Christmas at home

I love the holiday season. There's just something about driving home and spending time with family that is so incredibly special. Christmas Eve we all piled in the car and drove to Grey Gables, where Ginna is getting married in 3 months! Along the way we sang Christmas hymns and songs and drove merrily along.

We baked cookies! Look at that Ginna girl. So proud.

It was a white Christmas indeed.

Andrew came to spend the week with my family and we had a blast! I took him on a tour of Greensboro and introduced him to lots of friends.

We also went to the Duke game and witnessed history!! Congrats to Coach K for surpassing Dean Smith and becoming second place in all-time wins!

Andrew is becoming a Duke fan. :)

Here are the sisters. I can't remember the last time we've spent a solid week together at home. Oh how I love them.

*pictures taken on Lucy, Ginna & Carrie's phones.

It's the holiday season

For some reason this holiday season seems like it's been much busier than in recent years. Perhaps it's the 8 parties we had or being super busy with work, but I am very thankful for time to rest within the next few weeks.

It's been a really fun December with Andrew as we've enjoyed driving around looking at Christmas lights, going to see the Nutcracker, singing Christmas hymns (he brought over his guitar!), watching movies, reading Luke 2 and making dinners together. Not to mention attending a tacky Christmas sweater party. My camera hasn't been working, so thank you to my friend Michelle for the pictures below. Oh! This past Sunday I got in my car and something didn't seem right. Yep, flat tire. Of course I can be so dramatic about these things, but luckily the boyfriend saved the day and changed the whole thing! Ahh, it was awesome.

I'm leaving Charlotte tomorrow and can't wait to be at home with my family. Hope you have a very Merry Christmas.

Cookies!

I could not go to sleep without telling you about this amazing kitchen tool. I use it often when baking and it's such a lifesaver! Seriously, go get one of these and you'll have perfectly round cookies. I love it. I had to made cookies for a Christmas party tonight and they were so little and cute. If you need a good holiday cookie recipe (not that you do... there are so many!), try this one. We've had/have a total of 9 holiday parties. Whew. I've also been sick with a head cold but thankfully that's on its way out. I'm very much looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and relaxing this weekend after a busy, busy week.

I'll leave you with these verses that I love and I've been thinking about lately:

'For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart.' -Jeremiah 29:11-13

Happy Birthday Michelle!!

Happy Birthday Malar! We've been friends since 7th grade and this picture was taken this past summer at one of our old stompin grounds: the Juice Shop at Friendly Center. Mich, you are one of my dearest friends and I hope you have a fabulous birthday!! :)

Happy Birthday Allison!!

It's my best friend's birthday! Yay! We've been friends for a long time:

This might be the oldest picture we have together.
About to leave for Jamaica where Al will meet Brian!

Many fun visits in NYC.

Happy Birthday, Al! Hope you have the best day! Thanks for being a wonderful friend!

Weekend Update

Wow, I had an awesome weekend! Andrew & I went down to Atlanta to visit with some of his family and for him to meet Allison & Brian! It was definitely a great way to start the holiday season. :)