Christmas Hangover

Christmas was really great this year, 4 straight days of family and feasting. I have been spending the last couple of days trying to recover from all of the commotion. All of that excitement can sure wear a person out.... plus you can only eat so many cookies before you start to feel like butter and sugar are coursing through your veins.

Here are a few of the highlights...

The 23rd was my Birthday... 27 years young. I was treated to breakfast, got a foot rub and new knitting and crocheting tools from my hubby (there is a baby blanket already in the works). That evening we went to mom and dad Call's for the famous candle light dinner.

I say famous because this is where Chuck and I started our magical life together last year. So it is really special to us. Plus the food my mother in law makes is always incredible. Prime rib, shrimp, green beans, potatoes, crescent rolls, and delicious salads... I felt like royalty.

Plus my in-laws have this great tradition that when it is someones birthday everyone in the family tells that person why they like them. So everyone went around the table and gave me a compliment... so nice to be loved, and I always feel like having family around is all one could really ask for on their Birthday.

But as if that wasn't enough... I got a Pampered Chef garlic press (There is no substitute!)

Then we were all treated to Chuck and his brother Dan's annual wrestling match. I believe Chuck has kicked Dan's trash countless years in a row.

Yet it appeared this year Dan would triumph when he put Chuck in this little maneuver.
(don't you love the matching PJ bottom's mom Call made for them!?)

However Chuck unleashed the beast, got his head out from between Dans thighs and tackled him to the ground. I really wish I had audio to go with this picture because Chuck was screaming and grunting something but I was laughing too hard to remember what it was.

So for another year Chuck remains triumphant.

Jason and Chuck played Christmas songs for all of us to sing along to... and we made some beautiful harmonies together.

I learned how to finish a quilt.

And I got to see Toni! My also very pregnant sister in law. Her and Dan live in Idaho and we haven't seen them since our wedding in May. We are due only a few weeks apart, and are looking forward to our babies being really close in age, and hopefully great friends.

We spent Christmas day with my side of the family... but I was busy in the kitchen and didn't take any pictures (bummer). My sister came into town and it was great to see her. We celebrated her 29th birthday on December 26th by playing Rock band at my brother's house. Good times.

Hope all of you in Blogger land had a Merry Christmas!

Christmas is almost here...

I hope you were good this year!

This is my brother in law Parker... Chuck and I went to the Macy's display on the 8th floor of Macy's downtown with him last week. It was an anamatronic presentation of "The Day in the Life of an Elf." It was cute and Santa Claus was at the end along with the gift shop and a bunch of ther treats that you could buy.

I remembered going when I was little and thinking it was so amazing, I still thought it was cool but more enjoyed the 8 floor escalator ride and trying out all the matresses on the 5th floor on the way back down.

This will probably be my last post for a couple of weeks... I have familiy in town and I plan on soaking up all the time with them that I can.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

We ate the Cake

That is the little topper of our wedding cake. It has been chillin in my parents meat locker freezer out in the garage since May. I know there is this tradition where you wait until your one year anniversary to eat it. But... when I checked on it the other day it was starting to get the freezer crystals on the side. In fear of freezer burn flavor ruining our precious treat... and due to my sweet tooth we thawed it out and went to town. Mmmmm it was good. Neither of us really got to eat any at our reception... My mom sure did a good job of picking it out. Surprisingly Chuck ate more than me (which can often be hard to do).

SO happy almost 7 month anniversary cake eating day to us!

A lot has happend in 7 short months... and just to prove it here is a pic of the belly for all of the pregnant belly stalkers out there.

25 weeks down

What a GRAND day.

The job interview went great! We got the property management position and a 2 bedroom apartment that is huge! Baby girl is going to have quite the crawl space. It is on Grand Ave, which is such a great part of the city.

The man who interviewed us asked about the missionary service that we had put on our resumes. It turns out he has done a lot of missionary work in his life for various churches. When he told us that we got the job, he said, "The mission got me." I remember people telling me that serving a full time mission would bless my life countless ways and I already feel that it has, yet I never imagined it would catch the eye of an employer looking for a couple to manage his apartment complex...

There are a lot of little things that all fell into place to help this work out. We feel like God has pointed us is a new direction and we are excited to move forward.

We get to move in a little at a time throughout this month (without having to pay double rent). SO the move will be completely stress free. I am excited to finally get to use all of our wedding gifts that have been packed away in my parents shed because we had no room for them here. I kind of want to wrap them all again and put them under the Christmas tree!!! This just feels like a Christmas miracle... plus it's snowing outside today :)

One and a half to go

Only one and a half weeks left of the semester (before finals that is)... and it's a good thing because I literally only have one and a half inches left between my baby belly and the desks at school.

Good news

Chuck and I have a job interview on Tuesday.

We have been interviewing together for apartment management/caretaking positions

I like having job interviews with my husband (go team!)

If we get this job (oh please oh please of pretty please)

We will get to live in a

2 BEDROOM apartment

with

CARPET

and

5 CLOSETS

and... oh could it even be true?!?!?!?!?!?

A DISHWASHER!!!!!!!!!!

I feel like this opportunity came straight from heaven. I have been praying really hard that we would find somewhere that we could afford (first and foremost), and kept us in the area, and was a wonderful place to bring home a new baby. We will see how it goes on Tuesday, but I have a feeling this is going to be the best Christmas present I ever could have hoped for.

Dear Ramsey County Human Services Department-

Thanks for accepting my application for Health Care, there is no way my husband and I could afford having a baby without government assistance. I was just wondering however if it might be possible not to mail me hundreds of forms that are confusing and only have two sentences on them. I feel like a small portion of some distant serene rain forest has been torn down in order to provide enough paper to send me all of these forms. I just know President Obama really wants our country to be more "green" so maybe you could just e-mail me or something... or even better, just call me! My phone number should be readily available on forms 1 through 678. Yet I am starting to think that my case worker is actually a robot... so I understand if the current technology does not allow these machines to have actual conversations with human beings.


Also I was quite surprised to find out that my policy "does not cover anything Natural" (as stated by the kind worker on the telephone). I thought I would be saving you all some money by having a natural birth... I mean no $1,000.00 epidural, machines, or surgeon fees for a C-section. When I suggested to the nice insurance lady that my natural birthing class at a mere $230.00 would potentially save you all $770.00 she informed me that my "opinion" doesn't determine coverage. I would be most appreciative if you would reconsider covering my Hypnobirthing class. You know Christmas is coming up and my birthday is also on December 23rd.... it could be my present. I figure the hospital would also greatly benefit from one less screaming woman in labor, I will be peacefully in a deep state of relaxation from the breathing exercises I will learn during the class and be able to birth pain free (without yelling at all the nursing staff).

I hope it doesn't sound like I am complaining, just trying to help... it seems like there might be a efficient way of doing things down there. I hope you get it figured out! Happy Holidays.

Sincerely,
Tacy Marie