our everyday

Everyone is having a great time in the snow. Even Coco!


















































































Avery + snow

The kids (im)patiently waited until 10:40 am (whaa??) to start opening stockings. Then lots of great gifts downstairs at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Extra great to have Grandma and Granpa Heckman in town from Florida this year.
Avery and Great Grandma Heckman



Grandpa giving a speech



 Emma with a new stack of books




















Avery is impressed





















Coco and Maude are not




















New toy

Sledding today in the snow with more falling all the time. When we arrived it was cold but nice without any wind and no one on the slope, just fresh powder for some quality sledding. The kids built a ramp and they all caught some air.
Then the wind came up, Avery got cold and tired so the gang loaded back into the van. We headed home for hot cocoa and a fire.

Headed out Saturday morning from San Diego to Elizabeth, via Flagstaff, Arizona. First significant trip in the minivan, and just for fun we brought Coco along. After 1,200+ dry miles, after we arrived Sunday night it commenced to snow. 
Packed up in the driveway at home 

Roadside luxuries

Lowering our standards for dining

Flagstaff hotel coziness. 

Sunday morning, back on the road

We love the west!

Quality coffee here

Coco was a good traveler 

Snow on Grandma and Grandpa's porch!

Fun with water, food coloring and lettuce. Avery loves learning new things at school, and sharing them with us at home. We should all be more like five year olds!

Christmas baking as ensued, as well as a great way to warm the house. It's December and we have not turned on the heater. I determined to make it to January, well we will see. Sitting in a cold house makes me a bit woeful, so until then, the oven will do the work.     Counter mess

   A great read, this book!
    The crumbs from yesterday's biscuit cinnamon rolls. Super quick, love them!
My second batch of fudge ever did not work, just as the first did not twelve or so years ago when I last tried. It is like cooking a turkey and baking a pie. If I am to call myself a proper housewife, then I best be able to pull off a batch of fudge.  I am determined to get it right. Sadie said of the fudge," I can feel every grain of sugar." Exactly.

Mushrooms and the kid who can't eat enough, except mushrooms. She won't touch them.

December 7 is later than usual for us, but we got it done!

With miss Avery. 

Alpha friends party and concert! Interestingly, the 26 alpha songs were not sung in alphabetical order. 

Seriously a lot of rain.