Merry Christmas, everyone! I know, I know, I'm so late. Christmas sort of sneaked up and bit me this year. It was a happy bite. A love bug kind of bite. However wonderful it was, it was still very very sneaky. Even now I find myself still thinking it's December. Thanksgiving feels like it was just last week. What happened to my sense of time?
My lack of time telling isn't what I'm supposed to be talking about here, so I'll move along. We had pictures taken at Portrait Innovations again. We took Zayaa, Danny, and Ariunaa along and got some pretty cute Walker cousin pictures. I wish we could have had Kensington there too. Maybe next year we'll do it again, adding Kensington and baby Nuila the second edition as well!
A lot happened in the month of December. Tyler, Derek, and I were involved in a minor car accident and have been without my beloved Jetta ever since. We were stopped on one of our neighborhood streets. It's one of those 4-way yield streets. We were stopped. We were not moving. I feel this is important to the story. A lady in a big white van turned left while looking down (not at the road or at the beautiful black Jetta on the road). Tyler honked and honked but she still hit us head on (she cut the corner). Other than waking up Derek, making me late for work, and smashing the front bumper of Jenna (Jenna the Jetta), the whole thing wasn't that big of a deal. As of now, our car is still getting a makeover. Hopefully we'll have it back tomorrow. We're so tired of the Kia. We miss Jenna.
We have better news though: Tyler got a new job! He worked his last day at Bank of the West on Saturday. He started his new job with Omniture today (Monday). Omniture was recently bought by Adobe, so I suppose I should say that he works for Adobe. He will be doing account management. I think he's going to enjoy it. He said that they have a kitchen stocked with free drinks and lunch, a rock band playing room, and an on-line gaming room. I'm afraid that he'll like it so much he won't want to come home. I'll just have to take his word that he'd much rather be with us. It's close to home so he won't have far to go. We're very happy and grateful for this new opportunity. Go Tyler!
We went to a few Christmas parties. The Prestgard Christmas party was highlighted with going Christmas caroling. Our little family only went to one house because we didn't want Derek to get cold, but it was still fun. My favorite part of the party was Kensington's photography. I'll have to dedicate a post to the artistic viewings of a 3 year old. I have to say, she's got quite an eye for photography.The Keetch family Christmas party had a gift exchange and Mexican food. I also schooled the younger generation in Wii Mario Kart. Derek dressed up as Santa. He was probably the cutest Santa I've ever seen. Maybe even the cutest Santa that ever was. That is my opinion. You can have your own opinion, of course. You can keep it to yourself if it differs.
My work party was a pot-luck of good food, a gift exchange, and Christmas caroling. It was fun to get to know the people I work with a little better. Derek was a big hit there as well. He was quite the performer.
My mom, stepfather, and two sisters (Samantha and Sabrina) came up for Christmas this year. I had to work the night everyone got into town but they surprised me by coming into the restaurant! They came in with Tyler, Derek, Dan, Choka, Zayaa, Danny, and Ariunaa. I'm still a new waitress and not skilled in the ways of large group dining but I took it on anyways. I'm pretty sure they all think I suck as a waitress. No one told me, but they made me so nervous I couldn't think straight. Tyler assures me that I did fine but I felt like a basket case. It was still really fun. I was so tired that night and kinda dragging but they came in and it energized me. It tortured Derek though. It was hard to keep walking away from him. He cried every time I walked out of the room. Luckily he was asleep for most of the meal. I got to clock out and join my family toward the end.
Christmas Eve, we opened presents from "Grandma and Grandpa Austin." Derek got a lion walker that he absolutely loves. Danny got a scooter that he was especially excited about. His face as he opened the Radio Flyer scooter was the epitome of kid Christmas faces. He bounced and laughed and had a huge goofy grin on his face. Awesome. Tyler and I made out like bandits in the gift department as well. Gift cards and clothing and jewelry. The jewelry was just for me though.
Christmas morning we opened presents at our house.Derek had fun opening presents. He was more interested in ripping the paper and eating it than discovering the toys within the packages though.I wasn't expecting much this Christmas, but ended up getting one big present. It was a Christmas/Birthday present, which, normally, I'm totally against but it was just so sweet and unexpected and such a sacrifice that I was thrilled. There was a small box that said, "Pick one" and inside were two pieces of paper. One piece said, "Nook" and the other said, "iPod Touch."
After we opened presents at our house, we went over to Dan and Choka's for breakfast and the exchanging of sibling presents. The breakfast was amazing. Those crazy kids are GOOD cooks. (Dan and Choka, I mean, not the actual children.) Dan gave Tyler all three seasons of the IT Crowd. Tyler can't wait to get started on those again. Cory had my name and got me a cute pink purse filled with Target gift coins! I all ready spent them. I bought a dress and a cardigan.
And then we went to the traditional Prestgard movie outing. Tyler, Derek, Ashley, and I saw the "Squeakquel" of Alvin and the Chipmunks. It was cute. Derek hung upside-down and gargled most of the time. Hahaha.
We opened presents at the Prestgard's house after that. More gift cards! I'm really excited about going to Mimi's Cafe to eat. I all ready used one gift card and bought some jeans that I LOVE. Mostly I love that they fit and that I fit in them.
Then we returned to Dan and Choka's for a good ol' fashioned Christmas dinner.
So, our Christmas was pretty great. Hope yours was too. I'm a bum and didn't send the Christmas cards I bought. I guess I'll have to repent and try again next year. Don't think that I've forgotten about you.I love you all,
Merry Christmas.
(Actual post date: January 4, 2010)
