love*ly shower

For Valentine's Day this year, Bryan was working--but I did get to share a day showered with love at my first wedding shower! The four inches of snow we got Friday night were great, but it made for icy conditions Saturday morning (original shower time), so we had a quick reschedule to make sure and enjoy all the great food Aunt Pat had in store (but missed the wonderful people who could not come so I could hug them in person).

My mom and Carly--probably really happy because Aunt Pat made "gorilla bread" for dessert-cinnamon, sugar and cream cheese bread-yum!

So happy to receive an Emily Martin print from my Saree!
(though so sad you had to work today)

opening a bag from my sister, who stocked me with Method cleaning supplies!
how wonderful to already have all of this when bryan and i move into our own place:)

an ice cream maker from Debbie--isn't it nice when you get something you didn't know you wanted? very!

Kara and Elizabeth showing off their baby bellies:)
Michelle is looking good too--due in five weeks!

lovely ladies in my life*

*

heart warmed
stomach filled
arms loaded

thanks to everyone who made today such a wonderful time

February Frost

Yesterday, Carly and I put out some mugs (after we danced on the deck with our tongues hanging out) in anticipation of the snow to come--and the ice cream we would make from it.

the late evening loot

this morning's batch
(never fear, my dad scooped up a big bowl and we had snow ice cream for dessert last night while we watched the opening ceremonies--where they're having to ship in snow, oddly enough)

a news reporter said today you can tell the tourists from the locals in downtown atlanta last night--and this time, it's the locals who have their cameras out!

i really love this one-some for it's journalistic nature and composition-and a lot for the two people in it (my dad and carly being two peas in a...snowy pod)

A Winter Eden

A winter garden in an alder swamp,
Where conies now come out to sun and romp,
As near a paradise as it can be
And not melt snow or start a dormant tree.

It lifts existence on a plane of snow
One level higher than the earth below,
One level nearer heaven overhead,
And last year's berries shining scarlet red.

It lifts a gaunt luxuriating beast
Where he can stretch and hold his highest feat
On some wild apple tree's young tender bark,
What well may prove the year's high girdle mark.

So near to paradise all pairing ends:
Here loveless birds now flock as winter friends,
Content with bud-inspecting. They presume
To say which buds are leaf and which are bloom.

A feather-hammer gives a double knock.
This Eden day is done at two o'clock.
An hour of winter day might seem too short
To make it worth life's while to wake and sport.

Robert Frost

i'll have cheesecake with my toast

On Friday, January 15 (yep, magazine deadlines make for one delayed blogger), Bryan and I were leaving for the 70th anniversary gala of the Plaza Theatre in Atlanta when we received a call from Carly

she's engaged!

Andrew asked her while they were hiking Friday afternoon

after Mr. Smith went to Washington, we met up with the newly engaged couple at Apres Diem for a celebratory drink:)

the manager was so excited, we got to toast with complimentary champagne!

and our cheesecake came on plates with a ring and a heart made of chocolate syrup:)

excited for my sister!

snowy scenes

yes, it's the crazy cardinal...he's still here...but he does look nice in the little bit of snow we got last night

a fun site to wake up to! (no making fun of us too much, Vanessa--this is "heavy snow"--and yes, we heard people scampering for milk and bread yesterday--not to mention how school was canceled today :)

charlie tracks!

maybe the cardinal camps out here

99 days till our wedding! (yes, that called for making a newspaper chain!)

carly's back home:)

new decade celebration

taco fixings for our new year's fiesta

My favorite part was when David's new wife Alba (from Honduras) saw the cheddar cheese and lettuce (apparently not so available in her home country) and said, "Oh, it's Taco Bell." The silly things we Americans do---the Hondurans brought over some delicious fare that resembled what we would call a taquito with cabbage on top--YUM!

Jonathan and my dad talking and laughing per usual (and always a pleasure to see!)

Vanessa and I ringing in the new year pots n' pans style

Carly joining in adding a little horn to our percussion section (and is it just me or does she look a little bit like Melman the giraffe from Madagascar? a cute Melman:)

the next photo in the sequence :)

Kyle and Jonathan shooting bottle rockets

carly and andrew

me...continuing the celebration

a new year's call from my dear fiance (who said it took him nearly 10 tries for the call to go through--guess many people were doing the same)

Kyle and Vanessa (who we had to drop off at the airport this morning at 5 a.m.--sad to see them go after such a great week, but glad I'm planning an April wedding they'll need to be at!)

Happy New Decade Everyone!

frozen fountain

We don't know whether it is due to cold weather they brought with them or a sign that it is time for their return, but today after church, we walked to Zucca's and noticed this fountain was icing over! I'm sure Vanessa was laughing as we all touched this "frozen stuff" with excitement. And then the excitement ended just as quickly as it started when my mom announced it would be in the teens next week--eek!

christmas wrap-up

Adding Vanessa into Christmas morning festitivies was much fun--she went along with all of our crazy traditions and we had a really great time!
Kyle is sporting one of his day-of-the-week mustaches and trying out a new self portrait taking device:)

Carly trying on her new frog toboggan.

We got some great surprises from the Bells!

A new warm hat...that matches his pajamas!

Unwrapping presents, practicing duck calls, eating bacon...the fun of the morn:)

Today we saw the sun come out, so we traversed Sweetwater Creek a bit--and we did pretty good at this family self portrait!

Found the perfect log in the sun to stop for a sandwich break.

the sound of the rushing water was so much fun--it's still quite full after all the rain it has gotten this year

trying out the new poles i got for christmas

verdict: winner! they helped me get up slippery slopes, across water and rocks, and they even saved my clumsy self from going face first a time or two:)

Our time all together has been really wonderful--just like being warm and cozy by a big fire.

Carly leaves with the Georgia Tech band in the a.m. for Orlando and then the bowl game in Miami--sure would be fun if they won her last year!

festive with a fiesta

Happy New Year!

The Chupp clan is celebrating this evening fiesta style with a big spread of taco fixings and, of course, plenty of chips from La Parilla:) Charlie is even in the spirit of things!

If you're in town, stop by anytime and say hello!

Cheers!

gangs all here!

Kyle and Vanessa arrived safely last night and the Chupp's had quite the wonderful Christmas today---there were several times we even forgot it wasn't Christmas for everyone else. When our new telephone books were delivered I expressed how unfortunate it was that this woman had to work on Christmas:)

More to come, but there were two noticeable things right away: Vanessa's chopped off her hair, and Kyle...well...hasn't cut his since the wedding!

Happy Christmas Eve (again)

self portrait: fam in the van

We may have waited to celebrate Christmas day, but we couldn't pass up a trip to the Varsity after the Christmas Eve service at church! Today now marks our second Christmas Eve...does that mean I get to have some more onion rings and a PC?

my mom digging in--the once a year treat:)

hmmm...the next time I hop on the elliptical, I'll remember how it was worth every bite:)

After some greasy food, we decided to stop by Memaw and Pawpaw's. We ended up staying there long enough to ring in Christmas and learn about one of Pawpaw's yearly traditions.

At the stroke of midnight (while we were watching a mass on TV), my grandparents hopped up and headed toward the kitchen. Apparently, when the clock strikes 12 on Christmas Eve and Christmas day officially begins, Pawpaw always enjoys a slice of cake!

I was excited to learn of, and take part in, this tasty tradition. I think Bryan would be in favor of adopting this one!

Enjoying Memaw's pound cake:)

Food and fun coma:)