Christmas in Tennessee

Drew and I drove from Atlanta to my parents farm in Philadelphia, TN on the 26th. 10 minutes after we got there the power went out! Drew freaked out thinking it was ghosts but actually the whole street was out. So much for our Christmas dinner.. there was no power to cook anything! Instead we headed to Calhouns to have their prime rib instead. Well, that turned out to be a MAJOR disaster b/c my wallet was stolen right from under me while we sat at the bar waiting on a table to come available. Yes, a girl snatched my wallet and ran to the bathroom to take all my cash. Luckily for me the manager and bartender had been watching her. Apparently she was acting a bit crazy to begin with. They saw her take it and immediately sent two waitresses in the restroom after her. I had lots of cash and all of mine and Drew's gift cards!!! I never have a dollar to my name but this night I had tons. The short story is I got everything back, 10 plus cops came, and I prosecuted her. They found all sorts of needles, drug paraphernalia on her so I didn't want to let her off easy. Craziest Christmas dinner I have ever had!

Drew getting love from "baby" Charlie. He is enormous now!


Mom and Drew



Mom bought me these ridiculous socks. Her's have bulldogs on them and mine have labs.

Can we say RIDICULOUS???? When I was young we couldn't even wear our shoes in the house. My parents have totally lost it and are obsessed with their two bulldog children. Man oh man they need some grandchildren!





My brother met us at Calhouns and we had a TAILGATE Christmas in the back of my car. We didn't know if the power was back on at the farm so we thought we better be safe and open gifts in the parking lot. I am sure the folks at Calhouns thought we were nuts! First we are the table that had to keep going into the bathroom to deal with the cops (2.5 hour ordeal) and now we are opening Christmas gifts in the back of a car. Only in TENNESSEE!

My wallet!

On the 27th my dad and Sara came by the farm on their way to Birmingham, AL to visit Sara's fam. Here Mom is giving them the tour:

Smokehouse!

The barn

On Saturday night Drew and I met my high school friends out for dinner at CALHOUNS! Luckily it wasn't the same one. I don't think I can ever step foot back in that one.

Whitney, Drew, and I

Jennie Connor Councill, me, Whitney Miller, Laura Slyman Piers, and Betsy Kohl Couch. Notice how we put the two pregnant girls on the ends. :)

After dinner we went to a "pseudo" high school reunion at Rooster's bar in Knoxville. It was so great to catch up with some guys and gals we hadn't seen in years!

Drew and Betsy's husband James chatting away at Roosters. Give them a few beers and they were fine to hang while us girls caught up!

Crazy song!

I have done it again.... a crazy song has appeared on my blog without my knowledge. I don't remember how to get it off????

Our Christmas pics to come soon. Hopefully before July!

A Very Berry Christmas Bash 2008

The annual Berry Christmas Bash was a blast this year! We celebrated the weekend before Christmas with my dad's side of the family in Jackson, MS at my Aunt Bridget and Uncle Jimbo's house. They just built a BEAUTIFUL house with a pool on a mini lake. Like every year we had our Chinese Christmas exchange after dinner; however we did have a slight intermission for the arrival of my Aunt Cissy who showed up 3 hours late. The pictures in the dark are of the entire family going outside to greet her...ha! She showed up with her green boa and 99 pounds of homemade fudge and the party started again. The best gifts of 2008 were an empty bottle of Kahlua that Aunt Cissy brought, Cable Guy pj bottoms with a matching ski mask my brother bought, and a donkey the rests on his back to hold a bottle of wine that Aunt Beth brought. I think Drew and my framed license plate turned into a clock of the Texas Longhorns was pretty bad itself! The lovely pair of HUGE black panties and the pen with feathers (Drew got it..ugh) were brought back! My cousin Matt and his wife Ginny brought their six week old baby Grant so everyone was so excited to see him. I actually got a sneak peek with him 3 weeks ago when I was in Houston for a weekend to visit my g-parents. We love our crazy family and are so blessed to have spent some Christmas fun with 38 of them! Not everyone could make it but most did. We missed my grandmother like crazy and the party wasn't the same without her. I can still remember her at past parties sipping on her wine and telling all of us to behave. You see us Berry's like a party... Enjoy!

Drew's favorites

We are home and EXHAUSTED! I am too lazy to download 101 pictures from our Christmas adventures so I'll save that for another day. Hopefully tomorrow. I got this on an email a few days ago and thought it was neat.



