Christmas contd with a Surprise

The following evening we ended back at my dad's house to spend Christmas with Ashleigh, Chad, Alexis, Alyssa , Steven, Rosie, and Don (Diane's parents). So, this is what happened later that evening.

Alyssa is telling her mom, Diane, about her gift and how she may have given her the wrong one. So, she tells her mom to open the other present.

Can anyone guess what the present might be? Take a look at my dad's face in this picture compared to the one above. Also, the hug may give it away.

Yes, This is the new GRANDPARENTS!!! They are so excited along with me. The holidays will be very exciting next year with a little one around. Alyssa and Steven are due with the first child June 5. She is 18 weeks next week, I think I am right! Alyssa will find out what the sex is in February. Look how happy these two are. Instead of their house being quiet , it will soon be filled with toys, books, a baby bed for the new grandchild.

Congrats to Alyssa and Steven. It will be an exciting 2009 for the two of them along with the entire family.

Christmas

For starters, I am a goof. I still need practice in the order of how I upload my pictures. This is Daddy and Diane Christmas morning opening gifts. Daddy is checking out his new Cole Hann dress shoes. Daddy, You will be uptown with those slick city shoes on!

They made Neil go to the workshop to find his present..... A Shop Vac! He has been wanting one. As soon as we got back home to Atlanta, he immediately went to the basement to use the vac.

This is the beautiful tree at Daddy's that we woke up to Christmas morning.


I had to show you a picture of Rocky sniffing out his stocking. We are trying to teach him how to SIT with treats. It seems to be working well. He loved his stocking. This was taken Dec. 23 at our house in Atlanta.

Our Sunday visit

Today my best friend Amy and her family came to visit. It is so awesome to have them close to us again. For the past seven years they have been on the run..... No not running from anyone, just going where ever the Navy sent them. They now live permanently in Chattanooga. It is nice because they are an hour and 45 minutes away. So, the dirve it is not bad at all. Most of the time when I go home to Tennessee, I try to make a detour to Hixson, make a few turns, and a definite left by the PUMP "N" GO and their I am at the Lovitt's. Ok, the PUMP "N" GO.... is this tiny gas station by their house that I just think is the funniest thing! I say it is a landmark when giving directions to their house.

Anyway, this is their adorable children. Carson is becoming such a little boy and Stella, well, looks just like Amy did when she was little, which is nothing more than beautiful. We love our little niece and nephew and hope they come back to visit soon.


PS .. Neil and I are only children , so every child that my freind' s have will be our niece's and nephew's!!!

Deck the Halls

I wanted to share a little of my Christmas spirit around my house. Alot of what you will see were wedding gifts. I was very fortunate to have a Christmas Brunch when I got married last year. The theme was to decorate my home for the holidays. I loved everything I received

The Chef Santa was a purchase I made this holiday season. I already had the gingerbread house and thought that he would be perfect for my kitchen.

The gingerbread train and candies were already mine as well. I thought gingerbread was perfect for the kitchen.

The snowmen, the ones to the right top were given to me by the hostesses of my bridesmaid luncheon. It was awesome at the luncheon, everything was decorated for Christmas. I bought the Santa group at the top left to match the other couple. The snowmen at the bottom was also another purchase this year. The picture of the tree is the tree that was at my wedding reception. I will try to get a larger picture of it. It was Beautiful!!!

These trees were given by Beverly and Donna. They are so delicate and shiny, perfect as a trio!

The two Santa's in front were mine, but the one in the back Neil's mother gave me.




Just a close up of some ornaments , the JOY is from the CO-OP in Shelbyville. If you have never been there you should visit. It is unbelievable at the gorgeous Christmas decor they have. Alot of what you see like the ornaments, Red and gold trees, the Snowmen etc came from there.

Our tree!!! I just love my tree topper. Thanks Ashleigh, another wedding gift!!

This is one of my favorites. My famous buffet. I love this piece of furniture. I also adore the fancy Snowman, it also came form CO-OP. The Santa below plays music and was also another wedding gift.

Thank you to all of you who gave such wonderful wedding gifts. If you haven't noticed by now, I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! I love to decorate. I get so excited when the ornaments are released , usually July, a tad bit early, but I still love finding the pretty ones early.

I hope all of you have the Merriest of Christmases and Happiest of New Years this year. I can't wait to come home and visit all of my friends, especially Avery, The Frost's newest addition. I will have pictures to post after Christmas of this darling bundle of joy.

Happy Holidays,

Andrea

You tell me.....

OK, everyone who was at my wedding knows the disaster that was going on before I arrived. However, the picture at the bottom with the B topper was taken before it fell over and was leaning and the topper was messed up. YES, I am still BITTER. I understand I should be over this ,but everything was perfect about my day except for the FIASCO OF THE WEDDING CAKE...

Let me give some details. My cake as far as the layers being square and round are right. The taste, PERFECTION, the icing and designs, WRONG. The first one is the effect of the swirls that I wanted, DID I GET THAT ON MINE.. NO.

I can't help I am still a upset about it. Neil tells me it makes it memorable, Memorable HELL. I didn't want it to be remembered this way. I told him in a couple of years if I have to fork out hundreds of dollars to get the cake I want I am going to , maybe our 5th wedding anniversary.

Even the layers were all about the same size. They should have been smaller as they went up. I can't help myself, I am just still sick when I look at the pictures.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, it tasted fantastic. Everyone told me how wonderful it tasted. The groom's cake was gone before I could blink. So, Neil and I whipped this cake out on our one year anniversary. It tasted just like the day we got married.... UNBELIEVABLE!!! I was on a sugar high all last week. I took the rest of it to work and they raved over it.

Does the taste make up for the way it ended up?
You tell me....




Model Cake

Our 1st Anniversary

Neil and I said "I do " one year ago today. I can't believe how fast this year has passed. I have to say the first year came with some adjustments, but overall I would give it a 8.5! We had to learn each other's habits

Neil

1. sleeps with tons of pillows ( gets in the way and gets on my nerves)

2. likes to keep his stuff in a pile on the catch all in the kitchen (wallet, keys, ring, watch, etc) gets on my nerves

3. leaves his plate on the side of the sink with food left on it after he has been asked to just "rinse it off and I would put it in the dishwasher...) gets on my nerves

4. SNORES.... do I have to say anymore... gets on my nerves

5. Loves me for all my faults, Now that I LOVE!!!

Andrea

well, uhm, I am the one writing this post. So, no I am PERFECT!!!!

I wouldn't have changed any of the above. It makes him special and I am so lucky to have him as my best friend and husband. I love everything about him and was blessed the day he asked me to marry him.

God Bless the Broken road that I traveled because I never would have met you.

I love you, Sweetie.

Andrea