Last 2012 Update...

Believe it or not, we are still here.  I know so many no one has been concerned, but seeing that the simple contact of Christmas cards didn't even occur, some might be wondering.  See.... here's what's up.   We had that little thing called a move taking place, right before Christmas.  We were super excited to celebrate Christmas 2012 in our new home.  Little did we know, it wasn't in the cards.  We found out the Thursday before Christmas that we would not be in the house until after New Years.  While we were both disappointed, I know that if probably worked out for the better, seeing that we would have had to move, unpack and set up Christmas in 2 days.  With that being said, our Christmas card was also our "We Have Moved" card, so we couldn't send them out until we closed.  So no worries, friends.  I will be "that girl" this year who sends her Christmas cards out in January.  No shame in my game, it's just the gift that keeps on giving!

We have made it thought the holiday(s), still living amongst the boxes and 95% packed up house, but can't help and reflect on the year that 2012 brought us.  2012 shared blessings, memories, tons of fun, life lessons, new friends and so much more that it truly keeps me on the edge of my seat for what 2013 holds for the Browns.  Hopefully, the next time I blog, it will be from the new house, and the magical moving fairies will have unpacked and settled all of our belongings.... but until then....

Blessings and Joy as we enter a new year!!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

MOVING!!  Yahoo!!  Finally... we can say that we are progressing in the move to our very first home.  We are very excited that in just a couple of weeks, we will be starting the tedious task of moving all of our belongings, finally getting them all under one roof.  This whole house hunting process has been far from fun for me, seeing that I feel we have looked at more houses than one should ever have to see.  But finally, we see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We hope to close the week before Christmas, just in time to host our families for a holiday feast.  I am sure that we will be far from settled in our new abode, but it will be nice to have everyone together, in OUR house. 

With the move taking place, we have not done much in the area of holiday decorating and probably look like the biggest Scrooge on the block.  But have no fear.... our Christmas tree might be the first thing that goes up in our new house.  I am so excited to decorate it for Christmas, that I might even leave my decorations up through January and become "those" neighbors.  But until the big day, our lives will include boxes, tape, more boxes, empty walls and lots of cleaning!! 

Our box collection

Empty walls!!

Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly and quickly!!

Freedom

free-dom [free-duhm]: noun; 1.  the state of being free and at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint; 2. political or national independence; 3. personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery

I am not only lucky to have freedom, but lucky and blessed to have family and friends who fought for us to have freedom. 

Top middle:  Helen Stribling
Top right: Bruce Latimer: Major in the US Army
Middle Right:  Leon Latimer: US Army
Bottom Right: John Latimer (my grandfather): US Army
Bottom Middle:  Jim Latimer:  Retired LTC in the US Army
Bottom Left:  Hugh Latimer:  Major in the US Army
Middle Left:  Boy Latimer:  US Army
Top Left:  Mildred Latimer: US Army
Middle:  Levi & Grace Latimer: my great-grandparents

Stuart & me with my cousin, David, who is a helicopter pilot with the Mississippi National Guard.

Josiah & Susan with my dad, who is a Retired LTC in the US Army.

Not pictured, but not forgotten, Hugh Wayne "Butch" Latimer who was a Captain in the US Army and in the Mississippi National Guard.

Thank you to all the veterans in my life who provide us with daily freedoms, which are most definitely not free.

Quite the weekend...

What do you get when you add a wedding, a football game (1st of the season, in fact) and a holiday?!?  You get an A-mazing weekend of fun. 

Friday night we went to a wedding with great friends and had good times!!  The setting was perfect, the food was fantastic and the friends were the perfect start to the weekend-o-fun.  We kicked off our Saturday pretty early, making our way to Atlanta for the season opener for Auburn and Clemson.  Once again, we had amazing food, fun memories with friends and plenty of laughs... which included Auburn's performance against the Clemson Tigers.  While I am no way a fair weather fan of the Auburn University Tigers,  it was a disappointing loss at the Georgia Dome and made it a not-so-fun time.  That is until we were on our 3 hour tour home on the Marta.  What we didn't know was the dragon-con convention was also being held in Atlanta.  So as forged our way back to our hotel, we got to experience Atlanta's public transportation system with 30,000 tiger (Auburn and Clemson) fans as well as animals, creatures and people who work in the zoo.  While wrong trains and long waits made the trip ridiculous, we definitely had many laughs.

To top the weekend off, we were able to make our way home from Atlanta and do....NOTHING!!  Since yesterday was Labor Day, SJB and I both had off and it was wonderful.  We were able to get things done that during the week, we can't seem to fit it in the schedule.  SJB also got to get a round of golf in before the busy week kicks back up.  We have been narrowing down some more house choices that we will hopefully see this week, so all in all, it was a great (long) weekend. 

Oh... and bulldogs in Mississippi.... get ready!!  The tigers got their loss out of the way and are headed to Starkville!! 

