Christmas 2014

Christmas was a bit unorthodox this year with our house renovation taking place. We officially moved back in about a week before Christmas Eve. We still celebrated advent wholeheartedly and spend our post Christmas vacation relishing in our "new" house- just grateful to be together, out of our 450 square foot living space (although we were grateful for that too.)

Decorating our gingerbread village

The girls set up a "free hot cocoa stand" complete with cookies and marshmallows.

We drove around and hunted for Christmas lights. We found everything but the Grinch :)

Our Christmas tree selection was a little late... and a little hasty this year but we still found a beautiful tree to take home and decorate. In fact... it was the only thing in the house for a few days.

The 2nd grade put on a wonderful holiday performance.
Rosie and her class sang, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."

We celebrated Papa's birthday on the high seas.

The girls and I went and saw the big gingerbread display at the Ritz Carlton. We check it out every year, but this year was our favorite because there was surfing dogs. Sadie scuba dived through the exhibit.

Christmas Eve brought the Hunts and Mimi and Papa for chili and tamales before church. We had a second supper after church with friends and then settled (tried) down for a long winter's nap.

We opened opened stockings and presents and then filled up on Ron's famous bagels before heading to Mimi and Papa's for Christmas dinner and more gift opening with the family.

We left on the 27th to head to Carmel for a few day with my parents. They've been working to fix up a home there. It was the house that we lived in until I was 5 and we moved to Oakhurst. We celebrated Ron's birthday there and took a hike around Point Lobos.

Sadie's 5th Birthday

Our home renovation took a bit more time than we anticipated and we had to get creative to think about how we would celebrate Sadie's birthday this year. We let Sadie orchestrate the whole thing which might be my most favorite way to plan a party... assuming the kid wants to be involved. She picked a short list of friends from school as well as her cousins and Mimi and Papa for a park and pizza party. She wanted hot chocolate and piñata at the park and a pizza supper at our favorite Friday night haunt. Done, done and done. 

Simple is better. Always.
Sadie's favorite things about being 4:
10. Being in the Apples class with Mrs. Thompson
9. Taking trips... Bass Lake and Wisconsin
8. Favorite friends Ben, Faith, Camille, Dylann and Wiley
7. Camping with the family
6. Gymnastics and swimming in the afternoon
5. Owls with Mrs. Apin
4. Billy's dates with daddy
3. Riding bikes, playing at the park (Lobo) and going to the Hermosa Pool
2. Playing with Country Critters
1. Staying for lunch bunch after preschool

American Girl

Nana and Papa Bordeaux were in town having Thanksgiving with my parents. We planned a special lunch at the American Girl Store for Rosie and Lucy. Imagine 4 generations together for lunch.... well, 5 generations if you count Kit and Kit. It was such fun to be together. 

Wrigley Goes to School

Sadie has the most amazing preschool teacher this year. She's magical. She encouraged Sadie to bring  Wrigley in for show and tell. He was well behaved and gentle, as usual, and even performed a few tricks for Sades... mostly because she had a stash of dog treats ready. 

Best dog ever. 

Thanksgiving 2014

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Flagstaff with Ron's brothers and their families. It was a great time together. Caleb and Sierra are away at school but Rachel came home for the holiday. Juli is the only one left at home! I can't believe how fast they are all growing up. Rosie and Sadie had an amazing time playing with cousins, aunts, uncles and sled dogs :) They got their first taste of "mushing" even though there was no snow on the ground. It was such a great time. Ron and I always leave wishing that we lived closer.... especially when we're sitting in holiday traffic on the 10 wondering if we are ever going to get home. 

Before we left Rosie celebrated her feast at school as a Native American.