I’ll Be Home For Christmas

We made it back to Ohio this year and I couldn’t be happier! Our trip was full of family, eating out at my favorite Ohio spots, a very Merry Christmas and my very first baby shower!!! 
Where did we eat you might ask? Well feast your eyes! I realize this may mean nothing to you if you have never been to Ohio or the Mid West in general. But to my friends and readers who have….I know you are so jealous right now:)

Sliders from, White Castle…mini steamed burgers with pickles and onions…open 24/7!!









Would you judge me if I told you that I went to Graeter’s Ice Cream 4 times in one week? Well go ahead judge away. But this picture below represents pure bliss. Ask Sarah Jessica Parker…she would agree!

Schmidt’s Sausage Haus is a German restaurant in German Village…go figure….the highlights of this gem are their Pretzel Nuggets, the Buffet which offers up a variety of Bahama Mama's, Bratwurst, German potato salad, etc. and then my personal favorite…the JUMBO cream puff!
 
Tommy’s Pizza…hand’s down…best in town!

La Chatelaine-bring on the baguettes, mac-and cheese and quiche!
You haven’t had good old fashioned comfort food until you eat at an Amish Restaurant. 

Another place we hit up was Thurman’s Cafe. This restaurant was on a food show that Joe watched and evidently all of Columbus saw the same program because we waited about an hour just to sit!Chris, David and Brian are excited to chow down on their massive burgers.


 
And this ladies and gentleman is The Thurmanator…2 12 oz patties, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, ham, mushrooms, grilled onions, and who knows what else. And Brian is just the man to attempt this eating feat! The rest of us had more normal sized burgers.
Joe can’t eat as much as he once could so he didn’t order it but it was a historical moment that he wanted to be a part of!
 
There you have it…a clean plate…and no puking incurred! He swore he wouldn’t eat the rest of the day but it was Christmas Eve and he had a family dinner to go to later that night. Hahahaha
Ok, enough about eating….

Somehow when I pictured being pregnant it never occurred to me that I would be bigger than Joe. Well, joke’s on me:)
 
Taking family pics are often painful and everyone is goofing around so it is impossible to get a picture where we all look normal. Please see Exhibit A.

This is a little better
 
Mom likes this picture because it makes her look small:) Joe doesn’t like this picture because he is puffing out his chest. I like it because I’m not in it!!
 
Joe and Delaney on Christmas. They are best buds! She was so excited to get her very own Nintendo DS-I and she was showing off her gaming skills! They took a break to both look cute for this pic though! 
Delaney, Susan and Jordan all smiles after opening presents at Grandma and Grandpa’s!  
Delaney is so excited for “Baby Joe” to arrive:)
My mom and sister threw me my very first baby shower! It was so fun and my Aunt Linda was gracious enough to host it at her beautiful home!! As a side note…I didn’t realize how uncomfortable I must look at times with this blossoming belly of mine.

No event would be complete without Smith Girls!! Kathleen is like a 2nd mom to me and Gina like a sister! We have tried in so many ways to make our families officially related…maybe this next generation of babies will do the trick! I’m so glad they could make it to my shower! I can’t wait to use the Buy Buy Baby gift card they gave me!

My cute cousins-in-law, Jenn and Lydia and Aunt Linda! Jenn makes adorable bows and jewelry (sorellafashions.com). Pregnancy has made me crazy for hair accessories so I of course had to purchase a few!! Good thing I’m not having a little girl or I would have cleared out her inventory!
My Aunt Susan aka Tah, her daughter Delaney and my Grandma! Weird to think that by me having this baby that will make them a Great Aunt and Great Grandma. They have always spoiled me…still do actually so this will be one lucky baby:) Delaney might have to share some refrigerator space at Grandma and Grandpa’s but I’m sure she won’t mind:)

Me and Emily who hardly EVER get to see each other but when we do it is like no time has changed! Love her to pieces!!!

One of my best friends from High School, Andrea and her little mini me!!! Sadly I am horrible at keeping in touch, and she is rarely on FB (my main source of connectiveness), but it was so fun to catch up for a little bit! Someday when I go to Ohio again we’ll try to get some real visiting in! Crazy to think that I will be traveling with a little one soon…

And yes I took this of myself and I am posting it because it is the ONLY picture where I don’t have a double chin. Please tell me that double chins go away after the baby is born. Or do I just live in a fantasy land where I am never bigger than my hubby and I magically get skinnier after the baby is born. Crap! I think I know the answer to that.