Christmas Miracle

It's one of my favorite holiday traditions.

  

The day after Thanksgiving we go up to the Empire Mine in Grass Valley, CA.

It is the oldest, largest, richest gold mine in the West!

 

It's also one of my favorite places to take photos!

I was all excited this year because I just finished Ashley Ann's Snap Shop class and I couldn't wait

 to try out my knew knowledge of photography!

BUT, I was mortified to find out that my battery was blinking and I didn't have the charger or spare!!

There was nothing I could do.

So I tried my best to get over it and take as many as I could while the battery lasted.

And guess what?  It lasted the whole day!!!

My first Christmas Miracle!

 

 The leaves were beautiful

and so were our grandparents!

 

 Then it was time for the big moment!

 

 Getting to see Santa!

Check out my post from last year where I share the story about this incredible man!

It was our 4th year seeing Santa at the mine.

 

We stepped into the Clubhouse where Santa waited to see the children.

I think my heart skipped a beat when I saw him!

I just love Santa!

 

He asked the children what they wanted for Christmas and they shyly told him their wishes.

Then his tone got more serious and asked the children,

 "why have you been fighting so much with each other?"

(How did he know?  My second Christmas Miracle!)

 

My little sensitive boy's head dropped and his smile was gone.

"Family is the most important thing and friends may come and go, but your family is with you forever.  So you need to be nice to one another and love each other.  Don't fight."

"Ok," the children quietly said.

 When we left the clubhouse my little boy still had his head bend down and he said to me,

 "I don't think we're going to get any presents this year."

I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time!

He was so sad and so remorseful!

I assured him that Santa just wants families to love each other, and we do love each other!

 

 I mean come on, do these look like kids who fight with each other?

(Thanks Santa for the little speech, it's working like a charm!!

My third Christmas Miracle!)



Anchors Away

This year Uncle Camp was quite an adventure!

San Francisco is home to the America's Cup and this summer has been filled with

races, gearing up for the big one in September.

 Day 1

We bundled up in UK's vests and headed down to the water for our introduction

 UK told us all about Schooner America - the first boat to win the America's Cup in 1851

 

 I don't blame you sister, it was FREEZING!!

 Day 2

we got to see the actual America's Cup - the oldest trophy in sports!  Pretty amazing!

It's all silver, commissioned to be made by the Queen in 18 something - maybe 1848

 The we watched as Luna Rossa, Italy's boat, raced

 

 They actually fly more than they sail!

It's incredible to see these boats come out of the water

 

 Day 3 started with an art lesson

followed by modeling their new America's Cup attire!

 

 

 We headed down to the waterfront and got to sail our own little boats!

 

 

 Then Team New Zealand came out to race Italy

 It was quite extraordinary

Thank you Uncle Kenny for an educational, adventurous time at camp!!



Easter Wrap Up

Last night I flew back home with the children.

We spent Easter and most of their Spring Break up in Northern California

with Grammie and Papa, where I grew up.

 

 

It was so nice that on Easter, ALL of my in-laws came to my parents' home for supper.

It's really special to have the whole family together. 

I'm blessed to have really lovely in-laws!

 

 

One little dude was done with photos and just wanted to get on with the egg hunt!

 

 

Our favorite Auntie came!

 

 

And our favorite Uncle Kenny was there too!

(Happy Birthday today brother!  I love you!)

 

Then finally, onto the egg hunt!

 

 

 

There's one!

 

 

Run for it!

 

 

 

Great Uncle Jim came to share some tickles and fun!

And after dinner the Easter Olympics began!

Everyone was down in the yard playing all sorts of games. 

 It was a perfect Spring day after a full night of rain.

 

 

We played a little Corn Hole!  Do you know about this game?

We're in love with the name and the game!

 



 

 

Shuffle Board - where little dude incorporated his own "shuffle"!

 

 

 

Granny and Papa watched and cheered everyone on!

 

  

 

And Ladder Toss!

 

Every time I go up North, I wish we all lived up there, closer to family.

I'm grateful that we're only a 5 hour drive or 50 minute plane ride away, but still I dream of calling my mom at 4pm and asking her and my dad to come for dinner that night!

 

April is a big birthday month for our family.  Today is my brother's birthday!  Followed by my husband, my mother in law and my girls! 

 It will be a full month of celebrating those that we love most!

Our celebrations will begin Monday with a little trip to Mexico to celebrate some major birthdays coming later this year - 40th & 70th (one is mine, can you guess which?!!)

So blogging will continue to be spotty for a few weeks as relaxing on the beach in Cabo begins and party planning takes over!  But  I'll be back on track in May with many updates, recipes, and thoughts on this beautiful life that is almost 40 years old!

 

Enjoy your family this weekend!  No matter how close or far you live from them - they are always just a phone call away!!

 



Playing Hooky

Did you every play hooky in school?

I didn't.

As a child I was pretty loyal to rules!  (some of you aren't surprised by this!)

We woke up Sunday morning an hour "late" thanks to the time change and instead of going to the second service of church, we decided to play hooky and go on an adventure.

It wasn't my idea.

And I wasn't totally in at first.

We also meet with our small group on Sunday afternoons, and an adventure would mean we'd skip that too.

My moral and loyal compass said don't do it.

But one thing I've been trying to focus on is "family first" and when my husband said,

 "I feel like we need this day as a family," I was in.

So we loaded up and drove up to Solvang which is a random Scandinavian town north of Santa Barbara.  Everything is so green right now - it's like we're in Ireland!

 

It's filled with restaurants and loads of souvenir shops and lots of bakeries!

We told the children we were going on a culinary tour of Solvang!

 

 

Our culinary delights included:

German Soft Pretzel

Sausages, Sour Kraut, Potato Pancakes & Swedish Meatballs

Ableskeivers

Swedish Butter Cookies

Eclairs

  

 

Then we walked around the mission and took a few photos.

 

 

I'm in love with this pretty girl's fangs!

 

 

And who thinks she's a super model?

 

 

Little dude had to be bribed with a jelly bean to smile for me!

 

 

We enjoyed running through the fields of green!

 

 

 

And then headed back home.

It was a glorious day!

And my husband was right, we really needed that day as a family playing hooky from our usual Sunday routine.

Have a great weekend and don't be afraid to play hooky every now and then!