Christmas Eve

We started our Christmas Eve with an exciting afternoon at Seven Mile Park. We brought our lunch out with us and followed it up with some cross-country skiing!

We sang, "Hot dogs roasting on an open fire.

Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Yuletide carols being sung by a campfire,
and folks dressed up in skiing clothes!"

We joined Josh's dad, grandma, and Pam for Christmas Eve service and afterward for appetizers and goodies. We had a great time catching up as we all have busy lives and don't see each other too often.

O Christmas Tree

Our first Christmas as husband and wife, our tree was too big. Our second Christmas, our tree was too small. This year for Christmas our tree is just right! It didn't take long to find this perfect tree out at the tree farm despite the large gaps in the fields only occupied by stumps.

Holiday Party 2008

I decided earlier this year that we needed a holiday get together with friends where we could get dressed up and celebrate downtown Minneapolis. 10 of our friends joined us for a fabulous evening of food, drinks, and entertainment. Our night started at Bellanotte for dinner and then proceeded to Hennepin Stages for "The 1940s Radio Hour." The show was in a quaint theater that seats around 150 people, and every seat in the house was a great seat (always nice when you're short). The musical was set in a radio studio, and we were the live audience watching the radio broadcast. SO FUN! Afterwards, we crossed the street to Solera where we had a social hour and a couple cocktails. I'm so glad those of you who came were able to join us. We hope you had just as great of a time as we did! Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday to ME

I had a wonderful 24th birthday! Josh and I started the day with breakfast at a new cafe in Eagan called Pardon My French and had quiche, a blueberry pastry, and hot drinks. It was delicious. We will definitely be repeating this date soon! At MSAADA, my co-workers and those at LPGM (Lutheran Partners Global Mission) had a yummy chocolate layered cake to celebrate my birthday. It was fun to take a break from work, eat cake, and get to know everyone a little bit more. At the end of the day, Josh surprised me with a home-cooked Italian dinner. (Josh makes great cannelloni!). He also invited some of our best friends, Jamie, Corynn, and Shane. Thank you to everyone who made this day special!

Christmas Cookies!

A couple of weeks ago Josh and I spent a Saturday with his mom, David, and Laura baking dozens and dozens of Christmas cookies. Laura is pictured here cutting out gingerbread dinosaurs! (It's a new twist on the gingerbread man). We made sugar cookies, gingerbread, amish, spiced molasses, and buckeye cookies. Mmmm mmmm!