Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful first Christmas as a family of three. Christmas with the Sylvesters was a lot of fun, Annelise got some adorable outfits from my aunts & uncles and I got a really cool photo album in the gift exchange. For the second time since John joined the family, he got Axe body spray in the gift exchange.

At Christmas with the Johnsons, John got a puffy vest to match all the other guys in the family. We have to exchange it for a bigger size, but he can't wait to wear it.

Monday we went to Wichita Falls to get Annelise medically cleared to go overseas. It took a while, but we got that all taken care of and now we're just waiting on her passport to come in. We also got to visit our friends, the Kelly family, which was really nice.

Christmas Eve was very busy and very fun, we finally got the Christmas tree up that day. That night we went to my cousin's house for the Zmolik Christmas party. We only stayed for a couple of hours, but we got to see lots of cousins and Annelise met her great-great-aunts, my Meme's sisters. After the party, we went to Midnight Mass to start Annelise's first Christmas off the right way. Mass wasn't as full as usual, so we all got to sit together along with my aunts, uncles, and cousins. John, Kyle, and Trent dressed up so that they all matched my dad, it was so much fun seeing his face when he realized what they had done. He laughed so hard that he had tears falling down his face!

We woke up Christmas morning and opened presents, Granny and Papa were even there! Annelise got a tutu from us, a playmat from Santa, and an awesome wooden puzzle from her aunts & uncles! John and I asked for money from everyone, we have to buy warm winter clothes for Japan. We spent all day at home and then went to Granny's house that night to play games.

Annelise spent her one-month birthday with the girls, we went shopping on the day after Christmas. She was really good and had lots of fun shopping at Wal-Mart and Target. My mom, sister, 2 aunts, and youngest cousins left that day for Iowa.

Yesterday we flew up to Indiana to see John's family. The flight went well and Annelise was great, again. We're having lots of fun up here and Annelise has met a great-aunt, her great-grandmother, and a cousin already. More aunts, uncles, and cousins will be met later in the week.

I have lots of pictures to post but I left my camera cord in Texas and my parents' computer hates blogger. I'll get it all figured out eventually and then make one big picture post. Until then, check myspace, facebook, or just stare at the Christmas card we sent!