                                
                                                                WAR EAGLE!!

For Real This Time!!

Ok... I know what you are thinking.  But I promise, I'm for real this time.  My blogging bug has bitten me once again and I am back.  I know there are no real excuses, but I will say that my summer vacation the past few/many weeks have been all work AND all play!!  I was able to get a bit of time in at CSH (my home away from home), trips to the pool, trips to the lake, Fort Rutger graduations, endless nights with friends, fun days at work and many more.  It's hard to think that the summer is half way over, but that only inspires me to enjoy it even more!!  SJB has been at Camp ASCCA since Memorial Day, so I have hated enjoyed having a quiet, empty house to come home to where I haven't had to cook a soul dinner or do absolutely anything.  He gets to come home every Friday-Sunday, so I definitely enjoy my weekends with him!  In the next few weeks, we will be enjoying:  our 2nd anniversary, trip to Birmingham, trip to Monroeville (just me:)), trip to the Neshoba County Fair and much, much more!!  I will have plenty to share over the next few weeks... I can only hope I have time to share it!!

Here are a few pictures from our past few weeks...

Olympic night at CSH

Zula's (& Joe's) Hug Booth

David's Helicopter School Graduation/Pinning

The 4th at the Lake

Liam or Langston....

4 kids under 8 months

The whole gang:)

Andie was a GREAT entertainer!!

Me and the sweet Suzanne:)

So... as you can see I have not just been sitting at home, choosing not to blog.  Well, maybe I have, but needless to say.... I'm back.... again!!

I have a lot coming up in the next few weeks, so stay tuned for a lot more fun!!

The Best Kind of Post...

Since I have been such a slacker, I thought that I would recap the past few months by sharing some photos.  Sorry if they are not in chronological order, but rest assure that they were all good times!!

Gender reveal for Ashley & Jason!!

It's a BOY!!

Baby Anderson:)

Sweet Suzanne!!

Mardi Gras Ball!!

Sip & See for Georgia, Dustin & Suzanne:)

Suzanne & Eli's first date

Photo shoots with Friends:)

One of my favorites...

Eli & Zoe

Maddie turned 3!!

Easter 2012... and I won the egg hunt!!

My newest camera attachment....

And it has a remote!!

Jimmy Buffett with Amanda & Heath!!

All the parrotheads:)

My Buffett debut...

Stuart & Heath's new friend:)

Suart & Pat Dye at the CSH fundraiser!!

Birthday Beach Trip Destin

LAST BUT NOT LEAST....

My sweet Abby went to heaven:(  While I know that she is enjoying her eternal nap, she is definitely missed.  Abby is the only pet that I have ever had... and she was by far the best cat ever!!  My parents' house is just not the same without her.

Hopefully, you understand why I haven't been blogging since I have been so busy with all of the above events!  Next up, Josiah and Susan are coming South for 2 weeks!!  I am heading to Huntsville for a few days to play with them.  I can't wait!!

New Years... in pictures!

Josh on Eli patrol:)

April & Eli.... the man of the night!

Uncle Barclay & Eli

Just Dance... boy style

Winners of Pictionary!!

anti-cheating defense

Sleeping Beauty(s).... all 3 of them!!:)

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone enjoyed ringing in 2012.  We had a great time celebrating the new year with great friends at camp!  The night was filled with great food, good football and some amazing Wii action!!  I will be sure to post my pictures later in the week!

The new year is most definitely in full swing.  I am off work today and SJB is off until Wednesday.  It will be full steam ahead with packed days and busy weekends!  While it is nice to be at home, I feel very blessed to have a full schedule:)  I have so much to look forward to in the next few weeks, ie: Georgia's precious baby being born, visiting family in Mississippi, another diabetes anniversary and SJB's birthday.  I vowed that 2012 will bring a "glass half full" approach on all I encounter.  I have no doubt that this will be a year of lessons, blessings, memories, friends and joy.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Last Words For 2011...

It's hard to believe that it is the last day of 2011!!  This year definitely flew by and I am certainly looking forward to ringing in the new year with friends!  I can definitely put "more blog posts" on my list of New Year's Resolutions.

To end the year, I will post about our trip for Christmas in Huntsville.  We had a short, but jam packed trip, of family, friends and my favorite-ist cat in the whole world, Abby.  Abby and I go way back... and I don't doubt that she is quickly approaching her big nap in the sky:(.  She has definitely gotten slower and sleepier than before, but she still is my Abby.  While we were home, this is what I found...

A Stuart and an Abby!!  Stuart and Abby don't really have a strong relationship, but this trip brought it to a whole new level.  I am not sure if it had more to do with the fact that Stuart was napping on Abby's couch, or if Abby was simply seeking a new pal... either way, friends forever.

Find the hidden Abby!!

I hope that everyone has a great New Years!!

Happy 2012... and WAR EAGLE (tonight)!!