Back to the daily grind...

Today is my first day back to work after the holidays, and to tell you the truth, it's not so bad! As I was driving to work this morning, I felt as if I hadn't been to work in weeks. Christmas was just perfect this year - I have TONS of pictures and lots of details to share, but that will have to come later!

This time after Christmas right before the New Year, is always a weird time for me. I always get a little depressed about Christmas being over - I hate to take down all the decorations and go back to "regular" stuff. There's just something so magical about the holidays. Tomorrow, Brad and I will take all the decorations down, and I'm DETERMINED to do it in an organized manner - I even have a little plan for each room. So, I'll be making a few trips to Wally World to get some tubs to keep everything organized. I always like to think what it will be like to take everything out next year - what will 2008 be like for the Warnocks? Will our lives be completely different next year? Will our lives be much the same? Gasp, will there be a future little Warnock? (Don't you wish you knew....) :) Anyways, those are the things I think about while I take down the decorations and put them away for next year.

I have been thinking a lot about what I want for 2008 - not resolutions, though. What are the things I am going to COMMIT to do? That's for another day....do you have any plans/hopes/dreams for 2008 - please tell me about them so I can pray for you! I hope you all have a blessed New Year!

Blessings :)

WELCOME Christmas Vacation :)

At 5 p.m., I will OFFICIALLY begin my Christmas vacation, and I will not have to return to work until December 31st!!

And this girl CANNOT wait!

I have a busy evening running around town finishing up a few things before I meet The Write Impression gals at 7 for our Christmas dinner. We're going to a FABULOUS place, too...MAGIANO'S!!!! Whoo hoo! I'm so excited!

Tomorrow morning, Brad and I will be hitting the road for Georgia to spend an early Christmas with his family! We've got a few things to do on Sunday when we get back, so we will not stop for one second!

On Christmas Eve, we will visit my dad's side of the family in Columbia, come back for Christmas Eve service at church, then head over to my house for appetizers and a veg out time before the craziness on Christmas morning!

Christmas morning is something I always look forward to...we'll visit my aunt and uncle's house so that Tessa and Tye can open all of their gifts from Santa. We'll have an early Christmas dinner and exchange gifts (we draw names in my family). Sometime in that mix, Brad and I are going to exchange gifts - who knows when that'll happen! I'm so excited to spend time with my wonderful family!!

Cherish every moment with your family - hold the ones you love close to your heart, and thank our amazing Lord for every precious moment with them. Remember the real reason for the season, and be sure to take some time to reflect on what happened in a manger so many years ago....

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!!!!!!!!!

Home Sweet Home

Since I have neglected to post pictures of our home since we moved in, I decided to combine pictures for the BooMama's Christmas Tour (which started Monday) and add pictures from around the house...there are lots of pictures! I hope you'll come visit us one day :)

This is the front porch area of our house. We put a garland around the posts and added a few lights to the house!

Here's a close up picture of the garland around the posts - I love the look of natural grapevine!

I love flocked trees, but since I don't have one, I opted for a flocked wreath, which is very welcoming, if I do say so myself :)

This is our family room, and the first room you see when you walk in the front door. I love our tree, and look at all the presents under it!!!

This is a candle holder my mother did for me for our Merry Open House that was a few weeks ago...I just love it!

Here's fun picture of our tree! People say our tree looks like something straight out of "The Grinch," so I've been saying it's my "Who Tree!"

These are some of my favorite ornaments...this little bird is so cute and funky - I HAD to have it for my tree!

Another bird - this one has feathers for the tail - LOVE IT!

Lastly, this little penguin is too cute for words - he looks like he's flying!

And here's the PICKLE! When Brad heard about this, he said we had to have a pickle ornament on the tree. The way it works is, someone hides the pickle on the tree, and on Christmas morning, whoever (our children) finds the pickle gets an extra present because that child was extra observant! I just love this, and I know Brad enjoyed hiding it from me even though I FINALLY found it last night!

This is an old mirror that Brad and I purchased at an auction this summer. The shelf is a flea market find, and it holds my "old people" figurines and a picture from our wedding. The frame was made by my grandfather who works with stained glass!

