Christmas giveaway winner!!

The Christmas giveaway has come to a close and I'm happy to announce that our first-ever blog giveaway winner is..........(drum roll please)............

Amy Perry! This was Amy's entry: 

"My favorite tradition is having hot chocolate and cookies on Christmas eve and reading the Christmas story all together as a family. This is really special to our family because it gets our hearts in the right spirit the night before to remember what Christmas is really about! And since my mom always wants good pictures on Christmas day we open one gift which are always pajamas for us to wear Christmas day!"

Amy, let me know if you accept and I'll get your goodies right out to you!! Thanks everyone for participating--can't wait for the next one....I'm thinking some New Year's goodies???? We will have to see! 

Since a few have asked, we have a huge number of traditions in the Lee/Davenport household. Before I was married, my family would always go to the candlelit service on Christmas Eve and then over to our family friends house, the Propp's, for a big Christmas Eve dinner party. 

Cody said his favorite Christmas tradition is going to his grandparents house on Christmas Eve, his family all sitting around and each person goes around and opens up a present, eat orange rolls, sausage balls and the elusive "Elvis" white elephant gift! 

Now that Cody and I are married, we're starting our own new traditions. The past two years, we have picked a day to go get our tree (real, of course...no fake trees for us!) We spend the evening decorating it and putting up the ornaments and talking about the new ones we bought that year (this year we got one in Maine for our One Year Anniversary-it's a cute little red lobster, one at the P.Graham Dunn store and two at Disney). I'm sure we will come up with some more as the years continue, but until then those are our fun Christmas traditions!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY!!

It's finally here--my favorite time of the year...CHRISTMAS!! Aside from the obvious good things regarding the holiday, I love that it's a time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Regardless of our life situation and circumstances, we are all so terribly blessed! So, in the light of this charitable season, a giveaway is in order!!!

Giveaway Details:

Here's what you get if you win...
1. Rocky Road Brownie Mix
2. Christmas cookie cutters
3. Mini-red spatula
4. Peppermint sprinkles
5. a few more surprise goodies!!


*Sorry clarity is bad--took it with my phone!

HOW TO WIN...

1. For a chance to win, please comment on this post with an answer to the following question:

"What is your favorite holiday tradition?" OR "What do you want to start to be a holiday tradition for Christmastime?"

RULES:

-One winner will be chosen on Saturday, December 5th and notified that day.
-The winner has until Sunday, the 6th to accept the giveaway or another winner will be chosen
-Please make sure I have a means to contact you (either leaving your email address or blogsite with your comment)
-Only one entry per person to win!

GOOD LUCK!! Can't wait to hear about all the great traditions!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Possible Christmas Giveaway??

This past weekend, Cody and I perused many great stores! So, in light of the uber-early display of Christmas items (come on, it's not even Thanksgiving)! I digress, I want to have a giveaway!! I keep visiting all these fun blogs and they seem to have one thing in common--GIVEAWAYS!! So, I'm thinking of doing one---BUT, I want it to be worthwhile, sooooo WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED?!?! It would have tons of great Christmas things for decorating, baking, etc!! So, leave me a comment and let me know if you'd participate! I hope so, because I want to buy some of this stuff SO BADLY! :)

*Even if you aren't a blogger, leaving a comment is super easy!! Scroll to the bottom of this post, click the # of comments, and just leave your name and the comment :) 

**If you are reading this in an email, visit our website at www.thenewdavenports.blogspot.com 

to leave the comment!

***Even if you don't live close, I'm planning on mailing the giveaway goodies!

HOPE YOU WANT TO JOIN!

Meeting Estella Ruth!

A few Sundays ago, Cody and I quickly said our goodbyes and packed up our things from church and headed north, to Ohio! We were so excited for our quick trip and getting to see family! The reasons for the trip were two-fold, 1) Cody's Brother, Travis and his wife, Vanessa, just welcomed a second child (the first GIRL) to our family. 2) Since we're heading to Florida this year, for Thanksgiving, we won't get to see the Davenport side of the fam until a few days before CHRISTMAS! So, we headed up and we had a great trip!! The pictures are basically of little Estella, but we had a great time with everyone else, too!

The October girls--holding little E for the first time (and getting baby fever!)

Cody holding Estella for the first time and getting FREAKED OUT!!

Getting warmed up to the idea :)

Robin, Cody's mom, falling in love with her new granddaughter

The great-grandparents loving on little Estella


Proud daddy!

The next day, we headed around Wooster to some amish towns and landed at this great homemade cheese store (I hadn't had carbs for over a month, so I was so excited to find something I could finally eat!!!)

My honey :)

Happy grammie, dreaming of ways to spoil her!

