puppy update

Well, it seems like 10 years of waiting, but the pups are only 12 days old. haha. I got my first email picture update from the breeder today and didn't want to waste any time getting the updates to you. They are still cute as ever! We have FINALLY decided on a name for our pup, Copper. Now this name is a great compromise for us; it is unique (sort of), it is a working metal (for gary), and it is the name of the hound in Fox and the Hound (for any of you Disney lovers). Enjoy the new pictures!

all moved in... sorta

Gary and I moved into our house last weekend. We still aren't completely finished with all the things we thought we would before we moved in, but we have made a lot of progress! The kitchen is basically done except for the doors to the cabinets and drawers. They still need to be painted. (I'm hoping Gary will get that done this weekend (:-) I lucked upon a good looking dining table for our "breakfast nook" area in the kitchen. I got a really good deal on it and although it isn't the most expensive looking item, it is really good for what we need it for. I was so thankful to have our first meal at the table because since we moved here we have been eating from the coffee table. (doesn't exactly make one want to cook a beautiful meal...) Needless to say, I love it! We are also able to use the place mats my lovely sister, Christina, made for us!











The living room has had almost nothing done to it. The walls are primed and ready for paint, but we haven't yet decided on a color. We are also waiting on carpet to be installed. So the pictures of the living room will be out of date soon hopefully! After that, we will pretty much be done with the updates of the main floor, aside from some small odds and ends.


I hope you all have enjoyed the update on the house... more to come...

until next time...

he's here, he's here....

Our nephew, Peyton Kyle was born the morning of November 15th. 9lbs 2oz, and 21 inches!! what a monster! :) Needless to say, I'm not sure if the baby cocoon I made for him will be big enough. Maybe it can stretch! haha. We cannot wait to get home next week for Thanksgiving so we can meet him!

Hailey, our niece is already becoming the best big sister!

puppies.... !!!

I have been waiting for a puppy for about three years now, oh how patient I have been. At first I couldn't have one because my college apartment wouldn't allow it, then because Gary didn't want it to live with me and like me better (prior to being married of course), then because when we moved to Maryland and were again in an apartment where we would have to pay way too much to have one. The final decision came down to "when we get a house we can get a puppy." Well, well.... just so happens we now have a house. Wait no longer....

Our puppy has been born! He was born November 7th and is currently 3 days old! growing up so fast! We haven't come up with a name yet, we have been debating the name for about 3 weeks and still haven't come to an agreement! Our kids will never have names, we will just have to call them kid1, kid2, etc. Anyway, we have a few more weeks to decide. We won't be able to visit him until he is 4 weeks and then he will be ready for us to pick up a few days after Christmas! Now that he is here it makes the three year wait seem like weeks and this 8week wait seem like years!

Here are some pics of all the puppies in the litter. Oh labradors by the way! We are getting one of the blacks and he will be a he! Any name suggestions feel free to comment on the post!

Welcome Peyton...

The newest edition to the McNeillie family is due to arrive November 15th! And before you ask, NO, it is not a child that belongs to Gary and I. Our nephew, Peyton, Will be born soon and we couldn't be more excited!

I was thrilled when Brandy, my sister in law, asked me to knit him a "baby cocoon." There has been a lot of talk about these among knitters in forum and other websites, they are quite hard to find patterns for. Unless of course you are willing to pay for one. Well everyone who knows me will testify to the fact that I hate paying for things like that, so I have fabricated my own pattern! I trialed it with some cheap yarn and then made the final product with a soft/warm yarn with a greenish/blue color. Perfect for the outdoorsman Peyton is bound to become! (along with soccer player! ) :)

Here are the pictures of the finished product... and don't worry Brandy, the tassel is removable incase you would prefer the plain cocoon. I wasn't sure what you would like, so I just gave you the option! I hope you all like it. P.S. if you are looking for a pattern, I'll try to write one down from my head, but no promises anyone would be able to follow it. haha

Also, it will be way cuter with a baby in it instead of a towel!

colorful kitchen...

So far in our home "renovation" there has been mostly prep work. Work that no matter how much you do or how long it takes, the room still looks the same: white and blank. Since purchasing our first home, we have begun work on the kitchen including taking down wallpaper, spackling all over, sanding, and priming the cabinets and walls. Finally, the day has come that we can PAINT! I have been looking at white walls for far too long!

The color we have chosen to paint the kitchen is called "Churchill Hotel Maple." Truthfully, it looks like skin. haha. The kitchen isn't finished by any means, but having some color on the walls makes it feel a lot closer! Here are some photos of the progress!









by the way... I know the color looks yellow from the pictures, but it isn't. It is just the lighting, it was getting dark so I used the spot lights. I will put of pictures during daylight soon!

until next time...

Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Barrett...

This weekend, we traveled home to Clemson/Greenville to witness the beautiful marriage of Gary's little sister, Christa, to a great person and friend, Nick Barrett! The ceremony was at the top of a mountain in a chapel called Symms Chapel or Pretty Place. It overlooked the mountains and the fall colors. It was simply perfect! Christa was beautiful in a lace dress with a low back, and Nick wore a black tux with white vest and bowtie. The reception was at Overlook Grill in Falls Park, Greenville. The weather turned out great with lots of sun and a slight fall chill. Great for all the outdoor festivities. And what can I say about the food, absolutely delicious might do it! There was barbeque, shrimp & grits, mashed potatoes, and grilled vegetables. Hot cider to top it off, you can't go wrong! I will admit, when I finished my overflowing plate, I had a few bites off of Gary's! :) We danced the night away and of course had a visit from Gary in his Halloween mask. Sometimes he just can't help it! haha. We had a great time visiting with the McNeillie and Barrett families, what a great combo!!

Washington, D.C....

A few weeks ago we were visited by an old friend, Chris! We were very excited to hear he would be in town and so we all set out for a day of fun in Washington, D.C. It was kind of funny because Gary and I have lived in the area for about 4 months now and have not made it up to D.C. at all. So Chris was actually the one showing us around. We saw most of the major monuments: the Capitol, the White House, Washington Monument, Library of Congress, etc. The biggest surprise was to not find any books in the Library of Congress. I was quite disappointed, but we searched high and low and couldn't find any. note: you shouldn't have to LOOK for books in a LIBRARY! But all the buildings were beautiful and we would definitely like to go back to spend more time at each one. We ate lunch at a really cute pizza shop called We the Pizza, you know like "we the people" except pizza. The pizza was delicious and they also have homemade sodas. Gary ordered cream soda and I swear it was the best thing I had ever tasted. So good in fact, that later when we were walking around Georgetown I decided I wanted a cream soda, bought one in a bottle, and it was nasty comparatively. Georgetown was really cool. Lots of upscale shopping and restaurants. There was a Dean and Deluca with tons of delicious looking foods; I got a chocolate bar that was quite good. Our day with Chris was over too quickly, but he may be returning soon so that will be something to look forward to!