:: a look back at 2016 ::

Each year I like doing a recap to look back at the ten highlights of our year, in no particular order. It's a fun way to get everything in one post. To reminisce on all the fun. To see what we've accomplished! 2016 was another year of a lot of "firsts", more heartache but mostly a lot of BLESSINGS! Here's how it shaped up...

:: one ::

We hosted a huge fun birthday party/Superbowl party for Cade's fourth birthday in February! 

:: two :: 

We celebrated Charlie's first Easter and on that day found out my sister & bro-in-law were EXPECTING!!!!!! Eeeeek!

:: three :: 

Cade's first year playing t-ball and Chad helped coach!

:: four :: 

We took Grami, Charles and Aunt Coco to Fripp Island for the first time for a fun beach trip in May!

quite possibly my most favorite photo of 2016!!!

:: five :: 

In June we found out my sister & bro-in-law were having a baby GIRL!!! 

:: six :: 

We celebrated Charlie's FIRST birthday on July 2nd with a small low-country boil/dinner party just for family! 

:: seven :: 

We took the boys to SkyTop apple orchard for the first time this Fall...

:: eight :: 

Home Sweet Home accomplishments! On the "house front", huge highlights of the year would be...

1. selling our old home (bittersweet!) 

2. building a shop 

3. finally getting curtains for our master bedroom 

4. DIY mudroom lockers in our garage 

Whew! These were four things we definitely wanted to accomplish in 2016 and I'm so glad we did. Burdens have been lifted and we've gotten our money's worth out of our new investments. We have really enjoyed!

:: nine :: 

I hosted a baby shower at our home for the first time,  for my sister of course. May not seem like an accomplishment to most but for me it was something I had dreamed of doing for years and had the best time planning and hosting! 

:: ten :: 

Finally, our BEST gift of 2016 arrived in November. A a new niece, Macy Joy Hite. She has definitely added a whole lot of JOY and sunshine to our lives just in the past six weeks she's been here and we can't wait to do a whole lot more spoiling in 2017!!! Being in the hospital room and witnessing my sister give birth / capturing those priceless moments will be an experience I will never forget. Definitely goes on my top five best days of my entire life!!!!!!!!!! So honored to be a part of such an amazing, miraculous day...

Our cup runneth over. I get a little teary eyed thinking about this year. God is so good and we are so thankful, but I also well up thinking about our loss & heaven's gain. We lost Chad's papa Jack in July and we still miss him oh-so-much. Christmas just wasn't the same. I pray for everyone's health in 2017 because it seems like there isn't a year that goes by that we do not lose another loved one and it never gets easier. I want everyone to stay safe and healthy. That's my biggest prayer for 2017.

_________________________

Other fun highlights of 2016 worth noting would be...

fun birthday weekend in ATL with my besties

Charlie's first SNOW

my buying trip to Lillyland with my bff Cameron

another fun Fripp trip with friends

two more concert bucket list check offs

 (we try to plan a fun concert every year!)

(1) Chris Stapleton in Charlotte for Chad's birthday

 (2) Garth Brooks in Greenville with friends

__________________________

Chad just got back from a hunting trip in Alabama since Wednesday and we are enjoying a night at home, just us four. Chicken tortilla soup in the crockpot, brownie sundaes, Clemson football and our neighbors shoot fireworks. We definitely need some family time and we are looking forward to a great 2017. Already have some fun trips planned and a few goals we'd like to accomplish (which I will share next post) so I'm really looking forward to even more quality time with all my boys, a little less stress/more laid back and just ENJOYING every single minute. As we've seen from this year it surely goes by entirely too fast.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas 2016 : Part II

Santa got out easy this year guys. Seriously. 

Cade asked for a remote control car and a remote control boat. Santa threw in a remote control dinosaur for kicks. Charlie got a talking/dancing Mickey Mouse then together they both got a piano mat thing (that you step on and make music) and a grocery store set up because Cade loves pretending to have a store (getting those retail skills ready at an early age :) 

Along with a few other small things, it was really an easy (and inexpensive) year and I am thanking my lucky stars because while we can take advantage of that, we most certainly are. He didn't even know what a Hatchimal was, there was no hunting down special certain toys...he was very generic and simply wanted a remote control car. Each time someone asked him, he said the same thing. Yep. Aaaand we still achieved this face... #WINNING

How bout his favorite gift from Santa was the Clemson helmet + jersey Santa snuck in there (mmmhmm I see you Santa **cue eye roll**) The perks of living in a house divided. My husband is trying to corrupt our children! HA 

After the boys went through Santa gifts, my mom, her boyfriend Charles, my sister Courtney, Mack and Macy arrived! We had an awesome brunch and Macy was ready to open presents...or not....

