NYE at Sandestin

Sorry about the crazy eyes, we couldn't get it to go away. ;) 

We had lots of fun spending new years eve with Gerald's parents, and could not believe how PACKED Sandestin was!! I mean you literally could not get anywhere if you wanted to! No empty spot down all of the little village streets/grass/porches/etc. Oh and boy was it cold! Freezing is more like it. We all decided to walk down twice, once early in the night, and then again right before midnight.

So around 7:00 we took the kids down to see all of the beautiful decorations, and they didn't disappoint!! Then we all had some fun in the new, very awesome, arcade! Abby and Cole loved that, especially my little extremely hyper boy! Cole is ALL over the place these days, to say the least! Just to give you an idea, I think I had to apologize at least five times for him running up and stealing peoples balls they won, their balls in the games they were playing, and jerking the steering wheels on the race cars! He also loved to climb on those little games where you roll the balls to make them in the holes, if you even know what I'm talking about!? Lol I was getting a workout, and no longer cold that's for sure! It was so fun though, and I'm glad the kids got to have fun! :)

He's growing way too fast! :( 

I know this is blurry, but I just love this picture G's mom took! There was lots of laughter and smiles going on here! :) 

Yee haw LOL!! This one cracks me up for some reason..

Love being her Mama!!! 

After playing games we went back to the room to get warm, and some good football! Then of course we all watched the ball drop in New York! Abby always loves to watch the ball drop ever since we went to nyc! She just stares in amazement at all of the people haha! The fireworks in the village were pretty great too! Although I was too busy videoing them, and wished I had enjoyed the moment a little more! (One habit I hope to change in 2014.) It was the best way to bring in the new year, and we loved getting to spend it with Gerald's parents! I will say NYE definitely brings all of the wild party animals out in Sandestin, and they love to start drama with others (or run into you)! Lol it was sure nice to get back to the room, where we were safe and warm! ;) 

We spent the next day there hanging out also. We took Abby to get candy, play a few more games, and then ate with his parents at one of our favorite places in Destin. Miller Ale House, me and Gerald love that place, and their prices are great! Then we spent more time at the condo watching football, and eating all of our good luck foods for dinner. Which included hog jawl (yuck), pork chops, collard greens, and pinto beans. Hopefully it proves to be true for us, because last year we didn't eat anything and boy did we have bad luck LOL! Abby actually loved the hog jawl (however you spell it?).

Thursday morning we got up early and headed back home to get ready for school!! 

Until next time Destin...  :) 

2013 Highlights Video

This is a slideshow of our 2013 highlights!! I literally spent a good hour on this thing, and had my favorite songs matched up perfectly to the pictures. Well of course when it came time to save it, the site asked me to buy it for FORTY dollars!! There's no way I would spend that on a slideshow haha! So I had to pick one of their ridiculously crappy songs. I found a trick though, refresh the page, then immediately click play on my music player (right hand side of the screen). That is the song I made the slideshow to, and it goes along much more nicely. So DON'T click anything on the slideshow, just play my music, and enjoy!! Hope you like it :)

Copy of 2013 - slideshows


It makes me tear up watching this! Cole as grown and changed into such a handsome little man, and Abby has become such a beautiful (not to little) girl! This is a year I will never, ever forget! Not many people know all of the struggles we went through earlier in the year, and I will probably never share that. Things that I would never wish on my worst enemy, but we stayed strong as a family through it all! Our wreck, in March, was the breaking point where we truly lost it all. Our only vehicle, Gerald's job, our income, we lost everything. When times were horrible, and we hated where we were in life, we just tried to keep faith and hang on! God came through for us again and again, when I thought nothing else was possible! Gerald's family, and my mom have especially been there for us all year! We are forever grateful to everyone that stuck by us (even when we didn't deserve it)! Getting to live in Fairhope this summer was the BEST decision we've ever made, and the BIGGEST blessing for our family!! It truly healed us and showed us what we wanted/didn't want to be like. I'm so proud of Gerald and how far he's come in just one year with his career change, his spirit, and just way of life in general! We've had to face all of our problems (that we caused), deal with them, and shut that devil out of your life! When I think about how low I felt at the beginning of the year, and how HAPPY I am now, it's just crazy to me! We are nowhere near perfect, but I love my family! I know there will be so many great things to come in 2014! I can't wait!