Drew Loves:

1. me

2. his dogs Jackson and Tyrone

3. South Carolina Gamecocks

4. Golf

5. Family, Friends, God

6. Traveling especially VEGAS

7. TV's- he can never have too many. We currently have 6!


8. Movies



Weird things about Drew:

1. He is allergic to everything- our dogs, nuts, ketchup

2. He hates condiments- no mayo, ranch dressing, sour cream, cream cheese, etc.

3. He has 999 Polo Shirts and still buys new ones at least once a month.

4. He only keeps his work Polo Shirts in his office closet. If I put them in our bedroom closet he hates it.

5. He washes his car constantly but he could care less about cleaning our house. I am the exact opposite!

6. He won't eat any casseroles b/c he doesn't know what is in it. However he will eat coleslaw even though there is mayo in it. Go figure! I still think he doesn't believe me that they put mayo in coleslaw.

7. He SNORES loudly!


8. Changes outfits at least 3 times a day. This making him obsessed with doing laundry.



Things I love about Drew:

1. He is very romantic- He constantly brings me cards, flowers, treats, etc.

2. He loves me and his dogs soooo much.

3. He takes care of the house and makes sure we are all taken care of inside it.

4. He loves his family so much and is extremely close with all of them.

5. He treats his employees very well and is a great boss.

6. He is outgoing and can carry a conversation with a brick wall if he had to.

7. He loves sports and I love watching him go crazy over them all.


8. He is great with my crazy family.





I love you sweet Drew!

4 Christmases

Drew and I should have starred in the movie "Four Christmases" this year. Our Christmas holidays are always a little nuts to say the least! Our journey starts tonight in Greenwood, SC with church and dinner with Drew's mom and brothers. Tonight we sleep in our own bed and open Christmas presents under our own tree in the morning. We then head to Atlanta around 10am to see Drew's dad and family. Next stop is on the 26th when we head to Philadelphia, TN to see my family. My dad is leaving town this year so actually it will ONLY be 3 Christmases for us. Well, 4 if you count last weekend in Jackson, MS with my dad's side of the family. WHEW! Want to take a ride in our car? It shall be interesting. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas card this year... We wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Have you done these things?

I saw this on another blog. I feel blessed that I have done so much in my 32 years! I have done everything listed in red. What about you?

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (trombone in middle school.. ahh yeah!)
4. Visited Hawaii (twice!)
5. Watched a meteor shower (with Rena and an old unnamed boyfriend)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world (several times)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis (loved them in elementary school. we had one as a room pet)
10. Sang/played a solo
11. Bungee jumped (never!)
12. Visited Paris (twice!)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea/lake (how many times have a been in a storm on my boat???)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (no but I was adopted)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (trip to Europe when I was 14)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (who hasn’t?)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (on that same crazy boat)
27. Run a Marathon (I'll leave that to Whitney)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (with Ann and Maria 2 years ago)
29. Seen a total eclipse (not sure, cannot remember)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (most beautiful ones were in Hawaii with my hubby)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise ( a Barefoot cruise-British Virgin Islands)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (i was adopted)
35. Seen an Amish community(Many times- the gparents use to live in Ashland, OH. Really neat!)
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance ( i refused it)
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing (I'd puke)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (snorkeling many times)
52. Kissed in the rain5
3. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (we went once a week growing up)
55. Been in a movie (does a commercial count?)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (Drew did)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (for 10 years!)
62. Gone whale watching (Hawaii)
63. Gotten flowers for no reason (all the time from my sweet Drew)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I'd pass out cold...no way)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (14 years old on a Girl Scout trip to Europe)
67. Bounced a check (for a $1.00 bagel.. damn)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (knock on wood)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (NO..knock on wood)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (flew over it on my way to Vegas many times)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (too many.. Drew got one just last week)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (does lobster count or fish?)
88. Had chickenpox (yes and a horrible case at that)
89. Saved someone’s life (my dog when he choked)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Celebrity golf tournaments...got lots of pics too!)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one :(
94. Made a baby (hopefully one day soon)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Parties, Parties, Parties...

Drew and I have been rockin' the parties lately. We had our 2nd annual Christmas party this past Tuesday. It was a lot of fun and a great success! Friends, neighbors, and Drew's clients all were there. 1st slide show. We went to our friend Julie's surprise party the weekend of Thanksgiving. We totally surprised her! 2nd slide show. I also had my work Christmas party in Chicago the week before last. As always we had a blast! We had 3 more Christmas parties this weekend... whew! Christmas is such a busy time but we are loving every minute of it....

