Lindsay's Nutcracker Performance

On Saturday we watched Lindsay perform in the Y's version of the classic Christmas ballet, the Nutcracker! Although the show was super informal, you can tell the students had a blast and really got into their parts. There were several pieces chosen from the ballet, Lindsay was in the Snowflake group, and there were Gingerbread Dolls as well as the Spanish and Arabian dances. The best part was all the kids were pre-school age... talk about adorable!!  

 

Daddy and Madison waiting for it to begin...

We got to the gym 25 minutes early, thinking we would find a seat... boy were we wrong! It was sweet seeing all the parents and family supporting their little ballerinas. We did find a nice place on the floor in front.

 Making her entrance...

Her little class made their "snowflakes" they used as props with popsicle sticks and cute snowflake stickers. She was so proud! The white tutus and headbands were from the Y's show a few years back.

Making a snow angel.

Concentrating hard on her dance.

At the end, Daddy and Madison got Lindsay red and white flowers. Maddie was so cute handing her big sis the flowers...

Precious girl

Here you go, Sissy!

Daddy and Lindsay

Here's the video... *Warning* It is super long.. I apologize for the shaky camera, Maddie was climbing on my lap when I was trying to video it! The first video is of her entrance (1 minute), the second is of her actual dance (4 minutes) ... Enjoy!

A few video highlights:
*Lindsay had some moments where she was really feeling the music and doing what she has done since she could walk...dance!!
*There was a little girl to the right that was frozen in fear, bless her heart. I didn't catch it, but I think the teacher had to pick her up at one point after she took off her tutu, and the crowd giggled.
*Lindsay cracked me up when she laid on the floor with her legs in the air.. so lady-like..lol.
*My favorite part is the ending... she was so proud. Love the curtsy and huge smile!
*You can hear Maddie through the video jabbering away... love that sweet talker!

Great job Lulu!! We are so proud of you!!

Holiday Fun with Friends

The girls and I have been busy this month having fun with our friends celebrating Christmas! Here are a few highlights...

 

 We decorated gingerbread houses with our friends from Lindsay's ballet class...

Friends Ellen, Charlotte and Lulu

The girls had so much fun decorating their graham cracker houses.

Sneaky taste taster...

 

So proud of her creation!!

Madison's house is to the left: Boy that girl is fast... she ate just about everything I put on there!! Lindsay's house is to the right, and her candy of choice to decorate with were the spice drops! 

Last week we went to a PJ's and Pajama Christmas brunch at our friends' Allison, Teagan and Peyton's house along with all our CBS gang of girlfriends. Can't beat coffee on a snowy day with good friends :)

Teagan and Lulu are bestie's in their tutus...

All the littles watching the movie.. they all had so much fun! Maddie I on the left in her pink tutu!

This morning the girls and I made our annual Christmas Sugar Cookies, and I had two helpers this year! Madison helped pour some sugar into the mixing bowl and Lindsay had fun cutting out shapes and decorating with frosting and sprinkles. Our friends Kristy and Lila were suppose to come over and join us like last year, but sweet Lila was sick with a cold.

Lulu was so careful and followed directions really well!

Rug Bug... Madison took a little break from cookie making.

Lindsay had fun working the mixer all by herself.

MMmmm. Madison took a bite before I could get the first picture!

Decorating her masterpiece...

A ton of cookies later...

Thankfully, most of the cookies we will bring to Lindsay's Nutcracker performance at the YWCA tomorrow... those babies are just too yummy with a cup of coffee to be laying around! ;)

Lindsay & Mommy Date

On Saturday Lindsay and I had our very first Mother-Daughter Date! I am not sure who was more excited, me or her :) We got all dolled up and went to see the Nutcracker Ballet at Rider University, put on by a local dance studio. It was not too long, and the dancers were young kids. Lindsay said, "Hey! That girl might be really big, like 7 or something!"

My beautiful date... She wanted me to curl her hair like Mommy's. 

