The Priest Periodical

Some Strickland Videos

2010-08-10T20:45:00.002-04:00

Here are some of our latest and greatest in the world of Strickland. We've got everything from rolling over, to jumping around, to eating for the first time. Lots of milestones and firsts. We are loving every minute!

Let the eating begin! from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

Roll Baby Roll! from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

Jump up Jump up and Get Down! from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

Strickland and his favorite book

2010-07-27T13:55:00.002-04:00

Stricklands enjoys having books read to him and he already seems to have a few favorites. Enjoy!

He loves to read! from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

More Florida Pics

2010-07-22T07:58:00.001-04:00

Cousin Walt and Strickland

Sleeping at the river

Introducing the little guy to the cold Rainbow River

Florida Vacation

2010-07-22T07:56:00.001-04:00

We took our first roadtrip with the little guy to Florida earlier this month. We traveled back to Williston, FL to visit Ed's family. We spent lots of time swimming at the Blue Run and introducing the little guy to the cold, spring fed water. We saw lots of family and enjoyed unplugging for a week. All in all, it was a successful trip. What usually takes about 8 hours to drive only took 12 hours with the stops for feeding the little one. For the most part, he slept the whole way. We couldn't have been happier. Next up, a trip to Texas. That will require an airplane ride which makes me nervous.

Taking a bath in his new pool.

Lou and Brandy hanging out.

Hamming it up for the family.

Lazy Summer Days

2010-06-23T14:20:00.000-04:00

No major updates from the Priest household. We've been enjoying having Ed home and the lazy days of summer. The little guy continues to grow like a weed. Here are some snapshots from the last few days.

Strickland's Feet

2010-06-23T13:32:00.001-04:00

Strickland has successfully discovered his feet. As you can tell from the video, we are very proud of this little milestone. Enjoy!

Finding His Feet from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

Strickland's 2 Months Old!

2010-06-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

Where did the time go? My baby boy is already 2 months old. We went to the doctor this week for his well baby check up. He weighs 12 lbs and is 23 inches long. Clearly my breastmilk is doing something right. This is his 2 month picture. They always said they grow fast but I'm just starting to believe it.

Bath Time

2010-05-30T12:08:00.000-04:00

Strickland loves taking a bath. He still can't really sit up on his own so I had to juggle bathing him and holding him up for the camera. But as you can tell from his little eyes, he's enjoying his bath. He is content to sit in the tub for as long as I'll let him.

Time to Eat

2010-05-27T13:29:00.000-04:00

We enjoy our time feeding the little guy. It's always comical given that he grunts throughout the entire process. Here are a few snaps of his post feeding coma.

Chilling with Strickland

2010-04-28T11:33:00.000-04:00

Just hanging out from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

A Week of Firsts

2010-04-28T09:41:00.002-04:00

This is our first week home alone. Meme has gone home. Daddy is back to work. The little guy and I are learning how to live and juggle feedings and life together. I must say that it's harder than it looks. I never dreamed mom's had such a busy schedule. I'm not sure where my days go but they definitely go somewhere.

In other firsts, Strickland is now able to focus on his mobil above his crib as well as various toys strategically placed on his car seat, bouncer, and swing. It's cool to see him gain more control of his eyes.

He is sleeping fairly well. He goes about 3 hours during the night. We can't complain although we are still adjusting to the lack of sleep.

Ed and I are loving having him here finally. He really is a good baby so we can't complain. Enjoy the pics of our last couple of days. I'm working on trying to get more pictures of him awake but it's hard to do.

Some Strickland Videos

2010-04-21T17:18:00.001-04:00

Strickland's Stretching from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

Strickland's First Bath from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

Welcome to the world Strickland!

2010-04-21T16:49:00.002-04:00

What a difference two weeks makes. We welcomed our latest addition to the family two weeks ago - Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 at 2:19 a.m. Strickland Campbell Priest was one month early. He is a healthy little boy weighing in at 6 lbs. 3 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. He spent a week in the NICU as he had fluid on his lungs followed by jaundice. But he is home now and is growing like a little weed. He eats every 2-3 hours and sleeps in between. This week he has been more awake and alert which has been fun. Ed and I were definitely surprised with his arrival a month early. But we are adjusting to our new life and loving every minute of it. He is truly a blessing and we are so thankful to be his parents. We can't wait to introduce him to our extended family and friends in the coming weeks.

