Graham Crackers and Gummy Bears

Okay, so this week has been a little more hectic than I had originally envisioned and a few of our "Christmas Dates" didn't quite happen how I'd imagined.

Example A: Christmas Date #5 should've been working on our Christmas cards (oh what fun, right?). But, by then I felt Eric deserved to go play basketball with the boys and I deserved to enjoy the peace of the apartment solo. And so I watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas" while addressing and stuffing envelopes.

On Wednesday, one of my supposed days off. I woke up when Eric left for work, got ready and studied my little stats-disdaining heart out. Then I went to my regularly scheduled OB appointment. My blood pressure was "elevated" - I think due to stress and nerves. But then there was the pressure to get it down by the end of the appointment, which I think only increased it. So, I'm supposed to monitor myself for symptoms of pre-eclampsia. Also, while I had grown in the two weeks since my last appointment (but hadn't gained weight), I was measuring at 34 weeks instead of just shy of 37 weeks. So, the doctor told me she'd like me to get an ultrasound just to make sure the baby is getting the blood flow, etc. she needs. I tell you, I have elevated blood pressure because this little girl gives it to me - literally! First with the gestational diabetes scare, then now with the blood pressure and the smallness. Though, honestly, as long as she's healthy with functioning organs, I think small is perfectly fine for this first time laborer. Anyway, so our ultrasound is Wednesday afternoon and my next Doc appointment is Thursday afternoon. While I'm sure things are just lovely, your positive thoughts are always appreciated.

Blah blah blah, enough of the boring stuff.

We had a double Christmas date last night with the Barkers! Woo who! We'd been neglectful friends, caught up in the flurry of finishing up our school work. And while two pregnant ladies on a Friday night are pretty exhausted looking - we still had fun.

We endeavored to build ginger bread houses out of graham crackers. Here are the results.

Burdette's graham cracker castle. Can you tell what that thing is sitting in front of the castle?

Holly's Dog House. Complete with caroling gummy bears. 

I was going for a classical look. Then my roof caved in, so it got a little harder to decipher.

Eric also had some stability issues. In the end he made lemonade out of lemons and built this Gummy Bear Church of Scientology Temple, complete with the orange gummy bear version of Tom Cruise. 

Afterwards I was privy to a mini-"jam" session featuring Eric on the electric guitar, Holly on the acoustic and Burdette intermittently contributing with the ukulele. I think I'll take up the tambourines. However, by then my feet had swollen to a size not seen since my near-death experience of 2008, so I was lounging feet up and enjoying the sounds of Christmas. It was a lot of fun and we are so glad to have them as our friends.

Oh! And Holly produced an amazing little green wool cardigan sweater - complete with collar and buttons - it will be photographed and shown someday, maybe with a baby in it. Unfortunately I don't have any talent - so I won't be returning the favor.

Spinnin' some Handel

For Christmas Date Numero 3 we boot scooin' boogied down to the Ward Christmas Party. Sadly, this is the only (terrible) photo I snapped.

Some highlights from the party:

• Being given a HUGE potato and two pieces of chicken because I was obviously "eating for two."
• Finishing, incredibly, the above portions.
• Tiny hugs from two of my little 4 year olds. They were so cute. 
• Carrying around 1 year-old Gracie. Mmm. Chubby cheekcs! 
• Talking small town scenarios with the Lewis'. 
• Mexican punch. 
• Christmas songs sung by all the little kids. 
• A video compilation with funny and sentimental clips from members about Christmas. It was awesome! Wish I could show it to you. And yes, the Lougees made an appearance and were apparently second least reverent of everyone aside from the little boy who wanted to give Jesus a spongebob toy. Our topic? Our favorite Christmas songs. Hymns didn't even occur to us, apparently. 

