Steelers win! Steelers win!

My Steelers beat out the Baltimore Ravens 21-14 to win the AFC Championship!

Super Bowl XLIII, here we come!!!

New Year's and Birthday...

Okay, so the Holidays are over, but I just can't let them go! I have to write a few lines about New Year's and my birthday - woo-hoo! Matt and I celebrated the New Year by trucking it to Mountville and Becca and Jay's house. He had to work on New Year's Day, so we didn't want to go out and whoop it up 'til 4 in the morning. We had supper with Becca and Jay and Eliza and Brandon - steaks...mmmm. All the little cuties were there, of course, and while I love seeing my sisters and b-i-l, the niece and nephews just make my day : ) Matt's, too. We didn't actually ring in the New Year out in Mountville, by the time 12 o'clock hit Mollie and Matt were back in Greenwood. I was on the couch at midnight - I'm such a partier. So, my New Year's Eve was so rockin' - and I liked it that way.

My birthday was fun. The big two-nine. Yeah - 30, here I come. I'm not too worried, though...I mean, what am I supposed to do, turn back the wheel of time? Come on. Anyway, we were all at the Big House that night, having a little party, not really for my birthday, just on my birthday. I still got lots of birthday wishes, though, which is always nice. Makes you feel special : ) Gray and Seth stopped by - good to see you guys! Gray is due this summer, I think, close to when Larryn is due. We played "Apples to Apples," which is totally fun, but of course Mollie got to feeling icky-bad and we had to leave way too early - big stinker. I hear some folks stayed for quite awhile! The next morning was my "real" birthday party...brunch at Mom and Dad's before Larryn and Isaac headed out. : ( I got some pretty neat stuff - my family is good at the giving of gifts. I love everything I got - the camera case rocks b/c I was getting worried about my new digital camera banging around inside my purse; the MP3 player is very cool, I'm always plugging in and listening to some music; and all the new earrings are so beautiful! I have to mention the two books I got - love them! I love having new books to add to my collection. These are The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield, and Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett. The Thirteenth Tale is one of my favorites and I knew I just had to have it for my own, and Pillars of the Earth is actually an Oprah pick (not that I care what Okra says) that I have been dying to read - it's a pretty hefty tome, too. AND Mom and Dad gave me $$ for a gym membership! This is my year to get in shape...for real. I can't face the 30's like this...so, if my dr. will ever fax that approval form they sent to him like last week, then I can actually start working out at Wellness Works...and he needs to hurry up, I'm losing my momentum, here...still excited and determined, but you know what I mean...

I have pictures for both New Year's Eve and my birthday, but those will have to wait until I am at home on my laptop and can upload them...

Toodles!

The Meltdowns...

We've all had them...we've all seen them. Let's face it, when you've got kids around, there are going to be happy times - and there are going to be the I'm-tired-and-I-don't-know-what-else-to-do-so-I'm-gonna-cry times. In most cases comfort is all that is needed - a pacifier, a bottle, a kitty-cat, a cracker, a nap...

So, here are the Meltdown Moments of Christmas 2008, courtesy of Perrin and Livie... : (

Not quite a meltdown, it's just naptime

Unhappy

Starting to melt...

Definite breakdown...

But only for a moment

More unhappiness has begun...

And is now full-blown

But have no fear, all is well, now...being tired and hungry will do that to you, you know...delirium sets in, and come on, when you can't talk, what else is there to do but pitch a fit? : )

Trees, presents, and food

What else is Christmas about? Besides Jesus, of course : )

So, here we are at the trough...mmmmmm, look at all that good food...

And here are all the pretty trees and all the pretty gifts...

And here is the giving, the waiting, and the opening of the presents...well, some of them...

Christmas 2008

So, I cannot believe that Christmas has already come and gone! Eeeek! I love the Holidays and am always sad to see them go...but, take heart, for there is still the New Year to celebrate! And then...my birthday!! More and more and more fun, fun, fun...I hope : ) I do have a few pictures to post from our recent Christmastime festivities. Oh, and there is another niece/nephew on the way!! My sister and brother-in-law in Iowa announced Christmas morning that she is due in July!! Yay!! Bring on the kiddies...

And just in case you don't fully realize what all Christmas with my family entails, here is a brief synopsis...Christmas morning - "Santa" gifts at Mom and Dad's, then breakfast...lunch at the Big House with Dad's side of the family, gifts...this year Matt and I headed to his parents' house between lunch and supper...supper at the Big House with Mom's side of the family, gifts and Christmas play. I take off the day after because I need a full day to recover, but this year we also did family Christmas the night of the 26th, so more gifts and food and fun...whew!

Mom, a.k.a "Nana Claus," cooking and cleaning on Christmas morning
My newly-pregnant sister, Larryn, and our new nephew, William

I got to wake up my cute-as-a-button nephew, Perrin, that morning

Funny Livie doing "Ho-Ho-Ho"

Baby William doing what he does best
Mollie and her sweet baby Cade

Camille and Larryn at "The Big House" for lunch

Cousins Amelia and Keryn

Matt's brother-in-law, Jeff, and nephew, Max

My cousin, Silas, was Santa Claus...in highwater pants

My cousin, Silas; my brother, Eli; my cousin, Sam

Mom and Dad and Perrin

My sister, Becca, and my niece, Livie - who absolutely loves kitty-cats

Mollie and Matt and Isaac's "thumbs-up"

Eli, Camille with William, Becca, and Jay

Sleepytime...

"Christmas, Christmas...

time is here!" Yay!! I love the Christmas Season...lights, decorations, cold weather, snow (hey, I can dream!), presents, Christmas trees, Christmas music...it's all good! And now that I'm done with school and can actually enjoy the Season, it's even better! Our apartment is all decorated for the Holidays, looking cute and cozy. The invitations for parties have begun to roll in...the Big House is decorated fit for a king and ready for the Christmas Day festivities. Talked with my sister in Iowa last night...they will be coming in Christmas Eve and it will be wonderful to see them. My other sister is quite ready to have her baby, and little William should be here in a few weeks! All-in-all, it's been rather exciting and it will only be getting better...

Matt and I went to an oyster roast this past weekend. I've never had oysters before. They were okay, I at least tried several and with homemade cocktail sauce anything is good : ) I mostly nibbled at all the other good food, though...and drank my wine, of course. It was a good time, standing outside around the heaters and fire pit, talking and talking and talking...lots of fun! Thanks to the Schultzes for the invite, it was a blast! And Happy Birthday to Meg!

Oh Tannebaum...

Just sitting here, commenting on 5 books on my LibraryThing page, thinking about the Web 2.0 tool I'm going to blog about for class, listening to Vince Guaraldi's "Charlie Brown Christmas." It's the best. Anyway...Thanksgiving was great - too much food, it was a little hot in the kitchen, what with all the food and trying to set everything up and that wood stove blazing like there's no tomorrow. But always so wonderful to see everyone.

So, guess the Holidays are officially here!