Tahoe Ski Trip

We squeezed in a trip to Tahoe right before Christmas.  There is a really small resort up there that caters to families.  We were able to get a great rate with the Air Force.  Rhone and Ben got to enjoy the hot tub, while I stayed in the room with fussy/teething Sylvie.  I was sad to miss out on the peaceful beauty of fresh snow.  The next morning we had a gourmet breakfast at the lodge.  It was included and it was yummy.  The weather was crazy and snow was coming down in sheets.  It took us 5 hours to make the 2 hour drive up there (mostly because of the chain laws in CA).  All the fresh powder made it rough skiing for a little guy, but he was brave and had a great time.  It is so fun to watch my kids learn something new.  Sylvie was a real trooper and spent the whole time in the back pack carrier. There was great Mexican food at the little warming hut.  Next time we go we need to spend 2 nights so that Ben can get in some real skiing and Sylvie can nap in the hotel.  It was a gorgeous place and truly got us in the mood for Christmas.

She is such a trooper.  Thank heavens for the shade turned snow canopy.

The 1960 Winter Olympics were held at Squaw Valley right down the road from where we stayed.

Can you believe that in an hours drive from the winter wonderland we can buy fresh from the tree mandarins?  California Agriculture is really new and interesting to me.

Down Town Sacramento

So I have been blogging from my iPhone in an attempt to stay current while trying to catch up from Christmas. So the pictures aren't awesome and I can't add captions but I can blog in the car which is pretty awesome so please put up with my phone posts.

On Monday we took advantage if the MLK holiday and headed to Sacramento. We ate lunch at a European bakery and cafe called Ettore's. It was delicious. And we scored free cake and cookies since it was our 1st time there.

Next we headed to the train museum. It was filled with real trains downstairs and model and toy trains upstairs. Rhone had a great time running around and exploring. We finished the day strolling through Old Town and sipping on a free Jamba Juice on the drive home. We even scored a free Red Box rental. It was a pretty fun day for our little family.

Grass Valley Day

Last Time we were in grass Valley I ordered some hand made Quail. I try to pick out something local and handmade from every place we live. And this cute little quail family of four seemed like the perfect thing for California.

Today we headed out there to pick them up. We got lunch at a fun local place. And went on a hike. Rhone had a great time using his new birthday Camelback. We saw mushrooms, trees, birds, snow, and cool ice formations and all sorts of other things. We had a great time on our little get away day.

9 months

Sweet little Sylvie is changing so fast.  She is such a smiley baby.  She is always a show stopper when we are out.  I think she could get almost anything she wanted with that smile.  Ben took her in for her check up and She is a little below average in height and weight.  She weighs only about 18 lbs.  It is so strange to have a baby who actually fits in the close for her assigned age.  Sylvie is a great eater and wants whatever we are eating.  In fact, she is much easier to please than Mr. Rhone.  She LOVES jamba juice.  If you take that cup away from her, there is instant tears.  At 9 months she finally decided to start crawling.  We love this little lady with all our hearts, her big brother does too.  

 

Sylvie and her shrinking kangaroo

Rhone likes to get in on  our little photo shoots too :)

Christmas Projects

December went by fast, but we still tried to squeeze in some things that we decided that were the most important.  I showed Rhone a couple of ideas for gifts he could make for his Grandparents.  He decided to make them each a little dish.  By the time we molded (even hammered), dried, painted and stamped, and wrapped them- it was quite a project.  But he really did almost everything by himself.  I hope that he is learning that being a giver is as important as being a gracious receiver.  

Rhone picked out some paper and went to work on his letter for Santa.  We really had to encourage him to keep it short.  But he did remember to include Sylvie which was pretty sweet.  We stamped it and dropped it off at Macy's for part of the Make a Wish program.  Rhone started to put it in the box, then quickly pulled his letter out gave it a kiss and mailed it off.  It was really funny and caught me by surprise.  I guess it was a lucky kiss.

We also made wrapping paper, did some Christmas math, and painted a Santa and more.  There were tons of other fun ideas, that just didn't get done.  We already have a list of projects for next year, right.

Showing off his gifts.

Sylvie sucked on a rock and painted a little too.

Toffee is the only candy that I made this year.  But I did win a prize for having the best  dessert at a recipe exchange on base.  Go me!

 

 

birthday girl

My birthday was not exactly awesome this year.  It was on a Sunday.  We made plans to go out Friday night, but Ben ended up having to work.  I didn't want to just sit at home.  So I left the kids with a sitter for about 2 hours.  I got a Jamba Juice and strolled around TJ Maxx and Target.  I got a fun new tea cup for myself and some little Christmas gifts for everyone else.  Sat Ben slept in from his night of work and then had to head to bed early because of his early morning flight on Sunday.  Rhone left the bathroom seat up and mid night I just about landed in the toilet.  The garage door wouldn't open after all the kids were loaded in the car and ready for church.  Haha-it was a below average day.  But Ben surprised me with some fun gifts (he even picked out a pair of boots for me) and a box of Krispy Kreme Donuts for my cake (we are classy like that).  I know this year has plenty of challenges in store, but hopefully there will be plenty of blessings as well. 

Our dear friends invited us over on Tuesday night where I got a real birthday cake and dinner.  It was so kind of them.  I can't believe I didn't get a picture with Haley!

more and more Christmas Parties

I feel like we went to hundreds of Christmas Parties...OK maybe it was more like 3, but it felt like a lot.  I loved that Rhone got to make lots of fun Christmas crafts and I didn't have to do all the work.  Ben's squadron had a party where Santa flew in on an MC-12 (that's the plane Ben flies).  It was actually pretty cool, but the wait was exhausting.  Poor Miss Sylvie finally gave up and feel asleep.  This means that we all got to be in the picture with Santa.  Turns out this was the cutest picture of Santa and Sylvie we were going to get.

The base also puts on a children's Christmas party.  It is quite a party!  There was food, a band, planes on display, Santa, crafts and presents.  Rhone's present was pretty cool.  He got 2 monster trucks. Sylvie ended up with "Skip" the ER nurse doll.  It was funny, but not cool.

Last we went to our church's Christmas party.  Rhone got to go up and sing with the primary kids.  He was crazy up there!  You know it's bad when the guys standing behind you are asking whose kid that it.  Yep, he's mine.

Rhone froze up a little on this Santa encounter, kind of like the kid in the movie "A Christmas Story".

 I loved watching Rhone walk around and ask Ben all sorts of questions about the planes. 

This Santa was amazing.  He really looked at the kids and listened to what they said.  The beard and hair are all real too.  I love the look on Sylvie's face as she and Santa are having a face off.  Priceless.

Bethlehem Night

The base chapel put on a special family night with tents set up like Bethlehem and activites for the kids to do.  They even got a purse of coins that they had to pay with.  There was a live manger scene outside that was really cool.  I am so glad that I singed us up on a whim.  We had a great time.

Rhone was playing with his "wiseman crown" and wanted Sylvie to wear hers too.  Sometimes I watch them interact and I am just so impressed and feel so blessed that they are my babies.

Rhone took this gem

After a shower, I walked into this adorable scene one Saturday morning.  It was totally worth cutting that wood.

Rhone at story time with Mother Goose

Rhone has outgrown naps, but I still try to encourage quiet time.  Look what he quietly accomplished.  Why yes, that is a ski sock in the line of toys.