Christmas Day After- Tree #4

The next day after Christmas, we spent the evening at Robb's mom's house. We're starting to master the art of spreading out Christmas, and other then Christmas Day, we can enjoy a good amount of time at each party. Otherwise, it's just too stressful leaving early from one place, to get somewhere else late, and when we got home we barely remembered anything we just did. So now we spread it out as much as possible...

Robb's mom's tree

One of the things I got for Christmas was sparkly purple eyeliner from my sweetie and several purple eyeshadows. I played around with my purple all to get prepped for this close up! Note my opal necklace!

Action photo getting ready to eat.

Robb's mom made a delicious ham, along with cheesy potatoes, mixed veggies, stuffing, and for dessert...Christmas Tree Coffee Cake! That's coffee cake number 2!

For Robb's parents gifts this year, his brothers and sisters and me got our picture taken. Here's his mom opening her photo!

Robb's cousin Ryan, brother DJ, and Bradey, our designated crumb picker upper. DJ was very generous and gave Robb and I a Home Depot Gift card which will come in very handy in our upcoming renovations! From Robb's sister Kendra, she gave us a hand decorated "wedding fund" piggy bank.

Christmas Day- Trees #2 and #3

Christmas morning Robb and I enjoyed giving eachother presents we shopped for over the last weeks. We started with our stocking. Mine was filled with lip gloss, candies, Christmas tree growing kit, PEZ, socks and gloves, and other good treats. Robb's was filled with candy, long underwear, and a nail brush. For my gifts, he gave me a beautiful opal necklace, earring, and ring set, a cookie press, 7" santuko knife, Lair (a PS3 dragon flying game), a pack for my bike, kitchen gadgets and tools, lots of good makeup, and an oven mitt! I got Robb a sweater, 2 bump caps, welding gloves so he can move fiery logs, car ratchet straps, and a remote control helicopter! (More on that later) After a breakfast of Christmas Tree Coffee Cake and fresh orange juice, we relaxed a little bit and then headed over to my Aunt Karen and Uncle Rick's house for dinner. This is their tree!

Full after dinner! What's in that big box?

It's a halogen work light!

My cousins and me: (L to R, T to B) Sherry, me, Elise, Sonia, Brianna, and Vanessa.

Here's all the boys of my family. L to R: Dad, Bill, Uncle Rick, Robb, Rob (Brianna's boyfriend), and Uncle Denny.And last but not least all the ladies, Aunt Karen, Aunt Cyndy, Aunt Juliet, and Mom

Then we hurried off to Robb's big family gathering at his Aunt Katie and Uncle Bill's house. We only have one picture from there as we were very late getting there, and busy talking as fast as we could to catch up on the night! Although it's not their real Christmas Tree in their living room, it's the little one from downstairs. I figured it half counted, and was proof that we made it there! :o)

In this picture is Stephanie, cousin Craig, cousin Nolan, Uncle Pat, and Mclean, who is picking up who I think is little cousin Brian. But see tree #3 on the table?

Christmas Eve- Tree #1

This Christmas, I tried to make it a point to take a picture of all the trees at the houses we visited. Our first Christmas party was at my (Carisa's) parents for Christmas Eve. This is their tree!

Very pretty!

This is the yummy dinner my Mom and Dad made for all of us. We had beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, cauliflower casserole, green and red jello, and a coffee cake with no yucky raisins!

This is all of us at dinner!

My first present was a eyeshadow palette that I really love and wanted!

Robb opening his presents! He got Klein electrician tools!

We got my parents a Snuggie and Maine maple syrup.

Mom and Dad opening Miranda's presents, shea butter lotion, and an African music cd.

My sister gave me an ice tea maker pitcher!

Picture by the tree. Dad, Mom, Me, and Robb.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Only 1 day left until Christmas!Santa's almost down the chimney!Robb gave me this beautiful Tinkerbell ornament this year! My ornament to Robb was a paw print from Koby.And also Rugby, Chester, and Koby!For Christmas Eve Eve, Robb and I celebrate with our own dinner. Our main course is prime rib, which calls for 1/4 cup fresh ground pepper...
Here's how we grind it! This is life being with a very handyman!

Christmas Tree Decorating

Last Saturday we decorated our tree. Lots and lots of twinkling lights!

Garland is on and sparkling!Here's our tree with all our ornaments! It's really beautiful.All glowing and lit up for Christmas!

