Happy New Year!

We rang in the new year at home, like we always do. Laina got dress up in a fancy dress and we celebrated with champagne (for mommy & daddy) and sparkling grape juice (for Laina) which Laina did not care for at all! It's hard to believe another year has come and gone and that next year our baby will turn 6 and enter the 1st grade. Amazing! Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas! We had a fun filled and very relaxing Christmas day. Grampy spent the weekend with us. It was our first Christmas without Grammy which strange and sad for me, but Laina had a wonderful day filled with lots of fun gifts from people who love her a lot!

Christmas Eve

I love our Christmas Eve traditions. We attend 4pm church, we always light luminaria so that Santa and the reindeer can find our house, we leave cookies and milk out for Santa, we spread reindeer food outside, this year we adopted a new tradition from the Arvisais' which is to watch the Grinch, we read Twas the Night and we track Santa on Norad. I hope when Laina is grown up she looks back on these days as fun, loving family days. I love the memories we are creating.

Principal Award

So proud of this gal! Laina earned a button from her principal for her great behavior at school.

Christmas Dance Show

Laina performed in her first dance Christmas show this year. Although she's been dancing since age 2, the Christmas show is only open to dancers age 5 and up so she's never been able to participate until this year. This performance was bittersweet. Laina lost her very best friend Ellie to a courageous battle with cancer in October. Laina and Ellie have danced together since age 2 and losing Ellie was very very hard for Laina. This year's Christmas show was dedicated to Ellie and Laina's class (which was also Ellie's class) did a beautiful dance for their friend Ellie. Ellie's family was there and it was a very emotional day for all of us. My girl did a beautiful job up on stage, as always. We miss and love you little Eleanor Clare. You will never be forgotten.

Laina Globetrotter!

Basketball season has begun! Laina still likes to shoot underhand but she's making lots of baskets and having a great time.

Dinner With Steph!

Steph came over for dinner which was so wonderful. We haven't been able to get together for a while and it was such a treat to spend some time with her. I love watching she and Laina together.

Oh Christmas Tree!

Our biggest, most beautiful tree ever! Oh how we love him! Just beautiful. And we had a wonderful time decorating him. Sweet family memories.