Willie Wonka!

This was quite a production! Not what I was expecting for a 5th/6th grade elementary school musical. These kids were great! The program was almost a full hour and a half of non-stop acting, singing and dancing. Sami was Veruca Salt (snotty girl) and Michaela got to be a squirrel in the Nut Room. It was fun because Sam was able to interact a bit with her sis on stage. :) So after three performances and the final one being last night, I think the let down happened today. Sami has the acting bug. The two things I never, ever have to get on Sami about are going to soccer practice or drama practice. Anyhow, my parents came from Arizona and Brian's dad and stepmom came down from Modesto to see her. I think she made us all very proud!

Christmas at the Cabin!

What a fabulous Christmas! My parents rented a cabin in Shaver Lake (about 1 hour from Fresno in the Sierra Moutains) and it snowed, snowed, snowed! I don't think the girls have actually ever had a white Christmas. We drove in on Christmas eve with my parents (a few mis-adventures on the way, including a wrong turn and getting stuck in the snow) and dad and Brian spent about 2 hours shoveling snow for a place to park -- side note: I think every picture I have of Brian is of shoveling snow or working outside. Mom and Dad brought a tree and we decorated it. Steph, Joel and boys (now 18, 16 & 12) joined us Christmas morning. It snowed all throughout the day. We probably had 1-2 feet of fresh snow. It really was perfect. We spent four nights up there, with Christy & Todd joining us on the last night.

The kids had NO clue as to how much work it was to get there (packing our food in, bringing all the gifts, tree, linens, snowclothes, etc) and it was bunches of work for the adults, but it was worth it! We have a wealth of memories, including daddy's sled run from the top of the cabin to the bottom, which was great fun (I even have a few bruises which serve to remind me that I am in my 40's, not my teens!)! Here are a few pictures from our Winter Wonderland.