New Year's Day

January 1, 2011
Crazy Daddy and Gannon welcome 2011 with a plunge in the ICE cold pool!
Good morning New Year!

Mommy and Mila

We hosted an open house today...life would have no flavor without the addition of our wonderful family & friends, both old and new. Below are a few photos that we captured throughout the day/evening...





Welcome 2011!

New Year's Eve

December 31, 2010

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan
Old Sacramento is always fun this eve - fireworks, entertainment and craze!


Sledding

December 30, 2010
Sledding at Cisco Grove...



Merry Christmas 2010!

December 25, 2010
Santa was extremely generous to Gannon and Mila this year.
Hope the big man in red was good to you too!






Merry Christmas & Happy New Year...

...from Our Family to Yours!

Merry Christmas Eve 2010

December 24, 2010

This year for Christmas Eve, I prepared a six-course meal for my family. So much work, yet so much fun! And pretty tasty if I say so myself.



Grandma Bull made the kids some BIG and heavy blankets (part of their Christmas Eve gifts)...Mila adores blankets - can't live without 'em!

And here's Grandma reading the kids the classic story - Twas the Night Before Christmas.


And before the night is through...Gannon has to sprinkle reindeer food on our lawn - for Rudolph!

Dear Santa...

December 23, 2010
Gannon insisted on writing one more letter to Santa before Christmas day. He was so sweet...wanted to make sure to tell him to travel safely and that his sister was good all year too!

Cookies

December 20, 2010
This year's cookie batch consisted of sugar (with tons of sprinkles), chocolate chip and gingerbread men. We also made and gobbled up spiced walnuts - yummy.

Nutcracker

December 19, 2010
I love, love, love the Nutcracker! There is a sense of seasonal happiness, that is hard to describe to others, I experience when I see/feel/hear this sweet ballet. I'm so happy to bring Gannon back and Mila for the first time, introducing her to a family tradition.
Mila did wonderful. We had front-row orchestra seats, so she was enthralled with watching the members of the orchestra create music almost more than she was enthralled with the ballerinas.


As we've traditionally done in years past, we visit the Capitol's lawn after the ballet to see the gorgeous Christmas tree. Here is a photo of its splendor.

Basketball...Closing Ceremonies

December 18, 2010

G-man played basketball this winter and enjoyed this sport very much. He always looked forward to practices and the Saturday games. I know that he'll miss his team, the Turtles, very much.
Way to Go Turtles!!! Nice Trophy!

Relax - PJ Day @ School

December 17, 2010

Today is the last day of school before Winter Break begins! Gannon is extremely excited that today is pajama day, and that he gets to watch Polar Express, drink hot chocolate and eat popcorn AT SCHOOL! What a treat!!!

Notice that Miss Mila has to wear pajamas too - just like big bro.

Kindergarten Christmas Program

December 16, 2010
This evening was a special time...Gannon and his class, along with the other Kindergarten classes, performed a lovely Christmas pageant. They sang their little hearts out - and I cried when they sang the sweet song from Polar Express. What little angels these Kindergartner's are!!! Thanks BV for a wonderful evening!
After the performance, Aunt Nena and Grandma, along with my parents came over to enjoy a Honeybaked Ham that Geeg and Grumpy sent us. Delicious!!!!

Nevada City Victorian Christmas

December 12, 2010

We adore Nevada City all through the year, but especially love the town when they're celebrating Victorian Christmas! This event has the magical ability to decompress a somewhat hectic season and help you to remember the true spirit of the season.


And speaking of magical...don't you love these costumes?!?! I have special ties to the carolers that stroll the street because our wedding guests were greeted with some hot apple cider and their chorals as they arrived to our reception venue from the church. I remember it as though it were yesterday.
A special memory for me...



The evening concluded with my special people over fondue.
Perfect.

Santa Photo 2010

MyAlbumPics.com - Check out my Photo

Miss Mila still isn't sure about the big man in red, but Gannon is certainly a BIG fan!

Gannon's Gingerbread House

December 11, 2010


Gannon really likes to demonstrate his creativity by decorating a gingerbread house every year at Christmas time. I know I'm the Mommy, but I'm quite impressed with his gorgeous art this year. Although I helped to put the kit together, Gannon decorated the home all by his self. Excellent job little man!

S'mores

December 8, 2010
1. Gather around the fire with family.
2. Break a graham cracker into half and place chocolate on one half.
3. Roast marshmallow on stick over HOT embers until gooey and brown.
4. Place marshmallow on chocolate and cover with other half of graham cracker to create a sandwich.
5. Eat up!

NYC!

December 2010
Richard and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary in the Big Apple. We had a full week of fun, fun and more fun! We experienced so many memorable moments we'll never forget: simply standing in Times Square & the Broadway District was awesome to me (I haven't been there since I was in middle school), walking through Central Park, being at the Rockefeller Tree Lighting ceremony, ice skating in the Plaza, shopping on 5th Avenue, experiencing delicious frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity, gorgeous Central Park carriage ride, eating at Bar American and meeting THE CHEF - Bobby Flay (see silly picture of me below with him!), watching WICKED at the Gershwin, cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery, drinking New York City cosmopolitans, the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, eating soup at the infamous "No Soup for YOU!" joint, St. Patricks Cathedral, Empire State Building, the Rock, Macys on 34th Street, the Dakota, and did I mention the shopping?!?!!!!

Below are few of the 300+ photos we took while in New York. A big THANK YOU to Papa and Grandma for loving G & Mila while we played.