Christmas and New Year's 2006

We didn't take very many pictures at Christmas this year. I think we were both too tired. Brad had to work right up until the weekend of Christmas this year, and for the first time in my life, I didn't have a Christmas break. I only had two days off for the holiday. So, with so little time, we had to make the most of it. Our Christmas began on Friday, December 22, when Brad's cousins from Memphis, Justin and Lyvie came down to visit. We met up at the Hodge's house to open gifts with Brad's parents, grandparents, sister, Nicole, and cousins, Justin and Lyvie, and Greg and Ashley, and their adorable son, Mason.

On Saturday, we went to the Taylor family Christmas at Britney's grandparents' house in Jackson. There was lots of food and nearly everyone came this year. It was so exciting to see everyone. That afternoon, we (the Freenys) finished up some last minute Christmas shopping and wrapped gifts that night and watched Love Actually.

The next day, on Christmas Eve, Brad and I, along with Brad's parents and grandparents, attended the Journey's Christmas Eve service. We met at the old Capri Theatre in Fondren and had hot chocolate, sang Christmas carols and read the Christmas story from Luke. It was a lot of fun. We even got to see a little dancing.

Afterward, we went to eat a Waffle House (a Freeny/Hodge tradition) and came back to Brad's grandparents' house to play games until midnight. The next morning, we opened the remaining Christmas presents and went to the Howell family Christmas dinner. This was also exciting, because everyone came there as well. I was able to visit with my cousins from Greenwood/Grenada, who I don't see that often anymore. We were given a great cookbook compiled by Mamaw Howell that has pictures of the family and us growing up along with the recipes. We also watched old videos of our plays and a fashion show, which made us all laugh.

Christmas night, Brad and I went home to our apartment and did our Christmas together. I gave Brad a Nintendo DS lite and Mario game that he had asked for, and he gave me several children's books that I love in hardback, as well as a behind the scenes book about Wicked, the musical, and Season 2 of Grey's Anatomy. I also got a really beautiful pottery lamp from Pier 1 that I had asked for. Below are some pictures from our Christmas together. Here we are opening the stockings for Bailey and the cats.
















Bailey was so excited to see her stocking.















This "spoiled" stocking fits her just right.















Bailey got a new bone and some tennis balls. She also got a new winter coat.















The cats weren't so excited about their stocking, until they saw the puffy balls inside. Here is Zoe trying to catch one.















Bailey posing in her new overalls, a gift from one of Brad's students. So CUTE!!!




















Brad is trying to entice the cats to pose with their stocking, to no avail.

NEW YEAR'S EVE 2006!

Brad and I went to his sister, Sonya's house for New Year's Eve. We played games, such as pictionary and bingo, until nearly midnight. Then the kids (Brad, Steven, and Seth) went outside to shoot fireworks. When those were gone, we came inside to watch the ball drop at midnight. This year, Brad wasn't too busy with fireworks to kiss me at midnight.















Mamaw Hodge, Brad's mom, Vicki, and Uncle Phil and Aunt Charlotte from Vicksburg. We stayed under the porch where it was safe.















Papaw Hodge, Mamaw Hodge, and Sonya.















Brad, probably trying to light 10 bottle rockets at once.

Sold It!

Since buying our new (used) VW Jetta in September, we eventually decided we didn't need to be a 3 car family anymore and were tired of paying insurance on Britney's '95 Cavalier in addition to the Altima and Jetta, so we finally took out an ad in the paper to sell it. After numerous phone calls, but no serious inquiries, we found someone to buy it. She was a student at Hinds, and her parents were looking for something dependable for her to drive to school in. After one test drive, they were hooked. We sold it 2 weeks to the day after our ad was published. Not too bad, I'd say.

Having spent nearly 8 years driving the Cavalier, since buying it at 16, selling it was bittersweet. It was my very first car and first major purchase. We had been through a lot together, from floods of antifreeze to driving in a Mississippi July without any A/C. As I watched it drive away, holding a huge wad of cash in my hand, I thought back on all the memories, good and bad. And I was glad it went to a good home. I hope she will take care of it as well as I did. Then I went to the credit union as soon as possible to make a deposit.

Britney's Birthday or The Big 2-4

On November 26, 2006, I (Britney) turned 24 years old. I am now in my mid-twenties, although according to Brad, 24 is still early twenties. However, as I see it, your twenties are divided into thirds: 21-23=early twenties, 24-26=mid-twenties, and 27-29=late twenties. By Brad's theory, you aren't in your mid-twenties until you hit 25. Anyway, my mom and dad had a birthday party for me at their house in Terry. Mom cooked a wonderful dinner, and I received a lot of nice presents. We only took a few pictures, so I am posting what we have.















I am opening up presents here. Oh, I feel like a kid again! Where are the Strawberry Shortcake napkins and Care Bear cups??















In the large chair: Kelly, Josh and Lana. In the background, Michael, Papaw Taylor, Moma (Kim), and Mamaw Howell.















Kelly and Josh again, with Michael, Mamaw Taylor, and Mamaw Howell, with just a glimpse of Aunt Sissy's head next to Josh.















Me and my sweetie!

Pumpkins 2006

For the fall, Brad and I both carved pumpkins. Here is a picture of Brad's pumpkin this year:















Is anyone surprised?















It looked much cooler in the dark. I thought he did a pretty good job on it, for not having a stencil to work with. It looks perfect, and it matched our Halloween costumes, too.















Here is my pumpkin, which I carved with the help of my preschoolers at Region 8. His name is Jack. Not too bad for a first try. After seeing this, Brad even let me clean out his pumpkin before he carved it.

Halloween 2006

As some of you know, Brad and I dress up for Halloween each year in crazy costumes. In the past, we've been Pooh and Piglet, a cat and dog, Superman and Lois Lane, Kip and Deb (from Napoleon Dynamite), and Mario and Princess Peach. Each costume was so much fun, but this year may just be the best one. Brad is a huge Superman fan, so this summer, he started to create a better Superman costume than the one he used a couple of years ago. It was complete with navy spandex tights and a flowing red cape, right down to the curl of hair on his forehead. Instead of Lois, this year I wanted a real costume. So I went as Supergirl. I had a flowing red cape as well. In years past, we have taken Brad's nephew, Seth, trick-or-treating. However, this year, Seth did not come to Clinton, so we went to a friend's Halloween party instead. Below are some pictures of us and our friends in our costumes.




















Superman and Supergirl




















It's a bird, it's a plane, it's. . .the Freenys!




















Tim and Ashley as Kermit and Miss Piggy




















Bruce and Rebecca as pilots. They wore Bruce's dad's old uniforms.




















Supergirl and a soldier for the U.S. Army (our friend Marqus).

What a fun night!!! We are already planning costumes for next year!

Pics of Britney's Broken Foot

Better late than never. . .Here's the pictures of Britney's broken foot in the cast and on crutches. The crutches were so painful!!!




















Eventually I got a "roll-a-bout", which made my life much easier.
















Britney's preschoolers "signed" the cast, as well as Brad's sister's son, Seth, which is the only readable signature. They really enjoyed writing on it.