Swim Lessons

Ava Grace has taken 4 weeks of swim lessons. She absolutely LOVES the water!! We did a parent-child class which was fun for both of us. She thinks that she can swim on her own (with no flotation device), so it was difficult at times to convince her that she really doesn't know how to swim on her own yet. She used a flotation belt to help her swim on her own. Most of us used arm swimmies when we were little, but they didn't suggest that since it restricts their arm movements while learning to swim. So, she now has a belt which actually allows her to swim on her own and with pretty decent form (for a two year old).

Going to the Wolf.........

Ava Grace has had her first skiing/tubing experience at Wolf Laurel!! She had a ball!! By the time the fun was over, she was exhausted and ready for a nap!! She played in the snow, ate the snow, and loved going down the mountains (more like hills) in the snow. It is amazing how the cold and wetness doesn't bother little children. After tubing, Ava Grace said that she wanted to bring everybody to "do that". During our day, we enjoyed the fire place while eating some snacks!! The warmth was wonderful!!

So, with all the fun and excitement of the day, I think another winter day is in our future, especially when we have access to the Wolf!

Trip to Jamaica

We had an awesome getaway to Jamaica during December!! It was a much needed vacation from all of the craziness of everyday life. Our days were spent out in the sun (70 degrees or so), out in the rain (very peaceful days), and hanging out with friends we met while there. We rented a cabana one day which may have been our favorite part of the entire trip. It rained the entire day, but since we were covered and poolside, we didn't care. The rented cabana came with butler service all day long (in which we enjoyed a fantastic lunch and beverages of choice) and a neck/back massage. It was fabulous!!! Our evenings were spent eating yummy food and then either singing karaoke, watching dancing contests, or sipping wine while talking with others. Everyone at the resort was very friendly all the time!! Tim and I thought (like many Americans) that people in Jamaica say "yeah, mon" all the time. Well, it is a fact....they say "mon" all the time!! I think the phrase we heard the most was "no problem, mon" and "yeah, mon". They have their own language too, but I can't remember what it is called as I could not understand any of it even after learning a couple of phrases. It was an amazing trip!!

New Year's Eve 2010

Our lives revolve around sports and if they didn't, I'm not sure what we would do with ourselves!! So, New Year's Eve is always a fun day, especially when football is involved. Tim, Ava Grace, and I headed to my brother's house to watch Carolina and Clemson play in their bowl games. We were not able to visit with them on Christmas Day as planned, so this gave us all a chance to hang out. Ava Grace and Luke were able to exchange their Christmas presents too. Ava Grace loves her new sweatshirt, lip gloss, and fingernail polishes. Luke loved his remote control car as well. We all just sat around watching football and enjoying the yummy food we made!!

Once the Carolina game was over, the three of us headed towards Spartanburg to Meme and Pop Pop's house. Tim and I had plans to go eat sushi at our favorite sushi restaurant. Ava Grace had plans to spend the night in Spartanburg with Meme, Pop Pop, Brittany, and Rebecca. Of course, she loved every minute of hanging out with "her girls" and "her Meme and her Pop Pop". Tim and I ate a fabulous dinner and then headed back to my brother's place. We actually went over to Kelly's and Kristi's (friends of my brother's) house to watch the Clemson bowl game and bring in the new year. A great time was had by all, even the children that were around.

We are looking forward to this new year and all the new adventures and excitement it might bring our way. Of course, we know that every year also has its challenges, disappointments, and sadness, but as always we will let God lead us in the direction we are supposed to go and help us to overcome anything that we may be faced with. We hope that everyone has a peaceful and joyful start to the new year and that this year is filled with everything that you are looking for in your lives! Happy New Year!!

Christmas Part II

I love Christmas!!! Every part of Christmas is amazing.....Jesus' birth, the songs, the colder weather, gingerbread houses, hot chocolate, warm fires, making cookies, the lights, and family time. Christmas for us included all of these things and much more!!

Ava Grace and I baked cookies one cold Sunday afternoon and later took them to our neighbors houses for their enjoyment. Ava Grace LOVES to cook/bake and definitely loves to help in the kitchen. Despite her age, she can be very useful at times while in the kitchen. We chose to make cookies that she could really make "herself" - rice krispie treats with red & green icing on top, pretzel rods dipped in white chocolate with sprinkles, brownies, and sugar cookies made into reindeer. They were really yummy!!

A few days before Christmas, Cece came up for a visit. We all went to the Grove Park Inn to see the amazing Gingerbread Houses. They are so incredibly neat, but I think the most amazing ones are the ones that the children do. The creativity is beyond words!! If you have never been to see these creations, it is a must if you are ever in the Asheville area.

We all attended church on Christmas Eve. A few years ago, we played the roles of Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus. This year, we were in the congregation as Ms. Joy told the story of Christmas in simpler terms. At first, Ava Grace wanted to sit on the floor at the front like the other children, but after about 15 minutes, she made her way back to our seat. I think she enjoyed the "play", but was more fascinated with taking communion and lighting the candles while singing "Silent Night". After church, we went back home to have some family time. Ava Grace spread reindeer food in the front yard in hopes that Santa and his reindeer would find our house. She also placed carrots and cookies alongside milk on the table so Santa would be able to maintain his strength to visit all of the other houses. The tradition has become that Ava Grace can open one present on Christmas Eve after church. The gift she opened was something similar to what most of us know as paper dolls. Instead of actual paper, you change the outfits, shoes, etc. with magnets. It is really neat and I think she has enjoyed dressing the doll up.

