Daddy

Matt is the best daddy. Fatherhood has given him an excuse to get excited about Christmas and children's toys and from the moment we found out we were pregnant, he's been thinking about all the things he is going to teach his little boy...honor and patriotism and politics and money and video games and sailing...the list goes on.


He finally feels like he has someone on his side, MAN-ing up the house. He can't wait to bring Marek outside to work with him on the Jeep and play with Jake.


He's already given Marek his dimples and it's only a matter of time before the weirdness rubs off on him too.

Welcome Home

Auntie Nina gave Marek this cute outfit to wear for his welcome home. After a wonderful 1/2 hour massage, we left the hospital on Sunday afternoon in cooold weather. It felt good to get outside though. We headed straight home and cleaned up the pizza mess from Thursday :) I can't believe we've been home for a week already. I wish I could freeze this moment in time and never let little Marek grow up. It was difficult for me to leave to hospital; the safety and security of having the nurses there whenever we needed them. I also had such a wonderful experience and I didn't want it to be over. Of course I'm excited for what is to come but also a little sad that this "first" is now in the past for us.



Grandma Julie and Papa John finally got to meet Marek on Monday. They fought over who got to hold him and I think Papa won. Matt and I went to Walmart to pick up a few things while Grandma and Papa were with Marek. I cried the whole time and made Matt race home. I don't think I was ready to be away from him!

We've ventured out for a couple of other things...to pick up his birth certificate and for a lactation appointment with the nurse midwife. We also had his first doctor visit yesterday. We are so happy with the doctor we chose for Marek and the doctor said he looks great! It will be weird not to have appointments every week.

Daddy goes back to work tomorrow and with a huge snowstorm today, we are just hanging out and cuddling up with books, maybe some games and watching House. We're going to try to plow our way to church tonight...Marek has been practicing his prayers:

Finally some rest...

Anna is sleeping right now, and it looks like she should be able to get decent night of sleep if Marek keeps this up. Anna fed the little guy around 11 pm last night, and then he went right to sleep so Daddy could take him back to the nursery. The nurses brought Marek back in around 3:30, fed for an hour, and went right back to sleep. Its 8:30 right now, and I just got back from checking on him. The nurse said he was snoozing like a champ with out a peep, and I could seen him squirming around a little bit. It would be great if Marek's sleep pattern stays the same when we go home (knock on wood).

It was a busy day for Marek and us yesterday. Forgive me if the times aren't completely correct as it is hard to remember the exact times now. He was circumcised around 8 or 9 in the morning. Then Marek's Uncle Chris, and Auntie Jen stopped by with little cousin Mason.


Later in the afternoon, Anna's fellow Moonlights, Maggie and Katie stopped by and took their turn holding the little guy. For those of you who may be wondering what the moonlights are, they are just a group of girl (I know that I'll get a hard time from them for saying that.) :) Grandpa and Grandma Mrdutt stopped by around this time as well, which was nice for all of them because they we able to chat while they waited in the waiting area while Anna was talking with the nice lactation consultant Theresa who has been a godsend in helping both Anna and Marek learn the intricacies of breast feeding (and here I thought it was as easy as just popping him up there and letting him suck away, guess that why us fathers can't breast feed.)


And finally, around 6 in the evening, Katrina and Jessica arrived with some more of Marek's cousins. Wyatt and Bella who are twins, Gabby, Polly, and Maddie. Maddie is a 1 year old and likes to pull out cords that she shouldn't, which causes the nurse to come running. This was also the time Anna and I had chosen to have out celebratory dinner, and it was actually good timing, because Marek was getting hungry, and Katrina and Jess were able to hold and comfort him while we enjoyed our dinner.



After they left, Anna and I had some quiet time even though Marek was being a little stinker and wanted quick snacks every hour. Then they weighed him again and he dropped down to 6 lbs 13 ounces, which is normal. Then we were at where this post started, with his big meal and big sleep.

Two Days Old

We were running on empty yesterday but had a nice time with our visitors. It was hard for me to sleep because I couldn't stop worrying about Marek in the nursery. I got a couple of hours off and on and finally went to check on him at 2:00 am. Sure enough he had just woke up and was ready to eat. We were up for two hours nursing (he's catching on slowly) and then I gave him back to the nurses. This photo is me on 4 hours of sleep in two days. It's hard to let him go, I don't want to let him out of my sight but I'm stressed out about going home on just a few hours of sleep. My doctor came to check on me at 7:00 this morning. I was awake and so I went to check on my little buddy and they told me he was getting ready for his circumcision and getting checked out by the pediatrician. We're just getting up and getting breakfast now and waiting for them to bring Marek in. I miss him.

