And the Winner Is...

Congrats to mom and Tara for winning the gingerbread house contest this year with their version of "Santa's Workshop."

Winner!  Santa's Workshop by DJ and Tara

Santa's Reindeer Ranch by Brad and LA

Old MacDonald's Farm by Blair and Cara

Pumpkin Winner 2011!!!

The winner of the 2011 Pumpkin Carving Contest is...Super Mario's World!  This pumpkin was created by a good friend of ours, Chris McDougald!

Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?

My nephew, Grayson, turned two on Friday and we were all invited over to his birthday party! Everything was perfect and was filled with so much Sesame Street fun...I think I enjoyed the party just as much as Grayson did!

Everyone wore party hats...adults too!

Pops and baby Sullivan!

Grayson's birthday cupcakes!

Elmo Oreos!

Cookie Monster Blue drink!

The Sesame Street gang!

Happy Birthday, Grayson!  We love you!

Deck the Halls

Bailey with her stocking ;)

I was having the hardest time getting into the Christmas spirit this year and I wasn't sure why.  I thought maybe it was because I'm an North Carolina girl that is used to a much colder December than Charleston has to offer.  Or maybe it was because I hadn't started any of my Christmas shopping yet.  Or maybe it's because I've been trying to hang on to Fall for as long as I possibly can...

Well after a wonderful Thanksgiving spent at my in-laws, Brad and I came home and did our traditional post-Thanksgiving Christmas decorating.  After putting all of my pumpkins *sigh* back in storage, we busted out six large boxes of Christmas decor and made a day of it!  We played Christmas music and reminisced about sentimental tree ornaments.  Slowly but surely our house was transforming from Fall to Winter...and I finally started to feel in the Christmas spirit!  All it took was a little Harry Connick Jr. Christmas tunes, a lit tree, and time spent with my hubby decorating the house.  There is nothing like decorating to get you excited about the holidays :)  Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la!

Willow Tree nativity scene.  

Simple decorating...

My Buyers Choice Carolers...a Jenkins trademark decoration!

This is SO easy to do...I got the pine needles and magnolia leaves from
my back yard.  Free decorations that are beautiful are the best ;)

Ornaments hanging from my dining room chandelier.

Our tree skirt was bought in Truckee, CA on a family vacation.  I think
of Cara and the Besio family every time we put the skirt out.

An easy decoration...and you get to eat it too!  My favorite ;)

My new $4.00 shutters from Habitat Restore.

My grandmother, Mama Ann, always had Andy's Mints on hand.
I bought these to remember every Christmas spent in Red Springs.

Red apples to accent the greenery...

Simple table setting.

I love decorating my tea cups each season.  

The Family Tree

Grayson's FIRST Birthday

While up in DC last weekend watching Bradley finish his FIRST marathon, we were also able to experience another FIRST...our nephew's birthday!  One year ago my sister-in-law labored for nearly THREE days to have this little guy.  What a blessing he has been to our family!  These pictures just go to show you that you don't need to do anything extravagant when celebrating a baby's first...just invite your family and make sure to have LOTS of cake ;)

The icing was his favorite part!

How BIG is Grayson???  SO BIG!!!

Grandma to the rescue!

I think that Grayson will grow up to be like Uncle Brad...check out both of them "texting" in this picture ;)

Bailey's Birthday

Birthday Waffle!

Our little girl has grown up before our very eyes!  She turned 2 this past week, which is 14 in doggie years!  Her birthday kind of snuck up on us, so we didn't really "plan" an evening for her like we did last year.  We ended up just making her the same thing we had for dinner...waffles!

She finished her meal in about 5 seconds...

After dinner she was given a relaxing doggie scritch from Dad.

*Not Pictured...Bailey throwing up her birthday waffle later that evening ;)  Doggies are just like humans, when you eat too much too fast, sometimes you have to pay for it later :)  Woops!  Sorry Bazie...we'll do real doggie treats next year!

My Cup Runneth Over

Whenever my mother-in-law has all of her family surrounding her and she feels nothing but peace, love, and warmth, she always quotes Psalm 23:5..."My Cup Runneth Over."  This past weekend was filled with so much peace, love, and warmth, my cup was boiling over :)  Read on and learn how August 21st, 2010 was such as special day for me...


I was celebrating my 30th birthday (yikes!) and Brad had the whole day planned out.  It started with opening presents, followed by a leisurely breakfast at one of our favorite spots, Charleston's Cafe.  After one sweet potato biscuit, a Diet Coke, and the best french toast this side of the Mississippi, Brad took me shopping (instead of the usual...me taking him shopping) and let me pick out one new outfit.  Ann Taylor Loft was the destination.  I was in heaven.    We strolled around the Town Center and picked up a few more odds and ends and made our way back home to relax until our 5:30 dinner reservation at Magnolia's downtown.  After a delicious dinner, we drove up to North Charleston to spend the evening with his family.  When I walked in the door, SURPRISE!!!  My family from NC and our closest friends were there to greet me!  I was so touched that Brad planned this wonderful evening for me, I fell in love with him all over again.  Thank you to everyone for such a memorable and unexpected 30th birthday.  My cup runneth over...