Wow! Long time no posting!!

We were incredibly busy over the holidays! It started right after Halloween when Rick and I volunteered to "help" with our church's first annual "Conejo Valley Christmas." What began as "helping" quickly became "leading". He designed and built 16 building facades for vendors to sell gifts and food for the event. My friend, Jean drew the design themes. She, my neighbor Liz and I traced the designs and then I headed up a team of painters to paint the facades. Then the day before the event, we added embellishments (fencing, beading, decorations). We brought in 6 tons of snow, jolly jumps, fire pits, and craft tables. The event was a huge success! We had over 4000 people enjoy themselves and the vendors were very happy with the outcome. Traffic was stopped on the 101 Freeway as the cars were looking at the snow being made and then they got off to see what was going on! It was wonderful and exhausting. Here are photos of just some of the designs:

Daytime photo

Evening photo with 1/2 of the facades all lit up.

The first design we did.



We had a tree-lighting ceremony



McKenna and Caroline loved the snow!

For three months, our kids hardly saw us because we were so busy and all they heard us talk about were these facades. We made it up to them by taking them to Knotts Berry Farm for the day.

Caroline loves her daddy.



And she also loved Snoopy - she's fickle that way.

Then we had lunch with some of Rick's former co-workers. One of them has twins - boy and girl. We sat the kids together for lunch and they colored waiting for their meal.

Yo, ho, ho. Three lefties in a row!

On Christmas Eve day we usually go to my sister's house to celebrate with her family before we go to Grandma's house for Christmas Eve.

Caroline LOVED the Littlest Pet Shop car she got from Aunt Dana and felt the need to show her how it worked.

I gave my sister a webcam so she can keep in touch with her sons in college.

Peter was THRILLED with the robotic arm he got from Aunt Dana and Uncle Bob. He has already put it together and it works really well. Except it doesn't pick up socks off the floor.

The kids were exhausted and slept most of the way to Grandma's house.

I told Caroline she shouldn't have a lollipop because she would fall asleep with it in her mouth. She assured me that wouldn't happen:

Uh....yeah.

Then it was time to celebrate at Grandma's house. Rick's sister and family were out from Minnesota to celebrate with us and the kids had a great time together. Peter and Brett are about the same age and haven't seen each other for a few years and in no time, picked up where they left off!

Caroline LOVED playing with her big girl cousins. Here she is with Abby.

Grandma made pj's for the all the kids.

And made ties for the men. She also made scarves for the women, but I don't have a good picture of them.

A few days later, we went to Mammoth with everyone. Peter found an icicle.

And Caroline made snow pebbles.

Rick and Peter went skiing - I should say, Rick went skiing and Peter went into snowboarding school. He loved it!!

Peter looking just too cool.

Christmas morning was a lot of fun! Peter loved his Korean language CD and book.

Caroline's reaction to this baby doll was "YES!!" with the fist pump for emphasis.

On MLK day, we went ice skating in 85 degree heat! Yes, welcome to winter in S. Cal. This was Caroline's first time skating and she had a great time and even though she fell a few times, she got right back up. That's my girl!

Fortunately, mom brought a change of clothes for her.

So, now we are settling back into some sort of routine...kind of.