We'll have lots of visitors today and are excited for Marek to meet more of his family and friends. I might need to squeeze in a nap today so there might be some waiting if you want to come and visit. We plan on going home tomorrow morning.

Marek

We are pronouncing it "Mare-eck."








So there!!!

At long last.....Pics!!!

Welcome To the World

Marek Joseph

We got a couple hours of sleep and baby is back with us now. I haven't been up on my feet yet but I'm going to try to take a shower and freshen up. We are so excited for everyone to meet little Marek. Feel free to come and visit weather permitting! We're doing our best to talk to everyone and answer calls...he is so lucky to have so many people who love him! Matt will try to post some pictures this morning. Everything has been so wonderful from the moment it started. Thank you God for a safe delivery and a healthy baby.

Stats

7 pounds 5 ounces

19 inches long

13 inches head circumfrence

Matt's overbight

Blond hair

No birthmarks

Monsterhands

He's Here

Anna was checked again at 02:00, and even though she was dilated to 9, the doctor decided to have her start pushing. Anna pushed like a trooper and it took pushing through 4 contractions, that our son was born at 02:19 in the morning of December 3rd, 2010. Anna and I are so happy to finally meet him. We are still deciding on a name, and will update everyone with that next.

Stubborn son

We just had another check, and she is sort of at 9cm but there is a section of cervix that still hasn't completely thinned out. The nurses tried having Anna lay on her other side to see if that would speed things up, but baby didn't like that much, and seemed to have a happier heartbeat when Anna went back to laying on her left side again. About a half an hour ago we had to fill out some forms, and chose a cute baby hat. I wanted the Green Bay Packer one, so that one wasn't chosen. They were all cute though, and are handmade by volunteers. Grandpa and Grandma Mrdutt arrived 15 minutes ago and are waiting patiently in the waiting area to meet their grandson. As I type this, Anna is finally catching a nap, which is good, because the contraction chart is showing them coming regularly from 1 and a half minutes to 2 minutes.

And the birthday is...........Not Dec. 2nd

It is now after midnight in the wee hours of December third, and we are just quietly resting. Anna hasn't been able to sleep, but she has been resting and we've been having a nice conversation with our nurse. Everything is still going smoothly. Anna is actually enjoying this waiting because everything happened so fast before now, and now she feels calm and relaxed.

Quiet Time

Well, things have quieted down a bit. Anna is still at 8cm. The baby has moved down a little more, and we are waiting for the cervix to thin out on one side. The initial medicine is wearing off and now it is just the epidural, and it looks like there is one spot where Anna can feel everything but she kind of likes it. So we are just spending time with each other waiting and now Anna is going to try and rest and take some catnaps, while I drink some coffee and surf the web as she sleeps.

December 2nd or December 3rd??

It's me this time. Obviously the epidural kicked in...

The anesthesiologist got here really quickly after they put the IV in. Nurse Laura told me he's the best one. He gave both the epidural and some intrathecal thingybopper which lasts about two hours but kicks in right away. I had quite a few really bad contractions before he got here and I think it was good timing. It was a hard decision feeling like I could have gone longer but things are progressing quickly and I didn't want it to be too late. If only you knew what to expect and when, you could plan accordingly!

Moments after the epidural kicked in I was surrounded by nurses, had oxygen in my face and heard a "call Dr. Lysy!" Baby's heart rate dropped for a bit but he is okay...there was a quick dilation and quick descention of baby into the birth canal which caused him a little stress but he is okay. We got a little scared but trust everyone here and pray that he will be healthy with a normal size head.

I am dilated to 8 and baby is about half way down the birth canal already. Fast and furious.

I feel...funny. I don't like feeling numb but I do like feeling relaxed. I can move all my limbs and I feel somewhat sane (those contractions put me on another planet!)

Matt is the most amazing husband and man. He is right here with me and I couldn't do it without him. I like to sniff his head when I have a bad contraction. I can't wait to sniff this baby's head.

Matt is going to get some coffee and I am going to rest for a bit until go-time! It's crazy how quick this has all happened. Not much was going on this morning or all through work today. Then at about 5:30 contractions started, we started timing them as I walked around the living room. Then I had a handfull of really good ones, Matt ran upstairs to shave, water broke, we're in the car, and here we are! It feels like I've been here for a few minutes, not a few hours.