Her favorites: green paci and big bows :)

The Big 2-6 (slightly late)

So, ever since my 21st, I've been going to the mountain house in Boone to celebrate my birthdays! This year was no different! With Cody leaving me a bachelorette for the majority of the week as he was at the Catalyst Conference, I packed up Thursday afternoon and headed to the land of coziness and beauty! This birthday was probably one of my favorites--rivals my 16th when my parents surprised me with a car and a cake with a picture of me picking my nose on it (thanks mom!), I digress! Nothing was too special about the weekend except that it was spent with my parents and the food over the course of those 4 days was indescribably scrumptious!!

The first night we just hung out and snuggled up by the fire...boy was that needed!

The next day, Mom and I headed into town and she surprised me with a trip to the Spa!! After the week I had, had it was heaven sent! Mani/Pedi & Facial was just what the doctor ordered for this 26 year old! :) Mom and I had such a great time together!

Friday night, they told me to pick a restaurant with the only stipulation being that it had to be new, a place none of us had ever been! I knew exactly where I wanted to go- The Osceola Lodge. My parent's friends had raved about this place for months, so I thought it'd be the perfect way to ring in 'official adulthood'! So, we cleaned up and headed over (the boys even have to wear coats--FANCY and my kind of place!!)

On the way to the Lodge, mom and I thought the leaves were too gorgeous to not get out and take some pictures! So a photo shoot ensued (these are only 2 of the 20 we took!!)

My parents are the cutest!




In front of the Lodge-pre.dinner!





Mid.Dinner (such great conversation and I have never laughed so hard in such a long time!!)


My momma!

A little fuzzy, I knew I should've had the desk clerk take two!! :)



2nd mini-photo shoot :)


Mom and Dad letting our huge meals settle in the Library


Saturday was BIRTHDAY DAY!

*Opening some presents with my other 'sister', our dog Abby!



Before Dinner we headed to Fred Mercantile on Beech Mountain, i love getting pictures there for the fall!! Such great decorations

We went to Jacalope's for dinner--I had never been there, but since it'd been over 10 years, we thought it was "new" again! It was such a great dinner--the food was DELICIOUS!!

And of course, my birthday was complete with Bananas Foster (my favorite!!)

Mom and Dad, thanks for an awesome birthday!! I had such a wonderful time hanging out with you two!! You made the birthday without Cody so fun (even if I thought it wouldn't be) Love you both so much--thanks for all the great laughs!

Love your girl,
LaRae (keedar/sissy)

Wedding Season!!!

Cody and I are so blessed to have such amazing friends! We are also, so excited for that group of friends to be continually expanding! This past weekend, Cody's best friend, Josh proposed to his girlfriend, Kelsie and she said YES!! We are thrilled for their upcoming July nuptials!

So many weddings are coming our way and we couldn't be happier!!
*Plus, I LOVE buying wedding presents and perusing registries!!

Corinne & Brad: November 6th



Matt & Maria: January 16th



Carissa & Dan: July 10th!




Josh & Kelsie: July 24th!!



**We love you all and we're so excited for the Lord bringing you into our lives and into each others lives!!

M-I-A-M-I, Let's Go Canes!

Mom and Dad are finally in town! Heading to dinner with the Rancourt's!


Always time for a pic with my hubs!

Our 2nd mom and dad here in Blacksburg--Jim and Cynthia Rancourt!

Mom and Dad!

Root beer and Pizza before the game :)

Cody representing both families in his green Ohio State shirt!

Of course game day it was POURING! We had green ponchos because we still had to represent even in the rain...and of course, mom and dad got Cody a red one for Ohio State!

*During the weekend they were here, we found out that the Miami Hurricanes and Ohio State Buckeyes signed a two year contract to play each other next year and the year after!! We already have plans to rent RV's and tailgate the weekend away!! Nothing like a little payback from Tempe! :)

Finally at the game--God was so good! We were sitting in one of the two rows that were over the awning--we were dry the entire game!! 

The boys coming onto the field...

My canes getting fired up! 

GAMETIME!!

Halftime!! It was raining so bad that the band played from the stands and didn't come out!

So excited to be there together :)

*Needless to say, we didn't take a picture of the scoreboard at the end... it was a horrible game. But, hopefully we'll have another matchup with the Hokies at the ACC Championship :)

We had an AWESOME time with mom and dad--we can't wait for next year to play the Buckeyes!!

Happy Birthday, Estella Ruth Davenport!!

Today, around 2:50pm, the Davenport clan welcomed a new beauty to our fam, Estella Ruth Davenport at 20'' and 7 lbs, 14 oz! Cody's Brother, Travis, and wife Vanessa had their second child, Estella, this afternoon. This is the first girl for the davenport clan in quite a while!! Cody and I can't wait to meet her and give her tons of kisses! I'm so glad I now have a friend to share my October birthday with!! 

Proud Papa

our little baby sugar!

happy grandpa

gorgeous mother and daughter!

Congrats!! We love y'all!!

~Cody & LaRae