Some southern love with Charlie's family, and Christmas for a Jew :-)

I had my first Christmas in college with my college boyfriend's family. We broke up the next week (after being together for 4+ years, so you can imagine how that went).

Last year Charlie and I had a small Christmas together. It was secular and based on being together and presents, which is what I"m told a large amount of Americans do to celebrate Christmas anyway, so I was okay with it, being Jewish and all!

This year, Charlie left for his deployment on the 18th, and I was on the east coast, so I decided to stop over in Alabama and Kentucky for a few days to spend with his family. Even though I wasn't there on Christmas (i was in Arizona for a Jewish Educator's conference, ha!), we opened presents together and it was awesome.

I flew into Alabama and Sarah picked me up. I LOVE spending time with her, she's truly become an older sister to me, who gives me advice etc. Her hubbie Hunter was on a short business trip, so I got to have her and Mister Will all to myself.



He was a little tired and shy at first. And don't worry, we were stopped for some take out, not driving that way!

Will is probably thinking "Aunt Avigail, I kind of remember you, give me a moment to warm up to you again"


By the next morning, I snuck him into my bed and got these sorts of smiles - you should have heard the laughs!


Sarah went to work that morning, and since Hunter was still on his business trip, I had a car to myself. She encouraged me to drive to Auburn (2 hour drive) to visit Uncle Jim and Aunt Jill and the kids for the day. I LOVE LOVE LOVE being with them. Uncle Jim is Charlie's youngest Uncle, who he still thinks of as being 29 years old. He is big and tall with a heart and sense of humor to match. I don't want a year to go by without seeing this Perry family!

When i asked him to snap a pic of me and my new cousins, I got this:


Followed by these:
Just the girls:




And then all the kids:




I somehow didn't snap one of Aunt Jill. Sad. Guess we'll just have to have another visit soon.

When I left after dinner, they all stood outside the door waving and yelling "We love you!". I know this is such a little thing, but I just about burst into happy tears from all the love (I didn't, but when I thought/wrote about it now I almost did!).

Before going back to Sarah and Hunter's house in Birmingham, I had to stop at CVS to pick up a prescription. Actually let me back this up a bit. Earlier that day, before heading to the Perry's, I stopped at Walgreens for a prescription. Lo and behold, they doesn't accept tricare. Um, what? Really? One of the two largest pharmacies (I think! Haha) doesn't work with the military's insurance? How is this not more public?

Anyway, I asked the guy to call it in to CVS for me, making sure the pharmacy stayed open late, since I knew I'd be driving back from Auburn. In Boston, Jason (my sister's amazing boyfriend) gladly told me and Charlie that you could officially download google maps to your iPhone again, instead of apple maps. However, since I was driving and using Siri for my directions, it defaulted to Apple Maps. Well, at around 11 or 12 at night, I arrived here:


That doesn't look like CVS to me, even in the midst of wonderful southern hospitality!

Frustrated, I found a way to get there with google maps (instead of apple maps), and when I got there, the guy from Wallgreens hadn't called it in!!! I know that this isn't a real life problem, or you may call it a "first world problem" but BOY was I frustrated!

The next morning we left at the ass-crack of dawn to go to KY. I slept in the car while Sarah and Hunter chauffeured me and Mister Will :-)

In Kentucky, we stayed at "Grandy's" house, which is on his farm, and adorable. Also visiting were Buddy (charlie's brother) and Carol and their kids. I had never met their kids and fell in love instantly! Especially when Sarah Grace let me braid her hair in all sorts of different ways! What I loved most was how these little kids were so excited to babysit and hang out with their cousin!


Jonathan, Buddy and Carol's Youngest, wasn't sleeping over at Grandy's, and so we had to get him bundled up and warm for the ride back. Would ya look at this combination of clothes?


Sarah zipping him up:


Good night hugs from Auny Sissy (whose recipes will be highlighted in later posts)


Over the next few days we just hung out with family and had fun. Buddy found me this gem:




Sarah Grace let me do her hair some more:


But most importantly, we got prepared for some special nuptials. On Thanksgiving, Paula, Charlie's mom, called us and told us she was getting married over Christmas! How amazing that I was already planning on spending that time there with them!
Hunter and I ventured to (this is literally the name:) Tinytown, TN, to pick up a small wedding cake for them. Of course we got lost but we had a great time, I love that I got along with him since Sarah is so special to me!

