Friday, December 20th
Happy Birthday to Grandma Peg! Clint and I both worked today and it was Maci's last day at daycare before her Christmas break. We both got out of work around 4ish and when we got home I greeted Clint with a crazy idea. I had been talking with a lot of co-workers who recommended driving through the night since that would be when Maci would typically sleep. Sounded like a great idea and adrenaline got us packing quickly! We did ok until about 3a at which point both of us had to switch driving almost every hour. Around 4a we decided to finally let sleep prevail and we took a one hour nap in a gas station parking lot, WOW we looked classy!
Saturday, December 21stHowever, we finally pulled into Cincinnati around 930a and we are very thankful for my parents who took on Maci so we could get some sleep. Around 3p we finally got up for the day and I did a little afternoon shopping with my mom, LaRosas for dinner and we even rallied long enough to then meet up with some of my good high school friends for some drinks. With so many of my friends no longer living in Cincinnati, like us, it is hard to connect in person throughout the year so the holidays are typically our best chance. We were so happy to see our good friends Kevin Sullivan as well as Mandy & PJ Volker. Sully (Kevin) invited us all over so we could socialize and around 11p Clint and I hit our wall. Thanks again for the adorable coat for Miss M you generous Volker's!
Sunday, December 22nd
Today was a very exciting day! My brother Dustin and his family were coming down from Dayton to do our Christmas with them. In addition, my aunt Sue and her grandchildren came over too! Of course a typical Gilroy Christmas wouldn't be complete without the Bengals =) The plan was for everyone to meet at 12p at my parents and then eat, enjoy the game and later open presents. Everything went as planned, including the whopping the Bengals put on the Vikings, but just when we were ready to open presents guess who came?!?! SANTA!!! Miss M proved to once again be shocked and amazed by the big guy all at the same time. It was cute to see how excited all the kids got over the big guy visiting our house!
Monday, December 23rd
Miss M turned 11 months! YIKES, how do we have a one year old next month?! In order to continue with getting in the holiday spirit I decided to take Clint and Maci to the train displays at the Cincinnati Museum center. Little did we realize how much fun Maci would have in the Children's museum at this age. I guess it is all the walking she already does, which got us lots of comments from gawking parents. "HOW OLD IS SHE?!" "DID SHE JUST LEARN TO DO THAT?!" After the museum we relaxed for a bit before meeting up with my good friend Eric and his girlfriend Amanda. Thanks you guys for her Brutus OSU pillow pal, she really likes it and he helped with the ride home!
Tuesday, December 24th
Merry Christmas Eve! Miss M and I picked up some cookies at Busken for my mom, always good to see the old bakery, and then met up with some of my dearest high school girlfriends for breakfast. Like the friends I saw on Saturday night, many of us live all over the US now so we really cherish these brief encounters. We went to the usual price hill chili for breakfast and girl talk. It was so great to see Alisa (LA area), Meagan (Cincy) and Rachelle (Atlanta). Unfortunately Emily (Chicago) and Erin (Louisville) weren't in town this Christmas so we will have to catch them up during the next video chat! After breakfast we relaxed for a bit and tried to get Maci to nap, tried being the key word. Around 400 we headed to mass where Maci did "ok" and then off to Maury's Tiny Cove for dinner. Dinner was such a great time!!! We had some great company : my parents, Molly & her boyfriend, Uncle Tom & Marci, Aunt Sue & Mike and my parents good friends Dana, Ernie & Beth. We enjoyed wonderful food, laughter and some photo hunt (props to Molly & Beth) before Maci had an uncontrollable melt down and ended dinner around 830p. Afterward, Uncle Tom & Marci came back to my parents for some Taboo before calling it a night around 1030p.
Wednesday, December 25th
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Maci woke up around 8a and we then required the others to do the same. We all got some very nice gifts and enjoyed watching Maci smile and laugh at the paper, boxes and new toys. Clint and my dad then installed a radio under the kitchen cabinets for my mom and some hub caps for Molly before it was time to head to Aunt Marilyn & Uncle Kens house for dinner. It was so great to see all my mom's side of the family, especially my cousins who I hadn't seen in over a year (John in Atlanta & Joe in KY). Maci was in much better spirits on Christmas night and entertained everyone with her CraZy ways! We are very blessed with such great family and our wonderful daughter!
Thursday, December 26th
We are off to Toledo! We got in around 100p and were able to spend the afternoon with Clint's Aunt Patter who was in from TX as well as his parents. We went to a Mexican restaurant for a last minute lunch which was quite yummy and an appreciated change from holiday cooking. After lunch we then hung out at his parents and his sister Patricia and our nephew Drew came over to hang out with Miss M. She had a lot of fun watching her cousin Drew play with the dogs and her toys. I stayed up having some drinks and chatter with Patter and Kathy, maybe a little too late because the next day I was wiped but it was a good time! Thank you all for your sweet gifts!
Friday, December 27th
Maci and I stayed home due to my exhaustion and her nap needs while Clint, Patter and Kathy went on some errands and shopping at Cabelas. Once they got home, we all had a late lunch of Subway before we headed off to the Demko's to visit with Clint's best friend's family and our god daughter Vivian. Maci LOVED spending time with those kids and especially being pushed around in that lil plastic car, our lil dare devil! Thank you Demko's for the cutie spring outfits! After we visited until about Maci's bedtime, we headed back to Clint's parents so Patricia could feed her before bedtime. This time Clint stayed up for a while with his mom and Patter while we headed to bed.
Saturday, December 28th
Driving day - UGH it always takes so long coming back home, not sure why it feels that way as we actually gain an hour but BLAH!
Sunday, December 29th
Wahoo we are home!!! Oh and it is week 17 of the NFL! Mommy's Bengals did a nice job against the Ravens even though the Pats didn't help us out with getting a 1st week bye. Oh well, bring it San Diego! Poor Dolphins had every chance in the world to play us Bengals again but well they just couldn't get it done, sorry Daddy!! =(
Ok I am now exhausted just reliving that week! ;-) Now I am wrapping up everything for our first week back to work and daycare. However, we are hoping for a fairly quiet week with many people still out on holiday and with Wednesday being an off day, makes for an odd week. We wish all of you a very blessed and happy New Year in 2014!
Lots of Love,
C, K & M
