i figure since i havent posted anything from the holidays i should at least give you something until i get the rest edited. well this was mike and i’s (?) first christmas married so it was a little more hectic than in the past…but we still had a good time! since my birthday is december 23, we always make sure to have a seperate celebration so i dont get forgotten in the rush of christmas…and anyone with a christmas birthday knows what i mean! this year my family was going out to california for christmas at my aunt brenda and uncle wayne’s house. having out of town holidays makes it a little more challenging to split things up between our two families, but i think we did a pretty good job. my birthday celebration with my family was on the 22nd so they could leave first thing the next day…they drove! christmas and my birthday with mikes family was on the 23rd before church rehearsal. you see, tim (my father-in-law) is the pastor of community of grace and mike plays guitar, jan (my mother-in-law) plays keyboard, and i sing, and we had four christmas eve services to rehearse for! so as you know…christmas eve was spent at church and we did quite well 
we got home at about midnight and still had to pack for our trip the next morning to california! yes…you read that right! we flew on christmas day to be with my family…the sacrifices you make to keep your mom happy! i will have another short post about that trip once i get all the photos done…so stay tuned! overall we had a great first married christmas with both of our families! i hope your holidays were happy and your new year is full of joy and success!
my early birthday present from mike was a new point and shoot camera…the panasonic lumix lx2! it was perfect cause i got to bring it with me to aspen and to christmas since i didnt have my big girl camera yet. all of these pics are taken with that new point and shoot…i think she did pretty well!
here i am at my parents house for my birthday. im wearing my new (RED) shirt and bracelet i got from mike!!
my mom even made, by special birthday girl request, a pineapple upside down cake!! mmmmm…delicious!
i got mike a new taylor acoustic guitar! how good am i? here i am putting it in the trunk after i bought it at guitar center.
so not to give away the surprise…i took photos (macro photos of the guitar, the guitar center sign, and me putting it in the trunk) and gave them him one at a time before he actually got to have it! its a fun way to present a gift that is unwrappable.
GUESS WHAT I GOT!! my big girl camera!!! the canon 30d!! my in-laws even got me a 28-135mm lens, a 580ex flash, a remote shutter, and a digital wedding photography book! it was great!
here’s the rest of the fam opening their gifts….
alycia…mikes sister. we got her this really nice fleece pullover in aspen!
jan…mikes mom. we got her a new game for her nintendo ds.
tim…mikes dad. funny thing about this is that alycia got him a book about castles too without even knowing this is what we got him! kinda weird!
even billie got a present! its a doggie cookie variety pack. she gets one everytime she poops outside and doesnt eat it! gross i know…but its reality.
and here i am having fun with the christmas ornaments