When we woke up Christmas morning, we had a beautiful blanket of white snow!! This is our second year in a row to have a white Christmas!! It was beautiful as it lasted all day and into the next day. The accumulation was somewhere close to 8 inches. We had a great time playing in the snow, making snow angels, making a snowman, and having a snowball fight. Ava Grace, of course, enjoyed eating the snow every chance she got.

Christmas morning was also exciting as Ava Grace awoke to find out Santa Claus had indeed found her house. She wasn't really sure about a strange man entering her house during the night while everyone was asleep, but she soon forgot about it as she looked at her new things. She carefully looked at every item in her stocking and on the sofa (where Santa laid her gifts). She wanted to play with each item as she looked at them. You can imagine how long Christmas morning lasted, but no one cared since Ava Grace was having a ball! She continues to play with every single item she received for Christmas which we are very thankful that she liked everything!

Due to the snowy weather, we were unable to go to my brother's house to celebrate Christmas. We were able to make it to Meme and Pop Pop's house in Spartanburg. We had a wonderful time as always!!! Everyone was able to make it - Tim's brother, sister-in-law, nephew, Tim's sister, brother-in-law, two nieces, Meme, and Pop Pop (and us of course). We had an amazing meal together before opening a few presents. Ava Grace had a great time playing with her cousin, Rebecca as well as opening her presents. I think she was actually very overwhelmed with all of the lights, music, people, laughter, and everything. She loved being able to sit at the table with the "big kids" as she called it. New cousins, Justin and Brittany (high school students), are always so good to her and laugh with her (and at her sometimes). I think she loved being "one of them" and away from her mommy and daddy for a few minutes. When we left, I asked her if she had a great time and she replied "that was fun!". She loves her family and loves being with everyone!!

Christmas time was a whirlwind of adventures, excitement, and special memories!! Although Ava Grace still wonders why the we had to take the Christmas tree down, she continues to sing Christmas songs and it really melts my heart (especially her rendition of Away in a Manger).

Christmas part I

We bgan our Christmas festivities by going to Johnston, SC to visit with Aunt Lila, Uncle Smith, Thomas, Casey, and Ben. We all (I mean ALL) of us piled in our car and drove the 3 hours to the country. We had a great visit in the car on the way down and the way back. While at Aunt Lila's house, Ava Grace and Luke played outside on the swings and the slide. They also enjoyed played with the dogs. We had an amazing dinner provided by Shealy's BBQ. For those of you that don't know, this may be the best BBQ (and hash) that I have ever eaten!! It is always a treat when we get to enjoy this meal!! We ate & ate & ate until we literally could not move!! I thought we were going to have to take a nap before heading home. Aunt Lila had a few goodies for everyone of which Ava Grace was most impressed with the little boxes of cereal that she could choose from.

It is always a great time to get together with all of them. I wish we could see each other more often!!

November and December Happenings

We have been so very busy in the last 6 weeks that I have not had time to update anything. Since it has been so long, I will give the very quick update of what all the Perry's have been up to. For Thanksgiving, we went to Spartanburg for a lovely dinner with Tim's family. Most of us were there and as always, it was a great time for visiting and laughing with each other. We also put up our Christmas tree and decorated it. Ava Grace had a fun time with this as she carefully inspected each ornament and asked what they all were. Her Daddy lifted her up to put the angel on top of the tree.

Ava Grace and I took in the Hendersonville Christmas Parade on a very cold, windy Saturday morning. We bundles up, braved the weather, and enjoyed seeing all of the people involved, especially the ones we knew. Ava Grace loved the bands and all of the dancers!!!

We also went to our public library for a Christmas ornament decorating event. Ava Grace made two ornaments - a Christmas tree and Santa Clause. There were also yummy treats for the children to eat. While there, we read a few books (one of Ava Grace's favorite things to do).

Every December brings about North/South All-Star Football activities for our family. Again this year, we traveled to Myrtle Beach to participate in the fun. All of my immediate family gathered for the awards ceremony on Friday night, where we always have the privilege of giving out two scholarships in memory of my Dad. The game is on Saturday and due to the torrential rain, we chose to stay at home (and let my brother and cousin attend in our place). My brother, Doug, had a young man playing in the game. We are so sorry we didn't get to see Jeremiah actually play, but we did see him on Friday night.

Halloween Weekend

Halloween weekend was a blast for us!! On Saturday morning, we began tailgating for the Wofford College homecoming game against The Citadel. Since I got degrees from both institutions, I figured I couldn't lose the game!! I am so very glad that Wofford won - after all, that is where my first loyalties lie. We enjoyed a fun day with Becca, Remsen, JR, Adam, Kent, Sara Beth, and many other college friends and their children. The weather was perfect too!!

