It’s time once again to honor my top five commenters of the year. They are: Ann Martin: 95 LeeAnne: 89 Phyllis: 75 Kari: 70 Mel: 57. (This is the third year Ann has been number one!)
Here are the top twenty. Love my Commenting Superstars!
I’ll start with a collection of miscellaneous photos. (Click on the first one to see them all full-sized.)
One highlight of the trip was getting to see Nathan’s office at Publix, the company he has been with for a couple of years, ever since the State of Florida lab where he worked closed.
When we arrived, the receptionist buzzed him to let him know he had visitors waiting for him. A LOT of visitors.
As soon as he came around the corner, Madi . . .
and Noah ran to hug him.
One thing that really impressed me is that when we (his mom, dad, sister, wife, son and daughter) showed up en masse, our visit wasn’t treated as an intrusion but as a welcomed event. His co-workers and manager all popped out of their work places and hung out with us for about ten minutes, introducing themselves and chatting cheerily. His manager even took me aside and spent a few minutes bragging on Nathan which, of course, made my mama heart so proud.
Showing his sister around his office.
I don’t quite understand all of Nathan’s job so I asked him to sum it up for me. This is what he said.
I work in corporate quality assurance in the labeling department. We are responsible for reviewing the labels of our private brand products to ensure they meet all the regulations set by government organizations, including health claims, verifying nutrition/calories, reviewing ingredients, ensuring proper allergens are listed and a host of other details.
We also have menu labeling in the Deli and other areas where we help create calories for restaurant type, ready to eat food. In addition, we are involved in the development of new products which we build with special software for nutrition and ingredients. We hand enter this information into a server so that the “scale label” can be printed on products around the company. To sum it up, our main responsibilities are labels, ingredients, food safety, nutrition, claims, and allergens.
If you shop at a Publix store, you can know that Nathan had a hand in the nutrition info you see on many of the products.
On the way home from our visit, we stopped by a Publix that features Aprons Meal Kits. Nathan wanted us to try them because he is involved in compiling the nutritional data for them. The best thing about these meals is that they are doable for any cook with simple, simpler and simplest levels. We got a simple level.
Speaking of kitchens and food, Sheri (Meagan’s mom) had me over to her house one morning for breakfast.
She served me scrambled eggs, grits, bacon, cinnamon rolls, two kinds of fruit, rolls and 3 kinds of jelly displayed on lovely Christmas china. It was a treasured treat to sit with my dear friend, co-grandma, and fellow pastor’s wife and share the ups and downs of our lives. I am grateful that my son married a woman whose mom is so dear to me. (P.S. If you have ever been discouraged as a parent, you must read Sheri’s latest post. It’s an amazing story that brought tears to my eyes.)
by wishing a happy 36th anniversary (Jan. 2) to my fabulous husband. It always makes me smile (actually, laugh) to see what the two of us have looked like through the years. Lots of changes on the outside but the love inside our hearts stays the same.
What about you? On this first day of the new year, I am curious to know how you celebrated New Year’s Eve. Are you a go out-er or stay in-ner?
Me playing catch up on posts again. I was having a problem that every time I came to your site I was getting a pop up about winning some Amazon Card that I could not get rid of the pop up. Had to restart my iPad every time.
Lovely photos! Sarah looks very chic with the new hairstyle! Love it!
Oops, almost forgot to answer your question, We are stay at home on New Years. Not much of partying people and don’t like to be on the road on New Years Eve – quite often the roads aren’t good and too many people drinking and driving.We always make a bunch of snacks and dips and usually grill filet mignon for dinner.
Kari,
I think I could get used to having filet mignon on New Years Eve. Count me in next year! 🙂
Happy anniversary Steve and Becky! May you have many, many more happy years together!
I really like Sarah’s new hair style. She wears it well!
Back in the day, we used to like to go out. However, now we prefer to stay in for New Year’s eve, with friends, hanging out, playing games, etc. You just can’t beat a good house party with good friends. 🙂 This year though, was special as we were in Denver with some old friends and had gone to the Denver Broncos / Kansas City Chiefs football game. After the game, we went downtown for a while, then back to the hotel. It was a crisp, cold night and the view of the city from our hotel was spectacular! We had a front row seat, so to speak, for the fireworks display at midnight. I was born and raised in Denver so it was awesome to be ‘home’ to ring in the new year! 🙂
LeeAnne,
What a wonderful New Years Eve you had; definitely one that was WELL worth going out for. I know you will never forget that wonderful night, or those wonderful moments.
