Our Second Anniversary

On Tuesday, December 23, Jared and I will celebrate our second anniversary! It is hard to believe it was two years ago that we got married. Time really does fly by! Looking back on the pictures, it makes me remember how special our wedding day was. I seriously have hundreds and hundreds of pictures, but I am going to post some of the highlights/favorites...

First, here is my dad walking me down the aisle... well, just about to walk me down the aisle!

The church was decorated for Christmas and was so beautiful!!!

First kiss as husband and wife.... <3

Evans side of the family.....

Barsanti side of the family.....

the happy couple.... just married!

My mom and I outside of the church.....

If you didn't hear the story of the mistletoe at our wedding... here it is again:

Our first date was our 9th grade Chritsmas dance in December of '98. While we were dancing, one of our friends put a mistletoe above us and that is when we had our first kiss. When Jared proposed to me in December of '04, he did it under a mistletoe! I saved the mistletoe and that is the same "brownish" mistletoe we shared our first dance under at our wedding reception. My mom bought some new mistletoe, too, to blend in with the old brown stuff! haha

Here we are having our first dance...

Here's my dad doing a toast......

And who could forget our gorgeous wedding cake-- that tasted delicious! I wish I had some of that right about now!

This picture includes all of us from my mom's side of the family.... Yes, this was taken outside and it was 2 days befor Christmas, but 70 degrees!!!! Crazy!!!!

And, finally, our awesome exit...

Thanks, mom and dad, for a beautiful, unforgettable wedding!!!

I love you, Jared! I am looking forward to the next chapter in our lives... this little baby we have on the way!!! I know we have many, many, many more years of happiness ahead of us! Happy second Anniversary!!!!!! xoxoxoxo

Gingerbread Houses

Yesterday, my class made gingerbread houses!!! It was really fun for the kids. They used milk cartons and lots of icing and candy. They covered the milk carton with icing and stuck on the graham crackers. Then, they went to town decorating! When they were finished, there was a whole town of gingerbread houses in my classroom.


This was the aftermath of one of the tables....



Before we made the houses, the kids read the book "Gingerbread Baby." It is a great book about a little gingerbread baby and I told the kids after reading that their job was to make a house for gingerbread baby. It was really cute to watch the kids get creative. Some kids made mailboxes, some made garages with cars parked inside! I wish I would have taken more pictures, but I was busy helping and my hands were covered in icing and candy so I did not get too many pictures.


Here is one of the houses....



One of my student's mom made these really cute cookies for the kids. The picture is blurry, I know, sorry! But, they are so cute!!! Check out these awesome reindeer cookies...

I love teaching, but I am sooooooo excited to have 2 weeks off for Christmas!!! :)

Baby's First Picture!

Today I had my first doctor's appointment. I have high blood pressure issues and they wanted me to come in and make sure it was okay. As of now, it is very mild and the doctor said I do not need to take any medicine for it. Anyways, I saw a high risk doctor today, but next time I will see the doctor who will deliver me. Jared and I were so excited when the doctor did this ultrasound! I am five weeks pregnant and the due date is August 18. Yes... right about the time when a new school year starts. The second day of school to be exact!!!! I can't help that though. :)

Here is the ultrasound picture.... the "darker small little circle" is baby embryo...



My next appointment is January 14 (and the ultrasound then will look more like a baby than it does this time)!!!

Holiday Baking with Mom

This past weekend was BUSY! On Friday night, I went to my Holiday Staff Party at UNO Chicago Grille. It was really fun! :) After the party, really late Friday night, Jared and I drove to Richmond. On Saturday, I had lunch with Kendall! Then, Jared and I spent some time with his mom. Finally, it was time to start the holiday bake-off. My mom went through tons of recipe books and planned out various types of cookies for us to bake people for Christmas. We baked........ and baked........... and baked.............. and everything was homemade, of course!


Peanut Blossom Cookies



Almond Crescents



Candy Cane Crisps



Soft and Chewy Chocolate Bites with marshmallows

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Bites with caramel

We baked about.... 30 dozen I think... cookies.... enough for 22 plates!

The kitchen table was covered in plates pf cookies!!!!!!!

CLOSE-UPS....................

The finished products.


I don't think we will be baking anything else for a while. just kidding! It was fun! :)

Good news!

Just a quick update...

On Tuesday, I had a blood test done to see what my HCG level was. My level was 244, which is good! Then 2 days later, on Thursday, they did a repeat test to see how the HCG level was increasing. It is supposed to double... and mine did! My level was 636! :) We are so excited!

