A Time to Celebrate

It's 5am and I'm ready to celebrate! After 3 1/2 years of law school, we can close that chapter. Elliott is done! So, what does that mean??? He will be home in the evenings instead of four nights a week in class. He will be home on the weekends instead of 16 hours of studying at the library. I feel like I've won the lottery. We are so thrilled for him to be home with us and share in all the family fun. Congrats honey! You did it!

Of course, life doesn't slow down around here. Today we are headed to California to be with family for more than two weeks because the hap-happiest time of year is finally here.

Four generations at Wenzel Farms
(lizzie is in a stroller keeping warm)

In the last week, we've done many things to celebrate. We watched the Christmas Ships float down the Columbia River from Salty's and braved the cold to visit Fantasy Trail at Wenzel Farms.

Unfortunately, the ships pale in comparison to those I fondly remember growing up in Huntington Harbor and Seal Beach. Nonetheless, the seafood at Salty's was delicious, and it was a time for the four generations (grandma, mom, me, maddi and lizzie) to be together.

The Fantasy Trail on the other hand is not to miss! The photos speak for themselves.

Maddi and her super-fun Papa Terry
who crawled into this Gingerbread
house at the princess' request

The farm serves up hot cocoa with marshmallows (and not at Disneyland prices). There's a mile-long trail that loops through beautifully decorated miniature homes, crossing bridges, lined with candy canes - just the perfect way to get in the Christmas mood.


With school being out for the holidays, we've also had many visits from friends and more play dates than ever before. I love my work, but boy this time of year reminds me just how much I love being a mommy and spending time with my girls. We snuggle in the mornings with nowhere to be (except that play date), and we just don't seem to rush anywhere. It's nice to slow down.

Holiday angels born one day apart -
I was lucky to share my pregnancy with
a good friend at work.

We met my co-worker's little peanut this week. The girls were born one day apart!! In an office of 25 people, the odds of that happening must be so small. I guess as CPA's we should be able to calculate that.

We also made some Christmas cookies with our friends Kate and Nancy. They were delicious. Whenever Nancy brings any food to our house it gets gobbled up in minutes! (just gotta plug her site www.littleepicure.com)

These silly munchkins have known each other since they were
the size of the girls in the other picture (3 weeks old)

As we enter another holiday season, I'm blessed beyond belief with a loving husband, two beautiful girls, and friends and family who have taught me in the last four weeks what it really means to be there for someone when times get tough. Everyone has been so supportive, and there's a few friends who have wrapped up is in a huge bear hug of love and support. They deserve a special thank you - Susan, Nancy, Matt, Kati,  and Pam! And thank you Lisa, Jamey, mom, grandma Patti, Barbara, Terry & Lynn for the daily calls to check-in on us. There's too many to mention. But thank you!

I thought it would be fun to share a few shots of Christmases' past. For Maddi's first Christmas in 2008, we drove to Los Angeles (not recommended with a 9-month-old). But anything to be with family! Three years later, we are headed to Cali again, but this time we opted to fly (I think this will be better, but I'll let you know this afternoon after we get there).

Maddi and her first meeting with Santa at
Uncle Butch's house.
Lizzie will get to meet him too in just a few days!

Maddi and daddy shopping
in Seal Beach.