Update 1

Last check was half an hour ago and it was 5 cm, and contractions are at about 2 minutes and progressing at a good rate, but are getting more intense. Anna has asked that they call for the epidural. Nurse Laura will be with us all night and she is really great. She has 3 little girls herself. We also just heard the baby kick the monitor. Anna is doing so well. She is tired but I'm proud of her.

It Starts

Anna started having regular contractions around 5:34 pm and her water water broke 20 minutes later (right after the pizza we had put in was finished.) Out the door we went, and we arrived at the ER at Sacred Heart around 6:30, and Anna is now hooked up to the monitor, and we are settling in for tonight's big event. Anna is dilated to a good 4 centimeters and fully effaced.

Layin' Low

I bought a new camera! I've been saving to buy a new SLR for a couple of years but with new baby and new bills on the way, we've settled for a nice point-and-shoot to get us by until we have the money and the time to invest in a "real" camera. This little thing is pretty nice. It has a nice wide angle and takes HD video. I love photos and people and photos of people but I've been embarrassed to take my crappy little Kodak out into public for the last five years or so and have relied on everyone else to capture the important moments. If it's just me and Matt in the room for the delivery, we have to be the ones to capture those first precious moments of our child's life in this world!



I had my 33/34 week appointment this afternoon. Things are really moving along and at every visit there is another thing to discuss. This week I asked what the odds are the my doctor will be the one there when I go into labor. She said about a one in four chance. It would be so nice to have her there but I've been so happy with all the staff at my clinic and have heard only wonderful things about the hospital as well. She assured me of their "hands-off" approach to labor; that it is best to let things progress naturally and they don't intervene unless necessary. Even then, they are diligent in explaining what they are doing and the options I have and they will support me in any decision that we make. My doctor said that I'm measuring small but that it is probably because the baby is SO LOW. She pointed out his head to me (so that's what that is!) and said that he's probably "locked in" for the remainder of the pregnancy. He's in position people!

Travel Buddy

*baby at 20 wk ultrasound, we're now 30 weeks!

I am away on what will be my last bit of travelling for a while. I flew into Toronto yesterday for a coffee show, to visit some customers and check out the Toronto coffee scene. I've become a very efficient and relaxed traveler; packing the morning of, getting to the airport just in time to step on to the plane, and relying on my experience to get me to where I need to go with minimal planning and anxiety. "Pregnancy brain" must have kicked in this time around because it wasn't until I was half way to the airport on a shuttle from Wisconsin that I remembered I need a passport to get into Canada. My ever patient husband was able to get it to the driver of the next shuttle leaving town who picked me up off the side of the freeway (pretty much) and I did make my flight with enough time to pee before boarding the plane. When I sat down I started thinking about how if the baby was outside of me instead of inside of me, that morning would have been a completely different scenario. Imagine rushing to the gate with a baby in my arms instead of strapped to my belly. And think of all the extra stuff I'd be carrying along. My laptop bag and medium sized purse were already enough to make my shoulders ache and my pits sweat. I was feeling a little nervous about navigating through a big city on my own. Then the baby started kicking the ever lovin' snot out of me and I was thankful for the reminder that I'm not alone. It's nice to have him around like a little angel watching out for me (nobody messes with a pregnant lady) and I "think-talk" to him a lot and I know he feels the love. Thanks little baby for coming along for the ride. Now stop the gymnastics and let me sleep!

My Chai

It all started last fall. I was at a work event in Washington state and in my hotel room I was watching a late night show all about chai. How to make it at home, different styles, traditions, sweeteners and spices. I was intrigued that chai tea meant more than the Celestial Seasonings tea bags that I had at home.

On this same trip I found myself visiting a customer in Vancouver, BC who took us out to his favorite Indian restaurant in the city, Viji's. They greet you with a cup of their homemade chai. It was a beautiful autumn night in a beautiful city and we were sitting on their outside patio eating the most delicious soup I've ever tried and sipping chai. I was now on a mission.

Later, at one particular coffee convention, I ran into our friends from TeaSource. I asked him what was brewing that day and he gave me a sample of his signature chai. They blend it in-store with one of their black teas and as a sweetener, they use sweetened condensed milk. His secret ingredient? White pepper. You can taste it! It's very spicy, very creamy, and very sweet. Just what I was looking for.