Christmas Date 4 was incorporated into our Monday night Family Home Evening.  My mom had found a vinyl record of Handel's Messiah featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Philadelphia Orchestra. We listened to the Nativity section and then went and got J&B (Jack in the Box) shakes. Originally we were supposed to get holiday shakes, but then I wanted chocolate and Eric wanted oreo. And then we got tummy aches together! Cute!

We also began our 12 Day countdown! We have a little package to open everyday and put on the board - our last one should be Christmas eve! Isn't the heart ornament just so fitting for our cheesiness? Aunt Stephanie found this countdown already put together among all her Christmas things and sent it to us. So, neither of us know what's in each day's package !

O Tannenbaum - Date Two

Our second date of Christmas took us on a trip down to the Kiwanis Tree Lot. After last year's tree hardships, we learned a lesson ... get a tree that is easily managed. So, we got a bit of a smaller tree this year, but a Noble one, none the less. 

In my opinion, Noble Fir trees are the bestie best for Christmas trees. They smell good, have sturdy branches, aren't too pokey and are a pretty green. 

We got our tree home, drilled some holes in the bottom so she'd keep soaking up water and Eric managed to get her in the tree stand with little to no assistance from me - I was too focused on getting dinner started, I was about to perish from starvation! Something that suddenly happens without warning when you're carrying another human being inside of you. 

We also commenced decorating the living room - a far more exhausting thing to do than we'd remembered previously. Eric wondered how Aunt Steph managed to put up all the decorations in her 14 totes. I pondered upon Mom's brilliance at having five kids to do a lot of the work. 

Some or our favorite ornaments. 

We found these vintage Christmas blocks at an antique shop on our honeymoon. They conveniently have both an 'E' and and 'A' on them. They also have an 'R' on them. So, I guess that means baby girls' name will have to start with an R (For those of you wondering what we're naming her, feel free to speculate and read into this statement all you want!). 

Eric's first Christmas handmade ornament. Circa 1989. 

I LOVE this little train Eric painted when he was little. 

Eric loves his Ducks. 

Don't worry, I made sure the nativity ornament was at least as high as this helmet on the tree. 

Love these bells. And the old ornaments we found in a thrift store on our honeymoon. 

Stockings hung by the TV with care. 

We capped the night off watching "Frosty Returns" (we'd missed regular Frosty. Did you know one of the characters talks about a Fertility Goddess on that cartoon? True story. Never noticed before, in all the years I've watched it. Maybe it has something to do with being with child.) and "Yes, Virginia" on CBS.

On the first date of Christmas.....

A few days ago I was perusing blog land and while visiting the Rockstar Diaries I read about an idea for "12 Dates of Christmas." So, in a mini-series of epiphanies I realized I CAN have it all. I CAN finish school, enjoy the Christmas season, spend quality time with the hubster, and clean and prep for baby. And I DON'T have to do it all at the same time. It had kind of come to the point where I felt like there was so much to do, I wasn't doing anything.

So, I just wrapped up my internship credits last night, woot. And have my stats final to take next week. But, I've also decided to do 12 Dates of Christmas with Eric. Not every date is really going to be a "go out on a date" type of deal. But sometimes they will. Last night was the "soft launch" of me enjoying my husband, my holidays and staying sane. When he got home from playing basketball, I gave him a Spanish nativity to open and set up. And told him about my 12 Dates of Christmas idea. He was all for it. And, he's in a more care-free mood anyway since he wrapped up his classes Wednesday (now just waiting for final grades) and he's only got one more week of work before the School District goes on winter break.

So, here you are. Eric LOVED the set. He named the shepherd and wise man and told me the Spanish names for Mary and Joseph as well as the animals. We joked that next year he could play with that nativity, I could play with my tiny replica of a nativity my family had growing up, and baby could play with the wooden nativity we have.

Oh, and why Spanish you ask? Eric did a two year stint serving the Spanish speaking people of Arizona for our church. And he plans on teaching high school Spanish.

Final treat. One of the lovely ladies I work with snapped this picture of me today - at exactly 36 weeks. I promise my hair and face aren't so scary in person.