2008 Year in Review (Our Christmas Letter)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! In lieu of a Christmas letter this year, I thought that I would post our year in review.

My nephew, Ethan, celebrated his first birthday in March!

In May, we moved from a very small apartment to a better and safer apartment in Chicago!

In June, we celebrated one year of marriage!

In July, Ethan announced that he would be a big brother this upcoming March 2009.

In the warmer months, we walked probably around 100 miles all over Chicago enjoying the different historic sights.

In October, Alaina celebrated her first birthday!

These are just a few of our favorite things of 2008. Kyle is still working full-time as Hardlines Manager and can't wait for baseball season to begin again. I (Jamie) am still attending two graduate schools (half-way through the program) and working two part-time jobs.

If anyone wants to come out and visit, you are more than welcome. We will be moving again in May so hurry up!!

Birthday Celebration and Vote

Thankfully, Kyle had the day off from work on his birthday so we would able to enjoy a day all to ourselves and together!! We went shopping in the suburbs for a few last minute stocking stuffers for each other. We then went out to eat and stayed in since it is so cold to watch a movie! Too bad Kyle's birthday is on the shortest day of the year...hehe!

We are going to only do stockings this year since we purchased the Nintendo Wii on Black Friday. I was talking to several people about our stockings and they laughed at us for doing that even though we don't have kids...we like to have fun though! We have decided that we will sneak out of the bedroom late at night individually and fill the stocking. Kyle purchased these and assigned them himselves. I wanted to have a vote on whether you think this is an accurate depiction or not so leave a comment! By the way, Kyle did tape them to the wall just in case I didn't like the placement but we have yet to 'untape' them!

If you can't read it, it says 'Nice'

'Naughty'

To my love,

Happy 25th birthday! I am so grateful to have you in my life. Although our paths crossed several times while growing up, God knew when the right time was to introduce us to each other! I can't imagine going through my life now without you helping me along the way...Here are some instances:
"You aren't going to win/get everything in life!" (Kyle)

"You just put the button through the hole right here!" (Kyle)

"Jamie, there is this stuff called bug spray; you should really wear it when you go outside in the summer!" (Kyle)

"Jamie, I know you wanted to watch the fireworks at Navy Pier tonight but it doesn't work so well when it is pouring rain outside!" (Kyle)

"What is that smell?" (Jamie) "Welcome to Chicago!" (Kyle)

"Jamie, you would be able to read the map better if you didn't have it upside down!" (Kyle)

I am not sure if some of you readers know but there are actually two rather funny instances that come to my mind late at night when we could have met each other:

1. My mom's best friend's/childhood neighbor's niece (I know kind of tricky to figure out there) dated Kyle when they were really young. Bethany (my sister) and I remember when we went on a girl's shopping trip and she talked about her boyfriend named 'Kyle'. She even had a bead necklace with his name on it.

2. I attended his High School graduation because my cousin was in his class!

Christmas Gathering 4

My co-workers at the school I provide social services at had a gathering for teachers and staff. It was a lot of fun to go out with the teachers outside of school and have adult conversations that did not revolve around kids. We went to a really nice Colombian restaurant and had some amazing good food and Sangria. I am going to enjoy my two week break from the school so I can get some fun groups lined up for next year!

Christmas Gathering 2 & 3

Tuesday night I celebrated Christmas with my place of employment. The venue was in the suburbs and Chicago had just experienced a 'little' snow. Needless to say, I should have just stayed in my warm apartment because the party started at 7:00 and my ride and I did not arrive until 9:00pm. Not a very fun drive! I did enjoy my short time there and got laughing pretty hard watching the 'older' generation dance to Usher while others my age observed in amazement. The ride home was less than half the time but I didn't end up getting to bed until very late!

On Wednesday night, some of the small group couples went out to celebrate the end of the semester for the few that are in grad school. Following our supper, we walked around the Lincoln Park Zoo for 'Zoo Lights'. Kyle and I realized that it was the same that you could see in the comfort and warmth of your car in Iowa but it was fun to walk around and enjoy the lights and few animals.

The Girls...minus Lisa plus baby Evangeline bundled under the blankie!

Greg and Emily

George and Liz

Us...thinking of Iowa!

Reed, Bekah, and Little Lina!

Somehow I missed a picture of Brett and Rachel....

Christmas Gathering 1: Erikson

My semester at the Erikson Institute ended on Monday which called for a fabulous Christmas/End of the Semester Party. Even though it seemed like the semester took FOREVER...it actually went by really fast and I have met some amazingly smart people who have greatly enriched my life. We were pretty excited for it to be over for a few weeks.


By the way, this is my 100th post!! Where has time gone??

Short Trip to Iowa

We made a short trip back to Iowa on Sunday to attend Kyle's sister, Amanda's graduation from Wartburg College and sneak in Mason's Christmas Pageant at Nazareth Church. It was a rather long day since we had to be on the road at 5:00am and then we didn't get back to Chicago until 11:00pm due to some snow along the way but we had a fun short vacation (Kyle might not say the same since he was the one driving for ten+ hours).


Dad: you will think that this is pretty cool! The guy playing the guitar and singing is John Ylvisaker. He was receiving the Doctor of Humane Letters at the graduation. Don't know who he is??? Well, he is a composer and artist...still don't know, best known for: "I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry" and he sang it there! Pretty cool!!
Amanda getting her diploma.

For all our non-Iowa friends...we thought that this picture would give you a idea of what you see a lot in Iowa: dead deer! This was in the art gallery at Wartburg, kind of weird!

Christmas Card Picture?

Mason and I, we miss this little guy being right next door to us!

