From Saluda, we (plus Banks) drove to Irmo to visit the Faulkner side of the family and then made our way to Lexington for Christmas Dinner with my mom. We had BBQ and all the sides...and it hit the spot! I was about over "Christmas food" at this point in the day. It was a great day and we feel blessed to be able to spend it with the people we love!
Toasting in the 2009 year! Who knew it would turn out so great?
Aunt Brookie meets Baby Noah for the first time!
Family Wedding
We joined First Presbyterian and we love it more and more with each passing week!
some more family weddings
Had an opportunity to spend Memorial Day at Grove Park Inn
Josh was in his first wedding!
We sold our first house in less than three months--truly a blessing with the state of the economy
We were able to find and buy our dream home!
Baby Durham made her sweet debut!
We spent a fantastic family vacation in San Francisco...
and Hawaii!
I met Baby Hayden for the first time!
We made our annual trek to the Apple Festival and apple picking
We took a weekend trip to Atlanta and had a great time at the Coke Factory
and Baby Lael made her debut!!
Proof that the "brie" DID come out! 
Yummy spinach dip! I accidently cut the bread bowl too deep--but I just put the part I cut on top of the cut piece...and who can tell?
Pretty excited about his Clemson pullover
Josh with his new video camera!
Carolyn received a new sweatshirt! (an orange one, at that!)
with my new GPS! Josh was thrilled when I opened this! He knows I will no longer be begging him to put his in my car when I make a trip!
After many attempts--our Christmas Eve picture
My Christmas Eve Prizes :)
Josh's Christmas Eve goodies
Josh with his new TV for our bedroom. Notice the wall to the right is khaki and the wall to the left is blue...I'm in the process of painting our bedroom. More on that later!
Gracie had to get in on the action too!
and I got a new lens for my Nikon! A 55-200mm Zoomer...I love it and use it pretty much all the time instead of the one it came with! I am suddenly quite into lenses and have aleady picked out the next one I want :o)
Smelling out her loot that Santa brought.....
"Come ON, Mom!...Enough with the pictures already!"
"Open it UP!"
Sniffing it out!
and chowing it down!!
a cute little taxi from our trip to NYC last Christmas
a trolley cart from our trip to San Francisco this summer...we looked for one in Hawaii but they were all honestly pretty tacky
MAP gave me the above ornament for Christmas this year...I'm pretty into the lime green and red this year, so I especially love it's funkiness
Our 2008 Christmas Card Picture (we always get a year monogrammed into a picture ornament each year
Josh's parents bought us this ornament this year...it says Christmas 2009 and plays "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
Great and all...but not when you need Puff Pastry SHEETS....
and BRIE Cheese!
What was I thinking at the grocery store? I wasn't intoxicated, I promise!! Here's to hoping Camembert Cheese tastes like Brie and Crescent Rolls are a close second to wrapping up the cheese like Puff Pastry!
Onto cupcakes. I was going to make this for the Faulkner side of the family--until I learned Banks doesn't eat dessert unless it's cheesecake. (Who is he, anyway??)...so I switched gears and made these for Josh's company breakfast. A success, as well. The cream cheese frosting definitely makes these!
The problem came into play when I started on the buckeyes. Every year I think I can tackle these boogers. Let me tell you, EVERY year I fail in a horrible way. Do I overmix the peanut butter mixture? Do I use the wrong recipe? (It is from Southern Living...recipes I trust) I have the most difficult time dipping the chocolate and make the peanut butter mixture where it will harden up. If you have a tried and true recipe, please PLEASE send it my way! Needless to say...I threw this straight in the trash can. 
Following the buckeye disaster, I was most distressed--but pressed on for the Red Velvet Cheesecake. (You can google that, followed by Recipe Girl--and that's the recipe I used) I made a Pumpkin Cheesecake for Thanksgiving that was quite devine. I haven't tasted this one, obviously...but the problem with cheesecake is the recipe says bake it for 85 minutes and in MY oven, TWO hours later, I'm still working on it??? What is the DEAL? Is it my oven? Or is it just cheesecake? 
following the cheesecake...I whipped up some spinach dip (off of the Knorr Vegetable Mix Packet) that is my favorite and is so easy and really--there's NO way possible to screw it up! Today I have to bake a brie wheel and I will be DONE with holiday baking. I may not turn my oven on until February :)
Gracie was in the kitchen with me all day, praying for a nibble of food to be dropped on the floor so she could swoop it up! She was a tired girl last night...as was her mama! We both slept quite well last night!