1999-2009- 10 Year Reunion

A few Saturdays ago, Stacy and I were each other's dates at our 10 year high school reunion! The party was at Maggiano's in Beachwood, and then afterwards some of us went to Bar Louie to keep hanging out, where more friends joined the action! It was really so nice to see everyone! The best part was walking in and seeing all the familiar faces. It was great to talk with everyone to see how their lives are going, who's gotten married, had kids, etc. I wish I took more pictures, but I guess I was too busy talking away! We had so much fun and reunited with several good old friends. Here's what I caught on camera that night! Thanks so much Robb, for all your patience in being our chauffeur! XO!

Me and Stacy, BFF!Erin Trimbath, who I've know since I was little, grew up on my grandma's street and Nicole Nolan who played volleyball and softball with meMegan Flower, known her since grade school and played softball with me, Stacy, and me

Me, Randi Rosenburg, softball and basketball team mate, and Erin TrimbathCharles Quinn, physics partner and french class, and meI'm so glad that these girls came out after the reunion! Haven't seen them in 8 years since Janet's 21st birthday party! Way too long you guys. It's me, Celeste LaSalvia, and Janet Mekker. P.S.- Thanks to Nick Gurich, who's not pictured, but lived down the street and gave me rides to school, for "finding my friends!" ;o)

Christmas Tree Getting Day, Take 2

Ta Da!!! Our 2009 Christmas Tree!

The usual day after Thanksgiving, we woke up and went out to our Christmas Tree Getting Farm, Mountain Creek Tree Farm to get this year's tree. We piled in the jeep and headed out just as it was starting to snow! Yeah! We had a much harder time this year as they had some very tall trees that were too big that they said we could cuts the tops off, and lots of 4-5 ft trees that would be ready in a few years. We probably spent almost 2 hours walking around, trying to figure out what to do. We ended up trying something new this year because of the shortage of the usual kinds we get. They tried something new and sprayed some spruce trees with an all natural non-toxic preservative which makes the trees last into the new year. Usually spruce trees are good only a few weeks, so we were kinda hesitant, but decided to trust the growers. Apparently it acts like a wax and keeps the trees from drying out. Robb said, "well if it dies, we'll just get a new one before Christmas!" I can't imaging undecorating and re-decorating twice in one year, but if we have to, we're getting a blue spruce. We've never gotten that type since we get our tree so early, and they only last like a week, so if this one dies, that's going to be the next one. (Hope not!) Anyhow, we ended up getting a beautiful white spruce. It's nice and green and very bushy! But, it's also very very prickly. We haven't decorated it yet, that will be this Saturday, but it's set up in our living room and ready to be decorated!

Our sweet little boys!

How do you get any cuter than this! I love that they all are buddies. Koby and Chester are pals. This is their new "dog bed" we made for them since we had to put the Christmas tree where their couch used to go. It's just temporary, but they cuddle up on it just the same!

Chester is a kitty who just loves his puppy. He's really something else!Koby had just woken up when I took this, so he has his sleepy face on. See the drool when he sleeps? Our little boys!!

Thanksgiving #1, #2, and #3

The Saturday before last we had Thanksgiving #1 at Robb's mom's house with his mom, sister Kendra, Aunt Nancy, Harry, Robb, and me. It was a very relaxing night, filled with good food, wonderful homemade pumpkin brownies (made by the official dessert maker, me :o), and Mad Gab. Mad Gab is like the most hilarious game. We barely ever get to play it because we never have enough people, but it really got us roaring after dinner. Basically you have teams and pick cards with funny words on them that when you read it out loud, sound like something else. Our original favorite is "RAISED HERBAL AIDS". Say it out loud. Really, say it again. Then what do you hear? The game is for your partner to guess what you're trying to say. This on is "Razor Blades". Pretty funny! Oh and I especially love this Thanksgiving because our bear can come! We're so glad he's always welcome at Grandma's!All the yummy food!
Close up of my plate.
Action photo of everyone getting their mealsMe and my pup napping after dinner.

We didn't take pictures of Thanksgiving #2 or #3. These were both on Thanksgiving Day. Our first stop was at Robb's Dad's girlfriend Kathy's house. We at a very nice dinner there and tried not to stuff ourselves too much because right after we were going to Thanksgiving #3 at my Aunt Cyndy's. To that dinner I brought sweet rolls and roasted mashed butternut squash with fried sage leaves on top. And on a side note, the sage was a last minute addition to the dish that I went to 3 grocery stores the day before to find. Giant Eagle sucks!!! Heinens rules!!! I went to 2 Giant Eagles, looked through messy understocked produce, was packed in the store like a sardine with a million other last minute idiots, and found NO sage. When I went to Heinens, I easily found a fully stocked store and fast moving lines and many packets of nice organic SAGE. And it was cheaper! That's all I have to say about that!

We hope everyone had a thankful and full Thanksgiving!!!