Merry Christmas, Baby

After getting off work early on Christmas eve, I was so excited to experience Bobby's and my first Christmas together! I had bought a 8.5 pound honey-glazed ham the day before in order to make our own little Christmas feast... with that huge ham, there was nothing little about it (we now have 4 Tupperware containers filled with Ham)! As Bobby watched "The Christmas Story" on TV for the 2947th time, I broke out our fine China and crystal as well as some candle sticks and our fancy place mats. Yes, I even folded the napkins like fans! We listened to Nat King Cole's Christmas album, turned on our "fire" place, and enjoyed our first Christmas eve together! We even got dressed up! It was very romantic...
Killian was not to be left out. During dinner, he quietly unwrapped the foil covering the ham and snagged himself an entire slice of ham! Once we caught him, he was dashing like Rudolph across the apartment with a huge ham steak in his mouth! Although we don't have a picture of that, he did join us at the table after dinner (see below).
After exchanging gifts, we changed into sweats and snuggled up to watch "The Holiday," one of my favorite chick flicks... Bobby, you're a good sport!
We talked over dinner about how blessed we are this Christmas. Driving up to Baltimore on Christmas day was the most enjoyable ride. The roads were empty, everything was so peaceful. As we drove, all the little houses along the way had smoke out their chimney's. Maybe those folks were dressed up like Eskimo's, too... who knows? It made both of us realize that Jesus came to give everybody peace. Despite the hustle and rush right before Christmas was ceased on Christmas morning. Just as Joseph and Mary on their way to Bethlehem were caught in the hustle of traveling to their hometown along with everyone else, the whole world felt peace on Christmas morning all because of Jesus Christ. It was amazing to see our living God still give peace to this very crazy world to every home on Christmas morning. We hope that all of you had a very wonderful Christmas where ever you were and that you held the love of Christ close in your heart. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure from our first Christmas!

Oh, Cat...

... guess we should have named him Yuengling!

Snow! Snow! Snow!

We had our first (and probably last!) snow here in Southern Maryland last week! Hard to imagine, since yesterday was 60 degrees outside! Being surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay and 2 other rivers makes it almost impossible for us to get snow down here! Regardless, that evening, Bobby and I curled up by our faux-fireplace, watched Christmas movies and ate some soup! Ahh... I love Christmas time!

And of course, the snow didn't last long, but the sunrise was beautiful the next morning!

Chestnuts Roasting

Although we don't have an open fire, nor do we have Jack Frost nipping at our noses (yet), our home is full of Christmas warmth and boughs of holly, fa la la la. In all seriousness, Bobby and I spent last Thursday evening picking out our first Christmas tree and decorating our home. As the Charlie Brown's Christmas soundtrack played softly in the background, we both sailed through our modest collection of ornaments we collected during our engagement last Christmas. Bobby did the easy parts like unwrapping the tree from the netting, sawing off the end, setting it up in the stand, filling the pot with some outrageous Christmas Tree concoction, stringing the lights, etc, while I had to do the hard job of actually putting the ornaments on! ;o)
While unwrapping all of our Christmas things, we were delighted to find that most of the Christmas things we own are pieces from both of our families. Hand-knit stockings hang from our "faux-mantle,"a tradition my Grandmother started for my family. To carry on the tradition, my sister April has taken up the task and presented Bobby with his stocking right before our wedding. We also have a "vintage" Advent Calender, found by my sister Jen. My parents have an identical calender, made by my Aunt in Chicago. A large amount of our Christmas ornaments were hand made and crafted by members of Bobby's family, Aunt Suze, Zachary Jones, and Mom Barrick. A wonderful symbol of two families joining together.
We have so much to be thankful for this Christmas. Today at church, the band started singing classic Christmas Carols. For some reason, I am very emotional at Christmas time, thinking of how a precious baby came in to this world to live, only to die an imminent death. How selfish we are this time of year, always expecting what we want, making sure we beat that super-mom into the store to get "it" first, zooming into the closest parking space while cutting someone else off. I find myself guilty of those things, but I'm always brought back to reality when I think about how unselfish God was to send us his only son. Not just a child of many, his ONLY child. Our pastor explained that gifts are often most appreciated when the recipient understands the thought and sacrifice behind the gift. So it should be with God this Christmas. I pray that you are thankful in your heart for the most spectacular gift you could ever receive - eternal life through Jesus Christ in the form of a new born baby.
For those of you who are unable to visit us or have not yet, here are some pictures of our home all decorated for Christmas!

