Another Year...Another Football Season

Can't believe it's almost the end of 2009! We have so much to be thankful for: family, friends, another healthy football season for Andy (with one more game left!), our wonderful home waiting on us in Greenville, and our little baby on the way!!! It's always so exciting to head back home to SC, but it's sad to be leaving our "other home" out here in San Jose for a while. This week will be full of packing, house cleaning, mail forwarding, car shipping, takeout, and "see ya next years"! We're looking forward to seeing all of our family, but we'll miss our friends as we head our separate ways!! I can't believe when we're back out here we'll be a family of 3!!

Hope 2010 brings many blessings to you all!

Here's some pictures from Christmas and from the last home game! (Some on my NEW CAMERA I got from Andy for Christmas!)

With our friends the Nordins who joined us for their first NFL football game!

Andy warming up

Some of the ladies after the game

With Mom, Jimmy, and Rebecca celebrating Mom's birthday during their visit

At the Monday Night game! Go Niners!

At the 49ers Christmas Party

The First Baby Picture!

We had our 13 week ultrasound today and I had to post a picture because it was SO AMAZING! I had no idea you could see that much so soon! It was really cool to see our baby moving around, and to see so many details. You could already count 5 fingers!! The baby loved laying on it's tummy, but we got him/her to flip around for a few pictures. My camera on my phone turned the pictures the wrong way, but you can still see a lot. ENJOY!

I've been avoiding updating for a few weeks because...I'M PREGNANT! I didn't want to post anything for sure until I was over 12 weeks, which I am now (I'll be 13 weeks on Friday)! And now I've had the chance to tell almost everyone anyway!

We found out about 7-8 weeks ago. Andy was playing in Minnesota for the weekend, and I was a little "late" so he kept telling me to go buy a pregnancy test. I told him I just KNEW I wasn't pregnant, but I would get one Sunday just in case. So...after the game (which they barely lost- by the way...didn't Favre retire??) anyway...I went to the pharmacy and took the test and it was positive! I called Andy as he was boarding the plane to come home and I could hear his smile through the phone! I, on the other hand, had to take 3 more tests to convince myself it was real. And then take 1 more when Andy got home :) After a doctor's appointment, blood tests, a few rough mornings/on and off nausea, and an ultrasound it finally hit me! There's a baby in there!!

We went to hear the heartbeat yesterday and it sounds strong and fast (170). It was so cool to hear it pounding away! The old wives' tale says if the heartbeat is over 140 it's a boy, but our doctor says that's just a myth! Both Andy and I are thinking it's a girl, but we'll just have to wait and see! We are not finding out the sex, much to Andy's disappointment, but it's something I've always wanted to do so he's agreed to wait (for now). My due date is May 29 so we've got about 6 months to go! It will fly by, right?

I don't have any belly shots yet, although I feel like I'm starting to poke out a little already, but I thought I'd post a picture of us taken last weekend at Pebble Beach. Andy had the weekend off since they had a Thursday night game so we took his parents down there to visit there and Carmel. It was a beautiful day! More updates to come...

Ok, so you probably think I don't update this thing anymore. Truth is, I don't. Not because I don't want to, but because I forget. And because I've gotten so behind that I feel like I need to try and catch all of you up on the past 3 months. Instead of doing that, I thought I'd just post a few pictures that I've taken recently. It's been busy around here with football season starting. The Niners are now 3-1 (3-0 in the division)! So AWESOME! I'm so proud of the guys!

Here's Andy as a captain during preseason

The guys were at an away game so we had a Girls Night

And another Girls Night

Me with my little sisters at the Muir Woods in San Francisco

We ran in to CLAY AIKEN in Napa. He let us snap a photo with him :) but he wouldn't sing for us...

Go NINERS! 35-0 against the Rams. Sorry Bajemas :)

Andy and I just returned from a 2 week beach trip with our family. We spent the first week with Andy's side of the family, and the second week with mine. It was such a great trip! I look forward to this trip every summer, so I'm kinda sad it's over :(  Can't wait til 2010!! 

Highlights:

hanging out on the beach all day--that never gets old to me!

great weather

hanging out with family and friends

yummy seafood

putt-putt

game nights

icecream!!

dancing (on our porch, on the beach, ect..)

Andy golfing with the guys

outdoor showers

and so many other traditions

S U N S E T

the whole gang on the beach

dancing on the porch

Puttin It with The Lees

looking back at summer 2008

Picture from last year at the beach...just getting excited!!

