Time for Traditions

It was no surprise when Daddy searched through the Christmas boxes looking for the cookie items. Cookie making is a tradition stemming from his family and continued in ours. We search for new yummy recipes and do our best to try them all. This years favorites were the Chocolate Chocolate Chunk cookies topped with candy cane crumbles!!

Mommy, however got a wonderful early Christmas surprise from Adalie. A beautiful (and extremely delicate - lesson learned from Josiah's Kinder year!) hand made ornament. She could not stand the anticipation a moment longer and so we opened up this precious gift a few days early. I have loved sitting under our tree and admiring the many memories it holds on its branches. From 1st Christmases and 1st hand prints to trips travelled around the world. And now, a new memory from Adalie's 1st year of school is added!

Last Day

The last day of school in 2010!! A day filled with pajamas, gingerbread houses, Papa and Grammy helpers, pinatas, playtime, stories, music and sugar, sugar, sugar!!

(Josiah - Mrs. Durrell's 2/3 combo class, Adalie - Mrs. G's Kindergarten class)

Christmas Program

It was time again for the North Fork Christmas Program. Mrs. Florey had worked for many weeks with the kiddos and they were excited. Amma took them dress shopping so they could look their Christmassy best!!

Josiah, with 3 years under her belt was a veteran of these programs. She was looking forward to a fun evening with her girlfriends. As well as, showing Daddy the songs she had been practicing and teaching to Adalie all week.

Adalie had several reasons to be excited. First, Grammy and Papa were coming to watch. Second, it was her very first year to be in the Christmas Program. Third, even though she was not quite the shortest Kindergartner, she got to be the last one in line because Mrs. Florey wanted her to take the responsibility of leading everyone off stage.... a big job I tell you! And last but not least, she got to be a jingle bell ringer!!

Oh JOY!!

13 Years

A fun little getaway weekend for just the 2 of us!! A little cabin in the mountains, lots of trails to explore, and a best friend to be with......

Thank you, I am grateful beyond measure!!

North Fork Christmas Parade

Although not exactly like your traditional Christmas parades, it is a parade none the less and therefore not to be missed.

We Tried

We tried to get a smaller tree this year..... but for some reason the trees look so small on the lot. It isn't until you get them home and measure them to the ceiling that you realize you have brought home yet another 18 foot tree.... ooops!

Oh well, how often are we going to be able to decorate our Christmas Tree with a ladder and hanging out the loft???

There is something so fun about decorating the Christmas tree...... using all 4 of us to drag it inside, trying to stand it upright, putting the 10 strings of lights on, digging through the Christmas treasure boxes, unwrapping the memories in every ornament, sitting down and admiring your work with a cup of hot chocolate and a cookie (of course).....

Magic Kingdom

What makes the Magical Kingdom so magical?

For us.... it is seeing the smile plastered across Amma's face on every ride. It is seeing the eyes of our children light up at every corner. It is riding the carousel despite your age. It is watching their hands raise in the air on the roller coasters. It is seeing their absolute delight in It's a Small World. It is anticipating the lights coming on at the castle. It is letting yourself believe in fairy tales. It's picking out a Minnie Mouse for your sister that you know she will just love because she has been quietly spying it all day and tucking it into her vest while she is sleeping. It is riding the fastest roller coaster in the world 6 times in a row and loving it! It is getting to share a day of smiles with our family.