Christmas Tree Trimming 2014

Tonight was one Hannah and I look forward to each year – time to trim the Christmas Tree.  We started with candy cane hot chocolate.  Yum!

This year Hannah took the lead and it was such fun to see how she organized the decorating.   First, she started with sorting the beads into colours and shapes which is what she’s doing at school too.  It was fun to see her transfer those skills here.

I love how over the years our tree is gathering more and more ornaments that Hannah has made for us and also ones that reflect her current interests.  Two new ones this year are a Sailing Mickey and Minnie that we purchased on our first Disney cruise in February

and then a Frozen ornament.  (Surprise, surprise!)

This is one Hannah made last week and I already know it’s a keeper!  LOL!!

Our tree, a work in progress

Trimming the tree with the love of my life!

The finishing touch ~ our angel

Hannah sharing our finished tree.  It’s absolutely perfect in this Mommy’s eyes!!

Fall Fun

As our friends to the south celebrate Thanksgiving today (Happy Thanksgiving!) I realized that I’d forgotten to post our Thanksgiving pictures last month.  It was a beautiful, warm sunny day and we enjoyed such a wonderful day together!  The leaves we showing off their beautiful colours and the girls had such fun raking them, jumping in them and tossing them in the air!

Hannah and Makenna are so close and I love the friendship these cousins share!

Add to this cousin love big cousin Bec Bec and they are a happy crew!

Daytona Beach Meet Up with Old Friends!

After leaving Sam and Margaret we drove a few blocks away to meet up with bloggy friends we’ve met in Daytona Beach a couple of other times.   (see posts from 2011 and 2010 – funny wave video included). 

We hadn’t seen Don and JMei in a few years and it was SO good to connect again!  (Alyson and Ford, we missed you!!  Hopefully next time!)

The other times we were together the age difference seemed bigger between the girls because they were so young but now 3 years later they had lots in common and were quickly goofing off and having a fun time hanging out together!

So glad we shared this time together!  Until next time Don and JMei!!

This is our final post from The Villages 2014. It was a wonderful week once again!  So very thankful for this week of family time together!!!

Daytona Beach Meet Up Number 1

A couple of days before we left FL we headed to Daytona Beach.  We spent lunch and the afternoon with friends from home who were also in FL at the same time we were.  Sam and Margaret are friends from church and it was neat to spend time with them at their beachfront hotel and get to know them better.

Hannah entertained herself during lunch at IHOP (yum!) but taking pics of Grandma

Grandpa

and Olaf!

After lunch we made our way to the beach.  The weather was supposed to be a bit cooler that day and packing Hannah’s bathing suit never crossed my mind.  Doh!  This is a situation I would change next time.

Shell collecting started within moments of Hannah’s feet hitting the sand.  We collected shells together for a while then I wandered down the beach a bit leaving Hannah with Grandma and Grandpa.

When I met up with Hannah a short time later I knew we were in for fun (and later a search for a dryer) when I saw this:

She was soaked but had such a great time in the waves that I didn’t care.  We changed her out of her wet clothes into a towel and hoodie and hung out in Sam and Margaret’s room while we tossed her clothes in the dryer at their hotel.  It was all good and a ton of fun!!

It was great spending the afternoon with you Sam and Margaret! 

Daytona Beach….we’ll be back.

Supper Serenade

One night we went to one of the local country clubs for dinner knowing that it was home of the singing servers.  What fun!

Their first set began with ‘Be Our Guest’

Just before we ended our evening one of the guys sang ‘Let It Go’ for Hannah.  Here she finds out they’re singing a song just for her!  (She was the only little one in the restaurant and a huge hit with her Mulan dress on.) 

Unfortunately my camera battery died shortly after he started singing for her but thankfully Nana’s iPad captured a bit more.

It was a great way to enjoy dinner together and such a different experience.  We’d do this again for sure!

Hanging Out in ‘The Villages’

After the Christmas party, the next few days were wonderfully low key.  Breakfasts on the lanai. 

We enjoyed tooting around in the golf cart

plenty of shopping and Hannah enjoyed tons and tons of time with her grandparents!  Craft time

game night

and cuddle time.

We love the relaxed atmosphere in the villages and it’s great to step aside from daily routines and just share time together. 

Our favourite tree.  It’s so beautiful and it’s so different from anything that we have at home.

Hannah found a new friend when we were shopping but mommy and nana said, ‘no!’   I didn’t budget for an extra plane seat for Olaf!

This story still makes me laugh!  On the Saturday when we were driving home after touring all over The Villages, the cart shuttered a bit and I looked down to see this:

Although we were only about 10 minutes from home I was pretty sure we weren’t going to make it, especially with 4 of us in the cart.  Oops!!

I called dad and he came to rescue us by brining the charger…and lots of digs to rent a (NOISY…ick!!) gas cart next time.  Um…nope!

We needed to plug in for a bit so dad took Hannah and Larry back to the house while Sharon and I waited for the cart to charge up…tucked into the entrance of a closed bank as it was the only outlet we could find.  Larry and I asking, ‘What were we to do?’

Sharon and I made the best of it but catching some last rays before flying home.  Thankfully the sirens we heard went elsewhere.  Phew!!

Once we were charged up and Sharon had helped navigate me back to the road I suddenly shouted, ‘I’m outta here!  See ya!!’ and floored it!  LOL!  I looked back to see her doubled over in laughter!  Yes, I am my father’s daughter!!

Oh how we love this family time together!!

I am so thankful Hannah and I are privileged to spend this time with her grandparents!