Jodykae's first poopie diaper...ever.

2010-04-13T22:16:00.001-04:00

First Poop from Edward Priest on Vimeo.

Catching Up

2010-03-30T20:29:00.003-04:00

Here are some pictures of our last few weeks. We have been busy getting ready for the little guy's arrival. I can't believe we're only 35 days away. Ahhhhh..... We spent the last few days working in the nursery. I've included a pic of the current state of the nursery. It's a work in progress but thanks to Mom, we're MUCH closer to having it completed. The little basketball belly pics are me at 34 weeks. And finally, here is our latest purchase - our new furniture. We went shopping for a rocking chair for the nursery and Ed bought new living furniture. I didn't even have the energy to protest so here we are.

We are very excited to meet our little man. But at the same time, I feel like we have so much to do. Can we say nesting?

Never thought I would love the word "Average" so much!

2010-03-17T08:52:00.002-04:00

We had another ultrasound this week and the word of the day was "average". I have to say that I have never been so happy to hear that word. Peanut has dropped from being in the 95th percentile for his weight to the 60th. This is music to my ears. The doctor said that there are no concerns at this time, that everything looks fine, and that we can plan initially for a natural birth. This is exciting because up to this point all we have been told is that he's a big baby. So to say the least, Ed and I left the doctor's office in great spirits and looking forward to the arrival of our little man in just a few weeks. Where does the time go?

I'm heading up to DC this week for my last round of classes before the baby's born. I'm looking forward to wrapping this class thing up. Then mom is coming in to help finish up the nursery. Then it's a baby shower. And then it's a baby! Lots of exciting things coming in the next few weeks.

Thank you for sharing this exciting time with us. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Growing Like a Weed

2010-03-11T21:46:00.002-05:00

We have officially hit the 32 week mark. And true to all the textbook definitions of the third trimester, we are growing like a weed. We can now see the little guy move in my tummy, causing my entire tummy to shake and move with him. We go to the doctor again on Monday for another ultrasound. They continue to track his growth to determine his delivery date (or window as it is now). So stay tuned for Monday's news.

As for me, I am still feeling good. Although the past few days have been rough as my feet are now hurting. They aren't necessarily swollen, rather just painful. So this has been a fun experience as no shoes seem to comfort them. Ed is getting more and more excited the closer it gets. He was a very good student at our birthing classes last weekend. He said that when April arrives, he is going to install all of the car seat bases. To say the least, I think he's excited to meet his little guy in a few short weeks. We just can't believe that it's almost been 9 months already. Crazy how time flies.

The Best Picture Yet

2010-02-15T16:50:00.002-05:00

Today was our 29 week ultrasound. Since Peanut has gotten bigger, it was harder to pick out some things (since there's less room in the tummy) and easier to pick out others. Nevertheless, we got our best snapshot of the little guy yet. As you can see below, we got a perfect picture of him yawning. It was the cutest thing. Not only was he yawning but he kept rubbing his eyes. Amazing how much they develop in just a few weeks. You should be able to pick out his nose below with his mouth wide open. Ed was so excited he was squealing in the ultrasound room.

The doctor said that things are looking great. Peanut is still growing and much to my dismay, he is measuring about a week and a half bigger than he should be. To give you an idea - the normal weight for this week is about 2 lbs. Peanut is weighing 3 lbs 7 oz. The doctor said he isn't worried and there is no cause for concern. But we are going to have another ultrasound in 4 weeks to see what we're looking at for a delivery. At this point, we can plan for a delivery anytime from April 25th to May 4th. So mark your calendars. My only response to the doctor was "Please don't let me have a 15 lb. baby. I want to walk again."

Feet, Hands, and a Big Ole Head

2010-02-09T21:21:00.004-05:00

Since we last posted, our little guy has gotten notably stronger. The story of the day these days is which body part he's trying to shove through my belly. Generally, it's either his head or a foot. I'm convinced both are going to be big by the feel of them. We go to the doctor on Monday for our next ultrasound. We are looking forward to seeing just how much he's grown. We'll post more info after our appointment on Monday. In the meantime, enjoy the updated pictures of my growing little basketball.

This is our 28 week picture. I'm trying to remind myself to take pictures every 2 weeks at this point.

