Post Christmas Highlights

Okay.  Since Christmas, we've had some good fun.

Enjoying new movies in my new argyle snuggie (courtesy of my sister and brother-in-law) - and fresh popcorn with our hot air popcorn maker.  Aside: best popcorn in the world.  Why is it SOOO much better than the microwave kind?

We've also been Just Dancin' all over the place.  Unfortunately for you - and fortunately for me - there aren't any pictures of me playing Just Dance 2...but here are some of our good friends enjoying the game, while I enjoyed laughing on the side.  You truly can't get the full affect of these photos because you can't see the outrageously quick movements surrounding them - but it was priceless, but hopefully you'll enjoy them (and the quick video).  Next time, we'll bust out the new video camera and film the whole thing (thanks to my mom and dad for the camera who have enabled us to be good/annoying parents who can film all of the important things in Chum's life...and annoy our friends).

Just Dance 2 - Hey Ya!

If I had to write reviews on these games (and Toy Story Mania) - I'd give them 5 Stars, 2 Thumbs Up, or Loud High Fives...whichever resonates best with you.  There was also Glee Karaoke.  Winner winner chicken dinner!!!

We've also been eating mass quantities of fresh popcorn and watching movies in my new pink & grey argyle snuggie (compliments of my awesome sister and brother-in-law).

Christmas is fun...but playing post Christmas has been pretty fun too.  Now to clean it all up...

Christmas Highlights

Christmas was awesome this year - kind of scattered, but great.

Here are some highlights:

 Our niece LOVED her gifts - even in unconditional ways.

It didn't bother her that her dad was sleeping on the floor - or him for that matter.

My husband is ridiculously creative, thoughtful, AND generous.  He beat up and wrapped his old phone to let me know I get to get a new one.

Rob's sister and brother-in-law gave him a Nerf gun for Christmas.  We've already lost some of the amo (which I trust I'll find behind or in the couch in 3-5 years).  We're still working through the "ground rules" for use in the house.  However annoying, this Nerf gun is sick (and by sick I mean awesome).   The little Nerf amo shooty things stick to anything!  From across the room they stuck to the curtains...and I can personally confirm that they even stick to clothes, which is almost impressive enough to forgive having been shot.


All in all, Christmas was a beautiful time to reflect on our Savior's birth and celebrate with family.  We are truly blessed!

Time Flies!

Wow, time does fly!  We're at 15 weeks and Chum is the size of a navel orange (which I, personally, think is super appropriate for Christmas).

We scheduled the anatomy appointment to find out the gender and to evaluate Chum's development more closely...so that'll be exciting and will take place at the end of January.  Be expecting a gender poll in the next couple of weeks.

Christmas was wonderful!  I'll post pictures and details soon - but hope you had a wonderful celebration with family and friends (and continue to celebrate all week long)!!!

Raindrops on Roses...

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,
Bright cooper kettles and warm woolen mittens...

Great song.  Great  musical.
In no way is this a Christmas song.  So who thought it would make a good addition to their Christmas album?  And why are radio stations (aka 97.1 WASH FM "Your Home for the Holidays") playing this as a Christmas song?

It's ridiculous.  Better than the Christmas shoe song, but ridiculous nonetheless.

BIG DAY!

Yesterday (Tuesday, December 21st) was a BIG DAY for me.

First:  I wore maternity clothes for the FIRST TIME!  It was kind of great feeling pregnant and not just fat.  I made Rob take a picture (which proved harder than one would think because Rob thought this was the funniest game ever).

In case you couldn't tell - I'm saying "Ho Ho Ho" in the second picture and pretending Chum is my Santa belly.

Second (and WAY MORE IMPORTANT):  My sister gave birth to our first nephew yesterday!  Grant Stephen Garn was born yesterday afternoon to Steve and Elizabeth - and excited sister Kaitlin.  Welcome Grant!  We've been waiting a long time to meet you!  I'm sure pictures will follow or will be readily accessible on facebook.

Ugly Sweater Party

For our annual RBC Christmas Party, this year we had an "optional" Ugly Christmas Sweater competition.  Rob and I took this pretty seriously - but after several trips to various thrift stores (and a couple prototypes/sweater options), we called in the big guns.

Some friends of ours regularly have Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties fairly regularly (and a collection of sweaters around...just in case).  So we borrowed some sweaters from them and made up our outfits.  Literally, when they dropped off the bag of sweaters there was a note attached, reading, "Mama Babs (that's my mom).  This is from Debs Smith.  She said, 'I added tights and hats, because I think tights really complete an outfit.'"

