O Christmas Tree

Brad surprised me last weekend by coming home (after spoiling me with his presence all of Thanksgiving!) for the night on Saturday and heading back to Havelock on Sunday.

One day is so worth it.

Saturday night we had dinner with three lovely couples. Two of which Brad helped to build a barn for a few months back (they had dinner for all of us). Very delicious food, great fellowship and a game of Taboo (which our team won at by the way!).

Sunday mid-morning we went out to a Christmas Tree Farm and picked out our very own first Christmas tree as a married couple! We also brought Oscar along to help in the selection process, of course.

It was fun going out to pick our tree, bring it home and decorate it together while listening to Christmas music! One trick we did this year was using icicle lights once our two strands of regular clear ones didn't quite make our tree glow properly. :)

This Christmas was so great and I'm glad we got to spend it together and with each of our families. Here are some pictures of this season!

Picking out our first tree!

All set up!

Christmas Eve was spent with my family
in Winston-Salem at my sister's house!

(front) Me, Mom, Heather (Baby BOY!) & McKenna
(back) Brad, Dad & Grahm

Mom got a couple outfits for my NEPHEW
who is going to be here the beginning of May!!

Christmas with the Shields'

All of the Grandkids!
(R to L) Brad, Me, Jessica, Amy, Burton, Robert, Mere & Sarah

ANNND Sarah got engaged a few days before
Christmas this year!!! So we took a ring picture :)

Hope everyone had a very blessed Christmas this year!!

-D

My Bride's Birthday!!

Dani has been getting on me because I have been meaning to write a post about her birthday, but just haven't gotten around to it; so, only a few days late (December 14th), here we go!

Since the middle of October, I was down on the east coast of NC in Craven County helping oversee the cleanup from Hurricane Irene; so, needless to say, Dani and I had to endure spending several months only getting to see each other about twice a month. When the project ended, the weekend before her birthday, I figured this would be a great time for us to get away and spend some time together, as well as, celebrate her birthday! The trip was our adventure to our nation's capital, which we both thoroughly enjoyed and you can read about in the separate post about her birthday; however, I think the part she enjoyed the most was getting lunch brought to her at school and then getting breakfast in bed at a later date.

On our way back from DC my car was having some problems, so we dropped it off late at night at our mechanic and went home. The only problem was that I had locked my car and dropped my keys in the LATE DROP OFF box before realizing that my cell phone and wallet were still locked in my car. That made for a good laugh, but I was unable to bring lunch to her school, as promised, on her birthday due to the fact that I couldn't drive without a license. Therefore, it was up to me to make it up. The first day I had my driving priviledges back, she endulged in Chick-Fil-A for lunch and was met by Oscar and I to pick her up after school. A few days later, she was met with the breakfast of champions in bed prepared by her two special guys, Oscar and me! She loved it all! I know she can't wait for so many more special days! Happy Birthday to my beautiful wife!!

First Christmas as Mr. and Mrs.

While Brad was still working out at the coast with hurricane clean up, he came home the weekend after Thanksgiving (surprise!) so we could spend some more time together and go pick out our very first real Christmas Tree (...we're banking on AZ being lacking in the tree department). We took Oscar and went out to a Christmas Tree farm right down the road and ran into some familiar faces as a bonus! 

The One!

Pulling it through the net so we can carry it home!

Lit, decorated and presents underneath! Cue Family Photo!

Our 2011 Ornament :)

I just love this one of our tree... thank you Droid for your camera.

Stockings on our make shift mantle :)

-D

I'm Just a Bill, Yes I'm only a Bill

I'm glad to start this off by saying Brad is home from the Hurricane clean up! In order to celebrate that and have a long weekend to ourselves, we traveled to our nation's capitol! We were able to stay with some family a few nights and at a snazzy hotel the others.

It's way too much to write, but while in the area we visited: the Kennedy Center for a performance of the Canadian Tenors, Arlington National Cemetery, Air Force Memorial, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, WWII Memorial, Holocaust Museum, White House, Saw Marine One landing with Mr. President aboard, International Spy Museum, Ford's Theatre (Where we saw a performance of the Christmas Carol!!!), The house where Lincoln died, Hard Rock Cafe (of course), Georgetown Cupcakes, took many trips on the Metro, a really sweet little Christmas Market in town, had a flat tire changed in the middle of the night in the middle of D.C. and went to the Air & Space Museum.

Whew!

Here is a small snapshot of our trip:
(Click the photos to enlarge!)

USAF Memorial

Arlington National Cemetery

Doorway in Robert E. Lee's House at Arlington.
Brad said the doorway made me look tall.
I disagree.

Changing of the Guard

Washington Monument, WWII Memorial and Dry Reflecting Pool since it's under  construction.

Lincoln Memorial

Korean War Vet Memorial

Marine One!!!!!

*Cue President's Song*

Bed where Lincoln Died

Holiday Market!!!

International Spy Museum

Georgetown Cupcakes. Haven't heard of them?
Visit their website... they ship throughout the U.S.!

Metrooo!

Our seats for the play :) Perfect view
of the stage annd of Lincoln's box seat!

After the play, Brad went to pick the car up from
the parking garage while I waited at Hard Rock.
Well, a block from the restaurant there was a really
nice nail in the road and blew the tire. Enter 24 hour
tire service in the not-so-nicest part of town. Eek!

Such a nice man we met at the National Air and Space Museum!
He was explaining all the ins and outs of the space suit to us.
He fought for our country with the Army in Vietnam as a Helicopter Pilot.
Pretty neat because they had the helicopter he flew at the museum!

Panorama of the National Air and Space Museum. This is where I took the most pictures!

On our way home we stopped to eat at a Cracker Barrel.
It's required that you play this while you wait for your food.

Thanks for reading!
-D

Happy Belated Birthday, Mere!

On Sunday, December 18, my youngest Sister-in-Law turned 15! During her birthday weekend, we were in Rocky Mount celebrating Christmas with Kim's side of the family. So rest assured, we celebrated appropriately and we got her an enormous amount of gum as requested.

So here goes: Happy Birthday Meredith :D We love you!