Party like it's.... Christmas 2010!

This was the first corporate Christmas party I've ever been invited to and attended - needless to say, I was quite nervous!

Josh was in town for, well, the first time ever really, so he was able to go with me. The party was supposed to be 60's/70's/80's themed, but only about half of the managers dressed up. The other half were in traditional Christmas dinner garb, including Josh and I.

Turns out, there was no need to be nervous, just like most situations I worry about. Josh got to meet my new boss and old boss, most everyone I work with, the owner of the company Chester Musselman, and a host of other GM's and DOS's from our 13 other properties.

Truly, I am blessed with this job. I know this is where I'm supposed to be. The people are wonderful, the owner of the company is like family. They truly care about their entire team, down to line level employees. Chester personally gives bonuses with hand-written notes in each one to every person present at the party. Just amazing.

There are big things to come in my future with this company. I'm so very, very thankful for where I am in my career and what lies ahead of me.




Love,
Josh, Kim, Abby & Dakota

SNOW!!!!!!!

I really did not think I would get so excited about this. Actually, I thought both Josh and I would just kind of sulk the first day we got snow.

Instead, he yanked me out of mid-shower with shampoo still in my hair at 1:00am to show me this on Thanksgiving night:






We proceeded to stay outside playing in the snow for the next half hour.

The dogs certainly didn't know what to think about the snow. A lot of sniffing and hopping (making a futile effort to keep their feet off of it) before they would walk normally on it.

After they got used to it, we couldn't keep them out of it. Knocking each other over in it, rolling around, burrying their faces in it... too cute!




Since Thanksgiving, it has at least snow-flurried every single day!

The first time I drove to work in it, I giggled the whole way. I've been in snow, had it fall on me, scraped the windshield of a car... but never where I LIVE. Never driving the car myself, never walking into work. I find the whole thing just so funny and fun.



I was the only idiot outside taking pictures in the show. Definitely getting made fun of for being from Florida! Guess I kinda deserve it... haha
Abby loves it.
Dakota's still not sure.

PLEASE let me go back outside to play!!??
Favorite. So pretty.








Love,
Josh, Kim, Abby & Dakota

Our family is growing

(No, I'm not pregnant.)

May we introduce you to our new, adorable little girl:

Dakota Touchton


Her full name is Dakota Arms Touchton. Guess who named her?

My parents found three abandoned puppies just down the street from their Georgia Hunt Camp living in a culvert. From what the humane society said, they were about 6 weeks old at the time. The temperatures were getting down to just below freezing, and the little things were so starved that they were literally skin and bones.


We had been talking about getting Josh a new puppy for awhile, so when my mom texted us pictures of these little guys, we were hooked almost immediately.

After finding a home for the other female, my parents decided to keep the male. So, in addition to Abby and Shelby being siblings, we each now have another puppy that's related to each other.

They named their puppy Hunter, which is also fitting.



My dad met Josh and I just north of Atlanta for a night so we could pick Dakota up. We were so excited to meet her - Abby, not so much. However, we're happy to report she's starting to come around. Abby even plays with Dakota in the backyard when she thinks we aren't looking.











Love,
Josh, Kim, Abby, AND DAKOTA!!

Turkey Day

We did our normal routine on this, my favorite holiday - got up early, had cinnamon rolls and bacon, then I watched the parade while Josh slept through it.

Perfect little Thanksgiving morning.

Except that's it's the first holiday I've EVER spent away from my family. Josh has missed bunches, this we know. But for me, this was kind of a huge deal.

I handled it ok, keeping myself busy by cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner even though it was just the two of us.

That's another first - I've never cooked a holiday dinner all by myself. I have a new appreciation for my grandmother and momma... what a ton of work!! But definitely rewarding.

My biggest challenge was, of course, the turkey. Never cooked one of those before. And never did find the bag of giblets in the turkey's belly. I swear they forgot to put it in there. Glad no one had a video camera while I was searching for them though...

And don't get me started on the carving of the turkey. Josh and I have never participated in this part. Poor thing was completely mutilated. But at least it tasted good!




Guess I did ok - we devoured most of it in just a couple days. Looking forward to making Christmas dinner!

Josh, Kim & Abby

Fall in Kentucky

I've never experienced fall. In Florida, we go straight from Summer to a-little-cooler-than-Summer that we call our "Winter."

So when the leaves started changing up here, I was fascinated. They don't change all at once on a tree - they change from one side of the tree to the other. The color sort of spreads.

Seriously, fascinating.

Josh has seen all this before, so he doesn't share my enthusiasm. But I just think it's the neatest thing.

So I took a lot of pictures.











Josh, Kim & Abby