Though neither Rob nor I won any of the prizes for our ugly sweaters...and yes, I think the prizes were totally rigged, here is a picture of us in our sweaters.  What you can't see is that my sweater was super long and almost mosaic-like.  You really had to stand far away to catch the full image, but it was picture of a horse drawing a carriage with two people in it.  Unfortunately, the people don't have faces like normal people, but rather are stark white circles with two black dots for eyes.  When you actually looked at the picture, it appeared as though little ghost children were riding in the horse drawn carriage.  Sorry the pictures are so small!  Hopefully you'll get an idea of how ridiculous we looked!

Chum - 14 Weeks

Chum is a lemon this week.  I went to the website to confirm the fruit of the week and saw this picture:

By identifying a fruit of the week that represents Chum's size/growth - I have found myself associating it more as a fruit than a person.  Hence some of the excitement from last week when Chum looked like a little person, waved at us, and we could make out basic facial features...like it's giant forehead.  But to be honest, this picture of how Chum is supposed to look right now creeps me out and I would rather think of it as a lemon than this little cartoon alien.  To be fair, I love our child and am sure it's beautiful as it grows (and will continue to grow more beautiful), even if right now it's a little alien that only a mother could love.  And I do.

For those of you who are also creeped out by the cartoon version of Chum, here's the lemon.

Cherry Candy Canes

Okay.  Cherry Candy Canes are about a zillion times better than the regular candy canes...but why have they been so hard to find this year?  I've seen Spree and Gobstopper Candy Canes out the wazoo (I mean, what is up with that - Spree Candy Canes?), but only today at trusty Giant, could I find Bob's Cherry Candy Canes.  Not even Walmart or Target had them!

Now it's really Christmas.

Unusual Weekend

This past weekend, I spent in Williamsburg at a marketing conference.

What a weekend!  Basic premise: my mom was invited to the Williamsburg Lodge (and I was her "and Guest") because we are looking for new facilities for retreats/conferences.  Williamsburg would LOVE for us to bring them the business, so as the event planners at work, they wanted us to come down and see all that Williamsburg can offer to us...wining and dining us all the while.

I quickly learned that I didn't appreciate being the "and Guest."  The sales people didn't harass me like they did the real guests, but they also didn't give me the time of day.  Literally, some of the sales reps didn't look at me while in conversation...apparently thinking I was there for the free food (which wasn't entirely wrong)...but it still got old.  And I actually work in hospitality and have some (however low) level of influence about the destinations we use.  Stupid people.
Though I complain, the weekend was great and tons of fun.


Here are some highlights:

1. Nancy - Nancy was the first friend we met at the conference.  Nancy is an older woman - boisterous and a little nuts.  We met Nancy while getting our complimentary spa treatments.  She chatted with us and asked all about us, and when we asked about what she was doing in Williamsburg (before realizing that she was attending the same conference we were), she forgot why she was there.  She was one of these super funny old ladies who talks to everyone, dances, and is the life of the party wherever she goes.  From our manicures on, Nancy became a somewhat of a BFF and we chatted at each meal and event.  Everybody knew Nancy!

2. Surprises - A Fife and Drum Corp walked us to Friday's dinner, Thomas Jefferson welcomed us at Saturday's breakfast, and Christmas Carolers sang to us after Saturday's dinner!

3. Presents - Waiting in the room for us both evenings...Williamsburg stuff, Champaign, and chocolate covered strawberries decorated as Revolutionary soldiers.  Who doesn't like presents?

4. From Bar to Tavern to Pub - Apparently the main difference between the "religious" conference we attended in October and this one: the abundance of alcohol.  On Friday for dinner, we met at a reception to walk to dinner together.  You guessed it - the booze was flowing at the open bar reception.  Then we went to dinner.  Yup, open menu and bar.  Then we went to another tavern/pub, for drinks.  With the bun in the oven, I basically laughed at the drunk people who seemed to take advantage of the all-expenses-paid mini-vacation.
At Saturday's dinner, we started at the cocktail reception, moved to dinner - with wine selected for each course, and back to the dessert and cordial reception.  The "spirit" was light.

5. Magician - After Friday's dinner, we were enticed into going to another tavern because we were told there was an awesome magician who would be in attendance.  Keep in mind, we're in Colonial Williamsburg where all the staff is in costume/character and everything is authentically colonial.  We couldn't miss the colonial magician.  As far as magicians go, he wasn't great.  But he did make some colonial jokes and to a trick with a potato.  I was hoping he would levitate or turn Nancy into a pumpkin or something - but she thought he was the best magician she'd ever seen.

