Andrew

Oh hello there. Sorry I have been MIA. I have been growing a baby. What have you been doing? 

But really. Growing a baby. Inside my belly. Still blows my mind. 

It’s a Boy! We had a gender reveal party to find out the sex of our baby. We cut into the cake and sure enough it was BLUE! As you can tell Andy was excited. 

Meet little Andrew. He will be named after his daddy: Andrew Jacob Fennell Jr. 

I can’t wait to meet him. Only 15 more weeks until I get to squeeze his little body. 

For the next 15 weeks we will continue to prepare. I am thankful God gives 9 months for parents to prepare. Mentally and physically! Here is a sneak peak of the progress we have made on the nursery.

Baby Fennell.

Baby Fennell at 6 Weeks. 

Baby Fennell at 12 Weeks. 

Andy and I have known for 13 weeks that we are pregnant. I am 15 weeks pregnant (as of yesterday) and it still hasn’t hit me. When will it feel real? I’m not really sure. Let me tell you how it all started …

This is what shock looks like. 

I hadn’t been feeling great for about a week. Nothing horrible just off. I said to Andy “Do you think we could be pregnant???” He said, “No way. But if you want to take a test to make sure then go for it.” So I took one. We set it on top of the toilet. And waited. And waited. Longest 3 minutes of my life. Andy went in to look at it and said, “We are not pregnant.” Turned around to look at it again and said, “Oh my. We are pregnant.” So naturally we took another one just to make sure. 

Still in shock at this point it was time to head off to work. So we did. Both with wide eyes and fluttering hearts. 

Were we shocked? Yes. Are we excited? Yes! I couldn’t be more excited that I am becoming a mommy! So thankful for this season of life! 

January

Well I will result once again to story by pictures. I know no better way to update you on recent life.

Ice Bears Hockey Game with some pretty fun gals. We almost froze our faces off walking into the game, but once we got inside it was totally worth it! 

Many a game nights! With these sweet folks and others…

UT Basketball games. Not our best season, but still very entertaining!

Now hang in there while I share my deep love for the people at Chick-fil-A. 

Meet Janella. Sweetest hispanic woman ever. Every day I come in she welcomes me with a big smile and hug. I just love her.  She is our prep lady. She makes all the salads and wraps fresh everyday. 

Sweet friends (and hubby) who are so good at what they do. 

Ok so I got to take my family on a “Back Stage Tour.” They got to come in the kitchen and see how everything works. They really liked it. I really liked it. It was a success. 

Even the Mimers and Grandaddy like it! 

See ya later 2013

Hello there. Let me back up to the beginning of this month and tell you about the Troutman family trip to Charleston, SC. 1. It is the most beautiful place ever. 2. I love spending time with my family. 3. We play lots of games and are very active just about the whole time! Now let me tell you a little more via pictures …

We ate at Husk. Have you heard of it? Y’all, best food I have ever put in my mouth. Seriously. 

We went bowling. And had a competition between the couples. Andy and I got 2nd place. We weren’t too happy about it. 

We ride bikes/run/walk a lot! 

Walking the streets of Charleston after dinner …

We showed the fam how to play Nerts. Mom and Dad didn’t know how to play Solitaire. Yes. They didn’t know. I know right? So we showed Mom and she spent most of her free time practicing. 

We killed a lobster. And then we ate him. 

The Boys played golf. 

So thankful for these two. Thankful for their marriage and their relationship! Thankful that they took us on such a fun trip! 

Thanks for the memories! 

Meet my friends :)

Christmas Break=Everyone is home and together!

There are few things in life that bring me as much joy as being with these goons. We have lived a lot of life together. We have truly been together in joy and in tears. These girls helped mold me into who I am today. I am so incredibly thankful for their friendship. 

Meet my friends. 

Top Left is Cassie. Cassie: Also known as Big Ass Cass. She was BHS Best All Around. Go Cass.She is adventurous. The only one in the group that went away for school. Way to represent Cass! 

Becca Cox: Also known as Reba or Bex. She is the fashionista of the group. Loves a good concert. And Always has a big smile on her face. Her laugh is contagious. 

