Month: December 2014

After seeing the Nutcracker the kids have been obsessed with ballerinas. This is the dance show they put on this week, complete with a 30 second intermission in the middle and a couple of lift moves (ignore the fact that my living room looks like a bomb went off!). Nick was the concert master and selected the lovely background music.

Gingerbread Houses

Viewing Christmas lights

At the Nutcracker

We had our first annual neighborhood Holiday Cookie Exchange this year. The kids were unsupervised while they decorated their cookies. I had imagined they would make cute little gingerbread cookies, but these are the masterpieces they turned out instead. It’s safe to say that we are completely cleared out of frosting, sprinkles and candy now.

The kids saw Santa this weekend. They were both very brave. Nick asked Santa for a watch and a grande half caff (as in a coffee from Starbucks) and Kate asked for a wizard. Santa looked a bit stumped at that, but we’ll see what he can pull off!

Within 24 hours of being home (after our 14 hour drive) we had unpacked, done the laundry, gotten a tree and decorated for Christmas. Phew…now it’s time to kick back in front of the fire.

We’ve been to lots of zoos this year, but the Tucson zoo is still my favorite. Just the right size, plus they have baby elephants and giraffe feedings! Can’t get much better.

We rounded out the week with Thanksgiving in Tucson where the littles got to meet their cousin, baby Mason! Kate was particularly enamored. We had fun making gingerbread houses, going on a treasure hunt, having an unbirthday party, making and eating a delicious Thanksgiving feast, and just relaxing and having fun with the Williams clan. We are so thankful to get to have gotten to spend the week with so much family!

Cuties on a carousel…

Did I mention Nick learned how to ride a bike?

Day 1, with an escort

Day 2, solo!

We spent the first half of our trip in Phoenix with great grandma Dot, Aunt Jan and Uncle Gary, and got a surprise guest appearance from Uncle Coleman and Aunt Sheeva too! While we were in Phoenix Nick learned how to ride a bike and dive to the bottom of the pool and Kate learned not to step on scorpions!