Yeah Josh!

Congratulations to Uncle Doug and Josh McKie who was selected to the North-South All-Star Football Game. Josh has worked so hard and is so very deserving on this honor. Of course we are very excited as well since my Dad truly believed in this game and all it stood for in high school football. The game will be played at the newly renovated Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium in Myrtle Beach in December. Wow, wouldn't Dad be proud!! We are looking forward to seeing Josh play several more games this year and representing the Mauldin Mavericks in the all star game in December. Congratulations to him and to Uncle Doug!

First snow of the season

Ava Grace experienced her first snow ever on Tuesday morning. Actually, she slept through it, but Cece did take a picture for her to see one day. It has been so cold with brutal winds the last few days. I can definitely tell that winter in the mountains is right around the corner. On the way to school and Nanny's on Tuesday morning, it was dark outside, about 30 degrees, and snow was flying all around. The ground was slightly above freezing temperatures, so the snow only stuck on the trees and bushes - not on the roads. The kiddos at school were going nuts!! You would think they have never seen snow before and they see it every year. I guess it is always exciting when you are a kid though! It was beautiful to see it fall, but I was glad that it did not stick. We don't need to miss school days for snow quite yet. There is definitely more on the way!

Busy Weekend

We had a very busy weekend!! When I got to work this morning, I felt like I never left from Friday. Ava Grace and I had a good week last week though. Ava Grace had a great time at Nanny's house everyday and I had busy and crazy (as usual) days at school. We had lots of rain on Friday which caused Ava Grace and I to sit in traffic for an hour and a half on the interstate in the afternoon. We needed the rain badly, but could have done without all of the accidents. Tim and the UNCA baseball team had a golf tournament on Friday as well. They actually played despite the weather and a good time was had by all. After the tournament and after we got out of traffic, Ava Grace, Tim, and I went to dinner with the parents of a current baseball recruit. It was really nice to get to know them! Unfortunately, Uncle Doug's team couldn't pull out a victory on Friday night - Mauldin lost to Boiling Springs.
On Saturday, Ava Grace and I ran some errands before heading to the university for the Bulldog World Series. Due to the rain on Friday, the games had to be postponed until Sunday. So, we didn't get to see any baseball, but Meme, Pop Pop, and Rebecca came up to visit. Ava Grace was soooo tired, so she slept for most of the visit. Rebecca did get to hold her for a few minutes though! Tim, Ava Grace, and I went home to watch some football before meeting some more recruits and their parents out for dinner. It was a long day, but a nice way to be with some friends and meet some baseball prospects.
On Sunday morning, Ava Grace, Cece, and I headed to Winnsboro for Lacey's baby shower. It was great to see the family and visit with all of them. Baby Cobb got some great things and Lacey looked great. Our cousin Erin was also there. She is pregnant and due with her 2nd son in January. She looked great as always and Grayson (her first son) is so incredibly cute!!! After the party, we loaded up in the car and headed back towards home. Cece went back to Uncle Doug's house and Ava Grace and I made it home in time to see some more football. Can you tell that we watch football EVERY TIME that it is on the TV???
So, that is about it from the Perry household for the weekend. We have started another week of work and going to Nanny's. I'm sure it will be a good one!!

Leaves, leaves, and more leaves

If you have never seen the leaf changing in the mountains of North Carolina, you are really missing out. People actually come here for weekends JUST to see the leaves change. Some of you may think that is not very exciting, but it is one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. The leaves in the higher mountains begin changing first with the leaves in the lower mountains and valleys changing later. As strange as it sounds, the lack of rain/water actually produces prettier leaves. I know that doesn't seem to make sense, but I guess in a way (a very small way) we can be thankful to be in a deficit for rainfall just so the leaves look as they do now. Although, the drought and water restrictions aren't very fun!

It is amazing how many different shades of red, yellow, and orange you can see. You can see the leaves as you drive up the interstate or around town, but the best place to see all of the different colors is on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I ride on the Parkway often going from Hendersonville to Asheville and am amazed every time as the leaves seem to change daily. So, here are some pictures of this grand event in the mountains. The pictures really don't do it justice - you need to visit!!

Recognition for being you!! :)

Congratulations to Uncle Doug and Luke!! Uncle Doug was named Greenville County Touchdown Club Football Coach of the Week! We are so proud of him and all he has accomplished while coaching in the upstate. We are biased, naturally, but we definitely feel like he deserves this recognition for many reasons. YEAH!! Congratulations again and good luck on Friday!!
Luke, our nephew/cousin, has been named Student of the Month at his elementary school. Luke is such a great kiddo and again biased, but we think he deserves it too! YEAH Luke!! Keep up the good work and we'll see you next weekend!
We love you both!!

Happy Birthday Aunt Deb!!

Happy Birthday Aunt Deb!! We hope you had a great day and hopefully we can celebrate with you soon. We love you bunches!!!

Lunch Date

We were so excited to have Aunt Natalie, Ellis, Mimi (Dawn), and Mammy to grab a bite of lunch with on Sunday. They had been on a mini-vacation in Tennessee and were making their way down through the mountains. It was a quick visit, but we will take whatever we can get. We just love being with them!! Ellis has grown since we saw her last time (which was only about a month ago) and is cute as a button!! Ava Grace and I are hoping to get to Atlanta for a visit sometime really soon. Thanks for lunch!! We love you!!