The Nursery and Hiccups

2010-01-31T21:09:00.002-05:00

Here are some pics of our labor this weekend. Ed especially enjoyed the big belly pic on top of the ladder from down the hallway. I'm always surprised when I look at some of the pictures on the camera. We still have lots to do in the nursery but the hardest part is over (I think).

In other news, Peanut has truly developed the hiccups. He had them a few weeks ago and since then, they have been sporadic. As of the last few days though, he has had them everyday and even multiple times a day. It's quite entertaining at first but after about 30 minutes of hiccups, it gets a bit old.

Today marks 27 weeks! I can't believe it. Have a good week everyone.

Are we really already at 26 weeks?

2010-01-27T09:58:00.003-05:00

I absolutely can't believe we are already at 26 weeks! Ed and I realized yesterday that we haven't taken belly pictures since week 23. We need to start keeping up with this a little better. As you can tell, the belly is a little bigger. I have chosen a spot on my lower pelvic area as my guide to how big the belly is getting. It gets a little harder to see my little spot each week so I know the belly is growing some each week. Not sure what I'm going to do when I can't see the spot anymore. Guess I'll move on to my feet as my guide.

In other news, we go to the doctor next week for our sugar test. Then we have our next ultrasound shortly thereafter to get a better idea of how big the little guy is. That's what's on the horizon in the way of doctors. On the home front horizon, we are starting to paint the nursery this weekend.

Peanut is now stronger and kicking like crazy. It's really fun now because I can pick out his little foot or hand as he moves around. Over the last few days, he's been getting the hiccups. While they were fun to experience at first, I don't think they are my favorite, especially when they last for what seems like forever when I'm trying to sleep.

I'll close for now. We'll try to do better with posts and pictures in the coming weeks. Hope everyone is having a good 2010 so far.

The little man loved Christmas!

2010-01-03T20:25:00.002-05:00

The Christmas holidays have come and gone and Peanut and I are a little heavier because of it. We enjoyed lots of holiday goodies and as you can tell from the pictures, we have gotten a little bigger. Peanut is now kicking up a storm and seemed to enjoy all the holiday sweets. We timed his crazy kicking after I would eat a sugary dessert or drink. It took about 11 minutes for him to start his "Bruce Lee" antics. We have our monthly checkup this week and expect just a routine visit. We are still scheduled to have another ultrasound done at the 30 week mark (which will be in February sometime). At this ultrasound the doctor said we would have a better idea of his delivery date. If he is still in the 95th percentile for his weight, then the doctor said we may deliver early. So stay tuned.

As for the actual holidays, we had a fantastic time and enjoyed the break. Now it is full steam ahead with preparing the nursery and getting ready for our little man's arrival. We are so excited. 2010 is definitely an exciting year for us, one filled with many firsts.

Happy New Year to all our followers!

23 weeks....

20 weeks and a lot of firsts!

2009-12-17T09:06:00.003-05:00

Since we last posted two weeks ago, we have experienced a multitude of many firsts. As you can see from the picture, the belly is still growing and is definitely noticeable now. Thankfully, people are asking me if I'm pregnant now vs. looking at me like I shouldn't be eating as much as I am. I'm so glad that stage is over. Secondly, Peanut has been kicking up a storm. Ed has even been lucky enough to feel him kick a few times. Those of you who are moms understand the novelty of this experience. It's amazing how much development occurs in just one day in a baby's life.

So now we are busy debating nursery ideas, childcare options, etc. All I know is it's a good thing this is a 9 month process because now I understand how long it takes to get ready for the baby's arrival.

And the survey says....

2009-12-03T14:31:00.002-05:00

....it's a boy! Not more than 2 minutes into our ultrasound the technician says "well, it's a boy". After Ed finished doing cartwheels he asked "are you sure?". She laughed and said "yes, it's definitely a boy". As you can imagine, this made Ed's chest puff out and his response was "that's my boy!". Boys will always be boys I suppose.

The doctor's appointment went well. Apparently not only are we having a boy but we also have a big boy right now. He currently weighs 9 oz, putting him into the 95th percentile for his weight. The doctor wants to have another ultrasound at 30 weeks to see if we just caught him on a growth spurt or if he is indeed going to be a big baby. If he is still big, we may schedule a C section or induce early. The doc doesn't think I can carry a big baby to term. So we'll see.

Nevertheless, we are super excited and can't wait to start shopping for our little guy. We have already named him and can't wait to actually meet our little guy in person in a few months. His name will be Strickland Campbell Priest. We are so blessed and so thankful to share this moment with all of you.

