CrAzY BuSy!!!

I know, I know...it's been nearly two months since I have posted and I'm sure all the grandparents are about to strangle me. It has been ridiculously busy around here this past month. I don't know if it had happened yet in the last post, but 23% of my company got laid off right before Christmas. I was not one of them, fortunately, but we did lose a couple people from our department. This has caused a huge shift in responsibility to me. Which, in turn, has made me have long days of working HARD (a lot harder than I already was, that is). And to add to that, my class (my last class!!) started a couple weeks ago. I am only taking one on Tuesday nights, but then add church on Wednesdays and you have one busy schedule!! And if you are wondering, no I'm not posting this at work...there was about 2 inches of snow on the ground when we got up this morning. Therefore, school and work is canceled today. Which is okay, except you remember the part about a busy work life lately. An experiment that I repeated last week due to a snow day on the last Friday of January was supposed to come down today. Oh, well...maybe it'll be okay to take down tomorrow :/

Anyway, back to why I'm here...this is going to be an extremely LONG post of Christmas happenings and pictures. Then, I will put another post of more recent happenings (including a special treat to those grandparents to make up for my tardiness).

We were able to take Christmas pictures again this year. Our friend, Brad Johnson, took them for us. He did an amazing job like before. Here is our family photo from the photo shoot.

family photo

2009 Christmas card

As like any other years , we were blessed to be extremely busy this past Christmas season. After the musical (which I have actually already posted about), we had our SS Christmas party (sorry no pictures from that). We took Alyssa to see Santa on the Saturday of the SS Party (crazy of us, I know...there were people everywhere, but it was worth it).

Alyssa's first picture with Santa

Santa booty

Then, the next weekend we drove down to New Albany to have Christmas with my Mom's family. Here are some pictures from that:

"My First Christmas"

opening some gifts

trying out my new Bumbo from my Great-Grandmother and my fingers, of course

playing with my new chicken from the Bates with my Uncle Chris

family photo opp

Grandmother with all her babies

Next up on our Christmas spectacular was driving to Columbus on Christmas Eve Eve (Wednesday before, if you can't do that in your head). On Christmas Eve we always go to Josh's Aunt's house to have Christmas with his grandfather, Pampaw. I don't have many pictures from that, sorry...

Alyssa with Aunt Cheryl

Alyssa with Uncle Danny

When we got back to my parents' house it was bath time. We don't have a bath tub there, so we make do the old fashioned way (in the sink, he he). Then it was into our pjs and off to bed so Santa could come.

bath time in the sink

in my jammies ready for bed

Christmas morning we let Alyssa sleep in as long as possible. We knew she was going to have a long day ahead of her. The boys went hunting again (like every morning...). After they got home and we fed Alyssa, we opened her Santa gifts. We wrapped her gifts this year. I think that was more fun for me and Josh, he he. Alyssa wasn't so sure of what was going on during all the commotion. And Bear LOVES paper, so he was having a blast during all of this.

sleeping peacefully

happy baby girl

Daddy's girl

a little unsure

Mommy and Daddy (and Bear) helping open gifts

family photo

After opening her gifts and eating breakfast, we all got ready to go to Josh's grandmother's house. Again, not many photos (my mom took most of the pictures that I have...I get busy with Alyssa and forget to get the camera out). Alyssa got really fussy during gift opening time. And then she went to sleep after eating.

Daddy helping with gifts again

Alyssa and Skip were pooped

By the time we got back from Annie's, my brother, Chris had made it into town. Alyssa absolutely adores her Uncle Chris (as Bear has for years). I know they are going to have a great relationship and that makes me so happy!! After the boys got back from hunting (you should have known they were going to go), we opened gifts from one another.

getting help with gifts again

Alyssa and her new doll from Uncle Chris and Lauren

Bear playing with his Grandaddy
(Bear has always played with dad's pants leg...he doesn't do it with anyone else...it's too fun to watch)

Alyssa playing with Uncle Chris

Saturday, we just hung out around the house. Then on Sunday we headed down/over (I don't know my directions) to Grenada to have Christmas with my dad's family. Here are a few pictures from that day.

Uncle Chris and Grandaddy getting Alyssa dressed
(this was too funny)

the family

my Dad, Granny, and Aunt Felicia
(my Granny had six children...these are the two that are still living; the oldest and the youngest)

Alyssa giggling HARD

Well, like I said this is a LONG post and well overdue. I hope you enjoyed the little catch up post, and I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!. I have one last picture to leave you with:

Alyssa and her first Christmas loot!!