Christmas Prep

As Christmas Day is FAST approaching, so are family and friends.  Lot's of parties and last minute details that need to be tended to before everyone gets into town.  Yesterday my Grandparents got into town from Charleston, SC and I thought I would take the day to spend time with them and do some things are new for them and myself as well.    First stop...Homestead Manor Plantation in Thompson Station.  Drew's Mawmaw and Pawpaw, Bill and Joan, picked out a beautiful tea cup and saucer that they gave me for my birthday which I LOVE so I knew that I was in for a treat!   The great thing and the main reason I took my Nanny and Papa there was because they have over 100 types of teas.  They also have a tea lunch where you get tea, tea sandwiches, scones, and little deserts.  It was fabulous!  Homestead Manor is my new favorite restaurant.  Of course I will visit for special occasions but it will be hard to stay away between visits.  I'm sure to be having a date with mom soon to this great little piece of heaven.  Here are some photos from the day....

 We were in the hat room

The BEST hat, or should I say crown

Our amazing lunch!

After lunch we met up with Drew and took them to downtown Franklin and browsed the shops which is always fun.  I'm looking forward to spending Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with them :)

The closer we get to Christmas day the more I feel like I am appreciating how God pulls families together during this time in which we celebrate Jesus's Holy birth.  It's time to be thankful for the time we DO have with one another and not be selfish with that time.  If we let it get to us, this time of year becomes stressful and all about impressing others with decorations and gifts when really it should be about letting others know that they are always welcomed into our hearts and homes.

This will be the first year Drew and I will be spending part of Christmas Day away from our immediate  families.  As I talk to friends who are married and whose families may live hours away, I am so thankful that our parents are within 30 minutes of each other.  So, even though we may not get a full 12 hours of Christmas day like we are used to, it's time to welcome change and new traditions we can take form one another and incorporate both into our very own children's Christmases one day.  I can't wait to experience my first Perry Christmas and see how Drew has celebrated for the past 27 years.  I'm sure he is going to be knocked on his face at how different our family celebrations are but I think it's kinda cool to be able to have 2 totally different celebrations, all within 12 hours.  It is truly a blessing, to have not only 1 but 2 wonderful families to share this beautiful season with.

Ill be back in a week with some Christmas Day photos and great stories!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & GOD BLESS!

Thanksgiving and the Beginning of Christmas Season

It's the best time of the year!  The next month is my favorite of the year, Christmas time!  From Thanksgiving with family to decorating, baking, parties, and more family, what could be better?  Not much in my opinion.  Drew and I took a trip to Charleston this year to visit my grandparents.  We dropped Charlie off at mom's house and off we went.  The drive was great and the company waiting for us was even better.  We arrived on Wednesday and on Thursday we grubbed.  My nanny cooked some great sides and deserts of course.  My favorite was the scalloped sweet potatoes made with garlic and sage.  YUM!  But most of all I was Thankful to have my papa there with us for another great Thanksgiving.  There was a lot of football and Christmas movies.  The Perfect Thanksgiving!  We left on Saturday and got home in time to spend Sunday decorating for Christmas! 

Here are some photos of our living room.

For our tree we got a great deal on one at Target!  It's pre-lit and has the pine cones which was perfect for my log cabin plaid "theme".  I bought some pretty plaid ribbon from Trees and trends and just attached it to the bottom of our tree topper and let it drape.  Some of my ornaments are from Christmas village and some I bought at Target.  The best ornaments on the tree are ones that my Mom and Nanny gave us for our first Christmas together.  My mom got us a beautiful ceramic heart with two snowman/woman painted on.  My Nanny gave Drew and soccer ball with a Santa hat and me two white love birds to signify the first Christmas being married.  These are the best ornaments.  There are also two red wooden hearts on the tree that I painted the letter "P" on for "Perry" of course.

