get the remote to work or they can't watch a DVD. I try my best to be sweet and patient to them because I know how many times I have programmed Mom's remote control and I would want someone to be sweet to her. So please remember when you are calling into Comcast, the person on the other end of the line might be rolling their eyes at you and telling their family stories about you!

An early Christmas Gift!

Well I am officially in the mood for Christmas!! Jacque, Wayne and Jeffrey treated Mom and I to a wonderful evening at Opryland tonight. I have not been inside the hotel in years and just seeing the decorations and the lights was just amazing. We had a fabulous dinner and then it was time for the Louise Mandrell show. She really put on a great show with Christmas music and dancing. There was a big group from Church and it was really nice to see so many people that I have not seen in such a long time.

Just had to post this beautiful sight when I looked out my bedroom door today. I could hear Mom in my head saying "look at those leaves". She always thinks that I do not appreciate the beauty of the fall foliage. This morning I took it all in and I was in awe of the peace and the beauty of what I saw. It seems I get so caught up in all the day to day turmoils and I have to remind myself to find the joy in everything. I received some news from the neurosurgeon last week that was disappointing and I let it really get me down. I am back on a heavy dose of prednisone and that does a real number on me.

So, this is a new day, a new week and as I look out and see this beautiful sight, I am reminded that God is in control and my stuff is so small. I will focus on praying for Emily and Will Carter and the joy that we will have when we see Will Carter's little face! I am praying for Ned as he struggles to gain strength and breathe on his own. I will continue to pray for all the Cline's as they continue day to day without our sweet Cheryl. I am praying for Mom to get the use of her arm and to get her strength back.

My stuff is small. Take in the beauty and always remember that God is in control!

Happy Birthday Chris!

It was no secret how Daddy felt about this young man, he was #1 grandson in more ways than one! Every year on Chris's birthday I think back to when he was the only grandchild and we would just put him in the center of the room and just be mesmorized by him! He could sing every verse of Amazing Grace at 2 years old, he could count, he knew his letters and he loved to preach and wear a tie. I guess it is no wonder that he became an attorney and he can still do both!

Happy Birthday Chris, I am so proud of you and I know PaPa would be too!

Cannon turns 2!

Happy Birthday Baby!!!

Today is Baby Evans Pigue's 5th birthday! I never thought that back in 2003 when MaKenzie Green gave her to me for Christmas that I could ever love her so much. She is spoiled rotten and she rules our house.