Birmingham To Atlanta... Meeting Mailon!

How about some more football...

 With our friend Tucker...

... The future Auburn vs. Alabama rivalry... 

We had so much fun staying with Emma Raines, Tucker, Finley, Natalie and Wayne for one night... We are always so thankful for their hospitality and Wayne even made a wonderful fire that my kids loved.  I am so thankful our children have been able to visit a few times this year!  They always have so much fun!

After we left Birmingham we drove to meet my cousin Jennifer, her husband Dave and NEW BABY Mailon who live in Mobile, AL!  Just worked out that we were able to meet up while they were visiting my aunt and uncle in Griffin!  I was thrilled!!  Mailon is PRECIOUS!  We had lunch but Karoline was developing what ended up being a very high fever so I was quite distracted with her during our quick visit!  I hated that but something is better than nothing!  Living so far apart I was thankful we could meet in the middle.

My Aunt Betty Jo with Mailon... 

Friday turned out to be quite the day... we had to get my dad on the phone to get a hotel in Buckhead LAST MINUTE on the day before New Years and New Years WITH the Chick-Fil-A Bowl going on!  He amazingly was able to get us a great room close to Brent and Leigh's house with his hotel points and we headed straight to the CVS and to the hotel to put our fever stricken daughter in the bed.  We were afraid she was getting the flu since Linda had had the flu.  We made tentative plans on what to do Saturday since we had tickets to the game but just PRAYED we didn't have to follow through with them. She wanted to go to the football game so badly!

She slept all day and would get a fever, then it would break and she was wired as any other healthy child... then a fever again... it got up to 104.3 at one point and I think that was the last one she had.  Through the night she slept fine and woke up fever free!!!!  She felt great and we headed to spend a little time with Pressley and Jackson, and Fairley... the CUTE new puppy.

This guitar has been in my family for YEARS!  We found it in our driveway (in a case) when I was in elementary school... Leigh gave it to us to continue the family tradition :)

We got to visit and then headed back to the hotel but made a WONDERFUL detour to The Cheesecake Factory!  It was wonderful!  Then we rested, didn't want Karoline to overdo it, then got ready for the big game.  Leigh was sweet and made sure we were well fead before the game and Brent was sweet and drove us to the Dome, thankfully 2 miles from their house.  We were BEYOND thankful Karoline was well and we could enjoy the game as a family!  .... We were ready to ring in the new year with an AUBURN WIN!

To Alabama... To Mississippi...

We headed to Birmingham for Aunt Loretta's annual Christmas party.  The kids were spoiled with fun gifts and we all loved our time with Aunt Loretta, Mark, Karen, and everyone else!  It was a wonderful time!  The kids get so excited when we get to go visit Aunt Loretta!  

After the Christmas party we continued driving west, in the dark and horrible rain might I add, to Jackson, Ms.  TJ's dad remarried this summer and it was our first time meeting Linda.  We were thankful for a few hours we got to visit with her when we arrived because the next morning she woke up with the flu and stayed in her room the rest of our trip.  We had fun with PopPop playing football, going to the park, movies, and just hanging out.  It was a long drive but worth it! 

Christmas Day Part 2- Calloway Gardens

Considering we had to be in Alabama on the 26th, we thought it would be good to get a head start and we headed to one of my favorite places on earth, Calloway Gardens.  I spent summers there as a kid and we would always go for Fantasy In Lights around Christmas time.  We got to see some fun friends from the North Pole before our trolley ride through the lights.  

 We loved the Auburn tree...

 Well this Auburn Santa was meant for me... My name at the top of the list AND 50% off... 

 Some hot chocolate and treats our friend Whitney from Myrtle Beach made us were PERFECT before our ride through the lights.

 Karoline's favorite...

 We stayed the night and got up for a wonderful buffet breakfast...

All dressed and ready to go see Aunt Loretta and the rest of TJ's family... 

Christmas Day, Part 1

 SANTA CAME... We had a wonderful Christmas Day which started bright (actually dark) and early at 6:30.  Called my parents and they headed straight over.  Got our coffee cups filled and woke up the kids.  Karoline specifically asked for a Rapunzel Baby Doll, luggage, and a radio/ speaker for her iPhone. Anderson asked for Dr. Porkchop (the pig bank from Toy Story), luggage, and also a radio/ speaker for his room. Santa delivered along with a few more goodies... snow cone maker, golf clubs...

 We know Santa is an Auburn Fan so we wanted him to feel at home...

 You can't really see, but Anderson got Gandaddy a video of the Auburn/ Alabama 2010 game. 

We enjoyed a YUMMY breakfast and then got ready to pack up the car and hit the road... part 2 coming soon...