 Our mantel is my favorite!  we bought the garland from Target since they had one with holly berries and plaid ribbon already attached, made my life easier.  The two outside matching stockings are from Christmas Village and the middle one is Charlie's.  He has the largest one!  Haha.  It may be hard to see but there are two white reindeer in the center of the mantle that may Papa made from wood and my Nanny painted them an draped their necks with ribbon.  I am all about making things personal and these reindeer sure do mean a lot.  The candle sticks that aren't very visible are wedding gifts.  The holders are crystal.  Beautiful.  I have actually changed the white candle sticks for red.  Finally the stocking holders are just a neat purchase that matched the rest of the decor.

As you can see we had to get a photo of are little (huge) pup.  He is only 5 months, yea he is a heifer.  Some other things that I have done to decorate are tie some of the same plaid ribbon from the tree around some green candles I keep up year round to give it a festive look.  I also bought some Holiday fabric and wrapped framed glassed with it to have some easy Holiday art.  This idea comes from Christine Coates, so I can't take credit!  Thanks Christine!  I have 3 more pieces of fabric to frame and hang later today before I have to go back to work.

I am most excited about spending my first Christmas with my dear husband.  Yes, we are going to have the busiest Christmas of our lives this year with two families to celebrate with and we are attending/hosting more parties and dinners than ever this year but I know come Christmas night when all the fuss is over we will finally get some time together to relax and sit by a pretty fire and toast to the first of many Christmases together.  It's strange to think that by Christmas day last year we had only been on 2 or 3 dates and now we are married.  also this time last year Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is You" was all about Drew!  Santa totally delivered on that one!  I'm excited to see what amazing Christmas gifts God has in store for myself and my family this year. 

I hope anyone reading had a wonderful Thanksgiving and may God bless this beautiful Christmas Season.

Fall Beginnings

The past couple of weeks have been times of change.  Changes in Charlie and for Drew and I.  Charlie is Huge!  We weighed him a week ago and he was 35 lbs and by now he is probably almost 40lbs.  Ive got to have good leverage to pick him up.  LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS!  Charlie and I took our first trip to Barkaroo in Murfreesboro last weekend.  Last year my mom and I stumbled upon it while we were taking a jog on the Greenway, so this year we wanted to take our babies to enjoy the festivities.  It was so much fun.  We got to watch some talented dogs do all kinds of neat tricks.  There was one dog that I think was a herding dog and could catch any frisbee thrown at, up, behind or under him!  Amazing.  I wonder if Charlie will ever catch anything....  Not only did we get to see some really cool tricks but we got a chance to see some awesome dog breeds.  If you take a look at the photo below, to the left of us is a huge Great Dane!  He was gorgeous.  Apparently there are also doggie "trends".  The biggest trend seemed to be the goggles all the pups were wearing.  I think they are to keep the wind out of their eyes while riding in the car with their heads hangin out.  Too funny!

This is Charlie and his cousin Chloe.  Chloe is sitting so pretty!

It's finally Fall here is Middle Tennessee!  The leaves have changed and the air is cooling off.  Drew's soccer season has come to an end and I think it was a pretty good season but he may tell you otherwise.  I'm so proud of my hard working hubby!  As you know with Fall comes a great holiday that means so much to many people...THANKSGIVING!  To me Thanksgiving means family and the beginning of the Christmas season, the best month of the year in my opinion.  This year's Thanksgiving is going to be a bit different for Drew and I.  Mostly because it's our first major holiday together as a married couple but we are taking a trip to visit my Nanny and Papa in Charleston.  This will be Drew's first Thanksgiving away from his family but I hope he feels like he is still with family.  We are really looking forward to the gorgeous drive through the mountains in North Carolina on our way to Charleston.  We decided to take the trip to spend some time with my Grandparents after some tough months health-wise following our wedding.  Not to worry, everyone seems to be doing great :)  I can't wait to share pictures of our trip!

