It's a Girl!

Meet Merritt Ellery. This is my new niece! I spent last week in Atlanta for the birth of this sweet little girl and her two year old big brother, Rundle. I not only had a great time getting to hold this 7 lb 12 oz and 21 inch bundle of joy but being thoroughly entertained by a two year old bundle of energy. 

One of my favorite things I did last week was my mom and I took Rundle to the Georgia Aquarium. The largest aquarium in the world! We saw all different kinds of fish, sharks, beluga whales, penguins, sea otters, dolphins and so much more! These are some of my favorite pictures from our trip to the aquarium.

What a surprise! While we were at the aquarium we ran into some of our Lanier cousins. It really is a small world! 

I am so thankful that I got to go spend a week in Atlanta with these sweet children, and of course my brother and sister-in-law! 

Christmas on the Farm 2011

Christmas has come and gone. We had another wonderful family Christmas at the Belcher Farm and the Lanier Farm. The Christmas tradition continued of gathering at my mother's family home near Statesboro, Georgia. By "near" I mean the family home is 10 miles away from the nearest gas station and in the middle of the country. There is hardly any cell phone service and we don't have internet. All we have is each other, deer hunting and fishing to keep us entertained. Nineteen of us all stay at my grandparents' 100 year old farm house with two bathrooms. This means Santa comes to visit nineteen people Christmas morning. The Christmas tree is always full of Christmas presents, especially when you have nineteen people giving and receiving. The first glimpse of the Christmas tree on Christmas morning is one of my favorite moments of Christmas.

This Christmas, Rundle (my nephew) is 15 months old. He loved getting to play with all of his cousins. One of his cousins, Connor, taught him a trick that turned into his new favorite toy! His new favorite toy was playing with a red Solo cup. He has become very good at balancing the cup on his head and loves handing the cup to others to put on their heads.

The day after Christmas we gathered for our traditional family Christmas with the Lanier family in Metter, Georgia. My grandparents’ house is nestled in the middle of two hundred acres of pecan trees. We are very blessed to gather with 36 family members. Seventeen of these are the third generation. Even though I am a part of the second generation, I'm still allowed to be in all of the "kid" pictures. Below is a picture of all the "children" in the Lanier family.

Of course, Rundle really enjoyed this trip to the farm. He loves doing "boy" things. He enjoyed getting dirty in the middle of the dirt road.
He especially loved getting to ride the tractor with his dad and his Daddy Ray!

This Christmas was full of wonderful memories and I can't wait to be back together again at the two farms that have instilled the importance of love and family tradition in each of our lives.