The next major milestone

2009-11-29T21:23:00.002-05:00

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone! Ed and I are extra thankful this season as we continue preparing for the welcoming of our little Peanut. This coming Tuesday (Dec. 1st) is an extra special day for us as we will be finding out the sex of the baby. We are like two little kids waiting for Christmas to arrive. This is the best Christmas gift we could ask for. So please check back Tuesday afternoon for more updates on Peanut Priest. We are crossing another major milestone in the baby's development and we are so excited and blessed to share this with each of you.

Here are some of the latest pictures of the growing tummy. This is 18 weeks and as you can tell, the tummy is a bit more developed.

16 weeks and growing!

2009-11-20T08:38:00.003-05:00

We are now at 16 weeks and the little belly is still growing. Last week my belly went from being flat to popping out. It seemed to just pop out overnight as well. Things are going well still. We had our monthly check up yesterday and all seems on track. We are still scheduled for our gender ultrasound on Dec. 1st and we can't wait. We are so excited. Still no major side effects to date, which we are extremely thankful for. But in the past few days, I definitely think the appetite has kicked in because I feel like I'm always eating now.

We will be sure and post pictures from the next ultrasound on the afternoon of Dec. 1st. So please plan to check back soon.

Trick or Treat

2009-11-01T07:56:00.003-05:00

Lou and I enjoyed a night of candy and great friends for Halloween. She dressed up as a queen, her loop hole find for not being allowed to be a princess or fairy (her standard costume of choice). She completed her queen costume with an oversized lollipop for her wand.

Enjoying her evening with her buddies.

Looking over the loot, piece by piece.

Growing Little By Little

2009-10-20T09:20:00.003-04:00

Hi everyone. I was thinking this morning that I need to start updating this blog a bit more. Unfortunately, I can't wait until I have more ultrasound pictures because the ultrasounds are few from here on. So you'll just have to enjoy the pictures of my growing belly in the meantime.

As for updates on little Peanut, things are going well. We finished up our first trimester screenings this week and all seems on track. Thank you God for a healthy baby thus far. We are scheduled to find out the baby's gender on December 1st. So mark your calendars. Ed is still convinced it's a boy.

As for me, I am still doing well. I am so thankful for an easy pregnancy thus far. I keep thinking I'll wake up with morning sickness but nothing so far.

So enjoy the pictures of my growing little belly. Still no maternity clothes but I think some larger clothes are just around the corner. For now, I stay in pj's as much as I can.

Love to everyone!

8 weeks and no major changes

11 weeks and a little softer

12 weeks and a little bulge is starting to form

Peanut Priest - A mover and a shaker!

2009-10-13T16:30:00.003-04:00

We had our end of the first trimester appointment today and were fortunate enough to get to see our little peanut. As you can see from the pictures, our little peanut is growing very quickly.

First, a couple of exciting things from the ultrasound. The technician asked us if we were going to find out what we were having. We both said yes. She then said "well, it's still very early to tell but it looks like you're having a boy". But before we start buying blue everything (mom!), we must keep in mind that this is the time when the baby's tail is changing and by the end of the 12th week, they shouldn't have a tail any longer. So she said that there's a chance she misread the tail for the other. But I must say, Ed was beaming in the room at this point.

Second, the little peanut is a mover and a shaker already. Peanut didn't enjoy the ultrasound machine putting pressure on the belly so s/he kept moving around, away from the machine. It was quite funny. But the not so funny part was the flips s/he was doing in my belly. Those are going to be painful in a few weeks.

We are so excited. Today was definitely a special day, getting to witness the greatness of God through our little peanut. Love to all!

A profile shot of Peanut...the head is on the right and the little hands are in the air.
A picture of the hand. I'm convinced already that Peanut has Ed's fingers because they are so long.

A great profile picture....you can see Peanut's little nose perfectly. This is my favorite.

Yup...it's a Peanut!