Here's the cake all set up:

When we got back Sarah had been working up a storm to get the house decorated, and it looked amazing. Here she is with some of the flowers:


She blogged about the wedding in greater detail here.

Dan, or "grandan" as the grandkids called him, has been in Paula's life since they were little kids! They make each other so happy and I am beyond thrilled for Paula and the happiness she has found. One of the most touching things was that Paula wanted to use some of the blessings that I interpreted from the sheva brachot at my wedding. Specifically, she wanted Sarah to read the one she read at our wedding, Buddy to read the one they read, and me to read the one she read. I absolutely love how this carried through from our Jewish Ceremony to their Christian ceremony!

Here is Dan ready for his bride in the front porch of Grandy's house:


All the family (except the bride and groom) on Grandy's porch

Kiss under the mistletoe!


One of my favorite things about Sarah and Hunter is that every time I've spent time with them, they have this special cuddle time in a love seat. I love seeing her sitting in his lap and watch them interact, they are so in love! Here is the should be pro-photographer checking her 500+ pictures during their special hubby/wife time:


And of course while they were sneaking some hubby/wife time I tried to sneak as much baby time as I could:

That evening we opened Christmas presents, since Sarah and Hunter and myself were leaving on the 23rd. I loved that they put a cowboy hat on their tree! How southernly authentic!


I loved the gifts that I received SO much (including a camera strap cover Sarah made for me with her sewing machine after I mentioned how much I loved hers!). More specifically, I loved GIVING gifts! I know it sounds lame and cliche, but I get so excited when I figure out exactly what to get someone.

Sarah used her sewing machine to make the "babies" of the family these matching PJs:

Can' get any cuter!!! And you shoulda seen the near dozen adults acting like monkeys behind the camera to get those smiles!

Some of the food served over the weekend that I just loved (albeit, not the best for my waistline) was:
-sausage balls (ummmmm, have any born and raised westerners heard of these? SO YUMMY!
-cucumber dip (I have a "healthy" version sitting in my fridge right now!)
-Aunt sissy's crazy bread (recipe coming when I make it and snap pictures)
-Jam cake with brown sugar frosting

I want it all! Speaking of recipes, I made a yummy french onion chicken last night but didn't snap pictures. I'll snap one of the leftovers and post the recipe.

Good to be back, Y'all!!!

Engagement Pictures

Craving: something to check off the wedding to-do list!

Back in February, Charlie got me my dream present for Valentines Day, a Canon Rebel.
AMAZING. I love that I can take professional looking photographs now. Sadly, most of my blog pics are still from my phone, just because I always have it with me.

Our good friend, Ryan Malone, is our wedding photographer, but it was already July 4th and we did not have our engagement pictures. I started getting nervous and decided to ask Charlie's Uncle Will to snap some of us at the family Lake House.

My instructions for Uncle Will? "Just keep clicking, take pictures the whole time."

My instructions for me and Charlie?
1. Look online at engagement pictures and see what you like.
2. Have a beer. Or two. (seriously, this helped us).

There were SO many pictures. SO many. It was so hard to choose a few good ones. Uncle Will did such a great job, Thank you!!!

Here are some of my favorites:

Yes I know the photoshop on that is kinda overdone w/the sepia etc, but I love it!!! We actually chose that picture for our ketubah (Jewish marriage contract), and are having the text that we sign printed over the picture ( I used photoshop to do it, easy-peasy if anybody wants it done), and then we had it printed on a canvas from Sam's Club. Sam's and Costco both do canvas prints and it's much cheaper than going off of etsy.

After our engagement pics (and the two beers) we decided to jump off the dock. Dressed. Two beers in I was still clear enough to realize to change out of my silk shirt and put on a swim top!
Enjoy us jumping in!



Ready???



Set....



Go!







The really funny pictures come next when we jumped in again. I guess when I jumped in the first time my swim suit top fell a bit from the impact. Well on my second jump in, you can see that my hands are....supporting myself, shall we say, the WHOLE WAY DOWN! Hahaha. I didn't even realize I did that, but only Charlie gets to see my girls :-)

Back to July: "I want an apple for my birthday"

Craving: Catching up on the blog! Expect many posts and recipes coming soon.

