A little Santa visit

On a Monday evening, we decided to head out to downtown Holland for dinner, and to visit Santa at Home and Company. (We had a winter storm warning issued for later that evening, and there was talk of a potential snow day the next day, so we didn't mind being out a little more than usual on a school night. :))

Downtown was really pretty - all decorated. (Camryn forgot her coat, so she was wrapped in a blanket as we walked around. ;-))

After eating at 8th Street Grille, we headed over to see Santa. :)

 (He was telling the girls a secret - what gift he was getting Mrs. Claus for Christmas. ;-))

A family picture, too! ;-)

The Nutcracker

I really wanted to take the girls to see the Nutcracker this year. Early November, I bought tickets  to go with Mem to see the performance at Devos Hall in Grand Rapids. Mem had the wonderful idea to turn the event into an overnight stay downtown! We went on December 2, the day after I found out I had strep, and Camryn had gotten sick the night before (little did we know she would be diagnosed with strep as well a few days later!), but the weekend turned out really great despite how we were feeling! :D

We got dressed and ready at our house, before heading to GR. :)

The trees in the JW Marriot were beautiful! Everything was so festive and decorated!

Our room had a beautiful view of the river downtown. :)

We headed to the performance at 2pm. Our seats were row E - so close to the stage! It was a great performace. Cam was tired, and snuggled in my lap quite a bit, but Taylor was literally on the edge of her seat for most of it!

We got the girls ornaments as a souvenoir after the performance.

We headed to dinner at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant - the Kitchen - afterward. It was delicious food! Although, Camryn didn't eat much.

Back at the hotel, the girls couldn't wait to go swimming.

But it didn't last long before they just wanted to get snuggly in the hotel room and watch a movie.

We only made it about an hour into the movie, before everyone was just ready for sleep. :)

The next morning, everyone took showers in the really beautiful shower in our room. :) The girls looked so cute in the robes!

We stopped at breakfast at Anna's House before heading home.

It was such a fun weekend, and a perfect holiday experience!

Beginning of December - holiday season is here!

December is one of my favorite months of the year!

Although, this year, it started out a little rocky. I was diagnosed with strep throat on December 1st, and after a weekend of Camryn feeling tired, no appetite, and getting sick few times, too, she got her second strep diagnosis this school year! Poor kiddo.

Once she got on antiobitics, after missing 4 straight days of school, she was feeling better and we could get back to our regular schedule!

I did try to do a few Kindergarten things with Cam while she was missing so much school - she enjoyed playing some of my games from my classroom. :) 

That week, Cam and Taylor made their lists for Santa, too. :)

(You can see a tired, still feeling yucky, Cam, laying her head down. Poor thing.)

We made gingerbread houses the next weekend, and they turned out really cute!

 Taylor wasn't a fan of the gingerbread cookie taste ;-)

 Cam liked it, though!

 Coming together!

We had the annual Slagh family Christmas party at Ebenezer church. The girls were really excited about getting to open presents from great-grandma Slagh. :) More blocks for their magnatiles and they each got a new Zhu-Zhu pet!

December equals excuses to getting out with friends and celebrating the holiday season - a Friday night with Kellie and Leslie at a new Brewery downtown was really fun. :)

There were also a number of holiday dress-up days for me at school - and lots of the students liked to dress festive, too!

It had been months since we had gone to Big Apple Bagel after church - so yummy!

Camryn has loved helping wrap presents this month. :)

SNOW finally came! I was excited! :D

One of the most exciting parts of December was our first SNOW DAY for the me and the girls! We had pancakes for breakfast, the girls went sledding with their neighbor friends, Ashleigh and Abby, and we had a popcorn and movie afternoon. It was a fun day. :)

More December fun to come!! Love this time of year!