It's the holiday season

This has been a busy last few weeks, thus, the blog posts have come to a screeching halt. We love this time of year and all the hustle-bustle it brings (I don't love traffic though, but thats a rant for another time).

Greg started off the month working insane hours as one of the opening training managers at the new Chipotle that opened in Tualatin, OR. He really enjoyed being a part of the SWAT (Chipotle speak) and the store opening. It was great experience. However, because of the crazy hours, we postponed getting our Christmas tree until the 2nd week in December which is a first for us I think.

Belly was sooooo excited to get the tree. We picked out a really fragrant Grand Fir tree and let Belly do the ornament hanging. She took a lot of pride in the decorating and she did a great job. She loves the holidays so much. Each year she becomes so much more animated about gift giving and so on and so forth. It is the best time of year for us.

Picking out a tree

Forking out some cold, hard cash.

This has been tree shopping, brought to you by the makers of Isabella.

Belly in full decorating mode

Tree, Glorious Tree!!

Posing for holiday pictures in front of our tree.

"Santa, please don't forget I have been good this year, I hope for some toys and goodies on Christmas morning."

Belly also had something else to look forward to this month. Her long awaited swim lessons! Classes just ended this last Friday and she did wonderful! She took to water like a fish and she had so much fun. Check out the pictures below.

Last class, 12/21/07

1st time on the water slide! (That blur is Belly)

Playing in the water.

Graduating to Level B, "Beta Fish!"

"when is the next class?!"

We have attended a couple Christmas parties and have done our fair share of shopping, gift wrapping, and shipping! The most exciting news for us is WE ARE DONE SHOPPING!! A couple of gifts aren't due to arrive until after the actual holiday but most everything already arrived. For the first time ever, we actually finished our shopping before the 24th of Dec. I don't know how the heck we were organized this year, but it sure was a nice change.

Enjoying a night out after Greg's Christmas party.

In front of the Christmas tree in Pioneer Square, downtown Portland.

Beautiful Christmas Tree in Pioneer Square, 12/2007

So far this has been a great month. We celebrated our anniversary this month (8 years!), budgeted our shopping so we don't feel the pain next month (more exciting than the budget-- we spent responsibly!), have had a great time doing holiday things with Belly, had snowfall and lots of rain at our house (exciting!), and we have had a chance to spend a lot of time together as a family.

Sugar cookies by Chef Belly

The chef and her masterpiece!

Tomorrow the plans are to go to Bryan and Julie's house for Christmas Eve, but before we go there, Belly is making her last minute trek to visit Santa. We are looking forward to it, it will be fun. I will post more tomorrow while I slave away at the 911 phones on Christmas Eve. Lets all keep our fingers crossed for a quiet and uneventful night.

Hope everyone is having a safe and happy holiday season so far!

P.S. A big congratulations to our friends Frances and Bill-- they just welcomed their new little guy, Booker, on Friday 12/21. He looks just like Frances and is very cute. :o)

P.P.S. Happy Birthday to our favorite Korean, Misun!