Another new thing happening with us is that we have been serving with our church.  Not anything extraordinary but just greeting on Sunday mornings.  We have enjoyed our church so much that we are doing what we can to become members hopefully soon.  This past Sunday, our preacher, Jay, preached the message of contentment.  I believe that in our society we tend to never be content with our lives and what God has given us.  It is the perfect time of year to sit back and think of everything in our lives that is good, and even things that you thought were or are bad that may open doors of opportunities.  God takes care of his children and has a plan for all of us, don't fight that battle.  A small portion of the MANY things God has given me is a husband that I could of never dreamed to have, a gorgeous little puppy that loves me unconditionally, friends and family who seem to always show up when I need them, a Faith that is growing every second I live, and more time to spend with my family ever since letting go of my last job.  There are sacrifices we all make to have certain things but just remember that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so we may have eternal life.  Our sacrifices are dim in comparison. 

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

Tricks and Dog Treats

Since our last post I feel like our little Charlie bear has gone from an infant to a toddler...in dog years of course.  The barking has calmed, the biting only comes in spurts and fits of rage, and he is now all over everything!  Charlie is finally walking up and down the stairs unassisted, praise God, and he can jump off our bed with slight hesitation.  His last vaccination visit to the vet went well and he weighed in at 30 lbs!  He only just turned 16 weeks October 29th!  Yes, we have a big boy on our hands.  Nothing beats laying in bed with him in the evenings while he naps...so sweet.  We take weekly visits to see his best friend Chloe, my parents 3 year old golden, and Charlie has a blast!  The down side is that we have to bathe him every time since they tend to drool all over each other.  This past weekend was Halloween and we HAD to dress up all the pups.  Charlie was a Bumble Bee, Chloe was a devil, my parents little Pomeranians were a bat and a prep.  We tried to make Charlie an alien but it didn't fit.  Below are some recent pictures of Charlie.

                                                          The Devil and a Bumble Bee

 On the way to see Chloe

 Basking in the sun

Alien costume was too big

Now that Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is fast approaching Drew and I cant believe that we have been married for 3 months already!  Drew has been working himself into the ground with soccer and teaching.  His club team TNFC just had there last tournament of the year in Murfreesboro and they took 2nd place in the silver division.  Way to go Rovers!  They will pick their tournaments back up in late Winter and early Spring.

I have been helping Nashville Aquatic Club with some coaching on Thursdays nights and have enjoyed being able to see my little swimmers regularly.  Rebbecca (Drew's mom) and I co-hosted a Willow House Party this past Thursday at Rebecca's House which she so graciously offered, and even though we only had a few people attend we sold quite a bit of merchandise and I think that we were both pleasantly surprised!  It was my first taste of a home party and I enjoyed myself. 

Drew and I are becoming more and more involved with our Church, Station Hill Baptist.  We are taking a theology class on Wednesday nights that we are really enjoying and will start serving this Sunday as greeters.  This is only the beginning of the membership process but are thrilled to begin this journey with our wonderful church family.  The best part about attending Station Hill Church is that it has brought Drew and I closer spiritually and there is nothing better to me than worshiping  the Lord with my awesome husband.   I thank God for him every day. 

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!  More Halloween photos are soon to come :)

Isaiah 45:19

I have not spoken in secret,

from somewhere in the land of darkness;

I have not said to Jacob's descendants,

'seek me in vain.'

I, the Lord, speak the truth;

I declare what is right.

Puppies and Soccer

I guess it's been a bit too long since I posted so I thought Id give everyone an update on how the Perry Clan is doing.  We have been wonderful!  Many new things to talk about as well. 

Ill start with Charlie, as usual.  Charlie is HUGE!  He weighs 22 lbs!  Just a month ago he weighed 11 lbs.  He is leggy and now has a voice.  Charlie loves to bark!  Not a good thing when you live in an apartment complex.  We have finally found something thats works and that is spraying water at his snout when he barks when he isn't suppose to.  I thought it was mean at first but it doesnt seem to phase him in a negative way.  Other than that he is sleeping most of the night and isnt having accidents when Drew and I are at work.  Yay! I try to get Charlie to mom and dad's once a week to visit and so he can play with Chloe, their golden. It's so cute.  Just wait till halloween...they all have costumes.  Until then, here is a picture of Drew and Charlie watching the Titans game today together.