Sweet girl was sacked out on her Uncle Chad!

The boys LOVED opening more presents, of course...

Macy on the other hand, yep still sacked out...she is SUCH a little doll. Goodness.

An outtake on our attempt to get a pic with our matching pajamas. THIS, my friends, is real life :) 

Grami and her new baby girl...

Attempt to get a pic with my boys. I can't even get over how much Charlie has grown since last Christmas. These pajamas are 2T and barely fit. He is mama's BIG boy!! 

the new little family of three...

makes my heart smile.

aaaand that's a wrap on Christmas Day. Can't believe it went by so fast and can't believe we only have two more days left in 2016. Hope to do a yearly recap next, since those are my favs to document here on the blog!

Christmas Part I: from my phone

When juggling a 30 pound one year old on my hip these days, a purse/diaper bag and gosh knows what else...I rarely lug my big Canon Rebel around to take pics anymore. An iPhone is so much easier and part of my Christmas to myself was actually an iPhone 7 Plus since it was time for an upgrade. The camera is ah-maze.

If you follow me on Instagram, I apologize because these are repeats but I love documenting on the ol' blog here. So here's sneak peeks into our Christmas and I will post more from my camera soon!

The boys loved making a gingerbread house last Tuesday. Well, Cade loved building it but Charlie was MAD he couldn't eat it...I mean, that face!!

Wednesday night kicked off our Christmas festivities with dinner at Chad's grandmothers house in Abbeville. Cousins from Columbia came up and we had dinner and they brought presents for the boys. It was a low key night and the boys always love hanging out together, contrary to Charlie's face in this picture...

Thursday was nephew Carter's 6th birthday. I can't believe it!! He wanted a Grinch themed birthday party and that's just what he got. Everyone loved The Grinch's surprise visit...except yep...you guessed it. Charlie!

more party fun. Cade is seriously obsessed with the Grinch and even asked to dress up for him next Halloween! 

Friday night we had Christmas with Chad's cousins on the McClain side. Last year we hosted at our house, this year it was at Holly & Will John's. 

Here's the difference a year makes! 2015 vs 2016. All seven McClain great-grands. We can NEVER get a picture of all seven looking at the camera, must less smiling...

Saturday I worked 10-2 like I always do then we headed to Mimi & Papa's for Christmas Eve! Mimi & Papa loooove to spoil their five grandboys and this year was no different.

SO. MANY. PRESENTS.

Christmas morning Santa came!!! (pics on my regular camera to come...) Then we always do brunch at our house with my mom , sister and bro-in-law. This year was special because now the boys have a new cousin and we loved celebrating baby Macy's first Christmas!

I scored this matching pajamas on sale after Christmas last year from The Company Store and the guys (Chad and Mack) even had some with red thermal tee tops but they said they were NOT posing for a pic. HA At least they humored us and wore them though!

(nevermind Charlie trying to pick his nose. Real life people, real. life.)

Our little Macy is seriously the best present of the whole entire year!!!!!

Monday night we got together with more sweet friends (that are more like family) for lasagna + more gift exchange. 

(Charlie and that belly ohmygosh...)

more Christmas pajamas and sweet sugar kisses...

Then last night we finished up our 6th consecutive night of Christmas shenanigans at Mimi & Papa's again since the Boone crowd (cousins from Boone) came to visit, have dinner and exchange! 

Here's all seven Newell great-grands with one more on the way in 2017 (Claire and Abigail will be big sisters in July. HOORAY!) Again, no way you're going to get all seven kiddos + two dogs to look at the camera must less smile but this was the best we got. We learned the only way to make Charlie sit still and smile was the iPad! 

We're all exhausted with full bellies and a few more pounds gained. Full hearts and all smiles. Great time spent with family and friends, which is what matters most.

Recap #2 coming up next!

Merry Christmas!

from our family to yours...

may you relish in the magic of Christmas, hug the ones you love a little tigher, and always celebrate the true reason of the season.

"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"
-Isaih 9:6