Christmas Continued

The morning of the 24th was spent with Tim's Grandma Mielke, at her apartment in Saint Peters. We ate lunch, opened presents and the arm wrestling began. I think it should be a new Christmas tradition. Bonnie can whoop Drew and Tyler now, but I think it will only be a few years before they become bigger contenders.

After lunch Tim's eyes started bothering him and we had to forego the rest to the Christmas Eve festivities. The next morning, he could barley open his eyes because the light sensitivity and general pain. After much debate, and many tears, on my part for having to leave my poor husband home by himself on Christmas, and on his part because his eyes wouldn't stop watering from the pain, I went to pick up my grandparents in Kirkwood. We drove the 2 hours to Columbia to spend Christmas Day with my side of the fam.

Many Christmas traditions take place on the Bailey side of Christmas. David brings all the girls roses on Christmas morning. Mom reads the Christmas story, before we open tons of presents. Grandma Bailey gave David is stocking this year since he turned 21, and also passed on to him some of Grandma's most fabulous recipes in a homemade cookbook. She made Heidi a big tie quilt that was beautiful. All the grandkids get quilts when they are born, when they move into their first "adult" house, and when they get married.

David got money for his January trip to Vegas, and Bethany got clothes and Guitar Hero lll, with two Guitars!!!! Johnn got his super surprise of a PlayStation 3 from all of our family and all his family. Tim and I got more money for our video camera, and Arie Alex got Shakespeare's onesies from David. Tim and I bought her some gDaipers, a "green" alternative to disposable diapers. She also got a rattle from Great Granny Mohr and a stuffed teddy bear from Great Grandma and Grandpa Bailey. (Their first great grand child.) Dad got a wireless keyboard and Grandma and Grandpa got a new answering machine with new handsets for all over the house. There were many more gifts and lots of amazing food. Crab legs, lobster tail, and steak to round out the blessed holiday.

I was really anxious to get home to my man and my puppy. King opened his presents more bones in his stocking and a compressed raw hide from "Grandma and Grandpa" Bailey (My parents). Tim was feeling much better by the time I got home to him and finished our Christmas evening laughing ourselves to death by watching Arrested Development, Season 1.

Overall a bitter/sweet day. Lots of presents, and love and fun, but I missed my boy.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve! I'm eating chocolate for breakfast. Not that it needs to be Christmas for me to do that, but it is finally here! We go to such great lengths to shop and decorate and bake, (yeah right) and prepare for this holiday, and here it is! King likes to guard the presents under the tree. He runs to the window any time there is a person with in 20 yards of the house and barks to let us know that someone is approaching. We hit the Christmas card jack pot this year! When I was growing up, It was tradition to hang the Christmas cards on the door. So I have carried on the tradition. We have a big door too and it was getting hard to find room for them all. Thanks to everyone who was thinking of us. We got lots of cute pictures, and next year we'll be sure to send out a card with the newest addition to our family!

We kicked off Christmas yesterday at Lori's with Tim's family. Årie Alex already got three presents! Notice the doll's name? We got money toward our video camera and Brian and Christine gave me some bangles from National Geographic. I got a beautiful blue necklace from the Bertram's that goes smashingly well with a pair of earrings Brian and Christine got me for my birthday last year. Tim and I gave Graceanne her first Barbie and her first My Little Pony. Tim got some bike stuff and King got some dog bones. Bonnie tied a red ribbon around his collar. That makes me happy. :) King was very much a part of the festivities and I know he is just a dog, but I love having him around for holidays.

So it is off to see both sides of Tim's grandparents today, my family in Columbia tomorrow, and more picture to come! Happy Christmas and a Rockin' New Year!

Pick of the Week: Airawen Alexandra 29 weeks

Here are the latest pictures of my little girl! She uses my ribs as treadmill, my intestines as a punching bag, and gives me the worst acid reflux, and I can't wait to meet her! She is now in the 90th percentile in weight weighing in just over 3lbs, and they said she looks good. We only have about 10 weeks to go and the next two weeks are going to fly by with the holidays. I moved my office from the seminary to home today, which was a huge blessing and an amazing realization of how encouraging and supportive my employers are of Tim and I adding to our family. It is also amazing that I can just type in a couple of things and see all my network drives for work, in about 10 seconds! I love modern technology.

Merry Christmas From AV

So we took a first annual staff photo for the AV department, here at good ol' Covenant Seminary. We cheezed it up and put it in the staff and student bulletins. So from the top left, Mike - Mike started with us this summer. The picture was his idea to start with. He is a full time student, and one of our audio techs. We trade secrets on good movies and TV shows and barrow each other’s TV series on DVD. Mark - Dean of students, a vice president and our fearless leader. April - our AV administrative assistant, and she also takes classes, her husband is a full time student here as well. Chris - AV director and wicket smart, he is a full time student. Me - (moving on). Josh - Full time student, also wicked smart, and he does all our media duplication and shipping for our distance learning. AKA, copy boy 3. And Todd - Moved from Atlanta with his beautiful family to be a full time student this fall. He is also a tech assistant, and pop media connoisseur. It has been an amazing semester working with all these fun kids, and I’m pretty confident when I say we are the “funest” department on campus! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Tree

This weekend we went to the Boy Scout Troop 6 lot for the third year in a row to get our Christmas tree. It is one of my favorite things to do in the Christmas preparations. I am so excited to take Arie Alex next year to get her first Christmas tree! She was there this year, but she didn't really make the pictures. I hate giving my camera to other people, b/c they don't know how to take pictures, but oh well, I guess this is good enough for the blog.

Saturday morning was my friend Andrea Matlock's baby shower. She is due March 10th, and also having a girl. It was a really fun shower and one of the guests knitted these adorable pink baby booties right there while Andrea was opening presents and then tied green a green ribbon in them that had come from one of the other gifts. It was amazing! I gave Andrea the fairy princess duck that tells you the temperature of the bath water. So ridiculously excessive, but completely fantastic!