Wow that was emotional, hahaha! So on a lighter note, we're off to Sandestin in a few hours to spend the holiday at Gerald's parent's! Wishing everyone a wonderful year, God bless and Happy 2014!!! :) 

Christmas Day

I think this picture pretty much captures it perfectly! ;) 

Our Christmas Eve ended very late with us having to unload all the presents, and play Santa. Then naturally our Christmas morning started extra early. Ha ha, that's always how it works right?! So we got the kids up around 6:30 am, and headed down stairs at Gerald's parents, to see what Santa brought!! Abby looked so surprised, and it was so fun to watch their faces! I was so excited this year because it was definitely the best so far! Cole was a little shy/cranky that morning. Once he opened up his basketball, it pretty much ended his interest in the other presents. He was attached, and still is, to his basketball. Just like his Daddy! ;) 

Santa brought him lots of balls, a t-ball set, a golf clubs, new dinosaurs, clothes, lots of lego blocks, a John Deer little tractor with legos (basically our house is full of legos now haha), and more boyish stuff like that! He was such a good boy this year! 

Some of Abby's favorite gifts from Santa was this Easy Bake oven, a Furby, lots of arts and craft sets, new clothes, boots, a princess book set that reads to her, a Razor (scooter), barbies, and more!! She must have be a good girl this year! ;) 

We'll have some good times cooking with this! 

The reason we got the kids up so early was so we could make it to Tasha's house in time. Cousins Kayli and Chase got a huge surprise this year, their going to Disney!! We all piled in their living room to watch their response (which was pretty funny) as they opened a box filled with balloons and a "We're going to Disney" letter! They leave in just a couple of weeks. Fun!! :) 

Then we headed literally right down the street to watch Mary Hyatt open her Santa! Gerald's sisters live in the same neighborhood now. I mean you could literally throw a rock and hit their houses haha. Abby just loved that!  It was so much fun for the kids to be there to watch everyone's Santa! Though I think we may have bombarded MH's a little too much haha. Poor Cole wouldn't get out of her new car, OR let off the horn! Eek =/ 

After going to all of the cousins, it was time for everyone to meet back up at Gerald's parents for breakfast and more presents! Abby loved Nana and Papi's new rotating tree! ;) 

Some of Cole's favorite gifts from family were this basketball goal, a Black and Decker workbench, clothes, trucks/cars, and lots of other boy stuff like that! Needless to say, he's had a blast the past few days, and has played independently so well! 

Abby has been asking Santa to get her a tablet ever since we got ours! When it wasn't under the tree I could tell she was a little bummed. Gerald's parents asked to get it for her so we decided to do that, and I knew she'd be surprised. Her reaction was just priceless!! 

She has been on it constantly and just loves it! Even as I type this, she is watching Jesse all cuddled up in my bed! :) 

 These girls got lots of matching gifts this year, and Abby loved them all so much! 

Having a tea party! 

Daddy and Colebear. :) 

Tasha, Me, and Christen in our new Patagonia's ha ha! We all loved them! 

The rest of Christmas Day was spent napping, playing, eating more, and just lounging around his parent's. We were SO tired! 

The next day we ran around town and got to see Decatur. It has changed a little since we've been back. There is a new Walmart Market, Kohl's, and Olive Garden. That is where we ate lunch, and it was delicious! I don't know why we never go there, but we need to start! Now I'm craving it again... ;) 

Abby is wearing one of her new outfits, new boots, one of her sparkly headbands (she's all about glitter/sparkly things!), and the cowl I crocheted her! I love it, and made everyone one this year. There were several different colors, and I plan to post them soon. :)  

Right before we headed to my dad's.

I love my little family! 

The kids with my Dad at his house in Eva, AL. 

Sorry this isn't the best picture ha ha, but it's all I have of us at his house! 

