Week-plus In Review

Anyone noticed that I'm having trouble keeping up here on the blog?

Here's a photo from last week, when Violet had Skippy visiting us for the week. She was begging for a haircut, because she doesn't like dealing with tangles (and she overhears me and Cora fussing about Cora's hair length and brushing frequency).

So, as a treat, we got a couple of inches taken off. Skippy approved. Daddy didn't, really, but the hair will grow back...

This week we had our final Mom2Mom meeting of 2014. We had a nice full room of laughing ladies, especially while we played this Christmas Carol guessing game.

The girls have been very busy making and wrapping presents for each other, and the rest of the family. Their giving hearts are a blessing to see, and they've had such fun, hiding behind chairs and blankets in their present-wrapping areas.

Most of Violet's gifts are from the playroom, things she's found that she thinks we'll like. She's gone through rolls of tape in her wrapping (and her card-making, as you see above).

Cora has a much better understanding this year about the joy of giving gifts to family and friends, and has been eager to earn more money so she has more to spend on those she loves. (Though, on the other hand, she's also threatened each of us with "no presents!" when she's mad at us!)

Chris came over one afternoon to serve as Cora's wrapping assistant.



On Friday morning, I learned from my friend Morgan that a cake shop was offering buy one, get one small cakes, PLUS free cakes for a year to the first 50 in line. I hurried over, and after waiting a half hour or so, received one of the last certificates! Very exciting for us - we'll get one small bundt cake each month in 2015. 

 While in line, I overheard that the Egg Plantation was offering a $25 gift card to those who bought an entree (and were already in the fan club). I found the email on Stace's little-used Yahoo account, and guess where the girls and I had lunch?

Wakefield Wonders

On Saturday evening, JT, Jim and the children came up for a visit. Dinner and chatting were a nice break for Stace, who worked on putting together the front yard irrigation system all day.

 

 JT was eager to show Jim, Callie and Jonah the yuletide wonders of Wakefield Court. Since it was a Saturday evening, we joined with hundreds (thousands?) of others in walking the gorgeously decorated double cul-de-sac.

Every other home seemed to be hosting a party out front, with bon fires, live music and even St. Nick himself.

(Jonah, at the tender age of 2, was a little nervous about joining the girls at Santa's knee. And Cora, who has learned the truth about Father Christmas, has been a good sport about keeping up appearance for her friends who still believe.)

 Really, I've been to Wakefield countless times over the last decade (or more?), and I look forward to it every year. It's always a great way to get into the spirit of the magic of Christmas.

Thanks to JT for all these photos!

Magical Christmas Party

 Stacey's work didn't throw a Christmas party this year, but never fear! Grandma's employer, Magic Mountain, offered a fantastic night for employees and their families, complete with food, drinks, snow, kiddie rides, crafts and pictures with Santa.

We were advised to bring gloves, but we forgot. The girls were tough, though. They threw snow/ice balls at each other with their bare hands.

(This was the outfit Violet chose for school and an after-school playdate. She loves to be pretty, and festive!)








After Stace's long week at work, it was a lot of fun to just play together.

Cora and Violet both loved the little pony rides.

They are both so stinkin' photogenic!

While I waited in line for our FREE funnel cakes, including the delicious chocolate peppermint version, Grandma took the girls on some rides in Bugs Bunny World. Such fun they had!

Thanks, Mom, for an amazing night together. We hope Six Flags continues this tradition every year!

 Six Flags is calling this event "Holiday in the Park," and they have really stepped up their game this year. The park was beautifully decorated, with lots of twinkling lights. Here, Cora and I are under a canopy of blue lights.

 The area leading up to Santa and Mrs. Claus (who normally is played by my Mom) was wintrified, with fake snow and "ice" sculptures of animals.

Soap-snow was falling every so often, adding to the wintry illusion. Cora had a ball with that.

Christmas is coming!

 Daddy got the tree out and put together Monday night, much to the delight of the girls.

Cora and Violet decorated it together, with hardly any parental assistance.









Cora took the lead, and Violet was the willing helper (who preferred sticking two ornaments on one branch, whenever possible).

Then, since it was Dec. 1, it was Advent Calendar time! Thanks to Nan and Pop for sending the yummy chocolates and other assorted goodies!

 Spencer and Seb were happy to see the tree back up; it makes a great plaything, full of fun toys for them.

Lazy Dog evening

 It was high time for another family dinner with Juliana, Daryl, Maya and Natalia. But with Thanksgiving just two days before, no one felt like cooking.

It seemed the perfect time to use one of the $100 Lazy Dog gift cards I'd won at Stephanie's Hope boutique two weeks before, and enjoy a great meal out together.

The only thing that might have made it better would have been having Melanie as our server, but she'd worked a lunch shift.

On another weekend, a nice lunch out would have worked, but on this particular weekend, Stace was working like a dog himself,  trenching our yard for a new irrigation system.