After reading her blog, I learned that my buddy, 

Lindsey, has tagged me. After reading hers I had to rack my brain because I didn't want to steal all of her 6 things! 

1. The Rules:

1. * List Six Unimportant Things That Make You Happy

1. * Mention and link to the person who tagged you

1. * Tag six of your favorite bloggers to play along

1. {and comment on their blog to let them know they’ve been tagged}

1. Waking up to my happy dog, LAYLA. There's something that makes me feel optimistic about the day when I wake up and see my dog. Sounds silly, but all she needs is a simple "good morning, Layla!" and her tail starts going. She's up, happy, ready for a new day! It makes me sit and think-I wish I could be more like that in the morning!

2. ZUMBA-OK I know Lindsey put it on her list, but I couldn't keep it off of mine!! Zumba is a fun mix of latin/hip-hop aerobic dance set to fun, upbeat music! It doesn't even feel like I'm working out, but when I leave I'm soaked! If you like to dance-you'll LOVE Zumba! It's just the best!!

3. CHICK-FIL-A. When we are in California for months at a time, I can't tell you how much I crave Chick-fil-a. Sometimes after a flight back to SC, I even route our trip home just so we can stop by the drive-thru and get some! There's something about it that reminds me of home!

4. DVR- I can get into tv shows a little TOO much--maybe that was an understatement...but DVR is the best invention in a long time. Better than shamwow, bump-its, or that thing that's supposed to shave your legs... ok, anyway, it's so great to come back after a night out and get to catch up on all my shows the next day..and without commercials! 

5. Playing the song game- This might sound annoying to some of you, but Andy and I created a game for our long road trips where we scan through our satellite radio and the first person to name the artist singing gets a point. Of course, we are highly competitive, so we get really into it. I always win, and Andy doesn't like playing me too much anymore, but I love it when he does!

6. THE BEACH- Sunset Beach, NC to be exact. We've been going there since I can remember, and we've created so many traditions over the years. Family and friends reuniting in the same house every year is so much fun! We enjoy the beach, play games, go to the same restaurants, catch up late at night, take long walks, take the same pictures so we can compare from previous years... simple things that make me look forward to that week all year! I always say it's my favorite week of the year! AND IT'S COMING UP IN ONE WEEK!! YAY!! Oh and not to mention beach hair--is it the salt in the air or just the beauty of not using a hair dryer that I love...?? Some other favorites from the trip: the ice cream store, charades, getting a new Dockside t-shirt, the ice maker, outdoor shower, chicken salad....I could go on and on...

I am tagging...

Kelly Rogers

Nicole Wragge

Alicia Swain

Ashley Cox

Trips and stuff!

Well I haven't updated in a while, so I thought I would just post some pictures from the past few weeks. It doesn't seem like we've been out in California for long, and it's almost time to head back to SC for summer--YAY countdown!! It never quite feels like summer until we hit the humidity of South Carolina! In the meantime, we've been catching up with friends, golfing (Andy of course), ZUMBA (me, of course-Love iT!), and just hanging out! 

Here's us with our friends Haydeh and Rob at a cookout they had a few weeks ago. It was actually a HOT weekend (90-95--yes!!) It was nice to see these guys and catch up!

Layla--famous??? Well, sorta. Our friend Gina is doing some work with the K-9 companions organization and they asked some of the 49ers players to pose in a calendar with some of the K-9's and their own pups!! We were very proud of how well behaved Layla was, and with her amazing poses!! Look at that paw up on his leg! How sweet! I'm sure we'll have agents calling when this is published...right....

It's like she's saying "this is my dad, ok!"

As a little pre-birthday treat, Andy took me down to LA for a long weekend when the guys had the week off. We found our way around Santa Monica, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and beyond! We did some shopping, did the tourist thing, and got to meet up with Andy's college roommate Yogi. He took us out a couple nights and showed us what Hollywood was all about! It was a great trip! Here's Andy outside the Chinese Theatre at Will Smith's square. We took a tour there and learned all about the history of the theatre and how the hand/footprints all started. It was an accident when a famous silent films star stepped in wet cement and Sid Grauman (the theatre owner-sp?) thought it was a unique idea to permanently seal the stardom of all the celebs! Cool-huh?

Here's us on the beach right by the Santa Monica pier. Our hotel was right by it so it was really cool to see it all lit up at night. For all you "Hills" fans-this is where Heidi and Spencer got engaged! (I know it's kind of pathetic, but we did see a few "landmarks" from the show and it got me a little excited...)

