Christmas Day, 2016

Time hopped in his race car and has zoomed near to finish line of the year 2016! Christmas this year was quiet but wonderful with just the four of us this year. The girls, Howie and I enjoyed our day opening gifts, playing gifts and eating breakfast and dinner together. We had a very blessed 2nd Christmas in Virginia together!

The Nutcracker!

As a little girl I took ballet and tap for two years before my mom and I moved away from Memphis to Livingston, Tennessee. My parents had remarried each other and we were beginning life as a family again. My parents divorced again two years later and my mom and I moved back to Memphis. I could not, however, continue ballet lessons because it just wasn't in the budget.

 I suppose many of the things that we wish we could have done as a child we somehow want to give to our own children. I did enroll both of my girls in ballet and other dance lessons when they were the age of 3.

 Both enjoyed dance as I had as a child, but I always told them if they wanted to stop dance, they could. Emma-Caroline ended her dance lessons while we were still in Knoxville after she had danced for 7 years. At that point she just wasn't enjoying it any more and so it was a good decision.

 Sophie, took a year off from dance when we moved here to Virginia but wanted to take it back up again this year.

 The studio where Sophie dance puts on two productions a year instead of just one large performance at the end of the year.

 At Christmas, Sophie participated as a "Royal Baker" in her studio's presentation of "The Nutcracker."

 The performance took place at the historic Wayne Theater in Waynesboro, Virginia which is not far from Crozet.

 Sophie and the entire studio did and amazing job!

We are so proud of Sophie and her hard work in ballet!

Pippin Hill

We are very blessed to live in such a beautiful part of the country here in Virginia. There are countless wineries and breweries and cideries all around us nestled in the Shenandoah Mountains and valley. One of my favorites is Pippin Hill. Over the Thanksgiving break, we took my Dad and Pam and Kelly and Leif to Pippin Hill for an early afternoon lunch and wine tasting. It was a delightful way to spend our Friday instead of being in the mess of Black Friday shopping.

Thanksgiving Day

My Dad and Pam arrived the Sunday before Thanksgiving allowing our family to have a wonderful visit leading up to and after the day of the feast of giving thanks. I ordered our meal from Whole Foods this year and really feel it is the way to go in having a Thanksgiving feast. Don't get me wrong, I do love to prepare meals for my family, but the Whole Foods experience is quite delightful and super delicious too. And most important, it allows the cook to be able to enjoy her family instead of spinning a bunch of pots and pans around on her head all day ;-). Our day consisted of watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the dog show, eating our wonderful dinner, talking, laughing, playing games, eating dessert, watching football and movies and thoroughly enjoying each other. I hope that all of our friends and family had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day as well. This kind of day is what I feel is what "Thanksgiving" is all about.

Fall Decor

One of my favorite things to do is to decorate our home for the different seasons. When I was a little girl, my bonus mom, Pam would  always graciously ask me to set the table at dinner time. She would allow me to pick out the plates, placemats,  napkins and napkin rings as well to decorate the table to my heart's content. I LOVED this special "job" and would take my time picking out just the right set of table decor for the evening's dinner. I still love this special job and may even bogart the responsibility at times from my own two girls ;-). This year for Thanksgiving, we will be hosting my dad and Pam as well as my sister Kelly and brother-in-law, Leif. I am thrilled they are coming which is always another excuse to gussy up the house and table for guests.

Halloween 2016

Halloween 2016 was a sun-filled day here in central Virginia that turned into a lovely evening filled with all things that go bump in the night.

 The girls dressed up this year as "The Mad Hatter" and a "Bubble Gum Machine."

I sat on the front porch as my altar ego "Veronica Witch" handing out candy to over 600 kids (no joke!)

It was a great night and now we still have too much candy!

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch!

On Sunday our family set off to Chiles Peach Orchard for our second annual trip to their pumpkin patch. Located only one mile from our home, Chiles also has apple orchards, strawberry patches, sunflower and zinnia rows and of course pumpkins to pick seasonally. There are a plethora of pumpkins ripe for the picking directly from their vines. We feel very blessed to have such a treasure in our own backyard!

 The girls found a rather large pumpkin that only Howie could lift!

 Searching for the perfect pumpkin . . .

 She found this one and leaned down just like this. No posing on my part. I can't believe how grown up Emma-Caroline is becoming!

 Posing with Daddy with a more moderate sized pumpkin.