Our Advent Calender made by Aunt Jane Nevins in Chicago

Killian likes to sniff things and eat glitter. Luck him, because right here, he's doing both!

My boys hard at work.

Our Apartment!!

Bob the Builder

...So I've learned very quickly NEVER to describe Bobby as "Bob the Builder." This past week, my tinkering husband decided to make me a coffee table! But first, a little back-story:

I come home from work on Saturday afternoon to find Bobby, fully-clad in his saw dust goggles with our coffee table (given to us from St. Agnes Rectory) clamped to the kitchen island counter... saw in hand. I'm greeted cheerfully with a "Hey Honey!" and the saw turn on and goes right through the middle of our coffee table! Nightmare. I soon discovered that he had decided to make us a TV stand so our DVD player can fit under the TV. So I spent the remaining part of the afternoon in the other room until he was finished. We now have a very sleek and modern TV stand... needless to say, it left us coffee table-less.

Which brings me up to date. Last Sunday after church, he comes home and sits right down at the computer and begins to make drawings and careful calculations and designs wonderful plans for a new coffee table! So after about 6 trips to Lowes, we finally get all of the tools and materials to make this coffee table. After about two days of sawing, drilling, chiseling, sanding and measuring, the coffee table is put together! After some more staining and glossing, the table is finished! So proud of my little builder, I give him a big hug and say, "You're my little Bob the Builder!" (For those of you who aren't understanding my story at this point, "Bob the Builder" is a children's TV show about Bob, a builder, who is friends with various other carpenter tools). To spare you the details, my comment was not taken very well and I found myself furiously baking cookies that night to redeem myself...

Here are some pictures of Bobby - NOT "Bob the Builder" while making the table!

Ode to a Cat

Oh Killian, how you make us laugh.

Since the day we brought you home we knew you'd be so fun.
Flipping tricks and chasing sticks is all you really do, except for laying in the sun.

Taunting doggies off our deck is how you spend your day,
and when you pounce me (oh yes, only me!) in the night, it makes me want to say:

Oh Killian, how you make me mad.

Driving Bobby crazy is what you're meant to do.
Your cat hair goes everywhere - it makes him scoff at you.

Hiding up on top the fridge and scaring everyone in sight
is not a kind way to make friends, but gives you much delight!

Oh Killian, you just love being bad.

So tell me, high-maintenance Kitty, is it worth all our toil?
To clean your toilet, feed your belly and watch Bobby's temper boil?

"Oh yes", I say, "Indeed it is!" to watch him groan and wine.
Because, you see, the fact is he (the cat) thinks that everything is fine!

Oh Killian, you're just the king over everything, aren't you?

The Honeymooners

As Fall weather approaches, Bobby and I are reminded that just 4 months ago, we were laying in an infinity pool, sipping freshly made mojitos, eating all the "mexican snacks" we wanted and getting a fabulous tan. Needless to say, our honeymoon was relaxing. We only looked at the clock once a day, and that was to make sure we were on time for the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet in one of the resorts restaurants.
Yes, we spent most of our time laying around and relaxing, but we also did take some tours around beautiful Cozumel, Mexico! Our first "excursion" was to Tulum, an architectural site of the Mayan ruins. Just about an hour south (and a 30 minute ferry ride across the ocean) of Playa Del Carmel and the Rivera Maya, lay hundreds of ancient temples where the Mayan people habituated. Just over the cliff, these Mayan's enjoyed the most breathtaking waterfront view of all: overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Ocean. Later on that afternoon, we were able to go swimming. Although we had to walk down 48365 steep stairs to get there from the cliff, it was well worth it. The sand was like powdered sugar and the water was like a bath. Bobby was also quite busy looking for sharks... seeing as he didn't want to get eaten!