Sarah Hope: or Soap. Sarah Hope does the Steve Urkel dance like a champ. Get her to show you sometime! She is going to be the best Speech Pathologist one day.    

Bottom Left is Chelcie. Or Chelc. She will trip and fall on her wedding day. She accomplishes whatever she sets her mind to. She loves second graders well! 

Becca Jones: Aka Boukie. Don't dare her to do something unless you really want her to do it. One time she died her hair red just because we told her to :). She can make you laugh no matter what kind of mood you are in. 

Jennifer: also known as Jenn. Verbal Processor. Lover of all things artsy. Best handwriting you will ever see. But seriously. 

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Tis the Season

Today is December 16th. I am not really sure what happened to December. Seriously though. I ate Thanksgiving (twice. Thank you Fennell's and Troutman's) and fell asleep and woke up and BAM it is December 16th! That means Christmas is in 8 days. 8 days People. So Where did December go you might ask?

Andy and I have been with these munchkins some. They are a pretty fun crowd! They are so full of life and energy.  

December means time for Holiday traditions! One of our traditions is to decorate a Gingerbread House. We cheat and hot glue the house together (shhh don't tell).

Another tradition that we have started that I LOVE is to get an ornament from everywhere we travel together. One day we will have a tree full of memories (hopefully ... or atleast a tree full of 100's of Hilton Head Island ornaments).

Oh and Christmas Cards. Who doesn't love Christmas Cards. I am not going to lie ... I get really excited to go to the mailbox everyday.

 

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

 

Snapshot

The one and only Dan Cathy came to visit our store. So fun yall. So fun! He is the second one from the right in the second row. We got to sit in a room and have a round table discussion about whatever we wanted! It was so neat to hear about his journey with Chick-fil-A and the passion he has for the company. 

My Amachi child, Angel, won a competition for her drawing that she made! Isn't it just great!? I am so proud of her! See the building on the right with the heart and sunshine on it? It says Mentors. We have taken them to O.P. Jenkins a couple times ... I think they think we live there :)

Lots of Christmas decorating is going on at all 3 Chick-fil-A locations! 

We love Christmas!

We had our first snow of the year! So pretty. I love snow!

So naturally when it snows you eat soup right? This is my moms veggie soup recipe. So good! This soup is one of the best parts of winter! 

Chicken: 1, Beef: 0

Did you know that the Cow Campaign started in 1995? I did. You want to know why? Because I eat, sleep, and breathe Chick-fil-A. But I love it y'all. I think this job was specifically designed for me :)! I get to be a part of the community day in and day out.

I recently went to the STEM academy to host a nugget eating contest. It was to raise money for local organizations around the school. It was a blast!

The cow and I attended "A Walk in the Park 5k" to raise money to build a drinking well in Africa. Pretty cool stuff!

 

The best part of my job is that I get to do it alongside my best friend. Do we work together day in and day out? No. But we see each other in passing, and we work with the same people. We love being able to invest in the lives of all the people we work with. We have been so blessed to work for such a wonderful company.

 

 

I recently went on a Marketing Retreat to Asheville. It was amazing. I learned a lot, and enjoyed being in this beautiful city. I mean look at the view from our house! Does it get any better? Did I really get paid to be here?

 

Next week I am going to Corporate. Atlanta here I come! I am going to a 4 day training on Marketing. I am excited to see Home Office, and hey maybe I will even get to meet one of the Cathy's?!? Ok that might be a little wishful thinking.

 

“Nearly every moment of every day we have the opportunity to give something to someone else – our time, our love, our resources. I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return.” -S. Truett Cathy

Well hello there. I realize I have been MIA here recently ... well here is why ...

 

 

 

 

I made a new friend. The cow that is. We spend a lot of time together. Fact: Somedays I see the cow more than my own husband. Maybe Andy should be the cow. Hey that would work out nice!

 

When I am not working I am ...

Hanging out with my Amachi Child. Angel. Her name fits her well. She really is an angel!

 

Having date nights with this stud ...

 

Celebrating Birthdays with You are Special plates! ...

 

Celebrating Birthdays with a trip to New York...

 

 

Going to UT Football Games. Go Vols ...

 

 

Doing Fall things with fun people...

There you have it! My life in pictures.