Christmas Traditions

We love to sent Christmas cards to our distant family and friends.  Just in case this didn't come in the mail, you can enjoy our card here!  

 Eleanor and I have enjoyed going to the Nutcracker together every year since she was about 5.  This year we checked out a different local production of it in Loveland.  It was great - and we were able to sit super-close to the front. 

 Katie has been enjoying all the fun of Christmas - epecially our daily Christmas book tradition and all the music.  Her favorite song of the year is Santa Baby and I just can't get enough of her rendition. 

We hope your Christmas is meaningful and lovely!

Giving Thanks

We headed out to Utah for Thanksgiving break.  Eleanor was out of school all week, so we figured we might as well take the whole week off!  Monday we hit lots of our favorite places: The Distribution Center, Cafe Rio, Orson Gygi and a special backstage tour of the local high school musical. 

You never know when you might need a long-handled tablespoon or this awesome #10 can size of Libby's Pumpkin, which we couldn't resist.  Yum.

Then, things took an unexpected turn. Gavin started having some horrible pain Monday night, so we went to the ER and discovered he needed his Gallbladder out. So, Gav and I spent Tuesday checking out the local hospital cuisine (well, I did) and recovering from gallbladder surgery!  Not what we planned for our vacation.

 It was a blessing to have all our family around for that turn of events.  Gavin got a blessing from his dad, his mom bailed me out with food and support just when I needed it, and we had lots of help with the girls.  Including hair do's - I've never managed to get Katie to hold still long enough for that! What awesome aunts they have.  Thanks Megan and Shannon!

 Luckily, everything went smoothly for Gavin's recovery and he was even up to eating some turkey by Thanksgiving.  We enjoyed being with both of our families and seeing my Grandma Virgin from Idaho. 

 Most of our fun plans for the week got put on the backburner, but we did make it to the brand new Museum of Natural History with the Paynes.  The girls loved all the cool dinosaur skeletons and especially "digging" for dinosaur bones. 

We're getting a little weary of surprises when we travel, so Christmas is at our house this year!