Another tour led us to a "National Park," Chankanaab, where we were left to botanical gardens, LOTS of iguanas, one of the worlds last remaining natural lagoons, and some of the most beautiful reefs in the world to snorkel! After a leisurely walk around the gardens, Bobby and I put on our goofy snorkel gear (I so wish I had a picture of this one...) and jumped right in. Bobby was still looking for sharks. There were so many beautiful fish, it was amazing to see God's creativity in each one of them!
Around Wednesday (half way through our trip), I began to notice a quite itchy rash on my arms, which was spreading rather quickly around my body. My new husband, being the eagle scout that he is, diagnosed it as contact dermatitis: a skin rash similar to the reaction of poison ivy. I was allergic to the hotel soap! He quickly ran down to the hotel store to get me some calamine lotion, and after trying to convince the bell boy that his new bride would not go for the bright pink lotion, he found a clear version instead. I sat crying on our cold marble floors and Bobby applied the lotion, but I quickly stopped when I learned that room service was included in our stay! We ordered in 3 times that day...
So, skin disease aside, our week long "siesta," along with three gourmet meals a day (if not more), sun bathing, clear ocean water, a hot tub in our room, and the most relaxing honeymoon anyone could dream of, we were ready to come home. Both of us slept on the plane on the way home and when we finally arrived at our new home, Bobby did indeed carry his new bride over the threshold. Welcome Home, Mr. and Mrs. Barrick!
Here are some honeymoon pictures for you to enjoy! I highly recommend Cozumel to anyone interested in vacationing somewhere tropical! It was just beautiful!

Our fabulous hotel room, complete with an ocean-view room (not shown) and hot tub!
The Mayan Ruins at Tulum. Just behind this temple was the Caribbean Ocean and a rather large cliff!


The rather large cliff!

Our last night... a beautiful Cozumel sunset, pool-side.

Southern Pride

One thing that Bobby and I have quickly learned while being down in the depths of Southern St. Mary's County, Maryland is that the entire county shuts down for one weekend and almost everyone can be found at the St. Mary's County Fair. It was the finest display of agricultural splendor and toothless smiles (just kidding) I have ever seen! Before enjoying some fabulous people-watching, Bobby and I made no hesitations to visit the corn dog and barbecue stand. Not having been to a fair in quite some time (the North Carolina State Fair a few years ago was the most recent), I was quite amused by the assortment of animals - the ones with fur, not the ones hanging around the beer stand - so I snapped a few shots!
We have also enjoyed the company of Bobby's best friend, Tim, who is down in St. Mary's County doing a rural medical practice rotation (there is a formal name for it...), so he came with us to the fair! Slightly amused by the "commercial room" (the tent with local vendors with their displays), Tim and Bobby made their way in to visit all of the local vendors. They proceeded to visit each and every vendor, signing up their other friend, Mark (who is not present at this time), to receive information. Note: these vendors included the likes of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Tastefully Simple, Pampered Chef, Sliding Glass Doors "2" Go, and not to be forgotten, Mark would most definitely be interested in becoming an Avon Lady. According to Tim and Bobby, this was the highlight of the evening... I must have married a comedian!
Needless to say, Bobby and I were well acquainted with the Southern culture after leaving the St. Mary's County Fair... a fun (and interesting) way to begin our first Fall season together :o)
A few pictures to remember the evening...

The NewlyWeds

Settling into newlywed life is known for it's challenges, but most notably for its rewards. Bobby and I have thoroughly enjoyed setting up our new life and our cozy apartment for the past (almost!) 3 months. It's hard to believe that just 3 months ago, we were walking (almost running) down the aisle out of the church to begin our new life together!
So far we have enjoyed a beautiful and relaxing honeymoon in Cozumel, Mexico. We were treated with an all-inclusive vacation of 24-hour room service, all-you-can-eat gourmet food (Bobby indulged himself in "mexican snacks"), lounging by the infinity pool, and snorkeling among the worlds most beautiful coral reefs in the world. Although neither of us spoke ANY Spanish, everyone was more than willing to help us navigate around the island!
After suffering from contact dermatitis (a very itchy skin rash) from the soap we used at the hotel, I was quite ready to come home and settle in to our new home :o) I wasn't working for about a month after we got home, so I was able to put all of the gifts away and organize each room. Bobby spent his evenings refinishing some dining room furniture (given to us by his parents) while I was test-driving my cooking skills in the kitchen!
Our place finally looks like home... in the living area, that is. We have yet to furnish and decorate our bedroom! One thing at a time...
So in case you haven't been able to visit us in our humble abode, here are some pictures to introduce you!