My craftiness

At our old house in SC, my front door was black and had a storm door. Beautiful but bad for front door wreaths. Needless to say, my Christmas wreath that my mother made me melted while being displayed on the front door. So this year I went out looking for a new wreath. I started pricing some beautiful wreaths but they we anywhere from $30-60! I'm too cheap to spend that much, so I decided that I would try my hand at making them. I bought a wreath, some ribbon, poinsetta flowers and some other decorative items. Here is the finished product. I will say for my first time making a wreath, I'm quite proud of it!

Annual Cabbagetown Chili cookoff

Every year the Hollytreens get together in atlanta where Brian and Beri live to go to the annual Cabbagetown (the park where it is held) Chili cookoff.

Brian, Jeff, Tim and Greg

The layout is simple. You buy a spoon for $5. There are individual tents and restaurant tents lining the streets. They start serving chili at noon. You eat until you are full or there isn't any more chili to eat. They serve the chili in small dixie cups, enough to get a taste of the chili. Some tents give out cheese and sour cream with their chili. Some tents give out cornbread. A few put tortilla chips in their chili and one tent actually put a tatertot in their chili. Impressive.

Here are a few examples of the tents lining the street.

Look at all those people. Every year there are more and more people.

This is one side street leading up to the main park.

Another side street leading up to the park full of tents. This is beofre they started serving the chili at noon. Look at Greg in the background waiting for his chili with his spoon ready. Yes that is Brian in the front with a bandana on his head. His work had a booth named the Cobra Chi - the team from Karate Kid and he was supporting them.

Greg and I probably sampled about 50 chili's and still didn't taste them all. We took a break and had a nice cold beverage. I like the sweetwater blue flavor b/c it has a blueberry taste. Yummy.

Then we all took a break from eating chili. Jeff and Elaina playing on the stone sculptures

Greg relaxing in the park. This park had music playing by a local blue grass band. Everyone was sitting on the grass and enjoying the 70 degree weather.

Tim and Greg.

Elaina and I played ball together.

Now this year was a little different for Greg and I. Normally we drive down on Sat morning from Greenville and spend the night with the Irvings. This year Greg went to Greenville the week prior and spent some much needed time visiting with his mom, dad and his buddies. I flew down from VA on Sat morning into atlanta. I was delayed by 2 hours b/c the deicing machines at the airport broke and couldn't deice the planes. We had to wait for the sun to thaw them out and then we could leave. I think I have now heard of everything.

Ok, these are for Greg's mom and dad. I thought that you guys would enjoy them. We went to a park near Brian and Beri's house to let the dog run and let Elaina play. Greg is still a kid a heart and likes to play on swingsets.

This slide on the left was so steep. After he went down it he fell into the dirt. The slide below was just for fun.

Macgruber pics

I though I would share some Macgruber pics. I forget that some of you are not on facebook and I should post my pics on the blog. Enjoy...


Macgruber watching football.

Macgruber trying to get me to play with him while I am on the laptop (he has a squeaker in his mouth from a toy)

Macgruber cuddling with his mom and dad. He has one of his favorite toys and greg's legs are on the right and my leg is on the left.

Macgurber is snug as a bug. All you see is his head popping out.

Greg and I have now spoiled Macgruber into taking naps on the couch. He can't jump up on the couch so we actually have to put him up there.

Oklahoma trip

I can't figure out this blog thing today... the story is at the bottom and the pics are in reverse. So Sorry!

Pepaw dancing with Aunt yoyo

The mother of the groom - Greg's aunt Jean and the groom Stephen

Jenny and Stephen

Grega and his Uncle Steve

Memaw and Pepaw

A mashed potato bar that looks like a sundae, i guess this is what they do in Oklahoma

Greg and I

Amanda looking on as her brother ties the knot ( she is the bottom left)

The happy couple Kellie and Stephen

Father Tom married them (he also married Greg and I)

waiting for the bride (amanda is top right)

Aunt Jean walking down the aisle

Kellie about to walk down the aisle and Stephen waiting

Greg and I at the wedding

The wedding site and a beautiful sunset

Just beautiful

so sorry I haven't blogged in a while. Just to update you guys what we have been up to. In October, we flew out to Greg's cousins wedding in Broken Arrow Oklahoma. It was the weekend before my boards so it was a very very quick trip. We flew out on a thurday night, went to the wedding on Friday night and flew out at 6 am on Sat morning. Wow! what a whirlwind. I was great to see all of Greg's family there. We had a blast! here are some pics from the wedding.

Greg and his sis - Jenny

greg playing with his cousin's sunglasses (amanda)