Christmas 2016

I can't believe Christmas has already come and gone!  This year we had a relatively mild Christmas schedule so we were really able to enjoy and relax this Christmas season.  

This picture was taken right before the girls sang at church for their Christmas concert.

 On December 17 we celebrated Christmas with the Loscutoff's.  Every year we host Dedushka, Grammalene, Peter and Megan at our house for presents, food and company.  We love everyone gathering together to celebrate Christmas and family.

All of the Loscutoff's (minus Walter and Robyn)

We love Dedushka and Grammalene!

Present time!

 Maggie was so excited to receive an American Girl television for her 1950's doll, Maryellen.  Kate received a tepee for her new Native American doll, Kaya (not pictured).

Family Picture!

We always have to do a silly family picture too.

Making cookies for Santa

It is serious business!

Frosting the cookies takes a lot of concentration!

Oh Kate...you are too goofy! 

Christmas morning!  We started opening presents around 7:00am despite Kate waking up at 5:30!  There was just too much excitement to sleep!

Kate was thrilled to receive her Kaya doll she has been begging for.  She also received a doll car (that can drive around 2 dolls at a time) and lots of art supplies.

Maggie opened up several gifts including this plush cat with kittens, a gold locket and a color-changing horse. 

We gave the girls a karaoke machine too.  This has proven to be a very fun gift for the whole family with hours of belting out songs!

Maggie's hair has been colored with special hair chalk that washes out with a bath.  It is fun coloring strips of her hair various colors of the rainbow.  I also put special hair bead in her hair and her new horse's hair. 

Decorating Jeasus' birthday cake 

Karaoke at Gramma and Papa's!  Auntie Sarah, Chloe and Andrew serenaded us.

Of course Kaya had to join us at Gramm and Papa's house.

So did Maryellen (in her new Christmas outfit)

Papa and Gramma got into the karaoke too.!

We had a fun time with Gramma, Papa and family!  We love you!!!

It was a very Merry Christmas filled with lots of wonderful moments (most with karaoke).  Now it is time to rest for 2 weeks before school starts again!

Kate's Piano Recital #2

Kate's Piano Recital #1

Holiday Happenings

I apologize that it has taken me nearly a month for a new blog post.  We are in full-swing of the holiday season which means we are extra busy with Christmas activities, decorating, shopping, etc.  I finally have a moment to off load some our pictures from the past month and put them together in a blog post.

To start off with, sometime in November the girls had a random day off from school due to a teacher work day.  We took advantage of this vacation day and visited the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield.  It was a really fun time with my girls!

After the Jelly Belly Factory, we headed to Nut Tree (in Vacaville) to ride the carousel and eat some ice cream at Fentons...yummy!

Christmas Time!!!

Two days after Thanksgiving we got our Christmas tree...a beautiful Noble Fir.

Kate and Maggie LOVE hanging all the ornaments on the tree.  You can tell where Maggie has placed her ornaments since they are always in a clump, right at her height.

After the tree was all decorated, the girls started to decorate gingerbread houses.  Thankfully you can find really nice kits at Michael's craft store that come with all the gingerbread, frosting and candy.  

Kate's village

 Maggie's house

The girls also put together these Christmas foam kits (also from Michael's)

We are all ready for Christmas!!!

Pier 39: San Francisco

On Saturday we headed to San Francisco to get the full Pier 39 experience.  Gramma treated cousin Chloe, Kate, Maggie and me to a beautiful day in the city as a way to end Camp Gramma with a bang.  (Even though summer ended long ago, this was the first available Saturday that worked with all our busy schedules.)

We headed to the 2-story carousel first.  The girls darted to the second level to get the best view in the house.

Happy cousins!

The weather was the best I have ever seen in San Francisco...warm, sunny and high-60's.

The girls LOVED the musical stairs.  Piano notes would play as they ran up and down the stairs to create "music".

After exploring the shops around Pier 39, enjoying a delicious lunch, and experiencing a 7-D thrill ride, we headed on over to take a cruise around the bay.

Cutie Kate

Gotta love the sea lions!

Beautiful view of the city.

Golden Gate Bridge 

Wind blown!

Awestruck! 

Chloe and Gramma 

Sweet Maggie

Alcatraz

Seagulls kept flying over the boat in hopes to score a snack.

We saw this HUGE cargo ship off in the distance as we went under the Golden Gate Bridge.  By the time we were getting close to docking, the cargo ship had surpassed us.  The speed and size of the ship was breathtaking!

It was such the "picture perfect" day in the bay area.  Despite the crazy crowds and traffic we had a blast and felt very pampered by Gramma.  Thanks for the wonderful day, Gramma!