Our Christmas Weekend

Usually we would drive down to Des Moines as soon as the semester is over but we decided to hold off this year since we have Gabriel (I can't even imagine spending 2 weeks out of town with a picky-sleeper toddler). Jaime and I were SOO excited to play Santa Clause and put presents under the tree Christmas Eve after Gabe went to bed! I even made homemade chocolate chip cookies, yum! We decided that since we have our own little family now that we would spend Christmas morning at our place and then drive down to see the grandparents. After church we drove to Jaime's parents in Des Moines for Christmas and Monday we spent with my parents. There was even time for a girl's day out!

Here are some pics documenting Gabriel's first Christmas as a mobile little man :)

 Coloring for the first time with daddy.

 So sleepy already

 A (failed) attempt at ginger bread houses

 Our dilapidated ginger houses

 Sliced my hand open with a pair of scissors (while opening the icing).

 PRESENTS!!

 Gabriel's bouncing turtle

 Grandmas Sandoval and Gabe

 Opening presents

 BAZINGA!!!! oh, I love that show

 We got Jessica some baby clothes

 CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!! Gabriel slept from 6:30pm - 8:15am without waking up once! First time EVER! awww :)

 And lucky me the past 2 nights he's only woken up at 5:30ish and is back to sleep in 20min!

 Very excited/emotional about my fancy mixer

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Dead Week

In college, the week before final examinations are often known as "Dead Week." As my mom said, "What on earth is 'Dead Week?'" Technically, it's an unwritten but socially expected agreement between the professors and students that no additional homework will be assigned during the pre-final week so that students can focus on studying. In reality, I'm pretty sure it's because we'd rather be dead than suffering through sleepless nights, hours of: reading, highlighting, group projects, fighting with our printers, stress, and headaches.

On top of the "traditional" double-whammy of homework given at this time of semester, I also had to deal with having no babysitter- which means this past week my husband and I took turns skipping whichever of our classes were "least important" so that we could watch Gabriel. In my opinion, Dead Week started last Monday, not this upcoming Monday, and it was more like "A week in Dante's Inferno."

The good thing about Dead Week and finals? CHRISTMAS BREAK!!!

I highly doubt that students would enjoy a 3 week break as thoroughly if they weren't put through so much stress before the freedom.