This winter, after being introduced to Penzeys Spices, I started trying different blends and brewing styles to make my own chai. Nothing was really even close to what I had up in Vancouver or the delicious TeaSource chai. There are so many different spices that you can use and I wasn't sure if I had the right combination or ratios. I gathered ingredients that looked good to me when I googled "chai" and those used in TeaSource's blend. I was able to make one that was good, but not great. I boiled:

Fresh ginger
Cardamom pods
Whole cloves
Nutmeg
Cinnamon sticks
White peppercorns
Orange rind (dried in the dehydrator)

in a large pot in amounts that seemed good to me, heavy on the ginger. I boiled it for about an hour or until the ingredients looked "spent." I then added the only tea that I had on hand which was a green tea. This was a mistake. A balanced black tea is best, one that isn't too strong. Once it was done steeping, I added generous portions of honey and some white sugar to taste. I strained the mixture into a pitcher. The result was a syrup that I stored in the fridge and mixed with milk when I wanted a glass either iced or hot. It was good and I was proud of my chai but it wasn't perfect.

After a class about the basics of tea, my friends at TeaSource sent me home with a sample of their chai spice blend and favorite tea to go with it. I've had it in the cupboard for a while and last night brought it out to enjoy. They instructed me to mix the spice blend with one can of sweetened condensed milk which can be stored in the refrigerator for a while. When I want a glass, I brew up a small cup of the tea and then a generous spoonful of the spice/milk mixture. It is so fantastic and much simpler than my chai.

I doubt it is in any way a traditional way to brew the drink but this combination is the perfect chai to me. This fall, I'm going to try a bit of a different method gathered from what I experienced brewing my own and the delicious chai I'm drinking right now. I'm going to grind all of the spices above except the ginger and orange rind. Then I'll blend it with the sweetened condensed milk and store it in the fridge. When I want a chai, I'll brew the tea with the fresh ginger and a couple pieces of orange rind and then add the spice/milk mixture to the tea. I'll have to wait until this one is gone. I hope I'm not sick of it by that time!

The Reason God Made Summer

Crock pickles! My favorite part of summer by far. It reminds me of being a kid, picking grape leaves in the woods for dad and digging our grubby little hands in the crock after just two days when the pickles don't even taste like pickles yet but we just can't wait that long to try them. This was my first year making them on my own with the crock that we got as a wedding gift.






Almost every ingredient was either from the garden or the farmers market. They are extra delicious this year, come over and try one before they're gone!

Summer!

Tomorrow is the first day of summer and I already feel like it is going by too quickly :) We have been busy fixing up the house inside and out. We got new carpet in the baby's room (goodbye forest green berber!) and Matt set up the crib that Laura got for us for free! Before I decide how to paint and decorate, we are going to get new windows in there. I am convinced that there is lead paint on the window trim, they are almost 100 years old! We had every intention of installing new windows on the remaining two main floors of the house this spring but money just didn't allow it so we'll have to do it one room at a time. I think that I am going to paint the baby's room a brown because brown and pink looks cute and so does brown + boy colors.

We also have been working a lot outside. I had the whole yard weeded and then we had two weeks of nonstop rain so it looks like I'll be spending some more time outside this week! My favorite DIY project of the year so far is the side entryway to our house. I should have taken before pictures...basically it was just dirt. Dirt that got tracked into my house every day. Matt first put up the lattice work (that we need to stain along with the deck). Then we dug out three inches of dirt and laid down high-quality fabric for under the rock. I like the rock that we chose a lot, even if it was the cheapest stuff! The flower pots are a little sad right now, I bought some more to fill them in. Jake is mad at us because we took away his dirt bed but he can still enter underneath the deck from the other side.

Our garden has really taken off. We've already eaten all the radishes and I have to plant more! I can't keep up with the basil and I read all about how to harvest it so it has at most 18 different leads on one plant! I wish I had a garden four times this size. As you can see some things are taking over (broccoli) and the lettuce is going to be pretty crowded. I get so much joy out of growing my own food. We can't wait until we have some more land to grow a big garden where we have to can and freeze everything that we can't eat!







Last weekend we had Katrina and Matt's kids over for two nights so they could spend their 10th wedding anniversary together. We had a fun time even though the weather was pretty crummy. Heck, if they didn't need to eat and bathe, we wouldn't have even needed to be there! They are OBSESSED with Jake aka "Big Jakey" aka "Big Jacob."



