The Nutcracker...

Hailey, Bethany, and I joined the Warta's girls for an afternoon at the Nutcracker in Sacramento. This was Bethany's first time to see the Nutcracker. She was in awe during the whole show.

Bethany was so excited to have Ashlie home that she never let her out of her sight. Sorry Auntie Kate, you'll have her back when Ashlie leaves.

Hailey and Aunt Casey enjoyed the show together. Thank you so much Casey for organizing this event and purchasing all the tickets. We sure do appreciate you!

A great way to end our mother-daughter weekend !

The Warta girls at a glance.

It wouldn't be a true out-of-town adventure with the Warta girls without eating at Chevy's.

Girl time-just mom & me!

I surprised Hailey with a night away at Elam Biggs Bed & Breakfast in Grass Valley one week before Christmas. We had a fabulous time connecting with one another. It was a beautiful way to start our journey into the teen years.

The house was gorgeous and the fenced in yard was magical. The owners have built a miniature western town in their garden. Hailey had fun exploring the buildings.

The laundryroom was located right off the kitchen.

We could help ourselves to sodas in the fridge while we were staying in the home.

The coffee and tea buffet was stocked with the Mrs. award winning sugar cookies and a variety of teas and cocoa. Hailey was in awe at the hospitality of the home owners/inn keepers.

The collectibles and antiques made this kitchen very inviting.

Breakfast was served "family style" at 9:00 a.m. in the dining room.

Our room was located on the third floor in the home's attic. It was decorated in patriotic colors and adorned with lighted Christmas garland. Hailey's bed was a twin poster bed, but she decided it would be more fun to sleep with mom.

This is the cozy double bed which Hailey and I slept in under the lighted Christmas garland. The room was every young girls dream, but the one disadvantage of being in the attic is that it can be very stuffy.

The bathroom was just as quaint as the room with its clawfoot tub.

The rubber ducky added a child-like feel to the bathroom.
Hailey had so much fun figuring out the old typewriter displayed on the desk in our room.
It didn't take Hailey long to nestled into the rocking chair for a little reading.
We had SO much fun together! I look forward to our future mother-daughter retreats!
Shortly after arriving in Grass Valley and settling into our Bed & Breakfast, we walked downtown to the Cornish Christmas.
Hailey was not up for much shopping ,but she enjoyed "window shopping" as we walked up and down the streets.
This young alpacha was sure to draw the attention of many as it was all decked out for Christmas with it's reindeer antlers.
Even the dogs enjoyed the alpacha's company.
The young violinists stole our attention for a few minutes. Their talent was amazing! Hailey and I decieded to try a funnel cake. Maybe at another time it would have been satisfying ,but after a few bites we both agreed that it was too sweet and too heavy for our stomachs. Some things you don't know until you try. One of life's many lessons.
After meeting the other guests and enjoying a family-style breakfast together the owner showed us a few magic tricks. Let's just say, he had us all either in stitches or on the edge of our seats as we tried to figure out just how he had performed his magic.
The homeowners enjoyed hosting a house full of kids who weren't their grandkids. There was Hailey, a 2 year old girl and 2 babies under the age of 1.
Hailey was treated like a princess for a day and she loved every minute of it. Our time together was followed by an afternoon showing of the Nutcracker with the Warta girls.

Cookie exchanges with friends

Hailey and I both had the opportunity to participate in a cookie exchange with our friends. Hailey and I attended a mother-daughter cookie exchange with friends from school where we played "spoons", exchanged cookies and made dough ornaments. I was able to host a cookie exchange in our home with a few ladies from church. We traded cookies and assembled plates for our neighbors. We had a great time visiting with one another before the holiday rush.

School Christmas Fun...

Good Shepherd Nursery School Christmas Program-

Landon and Bethany were so excited about their Christmas program that morning when I dropped them off at school. I don't think they had a clue about the large crowd they were about to perform in front of.
They just love helping out in any way they can. They are so cute!

Bethany knocked my socks off by her performance. She sang her heart out...

did All the hand motions...

and kept a smile. Brian and I were so proud of her!

Brian has always been a "Big Kid" at heart. He was the only parent in the whole room sitting on the floor with the kids. Don't you know Bethany was loving every minute of it!

Bethany and Jack Vourdouris are in different classes at school, but have been good friends since birth. They were born only 10 days apart.

Bethany was so overwhelmed after the performance that getting this picture was a fight.

Enjoying some sweets with Grandma Marilyn.

5th Grade Christmas Party-

The fifth grade class made gingerbread houses at their class party. Love the smile!

The amount of food available at these class parties always amazes me. The kids eat like royalty.

Mr. Wickline had just as much fun as the kids.

Siblings rake out pretty good at the class parties, too.

Keagan is loving school this year...especially when the class store is open.

Making paper Christmas trees at the class party. Brian supervised this station. The kids just love it when Brian works in the classroom. Notice Keagan's "Christmas" shirt. Brian and I had no idea what he had on under his sweatshirt until he came home from school that day. Boys...Boys...Boys

5th grade Mission trip-

Hailey had a great opportunity to spend the day serving the less fortunate in our community.

The day started out at the Craftsmen For Christ warehouse assembling care packages.

Kids will be kids. If there is down time...they will find a way to fill it.

Friends always make work fun.

Next, we traveled to the Rescue Mission in Marysvillle for homeless men. This was definitely an eye opening experience as the kids toured the housing facility, smelled the filth, passed out scarfs which were made by students at F.C.S. and shook hands with the residents.

Then, we traveled to a residential care center for the elderly, sang Christmas Carols, and greeted the residents. Again, the kids were touched by the love and appreciation that the residents had for their visit. It was evident that many of these residents do not see visitors on a regular basis.

The day ended with a pizza feast at Primetime Pizza in Marysville.

Brian and I are so blessed to be able to participate in most of our kids' school activities. We just love being engage with the things that are important to them.