Down Home!

Where they know you by name and treat ya like family!  We actually managed a family trip to see our family!  Amazing, since we haven't all been home since Thanksgiving.  It was a fast trip, but so glad we could go.  My Favoritest got to spend some time with his mother while she recovered from a heart attack.  Doodle and I got to spend time with our family and friends.  We celebrated the Jewish New Year.  Doodle was enthralled with the shofar, loved listening to her Bubbie chant from the pulpit, and even got to go up to the torah with me.  All in all, it was a fantastic trip!

September 25 (66/365)
Ready or not here we come! I promise I did comb her hair before we left. 

September 27 (68/365)
Doodle was busy playing on her great grandmother's piano when she looked up and told me "Mommy, Do NOT take my picture!" I stopped immediately. I got the shot.  Love her big curl over one eye.  I hope her Great Grandma Mantel was smiling as big as she and I were!

September 28 (69/365)
This is the smell that tells me I am home.  There is nothing like the sweet gentle scent of a gardenia.  I am convinced they only smell this sweet and fresh in the midst of the hot, humid, muggy southern air that is always present when they are.  This bush is planted right outside my parents' garage door.  I smell it every time I use the key pad to open the door.  It is one of the smells I have missed most while living in VA!  When we walked in the door, I smelled them before I noticed they were still blooming.   

September 29 (70/365)
One of my favorite things about being home is that I get a little break from bed time duty.  Doodle loves to have Bubbie and Zayde read to her, sing to her, and best of all swing her into bed.  This night I snuck up to take pictures of the three of them sharing a story.  

September 30 (71/365)
See ya later South GA!  Didn't even notice it until I uploaded the picture, but in the bottom left hand corner I caught the edge of a hotel sign.  It says "Free Hot".  Which pretty much sums up the weather the whole time we were home!