Today is Father's Day and I sent Matt off to the airport with a few hand-picked cigars to share with his friends down in San Diego. He will be gone for two weeks for Navy Reserve training and was happy to see that he recognized five of the names on the list of attendants. He was packing last night and I couldn't help snap a couple pictures of him trying on his uniform to make sure everything still fit.




Oh man. I always tell him the only reason I married him is because of his dimple but this is right up there. It's strange to me...because he doesn't have to do the "one weekend a month" and only the "two weeks a year," it's like he lives a different life that I don't see any part of. It's like he's playing dress up. I told him that it would be like if I were a part time stripper in Vegas and flew out there once a year to do my thang and he never to got see any of it. How would he feel!? I suppose I could have gone with but I'm not sure how that would work. I've never been to a military base before. Do any other wives go along? Not that I could have taken off work anyway. We are waiting for a phone call this week or next to see if Matt got the job with UPS. Please pray for good news! The hours and the timing are so perfect for us and it would mean that he doesn't have to go back out to sea this summer! He felt very confident at the interview this week and the only thing that we can think of that would stop them from hiring him for this position is that he is overqualified. Please UPS man, hire my husband!!!

I can't forget to mention Katie and Ben's wedding earlier this month and my coworker's wedding this weekend. Both were so beautiful, start to finish, and so filled with love and excitement for what lies ahead. It was so great to spend some quality time with the extended family who were in town for Katie and Ben's wedding. The last time we saw most of them was our wedding and we didn't have time to really talk to anyone with all the business of getting married! I didn't take a single picture at either one partly because I am boycotting taking any meaningful photos with this POC camera until I get my new one and partly because I was busy oogling over babies.

This weekend marks the 16th week of pregnancy! I am definitely starting to "pop" and I can't believe that in a few weeks I might start to feel the baby moving around! A lot of people around me say that they forget that I'm pregnant because they can't see the belly. I sometimes feel the same way. I just picture this miniature little thing tucked deep inside that I can't feel or see but it is really growing! We're talking avocado sized this week! Weird. Next month is our 20 week ultrasound and we've decided that we are going to find out the gender of the baby. EVERYONE tells me it's a boy and even I am inclined to think so but lately all I can think about is my little girl named Mabel. I know, Trine. I can't take the name. But I just have to. It's all I can think about. Normally when I vacuum the house it's my time to vent any built up anger that I have and I huff and puff and sweat and curse the dog for all his shedding and whatever other frustrations I have I let out because nobody can hear me. This week I was vacuuming the stairs and I couldn't stop smiling thinking about holding my little baby girl Mabel and all of the things that we were going to do and all of the things that I am going to tell her and all of the nursing and rocking and crying and loving. So there. I beat you to it. And I'm not sorry. You better pray it's a boy sistah. We don't even have a boys name picked out. Mabel means "lovable" and was the name of a very special great-aunt of mine. I miss Mabel so much and going to her apartment and seeing all the old black and white photos and eating saltines with butter. Mabel was the sweetest most lovable, joy-filled person I ever knew. Her round face and sweet smile put the world at ease. Mabel. It's perfect.

On my way home from the airport today I stopped at a roadside kiosk to pick up a bucket of strawberries. I need to figure out what I want to make with them before they're all gone! I waited until Matt left to get them because he started on Atkins this week and it would be pure torture to have those in the house! I have a lot of things that I want to get done this week but my energy is low. I'm sick for the fourth time since I got pregnant. They are sure right about a compromised immune system! As soon as Matt gets home we are heading up to the cabin for the 4th of July! I told you summer would go by quickly!

Happy Fathers Day!

Kidney Bean, Top of Your Thumb, Brasil Nut, Raspberry, Gummy Bear

It's too bad this isn't live action...you could see it's little heart beating so strong! We had our first appointment today which established the official due date at December 4th 2010. My guess was the 2nd, I was close! It was so amazing to see a live picture of our little baby. I think it made it real for Matt. After they took the first picture and stepped out of the room we both looked at each other with the same look we had when we found out we were pregnant...profoundly excited, in love and scared out of our minds! Everything is just fine for both of us!

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage....

