Christmas in SC part 2

Christmas eve we spent with Greg's family. We went to Christmas mass where Greg's mom directed the music -it was beautiful and the had dinner together. It was yummy. We then played pictionary - kids (Greg, jenny and I) against adults (Kathy, Izzy, Mema, and Pepa). the kids beat the adults by a landslide.

Izzy playing pictionary.

Greg and his sister Jenny going head to head on Christmas morning ( this is when the girls played against the boys)

The girls lost this round...It was quicksand.

Izzy, Kathy, Greg and Jenny

Greg and his sister Jenny Greg and I

Christmas morning we were with Greg's family. We opened presents, ate brunch and headed over to my mom's house. MacGruber trying to get into his stocking.

Macgruber got this toy out of the stocking and immediately started trying to destroy it.

He got out the pigs ear and stopped digging for treats. He was done.

We ate dinner, opened presents and hung out with the family.

The present my brother gave my mom
Imagine my mom saying ahhh.... while opening this present - it was a memory foam matress pad.

Greg and my mom playing hungry hungry hippos with my cousins.

Christmas trip to SC

This year (our first year in another state) we went to SC for Christmas. I was very lucky in getting off for the Christmas holiday - however I did pay a small price to get it off, I worked 48 hours over Thanksgiving. We left on Friday the 18th and I returned on Sunday the 27th. Here's a quick breakdown of what we managed to do while we were there.

Friday the 18th - spent 8 hours in the car driving through rain, sleet, and snow. We drove straight to my in-laws to celecrate Christmas with Gregs dad and Tammy because they we going out of town the next day. We then quicky went over to my mom's house to say Happy Birthday to my little sister Kim. We finally headed to Greg's mom's house to stay for a few days.

Saturday the 19th - We headed to the dealership to talk about getting a new car. Sadly, we left without one. We hung out with Greg's mom, Izzy, Mema, and Pepa - had dinner and played dominoes - Greg tried to cheat at this game :)

Sunday the 20th - We celebrated Christmas with Greg's aunt, uncle and cousins from Columbia, SC. We watched a movie with the family and spent some nice family time together.

Monday the 21st - Baby day! I had lunch with my mom, younger sister and older sister (michelle) who is expecting a little boy in April. We then went to the furniture store and saw the bedding, crib, furniture she is getting as well as picked out a rocker for the nursery. I love the baby stuff and can't wait to be an aunt.

Tuesday the 22nd - did nothing but hung out at my mom's house. Greg actually brought his computer (desktop not laptop) and xbox to SC so if we had some down time he could get some playing in. No I don't mind that he does this - I knew this about him well before we got married.

Wednesday the 23rd - We drove to Columbia, SC to pick up Greg's sister Jenny from the airport. She was flying in from Austin, TX. She got to participate in Greg's obsession with Fuddruckers on the way home (we had to eat there for lunch). That night we went to Tim's new house to hang out for a Hollytrean night. (Hollytree is the subdivision that Greg grew up in and he has 5 friends that all get together when someone comes to visit). We missed Jeff and Beth who were in TN visiting some family. Brian, Todd, Tim and Greg at Tim's.

Kristen, Beri, Brian and Todd - Todd and Kristen live in NC.

Brian and Beri who live in Atlanta, GA.

Next post will be Christmas eve and on... this seemed to be getting to be quite a large post.

Merry Christmas to me!

Just wanted to let everyone know, I got an early Christmas present which I wasn't expecting until January. I passed my boards!! This was one of the most stressful tests I have ever taken and one I don't have to take again for 7 years! I was teaching PALS (pediatric advanced life support class) when my friend and coworker texted me to say that our scores were available. I couldn't stop teaching just to look it up on the computer ( however if I had a blackberry or iphone I could have). At lunchtime I was finally able to look online and it said my certification expires in 7 years but I couldn't figure out how to read the online letter that actually says you passed. After 3-4 more attempts of searching and getting on 2 other computers to try to open this document, I finally saw proof that the American Board of Pediatrics told me I passed!!!! Yay!!! What a relief. I guess my trip to Greg's cousin's wedding the weekend before the boards didn't cause too much of a problem.
I would also like to congratulate the entire pediatric residency class from Greenville for having a 100% board pass rate. This is a big deal for our program. Congrats Rebecca, Rob, Emily, Jessica, Kristy, Amanda, India, and Mary!

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)