My friends (Lauren, me, Mason, Jillian, and Emily)! You can't see in the picture very well but Emily is expecting a baby girl in March!

Kyle and Mason making a silly face!

Breakthrough

Once every two months, our small group volunteers at a great place called Breakthrough Urban Ministry in Garfield Park. It is a 'rest stop' for men who are need of shelter, looking for employment, etc. We provide a meal and chat with the men while enjoying it. Since it is only temporary, there are different people there every time we come. Always fun to serve them!
Also, Kyle and I were discussing this interesting topic on the way home from my FINAL class of the semester this morning. Synesthesia is when one of your senses becomes meshed with another...pretty much the opposite of anesthesia (removing all your sensory experiences). Anyways, some people have synesthesia while others do not. I was relaying to Kyle my experiences and thought that everyone had similar ones, so all you readers out there need to tell me if you have ever experienced this in another form or the same. Mine is with numbers, some numbers are nice and others are naughty. This is the way that it has always been: all odd numbers are naughty and all nice numbers are even. There is one exception though, the number 15 is nice. When I hear numbers, I associate pleasant (even numbers) or not so pleasant (odd numbers) feelings with them. The same applies to colors, for example, I can associate light blue with peaceful and serene. Kyle said that he has never had these thoughts and does not think that colors have any meaning and that numbers can not be naughty or nice...what do you all think?? I know some of you out there are synesthesic.

Eventful Few Days...

Friday, November 28, 2008 (Black Friday)
Kyle persuaded me to wake up with him at 4:30 in order to hit Wal-Mart around 5:00am! I thought that he was a little crazy at first but we enjoyed getting to see people rush around grabbing tons of electronics and Christmas toys. We agreed that when it is our time for children we are going to do all our Christmas shopping on Black Friday and have the grandparents babysit because you can get tons of cool toys for inexpensive prices. Kyle was glad to pick up a Nintendo Wii and I was happy when he agreed to let us get Rock Band (pictures and/or video to follow). The drums are next to the t.v. My body was pretty sore after playing all weekend.

Kyle is boxing here!

Saturday, November 29, 2008
Wii in the morning, typing a paper about Childhood Vaccinations the REST of the day; I mean from 3:00pm to 11:00pm!!! If you have any questions about vaccinations just let me know!!

Sunday, November 30, 2008
Our small group friends Reed and Bekah went to the hospital to have their baby!!!

Monday, December 1, 2008
The day started off getting to see the first snow that stuck to the ground. It was pretty for about five seconds and then I realized how much I hate the snow in Chicago and having to wait for the bus avoiding getting splashed on. This snow also made me late for class because Kyle has established a theory that people forget how to drive when it snows.
When I arrived home from class, I discovered that Reed and Bekah had their baby around 12:50pm. I had a difficult time concentrating on getting my homework done and realized that I had to make a few 'firsts' in my life which involved: 1. getting to visit someone in the hospital after having a baby, 2. RIDING IN A CAB FOR THE FIRST TIME!!! I have made it my mission not to ride in a cab while in Chicago because they are expensive and I basically ride the bus for free since I am a student. My other small group friends were going to the hospital right away and I knew that it would take me about 45 minutes to get there. I attempted bumming a ride from a few people but it was unsuccessfully. So I tapped into my secret stash of leftover monthly money and took the $15.00 ride downtown. I think I might become addicted...

Sorry for the sidetracking, Bekah had her baby downtown at the new women's hospital with gorgeous views. I have gotten to see many babies before but rarely the same day that they are born and in the hospital still. It was hard to grasp how somehow can be formed and made inside of you and then enter the world. God is so wonderful and mysterious in his creation of us!

Getting to hold the baby for the first time.
They had a nice view out their window as well.

Bekah, Reed, and new baby Evangeline Monroe!

Doesn't Bekah look great for having a baby earlier in the day!

We are so happy for you two and can't wait until you can come home! Evangeline is going to be very spoiled and we can't wait to see how God will lead you in your new roles as parents!!!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008
I finished my last class at Loyola University for the semester which in included handing in a two semester research project on prenatal screening tests and maternal stress. My group and I were glad to be done with tons of hard work! I still have two more weeks at the Erikson Institute and am slowly but surely getting more tired.

This morning when I was doing my graduate assistant duties at Loyola, I had to alphabetize all the graduation applications for May 2009. It was a rough project since it was all the people that I took courses with last year and I finally came to the realization that I could also be graduating in May if I wasn't going to Erikson. Ugh...

Thanksgiving in Chicago

Since Kyle works crazy hours during the holidays we were unable to go 'home' for Thanksgiving so I decided to make my very first Thanksgiving dinner all by myself. My friend and her twin sister came over to celebrate with us since they are from Florida. We had a blast eating all the food!

Here is my first turkey by myself. There were apples, onions, and celery in the cavities and then rosemary and sage under the skin. This was pre-cooking so it doesn't look as appetizing as it really was.

Kyle wanted to document this event and caught my off guard getting ready to make the sweet potato casserole. I piled it high with marshmallows, Yum!

My friends and Kyle love cranberry stuff in the can so they were pretty pumped to squeeze it out. It was my first taste of it, not that bad.

Getting ready to eat our feast. Don't mind Kyle's iron gym in the background on the door frame. Although we did have some fun attempting pull-ups before the meal. Kyle can do them one-handed; I am pretty impressed!!!!

My friend's twin sister is going to culinary school and prepared an awesome chocolate cake with pumpkin mousse and spice flavored icing.

More to come later on our Black Friday extravaganza to Wal-Mart!!!