Lindsay helped me pick out my sweater and said, "Mama, let's be matching and wear polka dots!"

Us ladies dined at the WildFlour Café, a gluten-free restaurant I have been dying to try. It is in a really cute old home on main street in Lawrenceville. Lindsay ordered us buttermilk pancakes and fruit! Yum!

Here's a picture from summertime. Imagine it covered in snow...so cozy!

It was so precious to just be near my eldest and hear her talk all about her little world. We talked about her best friends, Lila and Teagan, and how she was excited to go to preschool. I discovered her favorite colors are pink AND purple.

Felt sassy drinking her lemon water!

Here we are at the theatre, and I let her go to the box office and pick up our tickets. She proudly gave the ticket lady the money and took the tickets to give to the doorman.

"I have the golden tickets!"

(Sorry the photos are so dark, I took them with my cell phone camera that doesn't have a flash )

Inside the theatre we waited for the show to begin and she wanted to sit on my lap ;) I love my big girl, but it was just heaven that she let me snuggle while we watched the show. Her favorite dance was Waltz of the Flowers, and she even recognized the music to her own dance she will be doing on Saturday.

During intermission, we went into the lobby to get a treat and the Dew Drop Fairy was walking around. Lindsay was thrilled to get to take a picture and hug her!! Lindsay was so excited when she saw her new friend dancing on stage.

 



I love my big girl, and the beautiful little person she is becoming on the inside and outside. What a blessing it is to be her Mama and walk beside her in this sweet life!

Shadybrook Farms

On Thursday evening after work Jarrett picked us up and we went to see Shadybrook Farms in Yardley, PA. There really isn't anything like a Candy Cane Lane (as we call it in CA) where a neighborhood decks out their homes with lights here on the east coast. This year we discovered everyone goes to Shadybrook Farms to visit the Santa's Village and check out the lights! I can see why... It might be a new tradition! For our Bakersfield friends... imagine CALM's lights while driving your car (goodbye freezing cold) AND even more exciting, there is a drive-up Funnel Cake/Hot Cocoa and Dutch pretzel Stand they will bring it out to your car. Yay for warm and toasty!!

The only thing better than hot cocoa is not even having to get out of your warm car to get it ;)

Here's a few of our favorite light displays...

CBS Christmas Songs

On Wednesday was our Community Bible Study Christmas performance by the children's ministry! Lindsay and Madison were apart of it, and have been singing Christmas songs all month practicing for their 3 minutes of show ;)

"Hi Mama!!"

Here is Lulu singing, and waving to Daddy:

Beautiful big girl

 

Lindsay and her friend Teagan

Madison was her usual precious, stoic self! She was a little unsure of the audience, and froze like a deer in the headlights. Forget about shaking her maracas, she was staring at Daddy hoping he would come and rescue her!  

Here's Madison in all her seriousness: 

Precious Girl!

It is amazing how different the personalities of the girls are! Lindsay is our life-of-the-party (so Jarrett), while Madison is our gentle, serious baby (like me when I was little!)...until you get her alone and she gives Sister a run for her money ;) Love our unique, smart and beautiful little ladies!

First Snow 2013

Weee!! Snow!!

Last Sunday was our first snow of the season, and we had a blast!! It began snowing right after we got home from our church. It was our church's grand opening of its new building and relocation, and we were so thankful the snow waited until everyone got home safely :) The weatherman predicted snow, and we were questioning it until after lunch Jarrett said, "Well I don't think it's going to snow." A minute later we looked outside and tiny snowflakes were falling...lol.

Snow falling... We have zero outdoor plugs so we couldn't do lights, but we saw our neighbors had wreaths on the door and thought it looked festive and put some up too!!

Sweet Snow Bunny!

Snow tastes COLD!

My snow angel ;)

It snowed again all day on Tuesday, and we got 2-3 inches. The snow has stuck around too...burr! Forecast shows it is suppose to snow again on Saturday night! I just might get a White Christmas...