This is my wish.....

Cherry Brook puts on a holiday sign along each year and there is a kindergarten class that gets to perform - Mrs. Theriault's class is the winner!!  They are singing 'My Wish' by Jordan Sparks.  Beautiful song and I have enjoyed practicing with Drew.  Now for the big day and he WANTS to wear a tie - YES PLEASE - 

Crazy thing is, he wants to wear it OUTSIDE his sweater vest. - still cute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VnIxAZono0 

Loved attending this with my mom - gets us both to stop and enjoy the beautiful things about the holidays.

Why I love Cherry Brook Primary School and its Teachers - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxvj_sXfQI

Its not your eyes, my camera clearly lost the ability to focus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JfabbZVB7Y

Classic!

I brought the video directly home to Dan Rinkus (our intern - yes, can you believe it, Chris has an intern!!) as its him mom ringing the bells and being a 'Pear tree'!  

We loved it when Mrs. Rinkus emailed us around thanksgiving seeing if Chris would be interested in an intern over the holidays.  Her son is a Lacrosse player and studying fire protection.  He thought he wanted to be a fire fighter but changing his mind - what a great experience to see another side of fire protection and for Chris to spend a little time mentoring.  Win win!

Yes, Dan loved the video =)!  And the blue berry muffin I brought in for him - sometimes I can be such a mom....

Who said we were on a timeline?!?

Nothing says progress like a timeline....  Monday night and Tuesday night were rather late nights for us,  Chris was working the trim with Linas.....

And I was crossing my fingers that the electric lines I ran through the rooms would translate into power -

So far as good!!

Next, the furniture!

Snowy morning

Show!! Finally and LOTS of it!!  Saturday morning was the PERFECT snow day - we didn't have to go anywhere.  

Except sledding, we have to go sledding - thankfully the neighbors offered up their hill

The kiddos loved it - sledding is the BEST! backyard sport!

Just in case you were wondering what the chickens do on a snowy morning...

Or if you were curious how excited Pauli is about the snow....

C&H Christmas Party

Next up, the C&H Christmas Party at Sweet Peas in Riverton

Love hearing Chris report on what the year has brought for all of us - it will never cease to amaze me how successful these guys have made it - just them.  

A winter weekend in the life.....

ready for a little rapid fire Christmas??  Well here you go.  Lets start with grabbing Nick from his buddy Tates house with enough time for 5 minutes to grab a Christmas tree.  I have to say, the photo is better than the tree - but hey, it took 5 minutes - #done!

Why 5 minutes you say?  We we had a babysitter coming at 5:45 as we were headed to the Champagne walk!  An Evening in Collinsville and my favorite way to kick off the holiday season.  Thanks Rebecca and Asa for joining us and the great Legitimus post party!

One quick photo before Chris made me take it down - I actually like the laser lights... so did the kids...  oh well

Yes, I took out my phone ONCE to snap this traditional New England Church photo

New up - early morning swim meet and baseball game - 2 different directions!

Shane LOVEs Basketball and is clerkly too fast for my camera - in this game it scored his first basket!

And got to have a buddy over for the afternoon!

That night Nick was in our Church play - "read all about it'  He was Silly the Camel!  

Nick's first performance and he was great!

Love how simply he just joined up, learned his lines, took responsibility and preformed!  Cutest camel out there!  Love that guy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc_LEJZj6gw&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x6PhTe3mPY&feature=youtu.be

Sunday morning was back at church pop in to see my folks felines and than onto the Nutcracker in Torrington - Drew - this is exactly where you should be taking a nap =)!

Selfies while we wait to get our tickets.

I gotta admit - these 3 did AWESOME.  The ballet was AMAZING.  incredibly talented dancers - we got to see our buddy Ashley come out during the clown dance.  There was no talking (which Shane and Drew didn't quite understand. but they enjoyed the snow, the music and just being out and about. 

These 3 pictures show every bit of their individual personalities.

Delicious pizza and headed home

This guy right here held us all together all weekend long.  I may have planned the weekend but I can't hold a time hack to save my life - this guy can and its one of the reasons why it just works.

Thanks for a truly lovely Christmas weekend - did I mention we decorated the tree BEFORE church - no time for pictures as we had to run out and get more lights +)!  

A weekend away with Megan and Molly

This September Megan found out her mother has cancer - the news brought them all to their knees.  Megan's mom is her rock - having met her she is such a wonderful soul with a huge heart.  Megan has vowed to do everything she can to hold up and support her mom.  Even at the expense of herself.  Molly and I decided we wanted to go to Richmond and treat Megan to some girl time.  

Against my better judgement - we surprised her - Kerry was all in and such a helpful dad and husband.  He picked up Molly and I friday afternoon in Megan's car.  He told her he needed it to grab her christmas present...

so sweet to pull into her driveway and see her face as she tried to discern the 2 santa hats driving with her husband.  Now time for champagne at the Friday afternoon bus stop!

Special treat here - this weekend was all about megan - yet for a brief bit I got to go see Sarah Holton - awesome connection here - I knew Sarah in Germany through MOPS - I remember her moving to Chesterfield and building her home and later becoming a realtor - fast forward 4 years, she helps Megan find their current house (down the street) and THEY are buddies.  I have NEVER under estimated God's hand in all this.

Molly, Megna and I had a tremendous night out, chatting such different, deep and true topics all night - from belly laughs to honest life struggles - I loved it all.

In a home far far away.....

We took Saturday to grab brunch at Millies and a walk across the Jamestown bridge.

Twice! This suspension bridge was truly beautiful!

We wanted to take something off her plate that weekend - wether it be decorate for Christmas, help her study - something.  She chose to let us help her with her Ugly Sweeter competition - 

What do you think??  Her and Kerry wore these the following weekend.

As I look back at the weekend with all Megan has going on in life - she dropped everything and spent time with us - it was truly therapy for all!

Truth - 

Thank you Molly - as its through Megan YOU are in my life - Loved traveling together and being so very adult - conversations and all!

Holiday randomness

The week after Thanksgiving and time to begin the christmas wonderfulness - cold temps and all.  Love of the girls want to be involved - or come inside - .

My favorite Christmas list for the kiddos and us!

Because of course we have a project going on - electrical and all!

These are Campbell's Christmas ornaments given to me by my godmother Anne - I sent her this picture saying how amazing we have kept these over the years.

She wrote back including the thank you notes WE wrote over the years!!  She has me beat for sure!!

This tops the list of things I HATE to do

Another day in the life of construction - hiding pipe

Oh the Passat and how I love her.  

We bought her in Texas in 2008 and she was a luxury car to me.  I was a builder (she didn't realize that when she applied to come live with us) we bought her because she was white  - my previous car was a black Audi - and she had AC in the back seat for baby Nick.    I love this car - I remember her arriving in Germany thinking my freedom had finally returned (after weeks solo in an apartment pregnant with a dog and a cat and Nick! - she was my savior!!)  Than of course we needed a mini van and Chris needed a car.  But now with his truck - she is back with me.  We debated on selling her, but I just cant do it.  She still is my Porsche!

And this is my favorite Christmas decoration!

I tried to make a wreath, glued ornaments and all - but the heat of the storm door they kept falling off - Amusing for the kiddos, but not for me.

Thank you Home Depot for expertly constructing the perfect wreath!

DONE!