2009-09-24T12:34:00.002-04:00

Today was our 8 week appointment and as you can see, our little peanut is growing like a weed. And much to Ed's dismay, there is only one baby inside (hooray!). I'm hoping that I'm making things up when I say that the majority of that blob looks like a head. The Priest family is known for producing babies with large heads. I'm fearful of the Priest head! Nevertheless, the doctor said that things are progressing just as they should. The baby's heart sounds good and the length is right on track. For now, we just eat, sleep, and wait. I go back to the doctor in 2 weeks for my first trimester screenings and tests. At that point, we will be able to do another ultrasound and get to see even more. As of now, our due date is May 4th. As for the pregnancy thus far, I can't complain. I haven't thrown up (knock on wood) and for the most part, am regaining some of my energy. I have been super tired but the last couple of days have been better. All in all, I am blessed for the minimal symptoms and can only hope that they continue. Stay tuned for more. Love to all!

It's a Baby!

2009-09-14T12:57:00.003-04:00

Surprise surprise! Ed and I found out a few weeks ago that the stork will be coming to visit in a few months. After the initial surprise, we are now excited and looking forward to beginning a new chapter in life. We will have our first major doctor's visit next week - our 8 week appointment. Stay tuned for more information. In thinking about the best way to share this experience with all of our closest friends and family, who don't live near us, we thought it best to document the next months through our blog. We plan to post regularly so please book mark this page and check back often as we share with you our journey in getting ready to welcome the Priest Peanut.

The trip of a lifetime!

2009-08-21T07:46:00.002-04:00

Ed and I recently took a trip to Alaska to celebrate my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. We had an amazing time! We took a cruise through the inside passage and saw everything from whales to sea lions to glaciers. We went salmon fishing and hiking. And last but not least, we ate like it was our jobs. We all know how cruises can be.

These are just a few pictures from our trip. If you would like to see more, please visit our google picasa website at: http://picasaweb.google.com/edandjody/Alaska2009?feat=directlink

My catch during our salmon fishing excursion.

Ed and I with Grandaddy and Grandmomma at their anniversary celebration.Grandaddy and I at dinner.

Ed and I lounging by the pool.

Ed and I hanging out in Vancouver waiting to board the cruise ship.

Texas meets Bar Harbor

2009-07-12T11:10:00.002-04:00

Mom and I traveled to Bar Harbor, Maine for one of my best friend's weddings. It was quite the treat - Texas meets Bar Harbor. Shortly after arriving in Maine, I called Traci (the bride) to tell her that there were real Christmas trees on the side of the road. She laughed hysterically and said "Welcome to Maine". Us Texas folk aren't used to seeing trees, much less a real Christmas tree! Mom and I also didn't plan for the cool weather (actually, I think it's the equivalent of winter weather in Texas) so we ended up being cold most of the time. But overall, we had a fantastic time and would love to return to visit someday. Traci and Scott's wedding was a fairytale wedding.

Traci and I at the salon the day before the wedding.
Scott, Traci, and I after the wedding.

Me in front of our hotel.

Me posing in the Acadia National Park. Absolutely beautiful scenery!

Standing outside the Bar Harbor Inn.

Summer's Here!

2009-06-09T11:41:00.003-04:00

Lou and I enjoyed the traditions of summer this past weekend. We played in the lake, went rafting on the boat, and ate smores around the campfire. A great weekend. Now we are looking forward to Ed coming home in a few short weeks.

Lou posing with Mr. Pat
Lou and her buddies on the raft.

Playing in the lake

Let's go have some summer fun!

A Family Weekend in Texas

2009-05-03T10:06:00.002-04:00

While Ed was away, I took some time to go to Texas for a long weekend and visit family. We played with little Jayden for the weekend. Grandmom and Grandaddy were able to come down to Corpus Christi to visit. All in all we had a great time!

Grandmom and her little buddy. He loves his Gigi.
Jayden and Poppa getting ready for bed.

The family dinner.

My little buddy

The European Whirlwind

2009-04-07T06:50:00.002-04:00

I have finally returned from two weeks of traveling for school in Europe. I had a fantastic time and experienced truly unique adventures. We traveled to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Istanbul, and Paris. Here are some snapshots from the trip. You can also always visit our google page for more pics. Enjoy!

Touring Paris by bike.

My UNC teammates

Meg (my girlfriend also in the program) and I toasting our last night in Paris

A view of the Eiffel Tower

A Girls' Weekend

2009-03-15T22:42:00.004-04:00

With Ed away, Lou and I are spending our weekends together. We had a girls' weekend this past weekend, complete with a sleep over, nail painting, and shopping. We enjoyed ourselves and can't wait for our next weekend together. She sure is special and the older she gets, the more fun she is. Crazy how that works!

