{Awkward} Pictoral Year in Review

Pictoral Year in review!

Blog Header Revisited

And just to follow up, Russ finished Janel's blog header yesterday and even threw in an extra button/banner thingy. Click here to check it out in real life.

Or here to head back to Russ' blog to see prices, etc.

And I'll leave you with a little Christmas cheer from ye ol' St. Louis Zoo Wild Lights exhibit:

Feel free to comment on the VERY CUTE HAT RUSS GOT ME FOR CHRISTMAS.

OH THE CUTENESS.

Don't try to break into my house to steal it cuz I hid it.

A beautiful Arkansas White Christmas

Catching up

Oh, so behind! We've been unplugged since Thursday and couldn't have been happier about it. No offense, but uh...

So as I get caught up, I have to share a couple stories from the last few days that I don't want to forget. During the Christmas Eve service at our church, Eliot was sitting in my lap. We were all the way up front so he could "see daddy?" There were a few kids running around in back and it made a little pitter patter noise.

E: Mommy, did you hear that?
I nod.
E: What was that?
M: I don't know, what do you think?
E: Was it baby Jesus?
M: No, I don't think so.
E: Oh. What is Santa?


On the way home, we were talking about Jesus' birthday, how Santa's kinda like the party planner, etc. I asked him how he wanted to celebrate Jesus. He said we should get him a present and when I asked him what he wanted to give him, he thought quietly for a moment and answered "Lightening McQueen".

And the winner is...

Janel! I used the fayn-cey random number integrator thingy, adding my comments, then Russ's and 26 came up!

Janel, email Russ (russ AT fundamental elements d0t net) this week to get things moving!

Congrats, and have a Merry Christmas!


P.S. Fun story since this post became an impromptu Janel highlight: we used to teach together a few years ago. A group of us did a secret santa exchange in 05 and she got my name. People, let me say one thing: Gold.Mine. One thing she gave me was a mini-scrapbook made from brown paper lunch bags. If you know Janel, it doesn't surprise you that she could whip up something so cute w/ something so common. She's got mad skills. In the scrapbook was this note:

Can you read that last line? It reads, "I KNOWgood things are going to come for you in 2006." Ya'll, she just might be a prophetess. In 2006, we decided to adopt, decided on Guate, Eliot was born in May, we met him in July, and I moved to Guate w/ him in November, Russ joining me for that Christmas. You might say it was a good year.

Anyway, I found this little treasure when we packed last December and stuck it on my shelf when we unpacked. Just thought I'd officially thank Janel publicly for it!

Merry Christmas one and all, even if you didn't win the very cool new blog header!!!

Eve of the eve.

With plans w/ the fam coming up, we had to adjust our little family unit plan. So, as far as we're concerned, "Christmas" is tomorrow and Christmas is Friday. See the difference? Great.

(Our very sweet NEIGHbor came over today and brought this for eliot! He LOVES it!)



The Christmas Eve pj's tradition lives on!

And this, my friends, is how Russ is spending the rest of his evening. It's pretty adorable. The fatherly dreams of decal stickers and tiny plastic parts are finally coming to fruition. Warms the heart.