Christmas Speed

Finding Elmo

Christmas Continued

Christmas 2008

Whew!  We've had a wonderful Christmas that started about 2 weeks ago in Dallas.  From Christmas parties, a trip to Dallas, a Christmas wedding in Houston, Christmas Eve services, a perfectly sunny Chirstmas morning at home, to Christmas dinner with the Lalleys in Baltimore.  Enjoy these photos of the last 48 hours (check out Eloise's Toms).  Hopefully I'll get some more posted of our travels.  We hope you have all had a blessed Christmas season!

What a beauty!

Isn't our tree a beauty?  This is our 4th Christmas in our married life but our 1st tree.  Alex and I decided to decorate the tree without Eloise's help today.  We were very proud of our handiwork.  Eloise is impressed as to how BIG it is.  She keeps yelling BIG with much gusto.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!

This morning we woke up to snow!  So there's not a lot of if, but at least its white!  

Merry Monday

Today we strolled around Union station admiring the Christmas decorations and beautiful architecture.  It's a beautiful place.  Eloise agreed!  She loved the toy "choo-choos."  We also drove by the Supreme Court which was alright but a drive-by hardly allows you to take in the grandeur.  Next time we'll have to park and get out.  Eloise couldn't handle another outing--she's been sleeping a ton!  I think she's having yet another growth spurt.  And, Happy December!  Did you know November in DC was on average 10 degrees below the average temperature.  We thought it'd been cold around here.

Laps

Mall Monday

We did not intend to make today "mall Monday."  Our intentions were much more noble.  We planned to go to the Air and Space Museum, but our quest to find Alex a new pair of jeans reluctantly lead us to the mall.  Fortunately it was a nice mall, and we had a yummy lunch at CPK.  I love those BBQ chicken salads.  And, came away with a wonderful photo for the day!  Unfortunately we left jeanless.

Dance

Charlottesville Monday

We spent Sunday night in Charlottesville with our wonderful friends Maury and Justin.  We had a relaxing time hanging out with our friends and enjoying the beautiful countryside.  Unfortunately I didn't get any photos from our trip, so I'll just post my most recent photos of Alex.  We took these to put up on the church bulletin board where all the other staff members are.   Doesn't he look cute?  (-:

Mount Vernon

Another monument Monday!  I'm not so sure Eloise likes the site seeing as much as we do, though.  She insisted to push the stroller the whole way, throwing a tantrum if we interfered.  Finally we distracted her with food with some help from Washington's doctor and slave and their funny accents and ditched the stroller.  She never knew it was gone!  She continued to walk the entire rest of the way!  Rather impressive.  

Around the House

Check out the buck in our back yard.  We have all kinds of animal neighbors including, quite often, deer.  This guy was a beauty.  And, here's a great photo of Eloise and one of her great towers.  She loves building them and watching them fall.  Uncle Drew will be proud of this one!  (-:

Milestone Monday

We've been trying to make Mondays "Monument Mondays" by visiting a different Washington monument every Monday.  However today was "Monumental Monday" because is took us 4 hours to get our licenses.  We prepared for the long haul, but still, after that amount of time, we were done with the day.  No monuments for us.

Crouching Lamb, Hidden Dragon

We geared all up for Halloween night.  We visited a few neighbors early in the evening and then returned home to wait for the hordes of kids that would pound on our door.  They never came!  Ok, 6 total children appeared at our door, 3 groups.  It was so depressing!  We were bored and have so much extra candy.  Next year our neighbors and I have a new plan: we'll set up a table up the street (since we're at the end of a street) and offer adult food and drink as well as candy.  It'll be much more fun than sitting at home waiting for kids who never come.  Our only consolation is that we had the cutest Lamb on the block.  (Someone thought she was a marshmallow!)

Halloween Party

Our village within Chevy Chase, Martins Addition, had a wonderful Halloween party today.  This might have been the best day of Elosie's life.  There was pizza, cake, real life Elmo, tons of kids, and a bubble bounce.  Eloise had a blast and was the cutest kid there!  She loves being "Lamby."

Rainy Day

When I said "Cheese," Eloise put her finger in her nose.   Nice pose, Eloise!

W&L Girls

Eloise joined me on a wonderful weekend reunion with some of my most wonderful friends--Maury, Jen, Kathryn, and Millie.  Although our time was too brief, it was splendid!  We celebrated Millie with a surprise baby shower (it's a GIRL!), attended Parktober fest, and just talked a lot.  It's always refreshing to pick up where we left off last.

Milestone

Eloise has earned some bragging rights.  Eloise not only stayed in the church nursery for 2 hours but she also had FUN in there.  She played, danced, and didn't want to leave.  What a relief for us!  Alex and I are so happy and proud.  Good job Eloise!

Employed

I am now an employee of Montgomery County School District, the 16th largest in the country.  It serves about 170,000 students--insane, right??  That's like 3 times the size of Eagle county.  I'm actually surprised that I'm hired (as a substitute) because I hadn't heard from them in a couple of months.  They called last week and I interviewed for a total of 5 minutes and I was hired.  I drove 45 minutes there, interviewed for 5 minutes (literally!), then drove 45 minutes home.  I'm happy.  I hope to sub on Mondays, make a little extra money, and keep my teaching experience up.

Our Room

Couldn't fit this one in the last post.  Here's our room.  I LOVE the paint color!

Settling In

Here are some photos of our new house.  We've really done a lot already!  Thanks to all of you who have helped.  We had a church event here last week which was a big deadline for me to finish the downstairs.  Tonight we're having some old friends over for dinner so it's in tip-tip condition.  

Molls to the DC, Thanks to Vero

Molly has been here visiting us for her Fall break and it's been great fun.  Plus she's helped me go shopping and put the finishing touches on Eloise's room.  The house is really coming together--I find that I just keep shopping and it keeps looking better and better.  Funny how that works!

And a shout out is in great order to Nana and Pops!  Thank you so much for all your help and the furniture.  Everything Nancy brought is beautiful and fits in perfectly.  Three cheers for Nancy driving across the country in a U-Haul -- YEA, YEA, YEA!

North Carolina

We had a fabulous week of wining and dining with our seminary friends in Roaring Gap, NC.  It was perfectly exquisite to be with such dear and trusted friends.  

BTW, does anyone know if I can fix the watermark on the photo of the 3 of us?  I've tried some stuff on Iphoto but haven't been successful.

DC

We went sight seeing today!