After visiting with him and my step mom for a couple hours, we headed back to the gulf coast! Abby got to stay one more night though. She had a spend the night party with Mary Hyatt at Christen and Ben's house! She just loved getting to stay at their new house, and spend extra time with everyone including Kayli. 

It's good be home, but I miss "home-home" already! ;) 

We're off again in a few days to spend NYE at Sandestin with G's parents. This is our first time seeing what their new year celebration is like, and we hear it is awesome! Can you believe that it is almost 2014? Because I sure can't!

Anyways, I'll be sure to post lots of pictures. I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe new year!! :)

xoxo,
Tiffany

Our Trip Home For Christmas - Part 1

We were so happy to actually make it home for Christmas this year! Last year was spent in New York, and wasn't very fun. So it was great getting to be with everyone again! Tuesday night we made it to Decatur at supper time, and headed straight over to Gerald's grandparents to eat/open gifts. The whole family was there, minus Mark who was sick with a bug that our house just got over also. We even got to see Tamyra and Owen who live in Atlanta!We hadn't seen them since like Christmas 2011 I believe.

Giggles and laughter was heard constantly from all of the cousins! They just love getting together and playing! I wish it could be more often. 

Dinner was delicious, and we loved all of our presents. Some favorites were movies tickets for me and Gerald, Auburn SEC Championship shirts, dress up jewelry/clothes for Abby, and Cole got some fun boy toys! Aren't these girl looking super fancy, as Abby would say! She loves her Fancy Nancy books! :) 

Cole did great opening presents this year! He got a little too excited and end up puking on cousin Chase's new toy car. Haha I thought he'd enjoy knowing that one day. Me and Gerald couldn't help but laugh, and felt bad at the same time for Chase. Poor boys! =/ 

Santa even made an appearance.. 

Their Grandaddy is so good at playing this role!! The kids absolutely love it! Cole kept wanting to give him high fives and wasn't scared of him at all.

It was a great night, and we loved getting to see everyone. It always feels so good to be home and surrounded by everyone we know. Especially since we're always alone here in Daphne. We just don't have time to get out and meet people, between working, and taking care of the kids. So it was a real treat to be there!! 

Stay tuned for part two, Christmas Day.... :) 

Gulf Shores - Thanksgiving 2013

We are in Gulf Shores this year for Thanksgiving with Gerald's whole family! It's different from the usual dinner in Decatur, but has been SO much fun! I wish we could always do this! We're all staying a cool house Gerald's parents rented. It's right on the beach, and it's so beautiful here!!

Gerald enjoyed tossing the football on the beach with his nephew, Chase! He's so big now, and big into sports like his uncle.

    My cutie ;)

   Gerald with his mom and sister. They were preparing our yummy Thanksgiving dinner! Every bit of it was so good!! Definitely the best meal we've had all year! ;) 

   Love this picture of all the kids with their Great Grandparents, Mama Frankie & Grandaddy! We all loved getting to see them! The last time they saw Cole, he was just at a year old, so he'd changed a lot to them.

Abby and Cole are loving playing with their cousins Kayli, Chase, and Mary  Hyatt! Mary Hyatt is so cute, she follows Abby around and wants to do everything that she does. Just like Abby does to older cousin Kayli. Haha it's so sweet!! I wish they could all play more, but when they do get together it's like they were never apart! :) 

The weather has been pretty chilly up until today, Friday. It was absolutely beautiful today!! I think this picture is awesome!

Abby loves getting to hang out with Kayli! She's really grown up, and starts driving this spring! They have a great time together though, and I love this picture of them!!

    Me and Abby! She's getting to be such a big girl, and too pretty!! :)  

    Gerald's sister took all of these and I just had to share them all because I loved them so much!! 

   Needless to say we've had a great Thanksgiving holiday with everyone! The beach house couldn't have been a more perfect idea. Today we even braved the outlets for Black Friday deals, and it took us almost an hour it seemed to even get into the mall area haha!! Tomorrow is the Iron Bowl and we're so excited to watch it with our family (minus The Adams which have left to visit Ben's family at another beach house) for once! Lots of great memories have been made this week! :)

WAR EAGLE!!