So happy you had such a memorable time.
Happy Anniversary to the two of you! Here is to another 36 years!
Nicol,
I’m all for 36 more years–if I can just find my teeth and glasses. Thanks for the wishes.
First of all…HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! I pray you are having a fabulous day together!
Second, we stayed in…tucked in to our warm home. We were in the -20’s all weekend. Today, we’ve warmed up to 4 above! However, to be honest, I am always a stay-in’er! Even if it wasn’t freezing. I enjoy staying in where I am safe.
I love the pictures of your Christmas. Looks like a great time!
Krista,
If we were at 20 below, I would strap by myself to my recliner and not budge. Brrrr!
I also like staying in on NYE although I suppose every decade or so, I should go out just so I don’t get out of practice. 🙂
Stay warm!
So glad you were able to spend Christmas in Florida! Family is the best isn’t it? Also Happy Anniversary. Oh and by the way in some of those pictures it looks like you are married to Nathan! 🙂
Mary,
Yes, Nathan definitely favors his dad, especially when Steve was younger. And Steve looks so much like HIS dad. I love how the generations replicate themselves.
Yes, family is a wonderful blessing, especially getting to enjoy being with them in FL in the winter!!
Happy Anniversary Becky and Steve. I stayed in on New Year’s Eve. I don’t normally go out anyhow but the cold in KC area would have prevented me from straying far from home. Additionally I was getting over a cold my dad had so graciously given me at Christmas. I did manage to get my Christmas tree down Sunday afternoon.
Having lived in Tampa for almost 13 years, I am very familiar with Publix and their reputation as being a great employer. One of my friends from Tampa has a daughter-in-law that works in their corporate offices I believe. I am not a lover of cold sandwiches but occasionally I would go to their deli and pick up one of their sub sandwiches. Their private label products were always good also.
Phyllis,
Yes, I’ve heard very good things about Publix’ reputation as an employer. So thankful Nathan “landed” there.
It’s always a great relief to get the tree down, isn’t it? We did ours yesterday and, although I miss the lights, it’s nice having the house back to normal.
I stayed in and stayed up to 2 am! Did some “catching up” on the computer and watched the ball drop. I do most of my grocery shopping at Publix. I wonder if ours has the Aprons meals… Happy Anniversary!
Marylea,
I’m impressed you stayed up at until 2 a.m.! Hopefully you slept in late the next morning.
I think the Aprons meals are limited to a small number of stores. They have something called Aprons Recipes in a larger number of stores which I don’t fully understand but it’s another sort of simplified meal prep.
As usual, I celebrated New Year’s Eve on my couch watching TV. We’re experiencing extreme cold for the DFW area – our temps won’t go above freezing for 3 days, so cuddled with my blanket was perfect! I’m so excited to make your top 20 commenters this year! Whether I take time to type a comment or not, I always comment in my mind when reading your posts. And I received my Christmas card Saturday – thank you so much! Wishing you and yours a wonderful 2018!
SueEllen,
Glad the card arrived! And I am ALSO happy you are a top 20 commenter! Thank you for reading and for both thinking comments and writing comments. 🙂
Happy Anniversary!
We stayed home and stayed indoors. It’s horribly cold here.
Stefanie,
Home. Indoors.
Two wonderful words when it is so cold outside.
You post such wonderful pictures and sometimes it’s not just the subjects, but how you take the picture. Such talent!! Was Sarah tired of her old hair style and how did she like the new way – was it for just awhile or will it be permanent? We are on vacation in Florida and it had been a beautiful New Year’s Eve – about 70 degrees and clear skies. We had celebrated our 51st anniversary on the 30th and so just decided to do some walking on the beach and stay in our room. I’m sure others were celebrating enough for us!!! May the Lord hold great and mighty things for the entire family in 2018 as you continue to serve Him.
Sharyn,
Thanks for the compliment on my pictures. I always like to look for an interesting or unusual vantage point.
Sarah hasn’t really changed her hair cut so the swept back style was just a “variation on a theme.” She usually wears it down but it’s nice, when you hae short hair, to have a few options.
