the bradberry family

Ok, ok. I am well aware that it has been two weeks since my last post. I am comforted in the fact that I have seen very few updated post from my friends... what can I say. My excuses are the same as anyone else's. It's the holiday season, that adds up to very little extra time. Our past two weeks have been busy and fun filled with visits from family, broadway plays, Thanksgiving celebrations, putting up Christmas decorations, and me turning 28. Here are some pictures with a few updates... Hopefully I can keep up better for the rest of 2008!

"Auntie" Pam came to visit from TX! We had a great time shopping and just hanging out with her. The Tuesday before Thanksgiving we took a "girls night" and went to see Annie. It was fabulous as always. Annie has been my favorite musical since I was a little girl. I can't wait until Anna Kat is old enough to go!

This picture is blurry, but just too cute not to post. Anna Kate is loving hanging out with Uncle Brian these days.

She had a blast watching the Macy's TG parade! After she finished her waffles, she got down and danced to all the songs and waved back to the people in the parade who were waving. She really got excited when the Sesame Street float came by!

Our first "feast" (yes we pig out not once, but TWICE on Thanksgiving) was at my parent's house. My mom always sets such a beautiful table!

This was, of course, Anna Kate's second Thanksgiving, but it was her first to partake in all the yummy food! Here is her plate. She devoured everything!

Eating turkey... Here's a quick funny story. My family is not crazy about turkey, so we opted to have only ham this year. Chris' mom was fixing a chicken casserole instead of turkey. When Chris found out that there would be no sign of turkey at either household, he got a little upset! I shrugged it off. He's a big boy. No turkey for one year won't kill him. So after we woke up Thursday morning, he started talking about how sad it was that Anna Kate was not going to eat turkey on her first Thanksgiving meal. That is all it took! Ten mins. later I was at the store looking for a "small" turkey. Keep in mind that is is about 3 hours before we are going to mom's to eat. I left the store empty handed and laughing at myself... it became VERY evident that I've never even thought about fixing a turkey of any kind. I learned that day (after picking up and examining all the FROZEN SOLID butterball turkeys in the store) that fixing a turkey is not at all a last min. thing! So off to Cracker Barrel. I got a couple laughs when I ordered one pound of turkey to go... oh well. Chris and Anna Kate and Uncle Brian had their turkey.

playing at Granna and Granddaddy's house

typical after turkey pose...

playing in Granna's decorations

pretending with Granddaddy

She loves this old baby doll of mine!

love her face in this one

Our second yummy meal at Ya Ya and Granddad's house! She loved the casserole!

It is so super hard to get a good picture of these three cousins.

Granddad and Great-Grandmommy

Ya Ya and AK

Wednesday was my 28th birthday. Yes... I feel very old. I got to celebrate with my parents, brother, Chris and Anna Kate that night. We had a fun time eating at Provino's a tradition that is at least 12 years in the running. Then came back to our house for cookie cake and ice cream. Yesterday, Chris' family had dinner and desert for me. Thanks everyone for helping make my birthday special!
My beautiful daughter is the best present ever!

my loves...
giving the card to mommy...

Last Thursday after Chris picked Anna Kate and me up from the Nashville airport, we got to do something I've always wanted to do. We saved the two and a half hour trek back to Chattanooga for the next day, and stayed overnight at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. I've loved this place since I was a little girl. It is especially fantastic while decorated for Christmas. Our little girl missed her daddy while we were in CT! She was so excited to see him that night!

While there, we got quite the VIP treatment thanks to my friend Skip's wife Kate, who works at the Gaylord Texan. She got us an amazing room overlooking the waterfall in the Cascades section of the hotel. Absolutely beautiful! Can't say thanks enough Kate!
the view from the balcony in our room... (the picture does not do it justice)

While we were wondering around looking at the lights, we turned a corner and almost literally ran into our friend Brent (who recently moved from Chattanooga to Nashville). It was such a coincidence seeing him in such a huge place! It was so good to see you Brent and catch up a little.

This was waiting for us in our room when we returned... a sweet note and a voucher for breakfast at our favorite restaurant in the hotel. Thank you Brent! You are awesome!

Lights, lights, and more lights! Two MILLION lights are used to decorate the outdoors alone. Add two hundred thousand to decorate the indoors. It is quite a sight to behold. Anna Kate was fascinated. She spent the whole night pointing, smiling, and clapping.
The outdoor Nativity scene was stunning. We were told that is is the world's largest.

watching the fountain, light and music show...

This is no average fountain! It reaches 85 feet at it's highest!

This is their gorgeous Christmas tree stretching up 40 feet!

After a long day on a plane and quite an eventful night, it took us a while to calm our little "overstimulated" girl down. She had fun playing on big bed in the room.

still fascinated when she woke up the next morning...

having fun running down the long hallway after an early morning swim...

a walk by the beautiful flowers...

If I had to wrap up our trip to CT in words it would be "simple but sweet." We did not have big plans nor did we do anything elaborate, but I would not have had it any other way. We passed the time just like we used to when we lived in the same town... playing and cuddling with our girls, eating lots of ice cream, staying up late talking until we were delirious, shopping, and just "being." That is what I love about our friendship. We don't have to "entertain" each other, and we pick right back up as if we've only been apart for a day or two.

Anna Kate on the plane... I am not going to lie to you- the trip was HARD. It was a very long nine hours with a sleep deprived baby. A clear, beautiful birds-eye-view of NY. (click on picture to see larger view)

I cannot even begin to tell you how this little girl melted my heart. It was a very long three and a half weeks of waiting to hold her. She is precious in every since of the word. I could not get enough of her!

Very sleepy Isabelle and Anna Kate on one of our outings. Anna Kate thought it was great to sit in the middle of her two little friends!

This visit was the first time that the older girls were both old enough to actually play together. It was so sweet!

eating "do-nis" that Isabelle's Grandma brought, and watching Elmo

l.o.v.e. those cheeks!

my favorite picture

Even though it was REALLY cold outside, we had to let the girls run around for a little while. Courtney's parents have amazing property.

This is the lake in front of Courtney's parents' house.

Most of the ice cream shops close for the winter months in CT, but Courtney found one that stays open year round! This was Anna Kate's very first ice cream cone.

such a cute little table that was a perfect size!

in ice cream dream land...

Isabelle taught Anna Kate how to the cone and all!

sleeping sweetie!

Sorry Emma! Anna Kate took your place in the double stroller for a few days... Isabelle and Anna Kate were tickled at the "new ride," and I am sure that Emma was much more peaceful alone in the other stroller.

"Goodbye" is always hard...

Can't wait to see you all again soon! Miss you tons already!

Anna Kate and I took a break from packing for our trip last week for a playdate with the Holland clan. It was a very warm fall day. We had fun just playing and taking a walk! Hope to do it again soon!

...and GO VOTE!
It's our right. It's our privilege. It's our duty.
As you go to the polls today, I hope that you remember to keep the future of our great country in your prayers. Remember... prayer is our nation's real hope. God is ultimately in control.

Daddy picked Anna Kate's toy to take with her to the polls. She did manage to carry her very subtle "paraphernalia" into the polls. ;o)

An "after the vote" self portrait.