I Resolve...

To try and blog at least once a week this year. :-) I said try. I started this post on 01/02/09, and you see how long it's taken me to finish it!! :-) Here's a few pics to get you caught up on Winter Break 2008-2009!

Our "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree...

Complete with a Charlie!

(Yes K, that monstrous beast is still here!)

I drove to Thomaston, GA to spend time with my "other" family - the Matsons. Mark was my youth minister in high school and he and his wife Angela "adopted" me into their family. There are three other "kids" like me - Allison, Louis and Jenn - and (minus Allie and her hubby) all of us got together to sing at Mark's church and spend time together for the holidays. Sadly, I didn't get many pictures while I was there... life as a Matson is never dull! :-) However, I did get my new favorite picture:

With my baby sister Grace!
Mark and Angela adopted Grace a couple of years ago, and she is the best thing ever!

I also spent my first Christmas with Bryan's family this year - it was also my first holiday away from my own family in almost 30 years. It was wonderful experience, and I am even more excited about becoming a Spann in a few months' time.

We headed to Hazlehurst, GA (Bryan's hometown) on Christmas Eve to spend time with Bryan's parents and grandparents - Nanny and Pa. On Christmas morning, we woke up and spent the day munching on sausage rolls, drinking coffee, opening gifts and watching a John Wayne marathon. (Daddy, you would be proud! I actually enjoyed the JW movies!)

After lunch I got back in the car drove back to Marietta where I met the newlyweds, Jennie and Chris. Bryan had to work the next day, so he stayed at Nanny and Pa's to enjoy some extra family time. The Newlyweds and I made our way to Weaver-Vegas to spend a few days with the Boone family.

This is the result of our annual game of Dirty Santa:

Dad with his Benjamin Franklin "bling-bling."

Boone children...

Being Boone children!

We also drove to Greensboro while we were home to spend time with Mama's family and celebrate Aunt Sherry and Uncle Nash's 50th birthdays. It was so nice to be around cousins I don't get to see very often, and spend time just hanging out together.

Boone girls with Daddy Tom and Mama Carol

Birthday Boy and Girl: Uncle Nash and Aunt Sherry

Mama and her birthday brother

Shook siblings (L to R)
Tommy, Mama, Tia (Louise), Betty, Nash, Norma
Mama Carol and Daddy Tom
You have no idea how rare this happens! :-)

Boone girls with Uncle Nash

Eventually, I had to come home. :-) Here are a few more pictures from the last week of Winter Break...

NYE @ Atkins Park with friends

We did get to spend a night with Bryan's cousins, Jerry and Angie who were in town from Denver, CO for the holidays. It was a special treat for all of us. Jerry and Angie moved from Marietta to Denver a couple of years ago, and we miss spending time with them. Bryan and Jerry were actually born only a few days apart, and grew up a lot of more like brothers than cousins.

Angie and Abby

Bryan and Jerry

I hope this gets me back on the right blogging "foot." I promise I'll try to be better!