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Vineyard Chats is a blog created by the owner of Vineyard Farms and Vineyard Real Estate Group. Here, you will find product reviews for local and international items, and ways to give in your community and across the globe!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Christmas Fun with the Fam!

Wow! What a Christmas.
I love the sites and sounds of the season!
I'm never really ready for Christmas to be over, but I was pretty ready for these guys to go back to the North Pole. They reak havoc around the house every day between Thanksiving and Christmas!MMMMMMMmmmm. Buckeyes. I made these to share with friends this Christmas.The kids made this Pavlova by using Courtney's DS Cooking Personal Trainer game. It was SOOOO good! Dan helped the kids make a rockin' gingerbread house! They had a blast!We made our annual visit to Lake Lanier Magical Nights of Lights- the largest Christmas light display in the US! This is a tunnel that all the cars drive through.This is part of the 12 days of Christmas display. I think these were the maids a milking.Ashi sat on my lap in the front seat (everyone goes about 10 MPH) so she could see. She was fascinated the whole time!Our friends Judy and Nicole went with us! We had fun roasting marshmallows at the end of the light display!Alex and NicoleThe Christmas Shoppe is always crowded, but I love the decorations!My little crewAshi Belle sharing one of her "smarshmallows" with meAvery was living it up!Court prepares another marshmallow for roasting!Nicole holding Avi in the Christmas ShoppeCourtney the cold-nosed reindeerWe opened all our gifts for Christmas at home on Christmas Eve, then made the trip to TN to MeMe and Pawpaw's house. The kids had a big Christmas! Ashi opened a Little People set, then wasn't interested in opening any of her other presents!!Dan and I left the kids at MeMe and PawPaw's, and escaped to the Grove Park Inn in NC! This was our first ever get-away by ourselves in over 11 years of marriage! I had to take pictures of the skyline, because I just don't get to see this much anymore living in Atlanta! I love the view of these mountians.These were the valet attendants at the Grove Park Inn. This place is GORGEOUS! If you've never been, this needs to be on your short list of places to visit.The front of the beautiful InnThis fireplace was enormous! You can't tell from the picture, but this is a picture spot, and people sit inside the sleigh. That will give you an idea of how huge the fireplace itself is!It was meant to be. When we walked in, there was a lady playing "Oh Danny Boy" on the hammered dulcimer. It was gorgeous!! This elevator was built right into the rock of the fireplace. It was an old fashioned caged elevator, with an attendant waiting inside. I love the geode just in front of Dan's hand. Up close, it was gorgeous. The walls of the Inn had really interesting rock.The amazing view out our hotel room windowThese chocolates were waiting for us in the room. The actual box was made out of chocolate! This is the lid.And these yummy treats were inside!We spent a lot of time on the front porch! There were heaters, tables, rocking chairs, and an incredible view.
Can you believe this view from the porch? I love the sunbeams.
Dan and I on the front porch. I set the camera on the table, but I didn't exactly center it well, obviously!

This is one of the golf course holes.


A panoramic I took of one of the greens





A panoramic of the back side of the Inn. It was SO huge, and I was trying to show all the parts of it. I still didn't get it all!



Another view down the green

This is the wind garden. It sure was windy! But it was gorgeous.


This incredible wood work was everywhere. There was writing on the beams in the ceiling and even in some of the rocks! Most of the writing was either a famous quote or a Bible verse.



Dan had a blast in the antique car museum. This car has a stainless steel top!


More of the wind garden. These moved in the wind.


This cracked me up. It was inside one of the bars in the restaurant. It's blurry because I took the picture through the window while the place was closed.



The two man band was great!


We were fortunate enough to be there for the gingerbread competition! These houses were amazing!!! I made the mistake of showing these the kids after we got back, and now they're expecting MUCH more from our gingerbread houses in the coming years! :)









This is in the back of the Inn. This waterfall is just in front of the spa.


The view of the Inn from the spa


The entrance to the spa


Gorgeous!

Dan completely spoiled me rotten this Christmas. An iPhone, a trip to Grove Park Inn, and the most amazing diamond necklace I've ever seen. I can't imagine what I could have possibly done to deserve all this. He is such an amazing husband.
We had a blast. It was an extremely refreshing and relaxing trip. I'm thankful to Mom and Dad for keeping the kids. They said they couldn't have been more perfect, so I am thankful to my kids for behaving well, too!
Somehow, we spent almost an entire week at MeMe and PawPaw's, and I only got one picture! If I remember right, I ran out of batteries, and just never replaced them! We sure had a good time though. Here is a picture of Avery playing 1-on-1 Duck Duck Goose with her cousin. They had a blast.

By the way, Mom and Dad spoiled me rotten too. They got us a Roomba! If you don't have one (especially if you have cats or dogs), you should put it on your wish list! It makes my life MUCH easier!
I hope you had a Merry Christmas too!!!!!

1 comments:

The Osborne Family said...

I'm so jealous of your stay at the Grove Park Inn. I think I am gonna put this on my Bucket List of things I wanna do. Time alone with your hubby is so important! I'm glad you guys got to get away for a little while!