Obviously there have been a lot of changes and exciting things happening in our lives lately. Our wedding was absolutely amazing. I would not have changed a thing about the day. What I will remember the most is the feeling I had sitting up at the alter with Matt. I couldn't stop smiling and feeling so comfortable with life. I saw people in the pews but they seemed like miles away to me. I felt like I was in a bubble all night long. Besides the joy of being married to the most wonderful man, was the love that I felt from everyone around us. I heard such heartfelt words from my coworkers, friends, new relatives, cousins, sisters, parents, and everyone. I really felt that our love was shared by everyone who joined us for our special day! Matt and I bicker and banter but we try to constantly remind each other that we need to be a positive image of love and marriage to the world around us.

It took a couple of weeks to get used to living with each other and the different styles we both have. It can still be challenging here and there but we are really enjoying just being together and everything that comes with owning a home and starting a young family. Matt built two raised vegetable beds and we spent a whole afternoon loading up compost from the dump to fill them in. We make a pretty good team when it comes to painting. I do the trim and Matt fills it in. We even tiled our basement together. Matt's dad showed us how to lay the tile and then Matt took over while I followed behind grouting it. We try our best to make our home nice and presentable in a neighborhood full of run-down college rentals and otherwise shady junk houses. We have a long list of to-dos around the yard and house but we are checking them off slowly. I try not to let it overwhelm me because we get a lot of enjoyment and fulfilment out of doing these things on our own together.

I got pretty used to coming home to a warm dinner every night but since Matt has been helping his brother get his business up on it's feet, we are getting a taste of what it will be like to both be working 9-5. Matt has the opportunity to put an end to his sailing career and go into business with his brother based out of the family's farm just north of town. Being home has meant the world to both of us, I sometimes forget that this wasn't always the plan. Now we can't imagine what it would be like for him to have to leave again although we know it may still be a possibility or a back-up if things don't take off with the new endeavor. I can't imagine that being the case. I am so proud of Matt's brother for the entrepreneur that he is and so thankful for the opportunity to have my husband home with me every night!

We announced just a couple weeks ago to family and friends the soon-to-be arrival of our first little baby dutt expected to join us around Thanksgiving! Boy, what a thing to be thankful for!!

This will be number 22 for my family and number 2 for Matt's! Laura just gave birth to #21, little miss Evangeline. Boy is she cute and chubby and pretty much perfect. She was just over 10 pounds and I was so sad that I missed her birthday while I was travelling for my job. I will see her for the first time this weekend when I go back home for Lexi's first communion. I can't imagine how I can love someone more than I love all these children. Impossible.

As long as I'm feeling well, we plan to do a lot of camping, canoeing, and going up to the lake this summer. Maybe even some Jeeping if Matt's a good boy. We have a couple of very special weddings to attend which will be all the more enjoyable knowing that we'll never have to plan one of those again ;)

God is so good to us in so many ways. It's no secret that I am an anxious person but I feel a lot of peace about the near future and pray that all of you can experience the love of God that we feel every day!

Christmas 2009

It's been a whirlwind of a month...birthdays, Christmas, planning, preparing, WEDDING, honeymoon...I meant to post some pictures of Christmas preparations before it arrived but I missed that opportunity. Before the photos come back from the wedding I still want to squeeze in our first Christmas in our house together.

We continued the Mrdutt family tradition of cutting down our tree at Pleasant Valley Tree Farm. The boys worked here when they were in high school. Here's Matt back in the glory days

And here we are last year (my first year with the family)

Here we are this year (stole from Jen's blog, don't have one of my own)

We strapped the tree on to the Jeep and headed home to decorate!

You may be thinking, "what a brat, put the camera down and give the guy a hand." But if you know Matt at all, you know that he can be quite the drama king. Don't get me wrong, he is strong and manly, capable and quite the handyman, BUT he also writhes in pain from stirring cookie dough. I always tell him that I never will know when he is actually in real pain because of his boy-who-cries-wolf tendencies.
(Anna, I may or may not be dramatic at times, but at least i know how to hold a video camera :P )
Matt snuck that in.

Have you ever seen a grown man threading Christmas bulbs? What about tying bows on a tree? It's enough to make you want to marry one.

He may look happy but don't let it fool you, he was a big Mr. Scrooge and putting Christmas decorations in his house was like pulling teeth. I figure I have the rest of my life to bring him to my side. Add a couple kids in the mix and he'll be more excited for Santa Claus that my dad.

We bought a new tree topper. I like it but it's a cheapo from The Walmarts. Any ideas on a place to buy a really special handmade one to last us years and years?

We had a wonderful time with both sides of the family and parties with friends. May God bless you all in 2010!