 1st visit to Chloe's home...cousin.

Hilarious!  He was so confused and just wanted to play.

 Charlie loves the Shower!

Isn't he gorgeous???

Now it's time to brag on my husband a little bit.  I have been so proud of him and his 12 year old boys soccer team.  Drew coaches club soccer at TNFC and this season has been a great season for them.  They finished up a tournament this today in Whitehouse where they took 2nd place to Brentwood Soccer Club.  Argh, but it's okay because they beat them in a game just 2 hours before.  Just a few weekends ago they played lights out at their home tournament and took 1st place!  Way to go TNFC Rovers.  I am constantly being approached by parents telling me how much they LOVE Coach Drew and how much he teaches their boys.  I just know Drew is going to be an amazing father.  I love my husband!

Some other recent news is that I've got a new job.  I've been working with K&M Designs.  It is a paper design company and the designer Cynthia Rheins is awesome!  I love working with friends and this company is going to be big so watch out.  Cynthis designed and printed my gorgeous wedding invitations and fans.  Here is a picture below.  Im so excited to see where this new job goes.

Drew and I have also been attending Station Hill Baptist Church and have loved it!  We have started the membership process this past week and we have a great feeling about this Church and what God has in store for us there.  We have already met some wonderful people and hope that we can grow closer to these people as we grow with God through the church.  This Wednesday we begin a Theology class with our Preacher, Jay and cant wait to share what we learn with people.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

Here is a well known Bible verse that Drew and I feel describes the past few weeks with all the wonderful changes we have encountered...

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future."

Jereamiah 29:11

Reflections

The follow up on leaving Charlie to roam in our bedroom at night with his crate open was SUCCESS!  No more whining when he cant get comfy!  Thank goodness for that.  Now we are on to the next mountainous issue...biting.  We have tried yelling no, shoving our hands in his mouth till he gives, and ignoring him but nothing has worked.  He definitely doesnt understand the word "no".  I think our final attempt to control this little oral fixation is to get a squirt bottle and spray him when he bites.  We will see how it goes.  Again, Ill let ya know what the result of that one is.  On a positive Charlie note...he knows the command "sit".  Yay, maybe we DO know how to raise a puppy.

You're probably wondering what the title of this blog is referring to because puppy biting isnt exactly screaming "reflections".  No, "reflections" is referring to the book I just finished reading.  "Choosing to See" by Mary Beth Chapman.  It's a good word because that is what this book forces you to do.  Whether you are a Christian or not, this book is one that will make you sit and think what your life really means to you and what you mean to the people surrounding you.  Most people know that I am a "newbie" in my Christian Faith.  By new I mean about 2 years now.  It's been a struggle and I was lucky enough to have my wonderful friend Marianne be my catalyst in this new part of my life.  But since I moved from Tallahassee where she was it has been hard to keep up my faith and I questioned it every day...still do to a degree but it hard to when God has given me such a wonderful gift like Drew in the past year.  What I am saying is that this book has so many inspiring moments and moments that make me wonder how God could NOT be real.  It's so cliche to say but life really is short and who knows when we will be leaving this oh so temporary life and who knows when you will have a loved one who will pass on.  So making the most of every day and making the most of my Faith has really become the center point of my life and Im thankful I read the book because it makes those silly little cliches that much more real.  Hey, they are popular sayings for a reason.  Funny that the only reason I picked up the book was not because its on the New York Times best seller list but because I know the brother of the author.  I am proud to say he is a friend of mine and he has such a beautiful family.  If it werent for that connection then I would have never bought the book.  So this is my attempt to say to anyone who is or isn't a Christian or doesnt know who Steven Curtis Chapman is or doesnt care about a book on the NYT Best Seller List (lets face it it seems they all make it there one way or another), just go pick it up and read it.  Trust me it wont take long.  You will cry your eyes out but I guarantee you will go hug your husband, wife, or kids just to hug them and then you will pass this book on to every person you know. 