Anyway... I still don't feel any symptoms besides tiredness. Tonight is my staff holiday party at UNO Chicago Grill. It is going to be fun. My friend Kristen is going to be my date! The only crazy thing is that it doesn't start until 9.... yes 9 PM! Actually, appetizers start at 9, but we aren't served dinner until 10 PM! It lasts until 1 AM, but there's no way I will make it that late! I am usually IN BED ASLEEP by 10PM!!! haha So we will see how long I last there!

I need to go get ready for tonight. And pack to go to Richmond this weekend. It's BAKING weekend! I'll post about that later! Plus, I get to have lunch with Kendall tomorrow! :)

*Keep us in your prayers that things progress as they should with this pregnancy!!!*

The best Christmas news!

Let me start off by saying that December REALLY is a special month, especially for me and Jared! Our first date was in December, our first kiss was in December, we got engaged in December, married in December, and now got the most exciting news ever... in December, of course!


I'm pregnant!!!!!! At least that's what five different home pregnancy tests say!!!!! As most of you know, we have been trying for a long time (over a year) so I can't even explain how happy we are! It is VERY early. We just found out yesterday. I have not even been to the doctor yet. I am going tomorrow to have a blood test done, but I can't imagine five different brands of home pregnancy tests being wrong!


I had a "feeling" that I was pregnant-- even though I have thought that before and knew not to get my hopes up-- but I decided I would wait until Sunday to take a test. I thought it would be neat if I found out before Jared so I could surprise him with it! Jared wakes up at 2 in the morning to go to work. I woke up before him and took the test without him knowing. The test showed up "Pregnant" right away!!! I put the test in a Christmas present box and told Jared I had a present for him! He was extremely happy and surprised!!!


I called my mom at 2 in the morning to tell her the good news. haha Sorry for waking you all up, but I know it was worth it! :) Right, Nana?!?!











After that test, I have done four more and all have been positive!



So... that's our exciting Christmas news! We'll keep you posted! :)

Sad News about my Cousin Jeff

My cousin Jeff was buried in Philadelphia yesterday, alongside my grandfather and great-grandparents. My parents said the funeral and burial were difficult, as Jeff died under very sad circumstances. He was hit and killed by a car in Woodbridge, Virginia on November 29. Jeff was 44 and the father of one fifteen-year-old son, Jeffrey, who lives with his mom (Jeff's ex-wife). Although Jeff did not always make the best choices in life, he had a good heart. I did not know him very well and, in fact, I was only with him a few times. Usually our encounters were when my family visited my dad's relatives in Pennsylvania. There were many family dinners over the years when all of the cousins were together.


I have fun memories of visiting Jeff while he was married to Kristin and living in Caroline County, VA. We went swimming in the nearby lake and had a picnic lunch with my Aunt Pat, her husband John, and Kristin's two other children. Jeff was always very nice to me.


In Thanksgiving of 1993, they visited my family and we got to spend some time with Jeff and his new son. Jeff beamed with pride over his baby. Here is a photo from the visit.




I want my Aunt Pat, Uncle John, and cousins Scott and Denny to know that I am thinking of them. I hope they find comfort in knowing that Jeff is at peace now. I am glad Jeff was buried with family, especially near Pop Pop who loved him very much. Jeff will always be in the hearts of those who loved him.


Here is a photo of my Aunt Pat with Jeff, Jeffrey and my grandmother, Mom Mom. I hope Jeffrey knows his father loved him very much!!!





To my Aunt Pat, who I know is a faithful blog reader: I love you. I send my sympathy. And I wish you strength and peace.


Rest in Peace, Jeff.

Freddy got a new haircut

Today Fred got to do his favorite thing... not really... but he does enjoy going to PetsMart! He got his haircut, ears clearned, and nails clipped. Whenever we pick him up he has on a bandana! Isn't he handsome????

Here he is...... Mr. Fred

he's eyeing the treat I was holding in my hand!



still begging for that treat!



hahaha his new do looks like he is wearing a visor! jared is going to need to trim that up!