Next party- the Berry Christmas Party in Jackson, MS this weekend! It should be a crazy bash like it is every year!

and yes apparently you can see right through my dress...lovely!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Every year since I have owned my own home my Mom and I have had a tradition of shopping the day after Thanksgiving. After we are exhausted beyond belief from shopping we crack open a bottle of wine and start Christmas decorating into the wee hours of the night. When I lived in TN we would usually decorate my Mom's house first and then make our way over to mine. This year was no different... we went nuts! Every inch of my house is decorated... above the cabinets in the kitchen (check), in the bathrooms (check), the outside (check).. you get the picture. Drew couldn't believe the first Christmas that we were together that I actually decorate the bathrooms. He looked at me so seriously and said, "I don't know how I feel about Santa watching me pee!" ha! So, do I like to decorate? No! It stresses me out completely! It is one thing I honestly dread about Christmas. Don't get me wrong I LOVE Christmas but I just hate pulling boxes from the attic, unloading them, figuring out where everything goes, etc., etc. If my Mom wasn't there pushing me through we might just have the tree up and nothing in the bathrooms. :) Hence, why the tradition continues! I had a deadline this year. December 9- our annual Christmas party. (that was last night and it will be saved for a future blog... I was sick as a dog this year and am 1/2 dead today, no work, in the bed...) I beat that deadline and had the house done the Sunday after Thanksgiving! Now that it is all decorated I am in heaven. I wish I could keep it up year round. Enjoy!

I hate fake trees, garland, etc. This year I did fake garland b/c I had a major meltdown about the needles going all over with the real garland I bought. I bought the wrong kind of garland... it was a mess! I couldn't get the right kind b/c it was raining and at Lowe's keeps it all outside. Wet garland and needles would have sent me over the edge! So fake it is!

My sister's rocking horse that I have had for years. I cannot wait until we have kids that can play on it!

above the TV... I told you every inch is decorated!

real wreaths in my bay window

Stockings! I love them. Ballarddesigns.com

real wreath is real big this year!

Just a small showing. We hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

Norm is coming home!!!

Can I get a WHOP WHOP! We got word today that Norm (Mary Parker's husband) will be home from Iraq on WEDNESDAY!!! Merry Christmas to us! We are so thankful!!!! Thanks Norm for all that you did for our country!!!!

Thanksgiving Part 2!

We celebrated Thanksgiving with Drew's mom and their side of the family a few days before Thanksgiving. We had a great time seeing everyone!

The entire fam...

Mike and Matt

Drew's Mom Sandy, Drew, and his Uncle John

Blog slacker! Thanksgiving Part 1

I have been so busy lately that this poor blog has taken a back seat. I have so much to post- Christmas decorations, birthday parties, a trip to Houston and one to Chicago. First I will leave you with Thanksgiving. That was ugh? 2 weeks ago! You get the busy picture :) We hosted Thanksgiving at our house again this year. My Mom, Daddy Mike, brother, and sister (4 hours late...typical!) all came as well as Nick, Helen, Mike, and Matt. Sweet Madison was off cruising with Bless.. the dog! We had our turkeys fried up the street by our buddy Sam. It makes such a difference to take one or two birds out of the picture! Mom and I whipped up some sides in no time! Helen and Nick brought some of the boys favorite sides as well as a ham. We bought pumpkin pie and coconut cake... So easy! I got to relax until after the meal... I hate tupperware! It stresses me out finding the lids that go with the containers. Needless to say I made it though it and we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our families. We have so much to be thankful for, especially our fams...

Appetizers and drink table

Dining room...

Mom hates doing a kids table in the other room so we put this card table next to the dining room table. All 10 of us sat in one room together.

Matt and I


Nick tasting the bird

the men watching football while the ladies cooked

The feast! Helen in the background.


Nick and dad waiting to gobble, gobble...

My dad makes the best mashed potatoes so we had him help us on those. Here is my mom and dad- flexing his muscles :)

Mom and Mary Parker (my sister) after she arrived 4 hours late. She brought 2 dogs with her... I thought I would slap that blue hair right off her head! :)

Gramm and Drew

Drew, Mom, Mike

My brother John opening his birthday cards. His birthday is the 24th and we always seem to celebrate it Thanksgiving day.

The after party!!!! Sleepy men on a turkey high!
Drew and my scary self.

Clemson vs. South Carolina

Looks who is dressed in purple and orange during the Clemson vs. South Carolina game!!!! hmmmm! One of Drew's duties every Clemson home game is to lead the opposing coach off the field. Someone was extra excited about his job this past Saturday. The pic below is Drew leading South Carolina's Coach Steve Spurrier off the field after Saturday's Clemson vs. South Carolina game. We all know Drew is a HUGE Gamecock fan. This is the one game of the year that it KILLS Drew that he has to wear Clemson gear instead of his usual garnet and black. The poor guy even made the paper wearing his orange and purple! ha! Still pretty cool to see my main man in the paper I must say!

Drew on the left, Coach Spurrier and Coach Swinney giving love to each other :)