And here are my favorite two snowmen! I got these for super cheap at Old Time Pottery earlier in the fall! I just had to have them!

Here's another view of our family room. It's decorated with a nautical feel - Brad and I both love sailboats and the ocean!

Here's our sofa with two prints that Brad picked out!

This is in our eating area - this is our china cabinet with our fine china. We haven't used our china yet, but whenever a nice occasion comes along, we'll pull it out!

Here's our dining table that we painted black when we moved in - I think it looks nice alongside our black china cabinet!

Our eating area is beside the kitchen - here's a view of our cabinets - I put garland on top with lights and red gingham ribbon. I think it turned out cute!

My collection of salt and pepper shakers and other nick nacks from antique stores! I collect anything with a mexican feel!

This is a sweet little pot holder I found in an antique store one day - I think it was $2!!! Someone put a lot of hard work into it! Isn't it adorable?!???

Here's our coffee station - come over one day, and I'll make a nice big pot of coffee :)

Here's a view from the eating area of the rest of the kitchen! I just love our stainless appliances! So modern!

Guest bathroom - love the brown and blue!

Now, here's my favorite room - the guest bedroom. It's extremely girly, and it contains all of my antiques. Here's the bed with a collection of plates/trays hung above!

This is a very special little tree - my grandmother started collecting ornaments for me when I was in the third grade. She got one every year for me, and sometimes I got to pick it out! She always said that when I got married, I could have all of the ornaments and hang them on my own tree - so here they are! It means very much to me, and I plan to have a box of ornaments for my children as well :)

Here's one of the ornaments - I got this one when we visited Dallas, Texas - it's from South Fork Ranch, and it's one of my favorites!

Here's a little antique table I painted white - some of my etiquette books are here! Notice the antique sewing box on the floor??? Love it!

My antique dresser my great aunt Frances gave me when I was younger. There's the stocking my grandmother made me when I was a little girl, too! And at the end of the bed is my antique baby doll bed that Brad purchased for me at an auction this summer!

A little table and pictures that sit in the hallway.

Our office/crafting room. This is my side where I try to get all of my scrapbooking/card making done! Brad's desk and computer are on the other side!

Our bedroom - I love our bedding, and it took me a long time to find what I wanted!

The antique chest of drawers that matches the dresser in the guest bedroom.

My nightstand - I love to have an assortment of books by my bed - I'm trying to read "The Mermaid Chair" right now. I finished "The Secret Life of Bees" this summer, and now I can't wait to read another Sue Monk Kidd book! A picture of my bridesmaids and I at the bridal luncheon sits on my nightstand, as well as one of our wedding invitations that I love so much!

Our master bathroom - green and brown! I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but I think it looks pretty good!

Our shower curtain that I found at WAL-MART!!! I searched and searched, and lo and behold, I found one at Wal-Mart! Ha!

This concludes our tour of the Warnock house - thank you for visiting our Home Sweet Home :)

Blessings!

United Way Christmas Party

Last night, Brad and I opened our home for the United Way Staff Christmas party, and it was SO much fun! Here are pictures from the evening....

The hosts, Brad and Lena!

Brandy (our social work intern) and her son, Nathaniel!

Misty and her daughter, Grayson! Grayson's birthday is this weekend, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Rachel and her husband, Justin (our fabulous realtor)!

Kathy and her husband, Jason!

Holly and her husband, Jason!

There's Aurelia with Sharon and her husband, Rick!

There's sweet Ruth and her husband, Frank!

Here's everyone chatting away before dinner!

All of our wonderful food!

Now's the time for DIRTY SANTA!!! Brad had number 1, so he started off the game!

Rachel and her lovely gift (which I later stole because someone stole mine!!!!)

Justin looks pretty excited about those dish towels!!!

And so begins the war with the wreath that my mom and I made! Kathy opened it first...

But she would soon have to open another gift, because the wreath was stolen by HOLLY! Holly then made her husband steal the wreath so it would be "safe" for them! All-in-all, it was a fun game of Dirty Santa!

Here's the whole United Way gang!

Here's everyone looking for the pickle ornament on the tree (I'll explain later...)

And the proud owners of the wreath are....HOLLY AND JASON! I hope you enjoy your beautiful wreath this holiday season :)