2022 comes in with a BANG!

We are finally home after some extended Christmas celebrations, a ski trip, and a BIG UGA win! On NYE we headed to north GA to swing by the Berryman's house to have a quick Christmas get together. (Jay had COVID when they were supposed to come to the Bowers house in Tifton.) We got to meet Hunter, the new Berryman fur baby. The Bowers kids fell in love with him. 

After spending a couple of hours at the Berryman's, we headed to Jefferson to have Christmas with Amos, Anna, Hardy, and Ford. Grandma and Papa were meeting us there. We had awesome appetizers, exchanged gifts, grilled steaks, and watched UGA crush Michigan to win the Orange Bowl. The NYE night ended with only the Bowers family up and awake  and cheering as we watched the ball drop in Times Square. (Hardy had a rough 4 year old end of the night episode that had Amos and Anna having to do some hard parenting and then promptly going to bed. Been there for sure!) 

New Years Day we had Chancey Christmas at Amos's house. It is always a good time and this year the theme was tacky Christmas sweater. We didn't get to have Chancey Christmas last year because so many people in the family had COVID, so it was awesome to be back together this year. I will say that this year the loss of Uncle Jim was heavy on my heart. I really missed him and his laugh during our gift exchange. 

We headed back to Valdosta after Chancey Christmas and packed up for our annual ski trip to Park City, UT. Park City never disappoints, and everyone is getting better and better on their skis. We even ran into some Tifton people while we were there. My old roommate Nicole and her husband Todd were there skiing as well! 

We stayed a week in Park City, then flew home last Saturday. Worth and I readjusted some of our packing and last Sunday hopped a plane to Indianapolis for the National Championship game between UGA and AL. 

I'll have to admit, I didn't have my hopes up for a win. BUT WE WON!!! I could not believe it! It was SUCH a good game. I was on pins and needles that entire time and we got a pick 6 late in the game and it was pretty much over after that. I kept waiting for them to pull it back - I just knew there was a flag somewhere on the field, but no, we did it. The Dawgs were on top! Worth and I wandered down to a lower section that had been filled with AL fans who were quickly exiting the building. We wanted to see the trophy presentation as closely as we could. I shed some tears and the whole thing really didn't sink in for a couple of days. It was unbelievable and such an exciting memory that I will forever share with Worth and so many other UGA fans. The entire walk back to the hotel felt like walking on clouds. There were high 5s to other fans, singing of "Who's that comin' down the track," and smiles from everyone wearing red and black. What a night! 

Ellie was enamored with Hunter. 

Gift exchange with the Berrymans! 

Grey was beyond excited. 

Banks was being so patient waiting his turn. 

Mack is always excited to see Bo. 

Emma getting some love from Hunter. 

I think Bo is most happy about Hunter. 

And Emma was most happy to be holding baby Ford. 

Mack got a monster nerf gun from Uncle Amos and Aunt Anna. I can't wait for pay back! 

New Year's Eve with the Tifts. 

Emma was so excited to get to feed Ford breakfast. 

Meanwhile, Hardy and Mack snuggled with some iPad games for the morning. Ford was close by trying to  get a peek. 

It was around 75 degrees New Years Day in Jefferson. So we had to do the best we could with the Tacky Sweater theme. 

Poor Papa gets victimized by Grandma's craziness. 

The white elephant gift exchange started off with the kids. Some of them don't quite get the "steal" element and therefore have to be helped by a nearby adult. Once they figure it out, it's on! 

There is never a shortage of crazy gifts. 

Believe it or not, Ellie stole this. She actually wanted it. 

Grandma gives crazy gifts, so she is due even crazier gifts. 

The growing Chancey Family! Mimi, Aunt Pat, and Uncle Jim would be so proud. 

We spent the night at the condo in SSI so that we wouldn't have to get up so early to get to the airport in Jacksonville. Even doing that, we still had to wake the kids up at 4:45am. Ellie did fine flying, but passed out in our car from the airport to Park City. 

Mack did great until we went to get our skis and boots rented. They were slightly understaffed and the wait was a long one, so Mack just laid out on the floor in line and I let him. 

The view from our room was worth the wait and the long travel day though. 

Our first day of skiing (for me and the kids) is always with an instructor, so I don't get a ton of pictures, but I snapped this one of the girls on Day 1. 

Every afternoon after leaving the slopes, we end the day by soaking in the hot tub on our floor. This year, we had a great view. 

I didn't do great taking pictures this year, but Mack was insistent on me taking pictures of the views. I have plenty of pictures like this from this trip. Just soaking up how beautiful it was there. 

Worth and Ellie after finishing up the King Con (blue) slope. Ellie and I are a little slower (cautious) on the blues, but we hung with everybody this day. 

Only family picture I got the entire week. 

Mack, making snow angels.

We usually eat dinner in the condo every night. Ellie cooked completely by herself one night. She served pizza, salad and drinks. She did an awesome job.

One night the hot tub on our floor was locked and not in use, so there is another one with the heated pools in a common area for the resort. The views are even better from there and although the pool and hot tub are cold to walk to (outside,) it's warm once you are in it. This picture is terrible of me with no make up post skiing, but I wanted a picture of the background. 

Ice skating is another activity the kids enjoy one of the nights during our trip. Worth and I sit by one of the fire pits around the rink and have a glass of wine while watching the kids skate/fall. Ellie did really good this year. 

Mack, on the other hand, was on the struggle bus:) 

After an Instagram post I made of us on the mountain skiing, Nicole Branch called me to inform me that they were also skiing in ParkCity. Nicole and Todd live in Pensecola Beach, FL and I rarely get to see her. They came over for the ice skating fun with us. 

My 3 musketeers ready to take on another run! 

Nicole came to ski with us Friday. It was so good seeing her. 

Another picture request from Mack. 

Worth and I made it to FanFare in Indianapolis! 

We met up with Kathryn and Darren briefly. She was a nervous wreck, unlike me who was just assuming we wouldn't win. 

Kate brought Bo and he was SOOO excited to be there. 

Indy was colder that Park City. Thankfully we only had to walk outside for about 8 minutes, everything else was an indoor sidewalk. 

Filing into the stadium was a much smoother, easier experience than that of the 2017 debacle at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. 

My phone refused to latch on to any sort of signal once we got in our seats, so once again, I had minimal pictures. It was sucking my battery so bad, I ended up just cutting my phone off until after the game. I'm so glad we took this picture though with our hopefully optimistic faces.  

And then it happened! We won! 33-18

Go DAWGS!

The celebration in the stadium was unreal. It was so funny to watch the AL fans leaving. They had no idea how to lose. Only one guy took off onto the field and was arrested. He was so happy though! 

Best shot I could get of the trophy presentation from where we were standing. 

I'm so proud of the DAWGS and this guy right here. I remember him when he was dreaming of being a coach!