{Another year has gone by...}

I can't believe that 2009 has come to an end. This has been one of the most challenging years of my life, my faith has been tested like never before. I will not be sad to ring in a new year and have a fresh start. There is something so comforting about the start of something new, even if it is just a new calendar...


Here is our year in review:

January

We rang in the new year with a NYE/30th Birthday party for Chad and cheered the Dawgs to victory on New Years Day. We had a fun date night in Atlanta where we saw the Bodies exhibit and ate a yummy dinner. Baby Vinson was born, without a doubt the cutest baby boy ever. And no, I am not partial because I am related...

February

Got to celebrate Grandmom's birthday with her, got sucked in to Twilight and I chopped off all my hair {it was not a good look on me}. I went to the Chick fil a headquarters for the first time...AHHHHHMAZING.

March

It snowed a ton, on Grandmama's birthday. It was our the first since she passed so it made it not as sad, God sure does work in mysterious ways...Daddy turned 60!!! {You don't look a day over 55 Daddy:)}

April

Spent lots of time with Jack and it rain. And rained. And rained. And rained. {that seemed to be a theme all year long}

May

I turned 28 and we celebrated with a cook out with friends. We celebrated our 3rd Anniversary by cooking an amazing meal and watching American Idol.

June

Celebrated Beth and Ramsey's Wedding with family and wonderful friends. We went on an amazing vacation to Ponte Vedra and St. Simmons. Chad got to fulfill a dream of playing Sawgrass, it was worth every penny to see him that happy.

July

We celebrated the 4th of July at my parents annual party. We celebrated Judy and Johnny's 40th Anniversary at Stoney River. It was right before we found out Johnny's cancer diagnosis and this dinner will always have special memories for us. {We can't wait until March to go back and celebrate the end of chemo!!!} At then end of July we went to Biloxi with the Mullins and the Fowlers and had an absolute blast!!!

August

August was a trying month...Johnny got his cancer diagnosis and had surgery to remove the cancer. Chad also had surgery on his deviated septum. He was so entertaining while drugged up...We got to see my cousin Beth and meet her new baby and new husband. Realized how incredibly important family is...

September

Went to my 10 year reunion at Opera. It was a blast! Baby Kate was born, it is so amazing to see your good friends become parents. Football started, too bad it was such a disappointing year...

October

Cheered on the Dawgs more, it did become more and more challenging as the season went on...We went to Highlands, NC to enjoy fall with Judy and Johnny. Jack spent the night with us and Chad asked "don't we need to put his deodorant on him?" as we got ready in the morning. Still one of the funniest things I have ever heard. Momma and Daddy came over on Halloween to watch the Georgia/Florida game and hand out candy.

November

Watched as the Dawgs lost to UK...it was horrible. Saw New Moon with Jeanine and celebrated Thanksgiving in Chattanooga with the family, it was wonderful.

December

Baby Harris was born, and cute as a bugs ear. We lost Chad's uncle Arthur Lee and celebrated his life with family. Christmas was wonderful with family and we celebrated Chad's birthday by cheering the Dawgs to victory in the Independence Bowl.




In 2009...
Loved ones were lost, missed so much and entered into the world.
Friendships changed- some good and some not so good.
Our marriage become stronger than ever.
My faith grew and my worship lessened.
Our family remained just the two of us, maybe not what we planned but we are at peace with where we are right now.
We both continue to enjoy what we do, even more of a blessing than we could realize a year ago.
We both dealt with health "issues" that we weren't aware of a year ago.
Continue to be blessed beyond measure.


Tomorrow morning we are headed to Biloxi with Mandy and Chris so we plan on ringing in the New Year in our pjs with takeout. There is sure to be lot of laughs when Chad and Chris get together, looking forward to a low key New Years.


So Happy New Year to you. Cheers, heres to an amazing 2010.

Chad, Charlotte and I must have been good this year because Santa brought lots of loot. We have had a wonderful 4 days celebrating the birth of Jesus!

Charlotte got tons of toys...

and a bone {which tastes like peanut butter} bigger than her.

Chad got lots of Brooks Brothers clothes and some new fancy bar ware. He also got a PS3 and I gave him The Hangover blue ray...we are watching it for the 4th time as I type.

And I must have been REALLY good this year...

Why hello Mr. Vuitton, and a very Merry Christmas to you too.

I am so tired and still have to take down all of the decorations before Friday. I think this year I will be following Grandmama's rule in that all Christmas decorations must be down or else we will have bad luck.

Hope you and yours had a WONDERFUL Christmas.

{A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices!}

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

From our little family to yours, Merry Christmas.

{Twas the night before Christmas...}

and I finally feel like it is Christmas. Kind of. Growing up can really suck sometimes. I hated working up to Christmas Eve. I felt so rushed to do everything that I never had time to just relax and enjoy. Note to self, plan vacation days better next year...

On Tuesday night we went to Commerce and Judy and I made Tea Cakes. More tea cakes than I have ever seen in my life! It was fun and helped with the Christmas spirit. My momma and I made "Nanny Cookies" every year and it was always to fun, the dough is better than the cooked cookie.

