Thanksgiving with the Fam

We had a pretty traditional Thanksgiving - T and I headed to my parent's farm Wednesday after work.  We spent the weekend eating, watching football, shopping, shooting guns, and farming.

Our Thanksgiving meal was wonderful.  I contributed a pumpkin pie and my Mom and Grandmother contributed the rest.  We had turkey (that was awesome!), macaroni and cheese, broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, dressing and gravy (my grandmother makes the best dressing!), and more.  It was all so good.

Mattie waiting for a treat..

After lunch, my brother decided we need some entertainment, so we went to shoot pumpkins.  Yes, I admit it, we are rednecks.  I will say, it was great fun and better than just sitting around after such a big lunch.

So my Mom's lovely centerpiece...went from this...

Ready, set, shoot...

To this...

This was T's first Thanksgiving with my fam.  Besides the fact I think we scared him with our pumplin shooting, I think he had a good time.  This is him getting ready to go do farmwork with my Dad  - I'm surprised Daddy let him get in the truck with that Aubarn gear on.

 

My brother knows all about guns, so he decided it was time that my little cousin learn how to shoot.  He taught him on the same 22 rifle that my Papa (granddad) taught him on.  Don't worry - all safety procedures were followed!   My brother was always with him holding the gun and he loved every minute of it.

Here he is learning about how to shoot.  

Later that night, I went outside to find my brother in a tree...literally.  He has started repelling, and besides the fact that it scares me to death, it does seem pretty fun.  It was a beautiful night, so I snapped some pictures of him.  

We came home Saturday night, and made it to church Sunday morning.  After looking for awhile, I think we have finally found a church family we really like!  T and I both grew up Methodist, but have started going to a Presbyterian church.   We attended several churches here and although they were fine, nobody really talked to us.  I know that its hard to know who is a visitor, but it means a lot when you don't know anyone if someone comes up and shakes your hand.  I'm very thankful for our new church this holiday season!

In other news, our good friends are having a baby next Tuesday or sooner...This is my first friend to have a child - SO, question, what's a good casserole to bring after the baby is born?  Or should I even take a casserole?  I'm new to this whole thing...

Talented People

This is my grandmother and I - she is one talented lady.  She is the oldest of 13 children, who grew up in the Depression on a cotton farm.  You can imagine how poor they all were.  Despite these challenges or maybe because of them, my grandmother is one of the most talented people I know.  She can sew, cook like nobody's business, can, garden, etc.  She is awesome, and she is the last of my four grandparents still living.  I am so thankful for grandparents, they are such a gift from God and I'm so blessed to still have her in my life.

Speaking of her talents - she took this heap of fabric and pillow forms...

and turned them into this...I think they turned out great, especially for around 50 bucks for the fabric and pillows.  She is so talented!  I'm sad to say, I struggle to sew on a button!

While I'm showing you the new pillows, here is a view of the living room.  Very cabin - esque, I suppose.  My old house was very girly, with tons of pinks, whites, and green, but I didn't want T to feel like he was living in a sorority house, so I thought this was a pretty good compromise (and he got to keep his deer head, which surprisingly has grown on me).

This lamp is my new HomeGoods find...Love it and that store.  I do serious damage there...

Again, we have deer...everywhere.

And like a crazy person, I went out and bought firewood this weekend.  Keep in mind, we live in Savannah and its still so hot as hades down here - I'm still wearing shorts and my poor pansies look like they are on the brink of death.  I think I've lost my mind, and so does T, but I'm ready for cold weather.  I thought buying firewood would be like some sort of rain dance, and would make it finally get here!

Magazines & Books

There is nothing more exciting to me than reading a good magazine or book!  Since we will be traveling a lot for the holidays, I'm in need of some suggestions for just these things...

First off, magazines...

Since my beloved Southern Accents was canned, I haven't found a new magazine to replace it with.  We currently subscribe to Coastal Living, Traditional Home, Southern Living, and Garden & Gun.  I like all of these, but I've been taking them for YEARS and I'm a little bored.  Also, my subscriptions are up this year, and I'm ready for a change!  Does anybody have some new suggestions on something new to try?

Secondly, does anybody have any suggestions for some good books?  We're flying out to Utah to go skiing (yay!) in late December and I need a good read for the plane ride.  I used to love to fly, but we had such bad turbulence on our honeymoon to Europe, I'm a little hesitate to go back up.  Hopefully, I'll just a have a good stiff cocktail and read a couple of chapters to help ease this anxiety.

On our honeymoon, I read The Piano Teacher and Little Bee.  They were great books, but a little on the depressing side, so I'd like something a bit cheerier for Christmas time.  Have yall ready either of those?  What's on your night stands now?  Anything worth reading?

Also, if anyone wants The Piano Teacher, let me know and you can have it (I've already shipped Little Bee to one of my pals in Charlotte)!   I know its a shame to give away books, but we are limited on space and we have more BOXES of my books still sitting in storage!

Hope everyone is gearing up for a Happy Thanksgiving!  We are leaving for "home" on Wednesday and I can't wait!  Also, can't wait to get back and decorate for Christmas!!!

Thank you...

to our VETERANS!  May we never forget their sacrifices!




 

First Attempt at Pumpkin Bread=

SUCCESS!

See results below...