6. 2 Hour Walking Tour - Saturday.  Yeah, there were a lot of places to see.  All very beautiful.  All very expensive.

7. Eating - So much that I felt like I should be rolled home.  People did gaze with judging glances as I kept going well after they stopped (apparently displaying a moderate amount of self-control that I guess I lack).  My idea of a good time.

Again, weird.  But a good weekend.

13 Weeks

So we're 13 weeks and Chum is the size of a peach!  I'm definitely hitting the point where I can clearly tell that there's a peach sitting on my bladder and my stomach is continuing to expand (particularly after a big meal, I look pregnant).

Rob and I went to the doctors this morning and were surprised to get another ultrasound - and everything looks good.  Chum is growing and looking like a baby rather than a blob, with a beautifully strong heartbeat.  It was flailing it's arms around and we were able to see it's hands and fingers!  And in true DeGroot form, it wasn't facing the right direction and was being moderately uncooperative again with getting its picture taken...but Chum was better this time than the last.

We're hoping the huge forehead balances out - but it was a emotional experience to see our baby waving at us from in my belly.  So far, everything continues to look good and healthy!

12 Weeks

Well, we're finally at 12 weeks and almost out of the first trimester!  Chum is the size of a plum this week (which I don't LOVE as much as last week, when it was a lime - but is still cooler than the shrimp or leek week in the fruit/baby size comparison).

We head back to the doctors in another week, but I've been feeling well...though ravenously hungry and tired.  I hope the tired goes away.  It's getting old.  

The hungry - I don't mind so much.  I eat basically whatever I want when I'm hungry and don't feel bad about it.  I like savoring that feeling and satisfying my (never-ending) hunger.  Totally works for me and I'm milking it!

Thanksgiving

"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, 
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."
Psalm 95:2

Thanksgiving this year was a wonderful celebration with friends and family - including all of the traditional elements, and a few new additions.  Turkey, mashed potatoes, pie...and soup.  We're petitioning to my parents to start a new holiday called "Soup Day" after this year's Thanksgiving, when after having a fabulous traditional turkey dinner with the in-laws, we had varieties of soup at my parent's house.  It was the perfect balance of holiday food!

Then we slept little, shopped a lot, and decorated like crazy for Christmas (because clearly, Thanksgiving is partially the celebration of the beginning of the Christmas season).

But sincerely, it is a blessing to have a day set aside to remember to be thankful.  We are a blessed society - and a blessed people.  Me more than most - so, here are some things I'm thankful for, and desire to remember to be thankful for...because we truly are blessed.

1. My Family - all of them...
2. My Husband - though under the umbrella of #1, he gets his own category.  Rob is the best and I learn more each day how privileged I am that he is choosing to spend his life with me.
3. Friends - like family, those kindred spirits who choose you to do life together.
4. My Country - freedom, democracy, capitalism, and those who fight to maintain our country which was built on biblical principles for the glory of the Lord.
5. Jobs - the ability to work and find satisfaction in doing something valuable
6. My Home - a place to call our own - which God clearly provided for us almost a year ago - is truly something to be thankful for.
7. Food - it's the best and I love it.
8. Silliness/Fun - we have been created to be unnecessarily fun and have humors reflecting the Lord Himself (just look at the duck-billed platypus) - pretty legit!
9. Sleep - as a particular source of joy for me, and the reminder of our daily dependence on God.

and most importantly...
10. Christ Himself - the source of all things that we have been given.  The provider of all things, Christ is our Savior, who put aside the privileges of His deity to come to earth, live a sinless life, and die on our behalf...exchanging His perfection for our imperfection, so that we might be eligible for eternal life with Him through faith in His sacrifice.  I will never fully understand, but remain overwhelmingly thankful.

Chum.

Found out VERY recently that "chum" is chopped up fish thrown in an ocean - which I had heard before, but thought was a joke.

I feel like I should've googled that one.

Big News.

Well, we feel like we should officially announce that Rob and I are pregnant!

We're only 9.5 weeks, but everything looks good right now and we're basically tired of not being able to tell people.  So, at the end of June, Lord willing, we will have our first child!!!

We're calling it Chum.  On Monday, we were able to go to the doctors and see Chum through an ultrasound.  It's the size of a green olive - but (go figure), Chum was being uncooperative during and moving around during the ultrasound...so, we got a couple of pictures, but they're not the best.  Chum basically looks like a blob - but a blob that has a head, abdomen, and strong beating heart!

So, "Hello, Chum."  And don't worry - this won't be a pregnancy blog.  But we'll keep you updated with any big developments.

