Bella the ballerina with the black eye

I gave my girls the option of taking either ballet or gymnastics earlier this year. They both chose gymnastics (after taking it once at their cousins Chloe's and Keira's birthday party.) After many months, Bella has decided she wants back into ballet now, and that she doesn't want to go to gymnastics, so... we had our first ballet lesson (since about a year ago) and she was so excited! She kept asking me all morning- Can we go to ballet now? Before class I put on her outfit and snapped some pictures. Here she is pretending to be Sleeping Beauty and being woken up with a kiss. (Note her "shiner", which she got from trying to be a ballerina this past weekend and twirling a little too fast and falling on a couch ledge.)

Bella did great at ballet class! She volunteered to do the different steps and clapped for her new friends. We love her teacher Mrs. Michelle, who has red hair too. She was very encouraging to the children and used a stuffed animal sheep and ballerina doll to show the kids what to do- they ate it up. There are four other girls in her class that are little cuties too. We still need to work on "shuffle, hop, step" at home, but like I said she did great!

Acorn People and New Years

Victoria and Bella went over to Grandma Carol and Grandpa Dick's house on Wednesday. They were so happy to spend some one on one time with them. They made Acorn People, by gluing two acorns together and decorating them. Dick found these gigantic acorns in a neighbors yard. What a creative idea that was passed down from Carol's mom- Grandma Max.

New Year's Eve was pretty low key. We had our friends Dan and Darcy come over for dinner and to play a game. Finally at ten o'clock we we all started yawning, so we poured some champagne for us and gave the kiddos some cider in plastic wine glasses.

I got to see the New York ball drop at eleven, then turned over and went to sleep.

Happy New Year to all!

One of my favorite traditions is to eat a pork and sauerkraut meal for New Years Day. So on Saturday we headed over to my Mom and Dad's house. My favorite part of the meal is a tie between a hot dog with sauerkraut that soaks into the bread (so you have to eat it fast before it disintegrates) or a dumpling with equal parts of sauerkraut on it. My mom has got this meal perfected, here is the recipe-

Brown 4-6 pork chops in a large skillet/roasting pan with lid

Add 2 jars sauerkraut (Vlasic Old Fashioned), 3 jar fulls of cold water, salt and pepper, and the hot dogs and heat at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Then follow the directions for dumplings on the Bisquick package. Mashed potatoes are optional.

After supper Victoria and Bella made Hershey's peanut butter cookies with the Kiss in the middle for everyone. They did a good job! Afterward we went outside and played with some sparklers and "Cindy Chasers" (little spinning fireworks that have been known to chase me from time to time.

Waiting patiently for the sparklers.

They were very careful with the sparklers, almost a little too timid, until Jer shows them how to write your name with them.

Colleen's Gift

My Aunt Colleen mailed the girls a Christmas present. It was the neatest purses that looked like Santa hats made out of snazzy pink shiny sequins. She's just so creative! Too cute! The purse also had many uses- a purse, a hat, or later, a pet carrier. Thank you Aunt Colleen- you truly amaze me.

Christmas

Look what Santa left! Funny thing- the girls chose Christmas to sleep in. Usually they are up at seven, by the latest. On Christmas morning, I woke up at 6:30 and waited. Finally at 8, I decided it was best to wake the girls up, so that we would have enough time for opening presents before mass. I also decided to get them dressed before they saw the presents and would want to play instead of changing clothes. So at 8:15 this is the sight they saw.

This year Bella asked Santa for a kitty cat- thank goodness it was a for a fake one.

Victoria wanted a panda Pillow Pet.

Bella also wanted an electric guitar.

Victoria waits patiently while Daddy tries to assemble a Tinkerbell fingernail kit.

Victoria also enjoyed playing with the guitar.

Daddy got Zov-way-las (not sure how to spell this, but that's how it sounds.) It is an instrument that was popular at the world soccer matches.

I knew Victoria would love this gift. It is designer notebooks with stencils. She can design her own dresses and even hand tattoos.

I asked her if she liked it and she gave it a thumbs up. In this picture you can also see the World Map floor puzzle, which moments earlier she stated with an innocent frown, "I didn't ask for this."

It was funny to watch Victoria really like playing with Bella's gifts. Luckily, the dog present had two dogs in a pink carrying case and Bella told Victoria she could have one. I was so happy Bella chose to share with Victoria- a proud moment.

And here Bella is playing with Victoria's Barbie kitchen. Ahhhh, the joy of having two girls about the same age. I hope this sharing mode lasts a long time- fingers crossed.

The girls had a great time opening and playing with their presents.

My parents came over after mass for tamales and chili. We exchanged presents, and watched Elf (a new family favorite Christmas movie.)

Merry Christmas! Now to go play with some toys.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we went over to Carol and Dick's house to celebrate Christmas. It was a full day of laughing, talking, unwrapping presents, eating, and enjoying each others company.
The girls toast "Merry Christmas!" to each other.

What a scrumptious meal! Ham, potatoes, asparagus, olives, and rolls.

"We only get one shot this year." I proclaim as I hit my timer and make a run for the couch. This was not the shot I envisioned... but hey, it's family ;)

Opening the stockings.

The favorite stocking stuffers were these little stuffed animals. Caleb loved his Gingerman, Bella loved her Monkey, and Victoria loved her Hello Kitty one.

The hit toy- Victoria got a Karaoke machine from Grandma. The girls wouldn't get off of it for the rest of the night.

Shake your groove thing! (Notice Victoria's shoulder shake.)

"Thank you for coming! And a Merry Christmas to you all! Drive home safely."

D & D's House

We went over to Dave and Denise's house to celebrate Christmas. We exchanged some presents, ate some yummy chili, chatted, and relaxed.
Jerry holds up an Iowa State Monopoly game. He he he :)

Denise likes her new towel warmer.

The girls look stylish with Sally's old purse and hats.

A great night!

Sally

My friend, Jeremy's Aunt Sally died today from lung cancer. I sit here with a glass of Asti and dark chocolates, just the way she would have liked it. I remember playing great Trivia games with her that lasted way too long. I remember when I was in college and had very little money, she gave me some of her old fancy clothes for my upcoming job interviews. I remember her giving Victoria a big beautiful helium butterfly balloon for her 1st birthday- that was her favorite present that year as she toted it throughout the house on a string. I remember her singing to my kids and their cousins when they were little, my kids loved "This is the Way the Ladies Ride Early in the Morning" with the special effects of bouncing them on her lap. Sally was always a lucky lady at the race track or at cards; every time I went with her she won big. Sally always spoke her mind and wasn't afraid of much- she had a grit to her, and I liked her for it. She was real. When I went to go see her at the nursing home, she held my hand and told me she was ready to die and go be with her Mother Max in heaven. I know she is. I'll miss her.