Christmas Hugs

Christmas has come and gone and fun was had by all. We pray that the reason for the season will continue to be on our hearts and minds all the year long.

Here are some pictures of our fun festivities for Christmas 2008.

(I apologize for the sideways photos)


Mom Gropp took great care of our little guy while we settled into our house in FL- looks like she might be sad to see him go ;)

Ben and Eliza

Eliza supervising some video gaming

the stockings were hung with care

Grandma and Granddad Gropp

Dad Gropp

Super Higgins!

Opening presents with the Albrights...Josh got some body spray in his stocking...

Matt and Rachel's response



...Dad Albright had the right idea for Christmas gifts this year...HUGS!

..HUGS

MORE HUGS

and oh wait....MORE HUGS!

Still more


What's he going to give his new daughter in law? "Something special..."

Another hug :)



Awww

and then at Gramma's....MORE HUGS were had!

....HUH???

I don't know about this... :)

Nice hugs....

Awkward hugs....

Long hugs

Sweet hugs

Happy hugs!

Fall in CT

Josh and I had the pleasure of spending Columbus Day weekend (apparently A.K.A. "Discoverer's Day" now) with my parents in CT. We celebrated my belated birthday, my brother Ben's birthday, and had a chance to see Steve, my cousin Jessie and her husband Fraser, Grandma and Grandad Gropp, Aunt Bonnie, and Uncle Bob.

It was a beautiful weekend! We managed to play tennis twice (yes, we feel like we've been run over by a truck, as it had been a long time since we last played) and golf once. We also fit in a few games of Quiddler, made some homemade pizza, and relaxed.

Edgar did not have the good fortune of coming along for the weekend getaway and left us many presents at home :)

Here are a few pictures of our weekend in CT. We are looking forward to a weekend in Maine visiting with Josh's family soon as well! Before we know it we will be in the Sunshine state.

Josh and I with the top of our wedding cake! We've been married for 4 months now (hard to believe how time flies) but we may not be in CT on our one year anniversary, so we celebrated eating the top of our wedding cake a bit early....it was DELICIOUS!

Ben with his birthday cake!

Josh peeling squash for Mom- he was so helpful in the kitchen this weekend with making pizzas and other food prep.

The dogs watching on hoping something would drop


Fall on the golf course

Two handsome men!

Josh and I on the golf course....yes, my golf push cart looks like stroller...half the time Josh dutifully pushes it and we had a man on the course approach us that day to say that he was getting himself in to a bad habit ;) he nicely replied that he enjoyed it (pushing my clubs for me)....as do I ;)

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday, the first day of fall, was my 23rd birthday- and my first birthday as a wife! Josh carefully planned a wonderful evening. I spent the day in annapolis running errands, hanging out with Erika, and so forth and then Josh was able to get the evening off (he was supposed to have flight school last night). We drove together to the grocery store after work and he had a list prepared. Then we came home and made a wonderful dinner together- all planned by Josh. It was great! We had mozzarella and tomatoes with a 3 herb pesto and then chicken stuffed with goat cheese, scallions, and salt/pepper, topped with a mushroom/white wine sauce. For dessert we had cheesecake!

After dinner I opened some great gifts! See pics below:)....and as usual....Edgar watched and hoped and hoped someone might be kind enough to share their veggies with him ;)

Opening gift from Mom and Dad Gropp



A beautiful china bowl from our registry :)

I wonder if this will be my last navy rifle shirt?? hehe

Cozy under armour sweatshirt

a golf/tennis visor


A new tennis skirt! We need tennis whites to play at the army navy country club and I had grown out of mine :)