BEFORE:

24 Hours Later...

Famous Folks

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

So last Thursday, T and I got invited to go to the Savannah Film Festival by some great friends of ours.  I'd never been to a film festival before, and it was a much bigger deal than I had imagined.  They started off the show by giving an award to Sir Ian McKellen or as some of you may know him, Magneto or Gandolf.  Yeah, that guy...

Believe it or not, this grainy picture, is him...

He said a few words, accepted his award, and then the show started...

The movie we watched was called Blue Valentine - and it.... was.... terrible!  Ugh.  Not only was it super depressing, but it had about 6 graphic youknowwhat scenes in it, which I really could have done without.  Anyway, we endured the movie, and truly the only highlight was that Ryan Gosling was the lead actor.  I'll forgive him for playing in such an awful movie, only because he played in a really good movie, anybody remember The Notebook!   Of course you do because it was awesome.  Man, he is cute.  I also really like Rachel McAdams, who I though was great in that movie, too.

Did anybody ever see them accept the MTV award for BEST KISS?  Oh, check it out.  Swoon.  Love them.

Anyway, after the movie, we headed over to a super swank hotel here in Savannah called The Mansion.  Our friends had given us some VIP passes, which meant we got to go eat h'orderves and drink some free cocktails.  The Mansion was really lovely and if you're ever in Savannah, I'd highly recommend staying there.  The hotel overlooks beautiful Forsyth Park and also has a great restaurant!

 Here are some pics of the hotel...

Forsyth Park

 

Pretty fancy, huh?

Anyway, here are some pics from the party!  We had a great time, and I think we're planning to get tickets and go back next year...and hopefully, we will see some better movies! 

Yes, I acted like I had never been out of the house and was taking pictures of the ceiling.  I thought T was going to die of embarrassment, but I thought they were pretty - you never know when your going to need some good design inspiration!

Well, I'm pooped.  It's only 7pm and I feel like its 10pm!  I guess since we "fell back" an hour today, I'll have to get used to it being dark at 5pm!  I'll be back with my Paula story tomorrow!  Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!!!

Sunday Inspiration

The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  

I will advise you and watch over you."-- Psalm 32:8 

I'm official...

Got sworn-in today - I'm the real deal now - a lawyer.  It's been a surreal experience - I can't believe after 3 years, I was finally taking the oath today, while standing next to my husband.  What a whirlwind this past year has been!  I can't say thank you enough to my parents, my grandparents, and T - they were so supportive throughout every step.  I guess sometimes we take for granted our family (bc sometimes they can be er annoying, and I guess sometimes, only sometimes, I am, too) but I am so blessed to have such wonderful, caring, awesome people in my life.

Here are some pics from the ceremony!  Hope everyone has a great and relaxing weekend!!!  PS:  Ate lunch next to Paula Deen today, more on that later.

I admit it...

T and I have a fake Christmas tree.  So lame.  I know.  But it's what we have and we're sticking with it......for now.  My parents never had a fake Christmas tree growing up, so this is a new thing for me.  If we are going to embrace this fake Christmas tree thing, I'm still going to need my house to smell like a fresh frasier fir.  Well wallah!  Bath and Body Works (I haven't been in there in ages - I got burnt out for awhile, but they have some great stuff) has solved our dilemma!  They have this yum scent - that smells exactly like a Christmas tree!  I bought a candle - on sale for $5 - and some of those wall plug-ins, so we are ready for the Christmas season and we will smell like it, too.

T and I are gonna eat some chili (cooked in my new pot - which I love, love, love) and then meet some friends and go to the Savannah Film Festival.  I have no idea what we are seeing, but since the tickets were free, who cares.  Hope everyone is having a fun Thursday night!

PS.  Is anyone watching Grey's anymore???  I haven't watched all season, but I used to love it!  I think I checked out after they killed off Izzy and George.  Good thing, I still have The Office.

Weekend..

We had such an awesome weekend!!!  I got the big news that I passed the bar exam Friday at 4:30 (can you believe they made us wait 3 months to find out if we passed)!  Needless to say, I was relieved, excited, pumped, etc, etc.  T and I went to my favorite restaurant, The Melting Pot, for dinner.  Have yall ever eaten there?  It is delicious and it will put you in a serious food coma!  Saturday we watched football (all day) and sadly, UGA lost yet again to the Gators.  Oh how I hate them!!!!  We also had some awesome trick-or-treaters, who we treated to a load of Reese's, Nerds, and Sweet Tarts.

T got me a dozen roses for passing.  I decided to put them in the smaller vases, so I could enjoy them all around the house.  The vases are really old candle containers - if you freeze them for a day, you can easily pop out the leftover wax, then pop them in the dishwasher.  They make great little vases - and they are awesome for parties bc you can put flowers everywhere.  T has made me stop collecting them though bc now I have so many, I think I could be on Hoarders!

Sunday we went to Charleston for lunch and to shop.  I really didn't buy any except this Le Creuset dutch oven.   I'm really excited about this - a sign of age.  Does anyone have one?  Do you love it?  It was hard to pick a color.  I wanted something fun, but then I got second thoughts and decided I should go for something neutral.  T is expecting lots of great dinners after purchasing this item.  Any ideas for dinner - I need them!

We didn't tour around too much, but I did snap a few pictures...Charleston is so beautiful and old.  I really love it there.

Sweet Husband

He would kill me if he saw this.  Hahaha - can you tell he is the youngest child and the only boy in the family?  Such a show off.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!