Shopping on Rodeo Drive. (I think I called it road-eee-o a few times instead of rod-day-o and showed off my southern side--oops--at least it was just to Andy and not in public!)

Eating dinner at CUT in Beverly Hills. They had big pictures of celebrity's faces all over the place and on the back of the menus. Andy's trying to pick out his steak on the back of Angelina Jolie's face-nice.. and you can see Obama in the background. My menu had Kanye West on it! (another side note-this is where Heidi and Spencer had their rehearsal dinner--didn't know that until after we got back but it was cool to say we ate there!)

Out with Yogi one night at the Roxy. We watched some really cool bands play, and even saw Pete Carroll (USC head coach) make an appearance! Yogi was so nice to take us out! The night before we went to Hwood (in Hollywood, obviously)--pretty trendy place, but no celebrity sightings :(--oh well, maybe next time! It was still fun dancing though!

The camera battery died somewhere after this shot, and I think the charger is back at our house in South Carolina, so no more pics until we get back! (less than 2 weeks though!! YAY!) We're looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

PICS FROM THE TRIP

Thought I would post a couple pictures we took while driving across the country. Look at all of those windmills! This was taken somewhere near Palm Springs- it was like 85 degrees outside and there's snow up on the mountain in the background.

Thought this sign at a rest stop was funny (in New Mexico I think?). I've never seen one of these before-Beware of SNAKES! YIKES!

We made it!

We did it again! We left Tuesday morning from SC and made it to San Jose on Thursday night! The trip went well...good weather, no real traffic, BUT I'm so glad to be in our own house! Rest stops can be pretty gross when you're out in the middle of no where and eating all that junk makes me feel like crap! 

Anyway, we are back and getting settled-unpacked some, had the cable/internet hooked up, got a rental car, grocery shopping, picked up Layla (she flew from ATL this morning). We are still adjusting but doing well. I'm definitely not liking this cold and rain though--I miss those 80 degree days back at home! Hopefully it will be better next week!

Andy will start back with workouts Monday and I'll get back on my schedule too (hopefully)-gym, bible study, etc.  Not too much to report now, but to say that we're back and safe! SHout OUT to Katie turning 7 on Sunday and Stefanie turning 9 on Saturday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS! I LOVE Y'ALL SO MUCH! Here's a pic of us girls having lunch together at Lillian's. Miss all of you!

Happy Easter (a couple weeks late)! We had a wonderful day. It started with an AWESOME service at Newspring (where we've been visiting). We were so happy to celebrate Christ's resurrection and really focus on what He did for us! We didn't deserve it, but are so thankful He died for US! 

For lunch we had my sister Rebecca, mom, stepdad, grandparents, Andy's mom, dad, brothers+ Jennifer over for a big meal! It was our first time hosting and everything went great! We were so happy to have everyone! After eating we had some Easter trivia (grandmama whipped everyone...but anyway...) then an Easter egg hunt. Rebecca walked away with 2/3 $$ eggs so she was happy :)

We are now getting ready to head back out to California (we're driving...pray for good weather and no crazy people on the road!) We'll only be gone a 6-7weeks, but we'll miss all our family and friends while we're gone. We're not excited about leaving our house either! We love it, but we are excited to get back out to CA for a while and visit our friends there. I'm so excited about the warm weather we're getting here too! Hopefully it will be just as nice out there! I'll try to update more often from out there!

MORE HOUSE PICS!

Andy turned on golf today so I thought I'd sit here and upload some more house pictures! These were taken right when we moved in so things look a little bare...

WOW I haven't updated in forever! We've been back in SC now for almost 3 months, moved into our new house and are enjoying it SOOO much! It's so nice to be home! It took about a month for us to be able to move in, and we are still getting things settled. We were in the new house for about 3 weeks before we took off to San Diego for PAO (couldn't miss it!) and then we were back for about 3 more and then Andy had to head out to San Jose for a veteran mini camp. He returns Friday morning--yay!! 

In the mean time we've been unpacking, cooking in our new kitchen, enjoying the new ping pong table, loving our new church in Greenville, keeping up with BSF (Andy joined out here and loves it--hooray!) and visiting family! I can't believe the off season goes by so fast! Spring is already here!!! OK... lots of time goes by, so here's a couple of pics from the past couple of months (mostly of the house...) but enjoy!!

The house when the yard was being put in. If you look close you can see Layla in there..she loves her new yard!

Clemson bowl game with the Lees. GO TIGERS! It was Andy and my first football game together! Even though it was a loss it was lots of fun!