24 year old geezer

wow. last night jared and I started a movie at 7:00. I FELL ASLEEP by 8:00!!! I was so tired and after the movie ended, I sleep walked into our bedroom and went right back to sleep. I go to bed early, but 8:00!?!? I feel like an old woman! haha

Anyway, the movie was so funny- It's called Step Brothers. It came out this week on DVD and we just got it on Netflix. So I am going to finish watching it today. I seriously don't even remember even closing my eyes last night. Jared said that he kept putting his hand in front of my eyes and he would say "You're asleep!" and he said I would say "No I am not! I am awake!" Then I would go right back to sleep. I don't remember any of that! :) I guess going back to work after having 5 days off has worn me out this week. Not to mention my group of kids at school who are ready for Winter Break!!! :) only a couple more weeks.........

I am gonna go finish (or should I say start) that movie I fell asleep to before Jared gets home.

P.S. Stacy found a 2001 picture-- see 2 blogs previous. :) Thanks, Stacy!!!

Princesses of 5th Grade

Dana and I have been friends since the fifth grade! We seriously have so many fun memories together! For example: we were the "princesses of 5th grade." or so we thought... haha! We even taped signs to our desks saying "princess cinderella" and "mistress daniella." I know, we were dorks!

On top of the many silly things we did together, we both loved the movie Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion so much that we made up a dance to the song "Time After Time" and called ourselves Romy and Michelle! haha :)

It was so good to see you last week, Romy!!! We need to keep in touch more! You and Jason need to come to Fredericksburg and stay with us! And we will make a trip to B'more to visit you! :)


Cindy and Dana @ Bailey's


And now I leave you with a funny picture.... Romy and Michelle......................




xoxoxo

Looking back on past Christmas photos...

I was looking through all of my MANY photo albums full of pictures and thought it would be cute to make a "christmas timeline" of me and Jared!!!

*Our first date was the Christmas Dance in December 1998, but I do not have a picture of us from it!!! :(

So this timeline of pictures starts December of 1999....


Christmas 1999 - at my parent's house (15 years old)



Christmas 2000 - downtown Richmond (16 years old)






Christmas 2001 - New York City trip with Evans family! (17 years old)



Christmas 2002 - at my parent's house (18 years old)



Christmas 2003 - at Jared's mom's house (19 years old)




Christmas 2004 - *just engaged 12/22/04* (20 years old)




Christmas 2005 - at Jared's mom's house (21 years old)




Christmas 2006 - on our honeymoon in Vegas! (22 years old)




Christmas 2007 - at our apartment in Fredericksburg (23 years old)





Christmas 2008 - at our apartment in Fredericksburg (24 years old)



Looking forward to many more Christmas together! I love you, Jared!!!

xoxoxo

Black Friday

It is one o'clock in the afternoon and my mom and I just got back from a busy morning of SHOPPING! It is our tradition that we wake up super early and hit the mall, as well as many other stores the day after Thanksgiving. I guess we just love the thrill of a good buy. Well, we actually did not really have a lot to buy, but it is still fun to look- and of course we found things to buy!!!

My mom is a very organized person...... perhaps a little too organized sometimes! This morning, I came downstairs at 5 am and she was sitting at the kitchen table surrounded by all of her cut-out coupons and her lists of what we needed at what store. She was putting each coupon and list of things to check out or buy from each place in a labeled envelope. Then she put the envelopes in alphabetical order!!! haha It did turn out to be a big help because at the checkout register all we had to do was whip out the envelope from that particular store! :) It was easy to locate the correct envelope since she had carefully put them in ABC order! LOL

Sooo........ we ended up going to the mall first where we spent quite a bit of time at Macy's, JC Penneys, Sears, Bath and Body Works, and several other random stores. Then we went off to Target, Kohls, Pier One, Walmart, and finally came back home. I feel like a nap.

Anyway, here is a picture of my mom this morning as she was finishing labeling her envelopes! haha

*too funny*

Happy Thanksgiving!

There is so much to be thankful for!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

This is a cute picture Stacy sent me.... :)

Barsanti Christmas Photo Shoot

Jared and I always like to send Christmas cards with a picture of us and Fred. Since we already put our tree up, we decided to try to get a picture in front of it! This was not going to be an easy task because 1. we didn't have anyone here to TAKE the picture so I had to learn how to use the timer and 2. it was going to be difficult to position fred in the picture.

Here are the pictures from our little photo shoot!!!



haha we were like tugging on fred to stay sitting up! he kept wanting to LAY DOWN!!!



yay! we caught the corner of fred's head! :)




okay this one did not work!



i like this one! :)

this one did not work either!!!! hahaha

The next few I think turned out cute...

By the end of this whole thing, Fred and Jared had had enough!!! They were both ready for a nap.


nap time.....