The bluest eyes..... I love them!

Lou climbing the rockwall at her friend Kayla's birthday party.

Lou getting her gear on to climb the rockwall.

Lou and our neighbor's little boy having a sleep over.

Lou in her Sunday best, posing for the camera. This is becoming a regular occurence before church.

Look at that hair!!! I'm JEALOUS!

The Circus and then some

2009-02-16T00:08:00.003-05:00

Ed and I took Lou to the circus earlier this week. It was an early Valentines gift for her. She enjoyed it, especially the cotton candy. I've also included some pictures of everyday life below. Thought some of you might enjoy!

Talking on the phone to Mimi while cooking dinner
She's quite the helper in the kitchen. She likes instruction and then hands on practice, including chopping up an onion.

Wearing her circus hat while eating cotton candy.

Lou in her Sunday Best!

2009-02-08T11:17:00.005-05:00

Lou dressed in her Sunday best. We had to take pictures because she was in her new dress that Mimi gave her. And no, we didn't tell her to pose like this. This is her latest pose for the camera.

Bahamas 2009

2009-02-08T10:56:00.003-05:00

Here are some pics from Ed's and my last minute trip to the Bahamas. We decided to take a weekend and get away before he leaves for a while. We enjoyed it greatly. It was so nice to spend quality time together. Enjoy the pics!

The Winter Wonderland

2009-01-20T21:27:00.002-05:00

This is the first snow we've seen in North Carolina. We had about 3 inches total. It was so pretty this morning when I woke up. As you can see, it was still snowing quite heavily. And in true North Carolina fashion, it is supposed to be in the low 60's on Friday. Welcome to NC!!!

Birthday Parties

2009-01-20T21:13:00.004-05:00

To celebrate the birthday girls in December and January, we had a joint birthday party at the house. We had several of our closest friends over and enjoyed the evening. Lou enjoyed her cake, her friends, and all her presents. All in all, we had a great birthday celebration to which Lou exclaimed "this is the best birthday ever!".

Lou and I opening presentsJosh and Lou opening her presents.

Eating her birthday cake

Blowing out the candles

Lou and I preparing dinner for the party. She likes to wear my apron!

Our Merry Little Christmas

2009-01-04T09:59:00.002-05:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. We spent most of Christmas in West Texas visiting Grandmom and Grandad. Then we returned to North Carolina to spend the days following Christmas with Lou. While the Christmas in West Texas wasn't exactly a "White Christmas", it was filled with lots of good food (as you can see below) and great family stories. There are entirely too many pictures to post from Christmas so if you have time, you can stop by our Google Picasa page and check out the Christmas album.

Lou enjoyed her scarf from cousin Barbee.

"It's Veggie Tales". This is one of Lou's favorites!

Ed and I gave each other only "As Seen on TV" gifts. We found it quite entertaining to do a theme Christmas. And as a result, Ed got the "Ped Egg" as one of his gifts. I don't think it was his favorite. haha!

I got Ed this great t-shirt. Not sure if you can see it in this picture but it says "I love my wife". At first, he looked at me like I was crazy. But then he was brave enough to wear it around family. Go figure.
Grandaddy cooking the world's largest steaks! They were good!

Tis' the Season

2008-12-09T20:15:00.003-05:00

We have been busy over the last couple of days getting the house ready for Christmas. This is a special Christmas because it is my first Christmas with a real tree. Living in Texas growing up, we never really had real trees. So we were sure to get my first real tree this Christmas. I can honestly say that at this point, I enjoy the fake, pre-lit trees as putting lights on the real thing took much longer than expected. Meanwhile, Ed worked on the outside lights. In doing so, he has almost broken his big toe. That's right...he kicked a brick, broke it in two, and is now limping. All in a day's work in hanging Christmas lights! Here are the results of our efforts this past weekend. Hope each of you are enjoying the holiday season!

Happy Turkey Day!

2008-11-30T12:11:00.005-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! We had a great Thanksgiving with all the works. We had Mom, Larry, Fern, and Carla at our house for Thanksgiving. We cooked for what seemed like days. I successfully messed up the pecan pies but I figure if that's all I messed up, then it was a successful Thanksgiving. You can check out more of our pictures on our Google Picasa page at http://picasaweb.google.com/edandjody/Thanksgiving2008#

Larry doing what he did best all week - eating!

