...in all things love: 2015

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Christmas 2015

As a four year old, Mason is in such a fun stage of life, and the excitement and magic is real to him. After our boys woke up and before we went downstairs, we watched 'Luke 2' on youtube, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is a tradition we got from Nate's family, and I love how it focusses our day around the true meaning of Christmas. Presents and toys in the morning, a nap, ginger bread houses at our friends the Awerkamps home, and dinner with one of Nate's co-workers Judy here at our home. Judy is the Secretary who works for Professor Moore, and so funny we laughed all night. We had pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, berry and candied walnut salad, and ginger-cranberry juice. We miss our family and thought of them and talked to them throughout the day. Love my littles and my sweetheart here at home!

We decided to wrap our presents from Santa this year which I actually really liked because we could focus on one at a time.

Nate thought of getting these blocks for them so they could play together.

Jelly Belly gingerbread house. Mason has been to the Jelly Belly factory so this was exciting to him.

Nate got me a Le Crueset pitcher which I absolutely love.

A part of our Christmas celebrations this year has been this online Advent Calendar gifted to us from our friend Rick from Cape Cod. Our boys absolutely loved it. Thank you, Rick!

painting was one of his gifts from Santa, and he seems to have a talent for painting

Christmas Eve 2015

This Christmas Eve was wonderful. We enjoyed ice skating so much in NYC that we decided to give it another shot here in Charlottesville. It was such fun to see Mason and Stan making a little progress. We spent the day with our friends the Gavins here in Charlottesville. After skating we came here to our apartment and Chrissy made an amazing Italian Stramboli. We had that for dinner after our kids played soccer outside (what? Charlottesville in December!!) along with a little salad, some bread and a cranberry ginger ale drink. Yum. We then had a manger scene (bummed I didn't take any pictures of this because it was so cute), and sang Christmas songs around the piano. It is one of my favorite Christmas Eve's to date. Thank you Gavins for making that day so special with us! We love you.

our kids made little marshmallow snow men - a cute idea I got from Rainy C.

it tasted just as good as it looked.

Yes those windows are totally open- loving this 70 degree weather here.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Holiday Traditions

As part of our Holiday Traditions, we like to celebrate St Nicholas Day on December 6th (European tradition where children leave out their shoes and St Nicholas leaves candy inside). Mason loves it of course, and Stanley is picking up on the excitement. We also watched the Christmas devotional from the LDS Church. For Joy School this year our littles did a Manger scene which was so cute. We also made and decorated sugar cookies, and my cute little students joined a recital with the piano students of Lauren Bell. It was so cute. I was very pleased with their work and their progress. I also got to play my violin for Stake and Ward events which was fun - a couple of pieces from the Messiah (my favorite). I love this time of year!

Did he come???

He came!!!

watching the Christmas devotional while Stanley sucks on his toe :).

Joy School Manger Scene

making Holiday Cookies

apron and all

3 of my 7 students. I adore them.

these two cuties have my heart!

Lauren and I just randomly showed up in the same dress. Haha! Perfect for our little duet 'Sleigh Ride' at the end

Lunch with Nate's Professors and Staff

Nate and I are continually so impressed with The University of Virginia's professors and amazing people here in Charlottesville. Before Nate came to school here he contacted Professor Moore, the world's leading Oceans Law expert (as seen below with his wife on the left). Since Nate was especially interested in Oceans Law, he asked if he could do anything to help him. Nate was surprised when he very warmly invited him to come see him when we arrived in Virginia. Nate went to his office, and was invited to help edit a book he was working on for Law Schools around the Country. It was an unconventional move for a pre-1st year Law Student to make since most first year law students are only focussed on studying for their classes, but this move that Nate made has been such an amazing blessing for our life. He (along with others) was able to recommend Nate for the US Air Force JAG program and was probably a very influential part of Nate getting that job since he is so respected among the US Military. His wife grew up in a large family of 8 here on the East Coast, so we shared our wonderful memories of growing up in a large family. Professor Moore's an avid lover of Classical Music, along with Professor Turner (as shown right back) and so we talked about music. We also talked about politics, and the very interesting situation in which we find ourselves. The sweetest part was hearing Professor Moore talk to Nate about having high goals for himself and he told him that his wife and family should always come first. Professor Moore is also a world champion weight lifter in his age division. Just an amazing person in so many ways. We had the best time having lunch with them yesterday while our dear friends the Gavins watched our boys (thank you Gavins!!!). We feel immensely blessed to be here at this school, surrounded by such good friends, and influential people who have and will do such good for the world. The two women on the right (Mer and Judy) are two of the dearest women that Nate works with - both Secretary's and who make us feel like part of their family. Back left is Bill who also works for the National Security area of UVA's law School and is also so kind.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Christmastime in NYC

We just got home from NYC last night. When we heard that Ashley (my sister-in-law) was performing in off-broadways 'A Christmas Carol', we knew we couldn't miss it. We had the most wonderful time. My biggest concern with driving to NYC was finding a parking spot, and so I prayed. Miraculously I found a spot right in front of Laura and Wilfried's apartment - the only spot from blocks around. It was a Christmas miracle to me. That night we threw on our hats and gloves and went ice-skating in Central Park. It was magical. We also met up with Jason (Nate's brother) at Patsy's pizza (YUM) which was also so much fun. After that we went to a candy shop where Jason bought Mason and Stanley a little bit of candy - so sweet. Then Nate and I took our boys to Serendipity where we got frozen hot chocolate. It worked out perfectly - while we waited with our name on the list at Serendipity (1 1/2 hours), we went to Patsy's and to the candy store. The next morning Nate went on a jog and picked up some bagels for us (so sweet, right?). After breakfast we went on a little trek to the Natural History Museum. Nate met us there after he made reservations to eat at 'Jacob's Pickles'. Mason loved the animals and dinosaurs in the Museum. After an amazing lunch (which we ended up doing take-out because there was such a wait), we went to see Ashley perform. Jason came to watch our boys while we went (we love you Jason!). Nate and I both enjoyed it - tears and laughs. It was so good.

That night after watching a little of the BYU game with Jason and Ashley, we drove to Pennsylvania and stayed in the apartment of our friend Suzi (Nate's friend from high school). She was so kind to let us stay there while she was in Utah also. We went to Church on Sunday morning in Bethlehem (where my cousin Esther and her husband Steve went to Church when they lived there and people love them), and discovered that Nate had some friends from college there as well. They invited us for lunch and we had the best time talking with them. We realized from this trip again just what a blessing it is to have good family and friends. We are so blessed. We visited the town of Bethlehem, also known as Christmas town USA, and enjoyed running into Santa and Mrs Clause, seeing the beautiful wreaths and candles in the windows, and catching a few minutes of Church at the beautiful Moravian Church. Nate loves the Moravians because he served his mission in the Czech Republic where they came from. These amazing people who translated the Bible into Czech even before Luther translated it into English, fled from the Czech Republic to Germany where they found refuge, and then to America in the 1700's.

We love this time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Having Mason and Stanley begin to understand the significance of this time of year is also so beautiful to me. I am so grateful to have these fun little boys. Nate, too! :). It was nice to come back to warm Virginia again...getting out of the car and not freezing was refreshing. We love it here. Sorry in advance that these pictures are not in order.

Enjoy!