Our Snow Storm

We only got a couple storms all year.  Here are some pictures from the only snowfall this year that warranted Cameron breaking out his brand new snowblower... I wish we would have had more snow but we sure did enjoy our one nice snowy day.  

Nutcracker 2013

The girls were excited to open their letters in August and find out that Annika would be a gingerbread and Ashling would be a Young Guest and a Chocolate.  They practiced every Saturday in October and November where Ashling was at the dance studio from 10-3 every Saturday.  We were very excited for performance week which happens to be the same weekend as Thanksgiving.

The rehearsal and performance schedule is quite intense for little girls and this Mommy helped in the dressing room nearly every time too.  These are some pictures from the first dress rehearsal which lasted pretty late.  Thank goodness Cameron was available to pick up Annika because Ashling had to stay to the very end.

The girls performed on Wednesday twice, twice on Friday, twice on Saturday and once on Sunday.  They did a great job and I loved watching them dance.  Behind the scenes there was a lot of downtime and they did a great job doing what they were supposed to.  

Saturday is the funnest day of the performance because the kids do a gift exchange, get to see Santa and also have a cast party.  Here are some pictures the kids took with other cast members and also with Santa. 

Ashling, Annika and the nutcracker prince 

The girls with Sharon McCormick (Their dance teacher)

 The girls with Clara

 The Mouse King (I had to beg and plead before they would stand this close to him)

 The first nutcracker

 The girls with Miss Aleiah who is Annika's assistant teacher

And of course the girls with Santa Clause!

Although the Nutcracker wears me out every year and is exhausting for one and all it is a very fun performance and great for the girls.  I am sure we will all try out for it again next year!

A Rock Fireplace

These pictures are in reverse order... One project that has needed to be finished is the fireplace in our living room.  When we bought the house this wood stove was on the carpet with a hole cut out of the carpet for it to be on.   Before we put new carpet in Cameron built a bottom and put all the rock around the bottom...  But the back was left undone for a later time.  Finally this fall was the later time.  This project was much more involved than we imagined and it took many fall Saturdays for Cameron to complete it.  Finally for Thanksgiving the project was done!  Below are pictures of the progress.  Thanks Cameron for finishing!  I love it!

Hike around Keller Peak

Ashling's class went hiking in November for a field trip and I came along.  I ended up having the best group ever with Tanner, Ashling, Emily and Emily.  WE had a great time hiking but it sure seems like a long hike for the younger kids.  

Happy Halloween

The girls had a great time getting dressed up for Halloween this year.  Ashling played a pirate, Annika was Belle and Ali ended up choosing to be Black widow from the Avengers.  

 A branch picture of the Youth from the Running Springs Branch with Ali in the front

We had a Chili cook off and Cameron volunteered to bring chili.  He was out of town and I nearly forgot and didn't have time to make it to the store.  Instead I threw together a bunch of ingredients including black and kidney beans, pork roast left over from dinner, tomatoes and lots of thrown in spices for good luck.  I just wanted to have something to bring.  I ended up winning the chili cook off...

Last day of our trip

I took the kids to the space museum in salt lake on Friday.  We enjoyed looking at all the exhibits.  Then later Cameron picked us up and we drove all the way home that night so the kids could attend their nutcracker practices in the morning.  

The Children's Museum

We met the Sampsons at the Children's museum in Salt Lake.  Ina and I had fun chatting while the kids ran around and enjoyed all the exhibits.  It is a great place but I was too busy chatting to take any pictures except for this one of Annika because she asked me to.

Later after we played all day we went back to the hotel and talked for a while before Ina left and Cameron and I got ready to go out with Natalie and Carrie (who was also in town.)  We enjoyed a great dinner and then spent the evening talking.  I am grateful for the great friends I had in high school that I can still enjoy today.   They were such great friends and they still are...

Day in Salt Lake City

Cameron was busy at a meeting and the kids and I decided to spend the day looking at Church sites.  We visited the Church history museum and enjoyed dancing in the kids part the most and Annika liked dancing to the piano music someone was playing.

Next we got a tour of the conference center.  

 We went and looked at the temple...

 we went to the top of the church office building and then ate lunch at chick fil A in the mall.