Country Music

In the past few months, we've been listening to a lot of country music.


Here's the epic problem with country music.  It all fits into one of three categories:

1.  Likable - catchy, fun, charming even.

2.  Obnoxious - annoying, poor grammar, offensive subject-matter, or grinding "vocals" (i.e. "I'm pretty good at drinking beer" - "Lover, Lover, Lover...you don't treat me no good no more")

3.  Sob Story - designed to either make you weep in 3.5 minutes or feel like a monster for not weeping in said 3.5 minutes (i.e. the one about the old guy who has watched his whole family die because he's outlived them.  Major buzz kill.)

Bottom line, for every great country song, there are several bad ones...but that hasn't seemed to stop me from changing the station to country, just to check what's playing, every 20 seconds as I drive anywhere.



What are your favorite country songs?

Paul McCartney

In college, I developed somewhat of a "Bucket List."  I haven't taken it very seriously - as the list itself is safely filed in an old computer that may or may not even work.
But I've just thought of something that I MUST do before I die that I should probably start actively pursuing.

I must see Paul McCartney live in concert before I die...or before he dies, for that matter.  To be honest, there's a timeframe I'm working in with this one - he may not be a Bill Cosby who still performs in his seventies (who, by the way, is still great - though getting a little forgetful).

A friend of mine recently lent me an awesome Paul McCartney CD recorded live in New York City.  This initiated my need to see him in real life.  Unfortunately, Paul isn't performing in America anytime soon - but is twice this month in Sao Paulo (which I wish I would've known about - since we have great friends who live there...I would totally fly halfway across the world to visit friends AND see Paul).

At one point, I did tell Rob that if Paul McCartney autographed my body I would get it tattooed.  And I would.  He's the only person alive who fits in that category - so please don't worry that I'm some kind of celebrity obsessed weirdo who would permanently mark myself with someone's autograph.  But for Paul I would.

If you hear that Paul is performing in America - particularly on the East Coast - please keep me posted!

Is there anyone who's autograph you would get tattooed?

Blog Awkwardness

There's an awkwardness with blogging.  It's the whole social networking mentality that what we're thinking or have going on in our lives is so special that everyone else must want to know about it.

We struggled on the decision whether or not to blog for this very reason: do people really want to know what's going on in our lives, or is that super arrogant?

Basically, we came to the conclusion that we'll throw it out there, and it's up to you to read or not to read.
We're no more exciting or interesting than anyone else.  But everyone blogs, and with friends and family all over the country (and world), we'll do our best to keep you updated on our life...and as the reader, you choose what to do with it.  Hopefully we won't come across as though we think we're somehow particularly interesting, but that we'd like to stay connected with the world.  Just take it with a grain (or several grains) of salt.

Blog Titles

Okay.  So, Rob and I decided to start a blog.


We quickly found out, there's a tremendous amount of pressure in coming up with a blog title.


Some people have the gift of coming up with creative titles for books and movies that don't exist, but would be funny if they did.  I do not have that gift.  While I have zero credibility on the subject-matter, it seems as though it's relatively easy to think of blog entries, capturing your own thoughts and experiences.  But coming up with a name to define the compilation of thoughts and experiences...giant pain in the buttocks.


From our brainstorming, here were our top contenders for blog titles...but ones we ultimately rejected:

• DeGrooters - Too simple.  And pointed.
• A Day In 'D' Life - My personal favorite, because of the Beatle connection with the "D" incorporated.  Rob said it's been done.  He's right.
• Rooty Tooty Fresh and DeGrooty - Another winner, but long.  And, we didn't want to be the Tooty DeGrootys.  Not how we want to be thought of.
• D's Days - Again with the "D", but think Jamaican accent.
• DeGroot Salute - We're not really saluting anything.  It just rhymes.

Eventually, Rob thought of "Hello, Chum."


When we were at the beach a couple of years ago, as we walked from the beach to the beach house, a nice normal looking family passed by on bikes.  They were the really cute nuclear family with little tennis outfits and visors, biking together on their family vacation.  As they came toward us on their bikes, the young son cheerfully yelled (yes, in a scary old man Brisith accent - think pirate) "Hellllloooo, Chum!"  
It was funny - and the kid's parents looked super embarrassed, as though their crazy British pirate kid had lost his little mind right then and there.  


Lacking the social graces we needed, our whole family burst out laughing - loudly - at the chum kid.  Since then, we have had a great affinity for this expression and that particular memory.


Seems fitting for a blog title - a cordial greeting to all of our chums who are graciously spending their valuable time reading the compilation of our thoughts and experiences.