On Saturday night, Ava Grace went trick-or-treating with her cousins Rebecca, Brittany, and Drew (Brittany's boyfriend) and her Meme. We started out at Publix where Rebecca and Ava Grace played a few games and received some candy. Tim and I were able to go to dinner with his sister Deb and Evan (Tim's sister and her husband) without children since Meme graciously offered to hang out with them and take them trick-or-treating. We had a great dinner and apparently the kiddos had a really fun time too!!

Sunday brought about more trick-or-treating! Ava Grace and I went over to the Rogers' house and neighborhood for the fun. Ava Grace always loves playing with Matthew and Sarah and this time was no different. She was really funny to watch as this was really her first Halloween experience. She run up to each house(literally ran out of her shoes) with the bigger kids and said trick-or-treat each time (along with thank you!). Ava Grace had a blast and it was so funny to watch her!! I think the adults laughed at her as much as I did!! The kiddos ate some yummy snacks at the Rogers' house and they played for a few minutes before we headed home. Our little girl was worn out!! After a and reading 2 stories, she was sound asleep. What a great weekend we had with our family and friends!!!

Last pick of the season

My college roommate, Becca, brought her son, JR, up the mountain to pick apples last Saturday. We had so much fun!! JR and Ava Grace helped us by picking out all kinds of apples. They loved feeding the goats, looking at the llama (thank goodness he didn't spit on us), and riding on the cow train. The cow train was pretty fun I must say. They took old metal barrels, cut out a hole, painted them black and white, and attached a tractor to the front - hence the name, Cow Train. They took us on a ride through the orchards and corn fields. It was really neat!! After our adventure at the apple farm, we grabbed a bite of lunch at Chick-fil-a where Ava Grace and JR munched on their some of their favorite foods and played in the playground (toy room as Ava Grace calls it). It was a short visit, but is always such special time when we get to see them.

We love Fall!!

We love the Fall season in our household!! Of course with Fall, comes lots of football, hay rides, Halloween, Thanksgiving, lots of playing outside, throwing leaves in the air, and playing at the park. Fall seems to be one of our busiest times of year (as if we aren't busy any other time) and is definitely my favorite season!! We have been playing outside a lot since the weather in the mountains has been unseasonably warm. We have also enjoyed Uncle Doug's football games and cheering on the Clemson Tigers (among other teams on Saturdays).

We made it a family affair last Saturday by going to the Clemson game against Maryland. We were very lucky to have dear friends who gave their parking pass to us and we were right outside of the West end zone LITERALLY!! It was awesome!! Ava Grace enjoyed playing in the grass, watching Tiger Walk, playing with her cousin Carson, and cheering on the Tigers during the game. By the end of the 1st quarter, she was able to use her arms to chant C-L-E-M-S-O (with the round about)- N!! It was too cute!! When the crowd yelled and cheered, Ava Grace said "woo hoo". The university retired CJ Spiller's jersey which included a very touching halftime show. For those of you who don't know, the Tiger band always spells out "Tigers" in cursive on the field before the game. So, during the halftime presentation, they spelled out "Spiller" and CJ dotted the "i". Super cool!! The Tigers came away victorious which always brings a smile to our face!!

On Sunday, Ava Grace and I went to Kendall's 3rd birthday party at High Flight Gymnastics. Needless to say, Ava Grace had a fabulous time!! She loves to tumble and being able to run and jump into a foam pit helped make her day!! We had a great time catching up with our friends Willie and Christine (the parents). Ava Grace was not ready to go, but of course it was time. We entertained her next by going to Fall Festival at our church. As you can tell from the pictures, it was another good time for our little girl. Cece came up and was able to go with us too. Ava Grace enjoyed face painting, jumping in the bounce house, fishing for Jesus, sliding down the inflatable slide, hayrides, listening to the bluegrass band, making a hat, and wandering around the pumpkin patch. We ended up spending 2 hours there, but had a blast!!

I am sure there will be more Fall activities to tell about. Stayed tuned to our next adventures!!

Fall Fun

I am very fortunate to be on the year round calendar with school, so I get a 3 week break in September. It is a wonderful time of year to be away from school for a little bit. We definitely took advantage of the beautiful weather in the mountains and in Greenville. Before one of Uncle Doug's football games, Ava Grace, Cece, and I went to Falls Park at the Reedy River in Greenville. We just walked around, watched the ducks, and played in the ampitheater area. The water was too cold to get into even though the temperatures were warm outside. That is ok because the last time we were there, Ava Grace and I slipped on the rocks and nearly landed in the water with our clothes on. Here are a few snapshots from Falls Park:
We also visited the pumkin patch at our church. They delivered over 5,000 pumpkins to be sold this year to benefit our summer youth mission trips. It is amazing how many they sell every year - 5,000 is a lot of pumpkins!! Ava Grace really had a great time picking out a pumpkin this year. She walked around to every area and picked up one and said "I want this one". At the end, we ended up choosing a pumpkin for our table outside and a little pumpkin just for her. Ava Grace placed that one in the kitchen so she could look at it when she eats at the table. We have talked about carving a pumpkin for Halloween, so she is really looking forward to that in a couple of weeks.

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