Fern and Ed fishing at sunset. Brotherly bonding!

The candid shots of the chefs! This is scary that Mom and I were the head chefs for the big day. Luckily, Ed cooked the turkey.
This is what turkey and a few beers does to Ed.
We scheduled an appointment for family portraits during the holiday week. This is Lou getting ready for the pictures. Stay tuned for those pictures!

The final hair product! How can a little girl have that much hair!?! I'm so jealous.
Lou roasting smores. As the afternoon progressed, her "smore mustache" grew.

The Spartans

2008-11-10T08:20:00.003-05:00

It has been brought to my attention that I failed to post a picture of my Halloween Spartan costume. Well, to those of you who actually care to see my poor choices at Halloween, here you go. By the way, Halloween is one of my least favorite holidays because we all look ridiculous the following day. Nevetheless, here is one of our NOT FINER moments. -Ed and Jody, The Spartans

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T09:58:00.005-04:00

We had a great Halloween, complete with lots of candy and great costumes. Lou was a Southern Belle. The best part was hearing her tell you she was a "Southern Belle". She can't really pronounce it so it comes out with about 6 extra syllables in "southern belle". It's hysterical. Ed and Jody were "Spartans". Ed was the Spartan off of the movie 300 and Jody was a Spartan cheerleader off of the SNL skit.

Lou getting all decked out....

The prettiest Southern Belle and pumpkin dog!
Off to trick or treat, with Biscuit leading the way.

Lou and Scooby Doo
Looking over the evening's loot....

The Spartan and his southern belle

The Priest and Poon family (our great neighbors!)

Sunsets, House Projects, and Family Time

2008-10-07T21:23:00.004-04:00

We've spent the last few days working around the house. Lou came to visit this last weekend and we had a great time. We tackled a few house projects, watched the sunset, and just hung out. It's so nice to just be sometimes.

Ed and Biscuit watching the sunset in the backyard.

Girl time! Lou painting my fingernails. The result was quite hysterical.

The oak chest we restained this weekend. Just a little house project we had to show off.

What We've Been Up To

2008-10-01T21:55:00.003-04:00

The last 2 weeks have proven to be very busy for the Priest family. Lou came to visit last weekend and we went to a neighborhood party, where she played with some of her friends. She's quite the little social butterfly. Jody has been in DC for the past 10 days attending classes for her MBA program. Ed held down the homefront back in NC. Now we're all back in NC and enjoying being together again. Lou is coming to visit this weekend and we have Halloween costume shopping on the weekend's agenda. Stay tuned!

Ed and Lou hanging out at the neighborhood bbq

Lou and Alinzia playing at the party - they are the same age.

At this point in the evening, Lou's tummy hurt because she had one too many brownies!

Lou's First Wedding

2008-09-07T21:32:00.004-04:00

We went to a wedding this weekend for one of Ed's work buddies. It was the first time Lou has been to a wedding and she loved it! She wanted to be the flower girl. She loved the bride's gown and afterwards, she was sure to tell the bride she "looked beautiful".

Lou ready for the wedding. She wore her pink dress, complete with pink shoes.

Lou and JodyKae at the reception.

Lou found a friend, Olivia. They danced all night long together.

Tropical Storm Hanna

2008-09-06T08:19:00.008-04:00

It appears we have survived Tropical Storm Hanna with little damage. It rained all through the night. The weather reports are saying we have received at least 6 inches of rain. The wind gusts were not nearly as bad as we thought they were going to be. We are thankful it was as mild as it was. We took some pics of the backyard. You'll notice in many of the pictures that the water level has risen alot. All in all, it could have been much worse so we are thankful.

We used to have a deck and a few stairs. As you can see from the picture, the water level is so high that it is even with our yard.

The water running into the backyard, over the bulk head.

The water up over the potted plants.

A New Do!

2008-09-02T17:57:00.003-04:00

After several years of the same length of hair, I took the plunge and chopped it all off. I was very nervous that Ed wouldn't like it. I chose to surprise him with it and in the end, it worked out well. He loves it! He says it's his favorite haircut. So in the end, it was a success!

The Backyard Playground

2008-09-01T19:35:00.003-04:00

Ed has worked so hard to get this playground put up in the backyard. It has finally come together and since completion, it has become the neighborhood playground. He was even sure to put the finishing touch on the playground - a Texas star! It's a great addition to our lake view and the kiddos love it!