White Christmas in Virginia

at the airport during our layover


on the plane





Nada helping put the groceries away


We planned to all drive to the D.C. temple to do some work there, but it started snowing... and snowing... and snowing! It snowed over 24 inches in 2 days. So instead of going to the temple (which was closed) that Saturday, we played in the snow.

the evening it first began snowing


"Catch the snowflakes on your tongue!"



watching snow falling



winter wonderland



snow-covered vehicles


snow angel




Daddy & Joshua




Kara being pulled on a sled


Daddy & Joshua on a sled


I'm about to sled down the hill!


Kara sledding (she only went down once; it was a little scary)



Brian's OK!


Don't you love our snow attire?


snowman-building



Look what we made! (Kara made the head by herself.)


brothers: Trevor, Dustin, Brian, Thomas


traditional Chinese Auction


Thomas and Kymry puzzling


the grandkids playing with Grandma & Papa


Joshua loved LazyBoy!


Kara with Uncle Thomas


mischievous-looking Joshua playing with cars


The guys did a lot of this:


Nada in the kitchen


Christmas tree shopping




...and decorating




Nada playing



Christmas Eve: Grandma & Papa


Joshua & Nada


Christmas Day














We all got matching "Vance Coat-of-Arms" T-shirts from Dustin & Kymry


playing cut-throat ping-pong... really fun!


bubble bath!


sight-seeing Michie (pronounced "Mickey") Tavern










water from a tin cup


Monticello


at the hotel



Nada loved the heater vent blowing in her face.


downtown Charlottesville


Luray Caverns
Dream Lake: a pool reflecting the stalactites on the ceiling


The Great Stalactite Organ (the largest instrument in the world): It sounds hauntingly beautiful.


rubber mallet that taps the stalactite, creating the tone (this is just one of them, of course)


Can you see the shaggy dog?


"Fried Eggs"


tired


Uncle Robbie and Aunt Gail came to visit. Nada loved Robbie and kept giving him hugs; it was soooooo cute!


Nada checking out the cat


Brian's youngest brother Thomas plays the piano well, so it was really fun having my own personal accompanist.


Joshua helping Grandma open one of her birthday presents


Chuck E. Cheese's



on the flight back home


canned water


Unfortunately, we came home to a house with no power and had to throw out the contents of our fridge and freezer. BUT we had a WONDERFUL 3-week vacation in Virginia! Thanks, Mom and Dad; it was great to see y'all!

USAA Holiday Party

Brian's work party was at the Alamodome.

This year some little girl gymnasts performed in the hallway, doing tumbling, lifts, and drops. It was neat to watch them.



fudge-making


fresh, warm fudge... YUM!


The band that came was REO Speedwagon.



We caught the tail-end of a mentalist show. Whoa... he reads minds?!


We stayed after the show, and I let him hypnotize me. It was pretty cool.


with Santa and Mrs. Claus


It was a great night! Thanks to our friends for watching the kids!

Mother/Daughter Date

A friend in the ward organized a "princess lunch & a movie" to go and see The Princess and the Frog on opening weekend. We weren't able to make it to the lunch, but we went and saw the movie with the other girls. I liked it, but it's pretty scary for a four-year-old. I'm glad that Kara and I could go on this fun little date.



Kara HAD to get a picture with Alvin and the Chipmunks (even though she has no idea who they are!) in the theater lobby.

Children's Christmas Party

Brian's work had a party for the employees' families. Joshua and Kara got to go sit on Santa's lap (but we didn't buy the expensive pictures, and we couldn't take our own), and we went to a show: "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie." Later, they played a few carnival games before we went home (so that Brian could finally sleep-- he'd been at work all night!).

Joshua let me know that he was mad that Daddy stepped out for a minute.


trying not to smile while mad


Kara sat up front with the other kids.


Yay, Daddy came back!

PetSmart Visit

Now, I love animals. I think they're really cute and fun. But I don't love them enough to own and take care of them. Kara has let me know several times that she would LOVE to have a cat, but she knows that the soonest she can have one is after she moves out of the house. We might someday have something low-maintenance, i.e., fish, hamster, etc., but that's not happening right now. So to somewhat ease the kids' animal-longing, we go to the pet store a couple times a year. They love it.