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!

Ohio Week 1: Getting in the Christmas Spirit

We can't believe it but we have officially left DC and are in Ohio on home leave now. Less than a month until we arrive in Trinidad--time is really flying!

Meanwhile, we have been very busy getting ready for Christmas. Here are some snapshots of our first week in Ohio, in no particular order:



Advent calendar time with Nicholas

it might have been a little bit past his bedtime, so he was snoozing

our little eskimo

Nicholas with Grandpa Machak right before we cut down his first Christmas tree. It was COLD out so after we picked out the tree, Mommy and Nicholas waited in the car while Grandpa and Daddy cut it down.

our little family

Nicholas experienced his first snow! He would have experienced it a day earlier had we been in DC or California--how ironic is that?

We went to this really cool Christmas store in Sharon, PA called Kraynak's. They have a huge display of Christmas trees and settings. Being so close to Pittsburgh, they even had a Steeler's tree!

also at Kraynak's, next to the angel

and the nativity scene

and Rudolph!

Mommy's little reindeer next to the reindeer

The first Sunday back David got to go to a Brown's game, with all day tailgating beforehand.

We also went to go see a local Christmas musical. The music was very loud electric guitar, but a small someone managed to sleep right through!

all bundled up, we have to squeeze Nicholas into his carseat. He's not a huge fan of coats or hats or gloves, so we think he'll like Trinidad....

with Grandma and Grandpa in the living room

too cute

Our family in front of the Christmas tree. This was at the end of a long photo session, and someone was pooped out.

Don't we make a nice Christmas card?

As you can see we had a very busy first week in Ohio. David also took me to go out to a nice dinner and to see the Nutcracker in Youngstown. It was a really nice performance and we really enjoyed our date night. The craziness won't stop here-- this weekend we will decorate the tree that we cut down yesterday, and hopefully get our Christmas cards out soon. David's friend Grant is coming to visit on Saturday and we are looking forward to spending time with him. On Sunday, Nicholas is getting baptized! Then next week we have Christmas shopping and eye doctor appointments, and we need to work on getting all our stuff organized and putting together the baby book. Lots of projects!

Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a very nice Thanksgiving with Christy's aunt and uncle and sister visiting. Nicholas was very excited to meet his Aunt Katie and see his Great Aunt Joyce and Great Uncle Gene again. We had dinner at Old Ebbitt's grill. Friday we did a bit of shopping in Georgetown, enjoyed dinner at Ray's the Steaks, and went out to visit the Pattons for dessert. It was very nice and relaxing. It's going to be a busy week--the movers come Wednesday and Friday we move to Ohio. We are going to miss DC! Hopefully in two years we'll be back to stay a while.