I feel like Oprah doing a book club review but something just inspried me to share this book with everyone.  Unfortunately I am in a position where I cannot share photos with this entry but I promise to post some very soon!

Charlie Monster

We thought we would give an update on our "baby", Charlie.  One word...BITER!  Hence the name Charlie Monster.  He chews anything and everything he feels like including fingers and toes.  We are trying to get him to stop biting by using a spray called "bitter apple" which seemed to help at the beginning but I guess he likes it now!  The house training is getting better.  The house trianing using the bells was a failure because he just used it like a cat toy.  Then there are our nights with Charlie.  We didnt sleep last night because Charlie couldnt get comfortable.  Rough life for a pup huh?  Tonight we are going to try and keep his kennel in the bedroom and keep the door open so he can go in and out since he seems like his kennel during the day, how convenient.  But you should see him when he sleeps...PRECIOUS!

Wish us luck tonight and we will let you know how the night goes!

GOOD NIGHT CHARLIE!

Welcome to Our Blog!

I seem to have noticed that most people begin blogs when they have babies in order to keep family and friends updated on all the new and exciting events of their children's lives.  Well, we don't have a baby...a human one at least.  Ill get to him later :)

I'm Shantel and I will be the one posting probably 100% of the time.  Our Perry clan consists of myself, my husband Drew and our new little Golden Retriever, Charlie.  I am blogging because I thought it would be a nice way for our family to check in on us in a more humorous way.  It's also a great place to post daily, family photos.  You're welcome. 

My wonderful husband Drew and I have been married for a little over a month now.  It's been wonderful and I know that I couldn't ask for more in a husband.  He literally fits "my list".  Ladies, you know exactly what I'm talking about.  What people find most surprising is that we have only been together as a couple for almost 9 months this month.  Hey, when you know, you know, right?  We went to high school together at the ever-so-special Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, TN.  Yes I knew Drew and we even had the same group of Friends but I guess I wasn't cool enough to get invited to the parties at his parents house that all our Friends still mention.  I guess it's not his fault.  I always had an excuse that probably had to do with swim practice.  We were not high school sweethearts and I'm not even sure we had any classes together but I knew who Drew was.  He was the soccer player or  known to me more as Kyle Scoble's best friend.  So flash forward to August, 2009 at Abigail Hale's birthday dinner.  It was the first time I had seen drew in 7 years!  You're probably expecting me to say that there were immediate sparks and it was love from that point right?  Nope.  We were both "dating" people.  I say "dating" because we both were in long-distance relationships and  wanted to believe it was dating but not really.  So how did we end up together?  Well one day in early December I was driving to work and I saw Drew in his car leaving where I was headed.  So later that night I sent him a facebook message telling him that we should hang out since we lived so close.  I was just being nice.  To my surprise he sent me one back saying yea and we made a date.  Now I can say that from the night of December 18th on I was done.  He was the one and I knew it.  (By the way, we weren't "dating" anyone anymore. No home wrecking here.)  Now I just had to figure out how to get through the date I made for later that night with someone else!  Haha!  Drew still doesn't let me live that one down. Four months later he proposed and three months after that we were married.  I could go into the details of the proposal and the wedding but most anyone who reads this knows all that and has probably heard it more than once.

So here we are in the honeymoon phase of our marriage which I couldn't imagine ever getting over this stage.  We have such a love for Life, God, and our family and I hope that whoever reads this, whether we know you or not, finds some things funny and learns a little bit about who we are as a family and will journey through the growing the perry Clan in the years to come.  I'm not promising a daily entry because believe me our lives aren't that much different than those of you reading this today, but I will try to get a weekly one in with tons of pictures of our rapidly growing Charlie bear.

Enjoy Our Blog!

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
Pslam 62:1-2