Guess who's coming?!?!?!?

"One of our most amazing cousins is coming to visit the weekend after Christmas!" ---Katie Aven


I was told and forced to type the above sentence......I promise....BUT....we are very excited to have the honorable Katie Aven in our home for about 4 days over New Year's!!

We have been so very busy for the last 3 months(as I said in the previous post). We spent Thanksgiving in Memphis with the Smith/Aven clan - which is always a fun treat! The weekend after that we had the Christmas party for my work. It was really nice. We had lunch at a country club. Very different for an office party and compared to our party last year - but it was nice to have it early in the day. Then, the weekend after that we had another Christmas party with a group from church. This last weekend we were in Memphis to celebrate Christmas with the Gemeinhardt clan(photos will, of course, follow). It is always soooo good to be with my brothers, sisters(although we were lacking one this time), and baby nephews(singular for now). We always have such a good time together! Well, at least I have a good time with all of them. I came back yesterday....alone..... just in time for yet another Christmas party. I left Brandon in Memphis to have more time to visit with family, friends, and his dentist. I have to work this week, then I will leave again on Friday to spend Christmas in Memphis. Cooper and I are surviving and spending some good quality time together(although he will probably be sick of his kennel after spending hours in it during the day). It has been a fun, yet tiring, last few months. We are meeting alot of great people at church that really desire to have relationships with us! I still love my job! Everything is great!

Some things we are looking forward to in 2007:
1- Losing weight, looking great, and being healthy :o)
2- Our cruise to the Grand Turks from Jan 22-27
3 - The possibility of buying a house in the summer! More room for more people to come visit!
4 - Our nephews both turning 1!!!!
5 - Taking my certification test for work in the around March or April.
6 - Brandon being 2 semester closer to graduation! :o)
7 - Most likely a trip to St. Joseph, MO to visit 2 of our very best friends that are moving there at the beginning of January.
8 - Hopefully at trip to Tampa, FL to visit 2 of our other very best friends!

Now I am rambling about things that are getting me really excited!!

Anyway, just so all of you know, we didn't get around to sending out Christmas cards, so consider this update an update on our lives. ALERT: awful family photo below!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! WE LOVE YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH!!


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Thomas and his new Thomas the Train train set
courtesy of Cici and Papaw
The things adults do to defenseless babies....how cute though..
OUR TREE!!!

It's been awhile!

We have had a very busy month so far! I just got back from spending 4 days in Las Vegas - I am certain that 4 days was long enough and that I don't plan to go back anytime soon. Let me just say that my eyes have been opened to a whole new world! You know the term "Sin City" - yeah, I would say that's an understatement. Oh well, I did have a blast with the other 2 girls I went with - we never stopped laughing. (I will share some pictures from the trip at the bottom of this post). I came back with the worst nagging cough - I had assumed at first that it was from inhaling so much cigarette smoke, but now it has become more icky and productive.

We are heading to Memphis on Wed. night late late late - we won't be able to leave until I get off work at 7pm - for Thanksgiving! It will be a long day but we are looking forward to seeing everyone!

Well, I think that's all for now - enjoy the photos!!!




This is the hotel we stayed at. Let me just say that is was like the Budget Inn once you were inside the room - They are actually tearing it down really soon so they can rebuild it.

Our office mananger is obsessed with Elvis and she had told us to take pictures of all the famous people we saw. We just couldn't resist when we saw him. We framed this picture in a gaudy picture frame for her - she has it on her desk now!

A "live" monument. He was looking around at everyone and when he looked at me I told him to smile and he just raised his eyebrows at me - it was quite humorous!

Inside the Venetian Hotel! It was by far my favorite. Katie - you would have loved it in there!

The Eiffel Tower at Paris!

All dressed up for dinner with the Doc


The 3 girls waiting for the Deuce (aka the bus)

We went punkin pickin'!!

We had some lovely company this weekend - the Gregory Gemeinhardt's spent Friday night and most of the day Saturday with us, along with their lovely child - Thomas! We decided to go pick pumpkins on Sat. at Huber's Farm in Indiana. We had a blast! I'll cut to the chase since the main reason I am posting is to share some pictures from that event!

The Happy Family!
The Proud Aunt!
Proud Mama and her lil punkin!!
Proud Daddy and his MVP!
(I thought it was a good way for both dad and Thomas to stay warm but unfortunately it didn't last long.)

Camping at Montgomery Bell State Park!!

We spent this past weekend camping at Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns, TN with a couple of our close friends and their dog. We had a blast! I'm not quite sure how to get the campfire stinch out of our clothes, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! The washer doesn't seem to be doing the trick!

This has been a busy month so far, I feel like we have been busy every weekend - and I know we have plans every weekend hereafter.

I hope you all have had a good week so far. I will conclude with some pictures from our adventures this weekend!



The Ashley's
Seminole attacking Cooper
Look closely - they are both carrying the stick back to us!

Hey everyone!

I thought that I would start a blog for both of us to use and also that we can send around to everyone in case they want to know what is going on in our lives here in Louisville. I hope I can keep up with it! Ashley has another blog at www.xanga.com/daisyashley, if you would like to check it out!

Well, we have been here for over a year, and wouldn't exchange our time here for anything! The Lord has stretched us and blessed us more that you can know. We have grown so close to each other and also have been stretched out of our comfort zone by making new friends - I never realized how difficult that can be, since I have had the same core friends since high school. It's been great!

We recently began visiting a new church called Fellowship Louisville. It is a brand new church plant from a church in Little Rock, AR. We are so excited to be a part of it! Brandon is actually camping this weekend with alot of the guys from there, and I helped out with a mother's day out they planned today.

School is going well for Brandon - although we are ready to be finished to see where the Lord will take us next. We are ready for a new adventure! My work is going great as well! It's the best job I have ever had and I don't believe that I have ever said that before. So, that's a blessing as well! Well, I guess that's all I have for you for now! Until next time......

Oh, and in case you forgot what we look like or if you haven't ever seen our puppy dog, here we are!