About the Sullivans













                                                Ben                      Kristen           Tyler                       


All about ME: Kristen - Well...you probably already know quite a lot about me if you read this blog. I'm a Southern Girl and proud of it! I was born in the upstate of South Carolina...a town called Spartanburg. I wouldn't call it "small" but I wouldn't label it as "big" either. I was the youngest of two girls. My parents were high school sweethearts (they actually grew up on the same street and went to elementary, junior high and high school together) and are still married to this day. I hope to have a marriage as strong as theirs! My dad was an only child and my mom has one sister who didn't have children...so I was worshiped (and I mean that literally) by my grandparents. I had no first cousins...it was just me and my sister. The ONLY grandkids. We were the world to them, and they were the world to us too! When I was 2, my parents moved from one tiny house, to another tiny house! But...It was located on the same street that my parents grew up. So from the time I was 2 until I was 9, I lived on the same street as BOTH sets of grandparents.
It was amazing! My grandparents would fight over who would get to keep us on the weekends! I have some of the best memories of spending Saturday nights with Momma Bobbie and Papa Fred (my dad's parents) and after school with Momma Dot and Papa Bub (my mom's parents).
That's why Tyler's relationship with his grandparents is so important to me today. It shaped who I was/am and I want Tyler to feel the love that I always felt.
I went to the same elementary school as my mom and dad, but when I was 9 my family decided to move across town. My dad got a new job and so we were now in the "upper middle class" sector and could afford a bigger home.
Middle school sucked...I'll skip over that part. But I don't know really of anyone who loved middle school.
High School was great! I was in colorguard, Gifted and Talented Drama, and made lots of friends.
I met my best friend in the world, Johanna, when I was in 10th grade and we've been two peas in a pod ever since.
I graduated in 1997 and even though I was in my first "real" relationship, I decided to go away to college.
I went to the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC...one of the best decisions of my life.
Sophomore year, my "real" relationship and I broke up, and I learned how to really have fun at college.
Although I never rushed, my girlfriends and I (there were 10 of us) formed a group called the CMFB's. (Cool Mother F&%^ing B&%$ches...we were so mature). We partied like crazy and had the time of our lives!!!
Luckily I'm still close to this very day with all of them!
Leah, Rienna, Erin, Kera, Melissa, Jannell, Stacie, Christina, Donna...love you girls! 
During the summers I was a camp counselor at a private girls summer camp in Tuxedo, NC. I LOVED Camp Glen Arden! It will always hold a special place in my heart.
After college, I moved to DC and lived in a house with 4 roommates. We called the house "Troy Street" and it was 4 of the best post college years that a girl could ask for! In 2003, I met Ben! We were drunk at a bar after a kickball game and I asked him if I could make out with him  he would take me out on a date. After a year and a half of dating he moved to Chapel Hill for grad school. That first year was hard, so in June 2006, I moved down to be with him.
In October 2006, he proposed at the cutest bed and breakfast in Chapel Hill. In June 2007, we moved to our first home together in Roswell, GA. We met some great friends and neighbors right away!
In December 2007 we were married, and in December 2009 Tyler was born!!!! 
In July 2011, we moved to our new neighborhood in Roswell, GA and have been keeping busy ever since!!!
I'm sure more adventures are in store for us next year when we decide to expand our little family! What a blessing it's been!

All about my hubby: BEN - Ben was born in West Virginia (something he'll refuse outright if you ask him about it), but he spent a couple of years of his "toddler-hood" in Israel. Ben's dad is from North Dakota and his mom is from Wales. They met in South Africa when both were in the Peace Corps (how different can it be from my parent's story, huh?). Ben's family have always been big travelers and his dad's job as an engineer took him to many exotic places. So for the first couple of years of his life Ben lived outside of the US. Ben's hair was the color of Tyler's when he was a baby and women would stop his mom on the street in Israel just to try and touch his head.
The Sullivans relocated to Laurel, MD and Ben's sister Kate came along when Ben was 3. His parents still live in the same house today, so it's fun to see where he grew up!
Ben grew up on a street with a lot of kids his age, so he happily lived the suburban life for many years.
He was actively involved in swimming and soccer, and wore the biggest nerdiest glasses you ever saw!
His dad was one of 9, so Ben grew up with a LOT of first cousins (very different from me). Let me be the first to contest that the Sullivan family reunions are the MOST FUN!
Both Ben and Kate are extremely smart and both attended an accelerated/gifted high school. After High school, Ben went to VA Tech (Go Hokies!) and met some amazing friends, with whom he's still very close with!  He majored in Business/Finance and graduated Magna Cum Laude! (he also had a couple of serious relationships during high school and college, but I won't talk about those, lol) After college, he relocated to DC where he enjoyed/worked/lived the single life for a couple of years.
He loved Kickball and was on a team with my roommate.
And BAM...that's how we met!
After a year and a half of dating, he applied for grad school and was accepted to Kenan Flager Business School at UNC. (A top 25 school). We met some amazing friends during those 2 years, and Ben even got to take a MBA global excursion to Australia!
The rest...they say is history! I moved down in 2006, we were engaged in October (we also took a trip to Europe in May 2007 to meet his British side of the family), we got married in 2007 and Tyler came along in 2009!
We will celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary in December, 2012 and will officially be together 9 years in October, 2012.
I love everything about this man!


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