He cleaned himself up very nicely, and enjoyed his well-earned dinner.

It was nice to walk around the Patios area of the mall after dinner, as Juliana and Daryl hadn't seen all the shops open.

Juliana and I did a little Christmas shopping while the dads watched the children play at the outdoor play area.

 The meal also served as a mini pre-birthday celebration for Juliana, who has her special day this next week. I'm so thankful for this dear friend!

Since we had a gift card, we enjoyed some starters and a dessert, the salted caramel creme brulee. YUM.

On a sidenote, it's delightful being at the stage where meals out in restaurants are easy with the girls! Their kids' menu activities and coloring areas kept them happy until their food arrived.

Thanksgiving Week

To start off our November break right, we had a couple of Cora's friends over on Monday morning for a playdate.

After Violet went to school, twins Samantha and Riley came over to play. The three girls, classmates this year, have been friendly in class and hoping for a playdate.

They made loom band bracelets and painted, and after lunch, we went up on the hill for a little hike. It was a beautiful fall day.

On Wednesday, Violet's preschool presented some cute Thanksgiving songs.












Violet was one of the loudest, most animated singers.

 

On Thursday, we headed over to my parents' home for the Thanksgiving meal. We had a lovely time together, and a lot of delicious food.

For Stace, it was a chance to rest after two days of hard work, with several more days of hard labor to come. The new pathway project has meant hours of intense physical labor, with a lot of digging and chopping.

Weekend Update

This month, as the holiday season gets going, our church is raising money for three good causes - the local homeless shelter, orphans in Haiti, and a humanitarian/missions group in Sierra Leone.

As we prepare to spend money on gifts and celebrating, we were all challenged last week to bring in funds for those who need them more.

We explained the idea to Cora, and she took it on. She really wanted to raise $10 herself, by doing chores and selling things.We were so proud to see her heart so soft toward those less fortunate.

On Saturday, Cora helped Stace as we ready our yard for a big concrete pathway project.





He paid her, and when that money was combined with her chore money and money she made selling books, she just reached her goal. Great job, Cora!

(And, great job, Real Life Church! We hoped to pull together $150,000, to split into thirds to share with those three groups. We ended up raising more than $200,000!)

On Sunday evening, we went to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese, where Cora learned the joys of Ski Ball.











Violet, Liana and Allison (the birthday girl, and a Pioneer Clubs friend) loved watching the video game that feels like you're on a roller coaster. Over and over they did it, screaming with laughter each time.

Allison's party favors were "build your own Olaf" kits, with marshmallows, pretzels and chocolate chips.

Cute and yummy!

Week In Review

Violet continues to enjoy doing her "homework" when Stacey works with Cora on hers. She still loves to sound out words and write things down.  

Cora's class this week invited the parents in for an hour to work on a math activity with the students. Part of the new "common core" style of teaching/learning, the activity involved using a pretend restaurant menu to create a bill totaling various dollar amounts. 

It happened to fall on a day I was already volunteering in class, so that was handy. I love being a part of these types of things, watching her learn and interact with her friends.

On Friday, Violet had school, but Cora was off. After taking Violet in, we went over to visit Benny and Jake.

Cora and I took Jake on a walk up the street to access the hill in front of my parents' house. It was a gorgeous morning, and I knew she'd love it.

Later on Friday, Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Mel took the girls to Disneyland. Here, they are decorating a Christmas cookie in the Big Thunder Ranch area.

Meanwhile, I cleaned the house and went through Violet's clothing.

After Stacey came home, we went out for dinner and then to the Repertory Theater to watch a Sherlock Holmes play. It was great fun, and of course so nice to have an evening date.

The Park and Puppy

This school week for Cora was shortened, so the teachers could have conferences with the parents, and so the students could start their Thanksgiving week off one day early.

So, Thursday was a half-day instead of Friday, and we headed to the park for lunch with friends.

Now that the weather has cooled off nicely, lunch at the park after school has become a weekly thing for us and a lot of Cora's classmates.

As for our conference with Dr. Porter, she spoke glowingly of our Cora, who is doing very well in all subject matters. Dr. Porter was surprised to hear that our strong-willed girl gives us any trouble at home, as she is an angel in class.

Since Cora loves reading so much, Dr. Porter gave us a lot of book suggestions, even a number of classics that I might not have thought Cora was ready for.










Later that afternoon, JT came up with Callie and Jonah, while Jim was at work (on the night shift).

 We went over to Grandma and Grandpa's house to spend some time with our new family member, Benny, the 9-week-old Golden Retriever.

 Children and puppies - they go together like a horse and carriage. Cora loves dogs, and now she has two to love on.

Stace and I are very happy to visit Benny, too. He's cute, our girls can play with him, and he's not living in our house, chewing on our things.

At nine years old, Jake has accepted his new friend with grace and warmth.