Merry Christmas!!!!

Christmas finally arrived! It was technically a white Christmas with snow on the ground, but it actually rained all day and by Saturday the snow was gone. As I write on Sunday night, though, it is snowing again. We had a great time with lots of family coming over for Christmas Eve, and just the five of us on Christmas day. We went to the Christmas Even candlelight service at Warren Presbyterian which was very nice. Saturday was a lounge around the house kind of day, and we worked on a family puzzle-- a pheasant picture. Then Christy and David got to go on a date night-- Outback for dinner and then we saw Couples Retreat. Sunday we drove to Pittsburgh and had a nice brunch with Uncle Gene and Aunt Joyce. We went to Pamela's Diner, a favorite of President Obama. Then we visited Christy's friend Becky from Denison and watched the Steelers pull off a win over the Ravens!


with Becky, and sporting my new "City of Champions" t-shirt

the developing bald spot and consequential mullet developing on the back of Nicholas' head (sorry teenage Nicholas, I know you won't appreciate this picture in 15 years)

in his new golf hat Christmas morning

airplane time with daddy

in our new monogrammed Ralph Lauren polos from GG and Grandpa Rhodes

stockings!

sporting the sunglasses, all ready for Trinidad!

early Christmas morning... we started with the reindeer outfit but Nicholas wasn't a fan

Christmas Eve with cousin Siena

Christmas Eve dinner

cookies!

Christmas morning with our cool dude

with cousin Shawn

Christmas Eve presents

and more presents... Nicholas took a short snooze

Aunt Jenny and Aunt Rose

with Mommy and Siena

so much attention it was time for a nap

with Uncle Andy

reindeer toes

I'm almost as big as Pooh!

This week we'll be busy packing, organizing, and doing last minute things before we head off to Trinidad. Our next post will more than likely be from Trinidad, so it might be a while as we don't know how long it will take to get internet in our new home. We leave on Sunday and get to visit Great-Grandad Rhodes, and Uncle Tom and Aunt Sam and cousins Ted and David in Atlanta. We also get to stop in Miami on the way. Happy New Year's everyone!

Countdown to Christmas

We can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve! Time is flying by and we've been enjoying all the pre-Christmas activities. Here is a sampling:

This picture was taken a moment too late, but Nicholas and Moe-in-the-box were having fun staring at each other.

close up-- all tuckered out after watching mommy and daddy make Christmas cookies

Christmas cookies!

this is the tree that we cut down with Nicholas-- out in the sunporch with Grandma Machak and Caesar

I'm too cute

the table is set and ready for Christmas Eve and looks beautiful!

picture evidence-- Christy helped with the cookie making process!

Our friend Joe the fireman with our little fireman. We enjoyed a nice lunch with Joe and Eileen-- friends from DC who are also in Ohio for Christmas.

We made it up to Parma to visit Heidi and John. Christy and Heidi are friends from Denison days.

this picture was taken on the other side of the netting we have over his crib to keep Moe out, but this pictures shows a) Nicholas' favorite sleeping position with his arms spread out, and b) how much he managed to scootch himself sideways after I put him to bed

We also went to Quail Hollow Country Club for our friend Elizabeth's bridal shower. David hung out with Jon, the groom. This is the cake--covered in beautiful icing flowers.

with Jon and Elizabeth

Grandma and Grandpa Machak made pierogies for Christmas and New Year's Eve!

the process

and here are the 3-month pictures from last week! (the shirt says, "Who needs Santa when I have Grandma?")

We will be taking lots of pictures tomorrow and Friday, I'm sure, so we will try to get those posted soon. We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!!!

Baptism and more Christmas festivities

Nicholas was baptized on Sunday! It was really special because Christy's Great Uncle Bill performed the ceremony at David's parents house, and because our church family, the Crums, came up from Columbus and Mike and April agreed to be Nicholas' Godparents. Christy's Aunt and Uncle Joyce also came from Pittsburgh. Afterwards, we all went to dinner at the Chophouse at the Avalon, the same hotel where we held our wedding reception (almost 3 years ago!).

This week was a busy week. David and his dad went hunting and brought home fresh pheasant, and then made pheasant parmesan. It was delicious. Christy also took a turn in the kitchen, making molasses cookies. Nicholas got tired out from watching, and took a nap on the kitchen table (with Grandma Machak right there to make sure he didn't fall off!). In other news, Nicholas turned 3 months old today. I'm having trouble with the computer putting the pictures in order today, so here they are in random order.




After the baptism, with Uncle Bill and Aunt Mary Jane


Grandpa Machak

Mike and April Crum, our Denison church parents and Nicholas' Godparents

We went to the mall and Nicholas got his first picture with Santa!


Sneeking a molasses cookie in his sleep!

snoozing

David and his dad out hunting

Andrew, the youngest Crum (now 6 years old!) with Nicholas

flying high in the kitchen

6 Crums and 3 Machaks!

Grandma and Grandpa Machak

Uncle Gene and Aunt Joyce

our family

Nicholas in his high chair

More pictures to come....only 8 more days until Christmas!