No idea why I fell off the blogging bandwagon. I have replaced it with scentsy and wreath making. And working out - been working out a lot! Wedding weight goal - I will do it!

Back in July I turned 24 again (for the 4th year in a row).

As you all remember, Charlie and I were living in a hotel room for 2 months this summer. We were staying on base, and stores are closed on Mondays on military bases. We got back from a weekend away and it was too late to get some fruit. Then my birthday was on a Monday and all I wanted was an apple. Starting Sunday night, I just wanted that darn apple!

Monday morning Charlie came into the room during one of his breaks and when I came back in this is what I found:


Mmmmm coke zero. That was a buritto big enough for 3 of me, but I think I probably ate it all considering how much I weighed when I came back from AL, hahaha! (Okay in reality, my AL weight gain was not that drastic, and I attribute it to lays bbq chips).

Well, I opened my present, and it wasn't an apple, but an apple!!!!


I was in TOTAL shock. I had needed a new computer for forever, and was seriously not expecting it. It was actually from my parents and Charlie, and it's been phenomenal in wedding planning etc.

I have the best family in the world. Thanks Charlie and Ima/Aba.


Two recipes coming soon!

4th of July and Lake Martin

Craving: A relaxing, fun, and family filled LAKE!

On July 3rd Charlie and I drove to Lake Martin, which is really close to Auburn. Charlie's grandaddy was a professor there and had a lake house that the family would go to all the time. Uncle Will and his family are now in possession of the house and very warmly invited us to come and join them for a few days. They were even more generous in inviting my mom, sister, and her boyfriend!

Unfortunately, Charlie forgot to check in with Uncle Will and didn't realize they'd be coming on the 4th. Luckily, a bunch of people from Charlie's flight were driving up per his recommendation, and staying at the Creekside Lodge (recommend this place if you are going to Lake Martin!), so we got a room. On The morning of the 4th we woke up and went over to the lake house. We tried to have our picture snapped (excuse the shiny skin, I had just sunscreened myself). Of course Charlie ruined the picture:


So I ruined one back:


The lake house was everything Charlie described it to be and I'm so glad I got to experience it with him since so many of his best memories were spent there.

Uncle Will and his family arrived (with their dog Max!), and Uncle Jim and his family came shortly after. I had such a great time interacting with my "aunts", hanging out with the teenagers, and playing with the youngest.

Here is Emily (just turned 16) swimming with Max


Hi Max! Don't shake on me!


Sideview from the dock:


The lake while everyone was at lunch (which is why you can't see everybody on floats in there!)


We needed a bit of a break from the heat so a scrabble game was started:


Of course my mom won.

Here's Aunt Jackie in the kitchen:


Uncle Will overheard Charlie on the phone with the guys in his flight and invited them to swim off of their dock.


Hello!


I love this view through the trees and bushes:


A view of the dock from a chair swing: 

View of the house from the dock:


When it was time for fireworks I ran inside. I don't like small fireworks, they terrify me. I don't like the banging sound, and don't think the small bit of visual stimulation is worth it. Professional fireworks though, count me in.

Samantha, Uncle Jim and Aunt Jill's 6 year old, stayed inside with me. I definitely shrieked at one point and ran further into the house at the sound of an unexpected firework, and Sam very happily followed me. This girl is precious. First of all, she kept jumping off the second story boat house all day! Fearless! We hung out during the fireworks and played some games with Max:




Max stayed in his bed we made for him the whole night. Definitely got a bit of nostalgia for my bubbas.

The next day Charlie stayed inside and did schoolwork and SOS work while his sunburn healed, and I read outside a bit to get a bit of a tan. Before we left, I thought it would be nice to take some pictures by the lake since it's so meaningful to Charlie. Uncle Will was a champ and after we each had a beer, we went at it! I love how these turned out, and I had a lot of fun editing them. I will have another post for the engagement pics, with some recommendations for taking good pictures!

Thank you Uncle Will for not only taking such great pictures but for giving us a great few days at the Lake - we will have those memories forever!