Dinner at the Yacht Club

We went to dinner tonight at the Dana Point Yacht Club, and while we were there, the boat Christmas lights parade was going on!

This was the best year ever! We go every year with the Wards, and it is always a terrific, but this year the boats were better than ever. It was a really warm night (72 degrees at 8pm!) and so I think a lot of boats that don't normally go out must have gone out!

Thank you Mike and Sue for inviting us! What special memories we always make at the club!
Uncle Mike is looking AMAZING! He is so much better than he was even 10 days ago. His chemo is over for a few weeks... so he has just started being able to eat again. He went a few weeks without eating at all, and we were so worried about him. But tonight he had his first meal in over 3 weeks! Congratulations uncle Mike. We love you so much!

It is so fun to hae babies the same age. Savvy and Izzy LOVE playing together. They are so cute.
What a FUN FUN FUN night!

White Elephant....

I have amazing friends. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.
Tonight we had our "traditional" white elephant dinner party. We had the Collins, the Wards, the Bostrom, the Conley and the Johnson families all together. This was our first year to have kids come. I really enjoyed watching the younger kids laugh and play together. Ally, Anderloo and Miss Bianca are so cute with our kids. They really are perfect aunties and uncles for my kids.

Bill cooked a yummy ham, and we had lots of other great food. My favorite was the baked bree with phyllo, sundried tomatoes and pesto. It was the first time I have ever made it and YUMMMY! (Thanks Audra Bollard for teaching that fun cooking class last month!)

While eating our cheesecake dessert we thought of my mom and dad and how much we missed them tonight. They are usually a big part of this evening. We are all so thrilled with where they are though.

Guesstures - I love a group who plays games!
We had so much fun tonight!
Thanks everyone,

Dear Santa,

What I want for Christmas...

Brighton
*Bey Blades

Cole
*Diego Skateboard (Good Luck Santa! There is no such thing! I have searched everywhere and talked to the experts. This is something he has wanted since September and he tells Santa and me the same thing every time. He sees Diego riding a skateboard on the cartoon and that is his dream skateboard. It is a cartoon! They don't make a Diego skateboard.)
*Disney/Pixar Shake and Go Race Track (This is the other thing he has been really interested in. Unfortunately, it is sold out everywhere! Seriously... best of luck to you Santa!)


Savannah
*Stinkykid Skye Dolly
Mommy, for 12 years I have wanted another baby for Christmas. I am so happy and content! I have everything I have wanted! Thanks Santa!!!

Daddy
New Headlights for the Black Widow
(Again, best of luck to you Santa!)

BLING!

My favorite thing this month has been to bling up my baby! Dressing her up like a Christmas Ornament every day is so much fun!

Believe... Wishes Do Come True!


Thank you Auntie Karen Hill, Alicia and everyone else for all the fantastic hand me down clothes!!

Stairs... check!

Mom and Dad,
Savvy loves your stairs. She is having so much fun learning to go up! She can't come down yet... mainly because she is so cute, that one of her big brothers always comes to help her before she has to try it on her own.



This look right here is Classic Savvy. This is her, "oh yeah, I am doing it my way!" look.
I am so lucky to be a mom! I love my little girl!!!

Cookies!

What a fun new tradition! These are Bill's cookies.... Seriously! Amazing!
Mine were more like blobs...
Here is the plate we give to their Papa. Mine are the bottom 3 blobs. Yes,not my talent. I wish I could say I ate my 5 best cookies, but in reality, I ate the 5 worst. :) YIKES!




We spent last Saturday at a really fun cookie decorating party with the Bostroms. It was really fun to relax, enjoy decorate and EAT!!! I ate so many cookies! They were DELICIOUS! Julie's mom makes homeade cookies and frosting. We all had so much fun decorating! We will definately make this a new family holiday event!

Thanks Julie, Craig, Ally and Anderloo... we love your family so much, and it was great to have a substitute grammy and papa while ours are in Africa!

To 3 Amazing Women... Thank You,

This time of year really makes me think about the gifts we give.

Thank you mommies Octavia, Christina and Annette. You gave us such an amazing gift when you blessed our lives with your love.

We think of you often, and we talk of you with love, respect and ultimate love. You made the choice to give your child a life of love, family and joy.

We love you.

Sparkling Magic Holiday Nights!!!

Our little family has some wonderful family traditions, that are only found here in our little area of the world.

South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island are two GORGEOUS malls in our area. They are both about 10 minutes from our house. They each have a HUGE Christmas Tree and they put on a FANTASTIC CELEBRATION when they do their tree lighting. It is so much fun.

They both do a professional holiday show with full stage, sound, lighting, snow machines and performers.


We dress up warm and festive and go and enjoy the shows every year. South Coast Plaza is always the Thursday before Thanksgiving, and Fashion Island is always the Friday and Saturday before Thanksgiving. That way Santa can arrive at the show, and be there for the day after Thanksgiving at the mall. South Coast Plaza is in the Park at the bottom of the huge bridge connecting South Coast Plaza and the OC Performing Arts Plaza and the Weston Hotel. They have nice seating for about 1,000 people, and they do free hot apple cider, cookies, santa hats and gift bags for EVERYONE!!!! It is AWESOME. They also definitely have the best show of the two.

The Fashion Island show is also wonderful, but just not quite as amazing as South Coast Plaza's. You bring your own chairs or blankets, and sit on the lawn in front of Bloomingdales.

We do a picnic dinner for both shows. For the South Coast show, I go at noon and put blankets on our chairs to save our seats. I always save a full row in case we can talk friends in to joining us that night!!! We have have the second row every year! (They front row is reserved for VIP's) We go to Fasion Island at 3pm and put up our chairs and lay out two blankets, again, just in case any friends will come and join us later that night! Then we walk around and enjoy the holiday lights. Until the show. I think both shows start at 6pm. South Coast has pre show entertainment from 6-7, then their "real show" as Brighton calls it starts at 7.

Whew!!! That is all the details, but I am really hoping to talk some friends in to coming and joining us next year!!! It is really our favorite of all of our Christmas traditions!

Thanks Tiffany, Brooklyn and Houston for coming to play with us at South Coast this year. Everyone else, you totally missed out! Plan on it for next year! I promise it is WORTH IT!

Shamrocks and Leprachans!

My best St. Patrick's Day ever!























Having a 5 year old around for the holidays is the greatest joy in the world! Brighton is ALL ABOUT the holidays! He has learned the meaning and the traditions
and he thinks any excuse to pinch people is super great!

































Those sneaky leprachans