How wonderful to be in Florida for your anniversary–congratulations on 51 years! I know it made it extra special to be able to get away a few days.
We went to a musical -School of Rock. Then came home to be an ear for my niece as they are front & Center of a serious family crisis.
Margie,
Being an ear for someone in a difficult time is one of the best gifts you can give. I know your niece appreciated just having someone to unload her thoughts and feelings on. Just getting our thoughts “out there” is so helpful, to me at least. Bless you for being available when needed. That is what family is all about.
watched a hallmark Christmas movie, and actually stayed up ’til 8:30.
how’s that for excitemnt?
Mrs. Pam,
I think you need to tone down the wild celebratory parties just a little bit! 🙂
Great post Becky! My favorite pictures are the one with the 2 grands at the sink, Sarah and summer and the reindeer with the sunset coming through. I love Sarah’s trial new haircut. I really like her hair up off her face, very pretty.
Do you wear contacts now? I notice in your younger pictures you wore glasses, but I don’t ever see any now?
For this New Years I was going to bundle Sarah up and head over to my son’s for a few hours in the early evening. However, a few things transpired that suggested we would be better off staying home: it was only 10 degrees out, they picked up a new rescue dog that afternoon(think ‘chaos’), their current dog got out of the front gate and my son was driving around in the dark and cold looking for her at 5pm (finally found) and as I was still persevering and heading out to warm up the car, he called and said he thought the baby had a fever but the battery in the thermometer was dead so he wasnt sure. That was the defing moment. I went back inside and put pajamas on both of us. LOL. It was a nice quiet night at home, I watched a great documentary on HBOGo about the Boston Marathon bombing survivors. Their personal stories are very inspiring.
Happy New Year!!
Lesley,
That is a lot of stuff to transpire all in one evening. You made a very good call, especially with such cold temps. A quiet night in pj’s is a great thing. 🙂
Yes, I do wear contacts. I just wear one because I can still read up close without any help so the one contact helps me see at a distance. I’m thankful it works out so well.
I love documentaries too, especially of people’s stories in the midst of hardship. I’ll have to keep my eye out for the one you watched.
Oh I am always a stay in-ner and usually a-sleep-er at midnight! Just another night to me so I certainly don’t want to miss out on my much needed sleep! Happy New Year and Happy Anniversary! Absolutely love your picture post. And Thank You so very much for your Christmas card!
Donna,
Let’s hear it for the stay in-ers! 🙂
Glad you liked all those pictures; it was quite a bundle of them! Also glad your card arrived. Happy day to you!
Figured I’d better comment right away in the new year so I can work on retaining my top 20 commenting status. :). Loved your post and lovely pictures of the lovely and various Smith assemblages! Oh and we are definite stay-inners for new years eve. Especially when its well below 0 outside. Happy anniversary tomorrow with much love and a hug or two! ?❤
Love, Deb
Deb,
If it was zero here, I wouldn’t go out for a MONTH. With out wind chill it’s supposed to be down in the single digits though, so we’re getting close to you!
Glad you enjoyed the Smith assemblaged photos. Wish you were there to be part of them! Love to all.
Well Becky!!
Mom and I spent New Years in the hospital! Which I am sure you’ve done that before. No fun but needed. We trying to get her pain managed. Not easy!! But God is faithful even in pain management so we trudge on. I do hope you and yours have a very Happy New Year!!
Catherine,
It is a tough thing when you get the pain under control of someone you love. Although the hospital is not your favorite place for NYE, it’s a good place for getting the kind of care your sweet mom needs. Grace to all of you during this time.
Stayed in and watched the ball and acorn drop. Put up new calendars after midnight so I am ready for today. Have a happy and blessed 2018. Enjoyed all the pictures and reading about Nathan’s work. Happy Anniversary tomorrow.
Ann,
An acorn drops? That’s the first I’ve heard of that–but then again, I’m not real “up” on a lot of things. 🙂
I put up a calendar this morning so you beat me by a few hours. Happy day to you and Jim.
The acorn drop happens in Raleigh, NC. The drop happens at 7 pm for children and at midnight for adults. It is televised at midnight I know. It is part of New Year’s Eve celebration in Raleigh. Mt Olive has the pickle drop but never seen that.
Ann,
Well, that is a new one for me! Since I am one who goes to bed early the acorn drop would suit me just dandy! Thanks for filling me in.