At the end of the night, 4+ hours after we started...

Of course I had to monogram my tea cakes! And how cute is Gingerbread Nathan?

Today was the Eubanks Christmas extravaganza, so fun to see Jack open up his toys. Ahhhh to be 4...

{Tis the season to be merry...}

We had a great weekend. We celebrated Uncle Arthur Lee's life, spent a lot of time with family, celebrated with good friends, shopped all weekend and meet sweet baby Harris.

Now its work, wrap, cook, repeat until Thursday...



and hopefully National Lampoon Christmas Vacation will be thrown in there. I have yet to see it all the way through this year.

Friends since the second grade!!! How amazing does she look, she gave birth last Wednesday!

Harris, cute as a bugs ear!!!

{Wordless Wednesday: Charlotte's new t-shirt}

{Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...}

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at our preppy abode. Last weekend we got our tree...

a very rustic trip to get the tree, our local Home Depot.

The guy who sold us our tree looked like Kenny Rogers, I wish I could have gotten a picture of him.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

Our live tree in the den.

Our UGA tree, the fake one, in the front room so the street can see our festiveness.

Dining room with my Fitz and Floyd Santa pitchers.

Kitchen table with my grandmothers Christmas dishes I inherited a few years ago.

I love all of the decorations. I love when I get home at night and it is dark and Chad has turned on all of the lights, it IS the most wonderful time of the year.

{Wordless Wednesday}

{Weekend recap}

This perfectly sums up our weekend, perfection...

{Roundup...}

Its been a while since I have posted, I know you all have been on pins and needles...Here is what we have been up to.

* We cheered the Bulldogs on Saturday night as we handed the ball game to Kentucky. Yeah, it was not awesome. At all. {I did wear a super cute puffer vest from Target though, it is reversible with a red/black plaid on the inside! Right now it is only $7.50...}

* We celebrated Thanksgiving numero uno on Sunday at Chad's parents house.

* We went to to Chattanooga, what what, on Tuesday to celebrate Thanksgiving number 2. Driving on the day before Thanksgiving in the WORST idea in the world. It took over 3 hours to get there, it is only a 2 hour drive...

* We had so much fun chillaxin with the fam on Thanksgiving- there was coloring, parade watching, cooking and pee in your pants funniness.

* Decorated our house today and only changed out of my pjs to go grab lunch.

* We had a his and hers haircut date at Great Clips. I normally pay $50 for a haircut and it takes a while to get an appointment, I love my girl and will only see her, and my ends were fried {I mean looked like burnt straw at the end of my hair}. I don't know if I will be going back, $14 just isn't worth it.

* We will be putting up the fake tree tomorrow, it is a Bulldawg tree and just cute as a bugs ear! I hope it will help us pull out a win against Tech. That would be a Thanksgiving miracle!!!

* I love, love, love waking up drinking coffee, staying in my pjs until noon and snuggling with Charlotte in the mornings. I could so do the stay at home dog mom thing...That makes sense, right?

I didn't brave any stores, I did shop online though. Did you brave the crowds?

{Wordless Wednesday: Cute nephews}

McKay, Elvis and Jack

Saturday night we went to see The Jesters in downtown Braselton. We had our own little Chastain up here, it was a blast! {and I got the most wonderful phone call from BFF Katie during the concert, that made it even MORE fun!!}

Clay, Kristy, Chad and me rocking out...{freezing!!!!}

The Jesters- such a fun band. They would be amazing for a wedding reception. I know they would get the whole wedding out on the dance floor!

{Two bits, four bits, six bits a dollar}

Happy homecoming! We celebrated Commerce High School and UGA's homecoming this weekend. I love football so I had a blast cheering on the tigers and the bulldogs...

Lauren and I at the Commerce game. I was an honorary tiger that night, being with 3 alumni and all...

I like high school football, it goes by super fast. And they had sparkly crowns and queens!!!

Tailgating for the UGA/Tennessee Tech Homecoming game.

Grady College of Journalism class of 2003!!!

Love, love, love the old cheerleaders!!

{A Christmas wish}

Email I received from Chad yesterday afternoon:

Subject: CAN I HAVE THIS?

Dear Baby,

I would really be responsible for it, feed it, and clean up after it.....please, please........Would it have to be birthday and Christmas? {and for some reason he writes in all caps...is he yelling???}

Ummmm, sometimes my husband leaves me speechless...

{Happy Halloween!}

What do Chuck Bass, Kim from Real Housewives of Atlanta and Jon and Kate Plus 8 have in common? 

They were all part of my Halloween at work yesterday. I dressed up as Chuck Bass, brooding and all, my team's pumpkin was Kim from RHOA and my favorite costume was Stewart and Erin dressed as Jon and Kate, complete with 8 babies.

Chuck and Kate.

Super good brooding...

My pumpkin team {Who gonna check me BOO?} and our amazing pumpkin.

I think the scariest part of this Halloween is that we have to play the Gators, yikes!