The Nutcracker

Adeline's birthday gift from Al and myself this year, was tickets to The Nutcracker.  She has been asking to go for years, and this year we thought that she was old enough to fully appreciate it.  Even better- teachers were offered a fantastic deal!  

To say that Adeline was excited is a huge understatement.  It was all she talked about from her birthday when she got the tickets, to us actually sitting in the theater.  She insisted on bringing her own little Nutcracker, too- so sweet!

All dressed up and ready to go!

Waiting for the performance to begin

Adeline and her Nutcracker

She LOVED the show and was glued to the stage the entire time.  She wouldn't even get up during intermission for fear of missing something!  A rather large lady sat in front of her, blocking her view, so she sat on my lap, holding my hand, the entire time.  When it was over, she asked if this could be a Christmas Tradition- but that we make it for just the girls and bring Annalise next year.  When we got home, she promptly changed into one of her dance outfits and sang and twirled around the house for the rest of the evening.  I think she enjoyed it!

Christmas #1- VA Family

We are crazy blessed.  Totally crazy-ily blessed.  We have so many gifts we decided to have a Family Christmas tonight.  This way the kids could enjoy these gifts before we head to New York and they get more.  We kept our gifts to 3 for each kid but they still had gifts from Grandparents!  It was a great way to end a beautiful Sunday- reflecting on our gifts and how we have been given the ultimate Gift in Jesus!

Stockings! 

Keeping our focus on the REAL reason for Christmas

Super soft blanket!

Turtle puppet!

Bunny puppet

Magic set- watch-out world!

Not sure what this is.... (a tackle box)

I love his face- he's asked for 2 things- Legos and a fishing pole!

Beautiful hand-made sign for my Running Machine- now he can display all his medals! 

My gift- someone to clean the house once I have 4 kids!!

Holiday Classic

We may have started another Christmas Tradition in the Perreca household- the Holiday Classic Swim Meet!  Both kids swam in it and they had a blast!  Adeline swam the anchor for a medley relay- which placed 1st in their heat!  Alden swam 25yards freestyle (placed 3rd and was awarded a medal), 25 yards butterfly (do not know his place in that yet) and then 25 yards in a relay (do not know his place either).  Adeline swam 25 freestyle and placed 11th out of 20-something girls.  She also swam 50 yards freestyle and won her heat!  The relay she swam in did well also.  It was a busy day!  The best part?  Our friends and neighbors sat with us so the kids were able to chat, snack and craft away!  The craft of choice this time?  Lanyard! 

Silly Alden while the girl concentrate....

Notice Adeline's 1st place finish?!?  SO proud!

No ribbons for winning a Heat but she DID get a Candy Cane!

And he's OFF!  Look at that dive!

Excellent form, Adeline!

8 Year Old Stats

46.6lbs- 10th percentile

45.5"- 2nd percentile

She might be petite, but someone has to be hanging off the edge of the growth charts!  We love our sweet, spunky, sensitive, and sensational little lady!

An American Girl 8th Birthday Celebration

Adeline chose to have a party this year and the theme was to be American Girl- Red and White! Given this time of the year, red and white was totally fun and totally easy!  We made sleeping bags for dolls with red fleece- the girls tied the edges together- and then each girl had some ribbon, jewels, rick-rack, buttons, and fabric paint!  They all had a great time and were super creative!  Lunch with pizza with veggies, followed by a cookie cake with home-made ice-cream-turned milkshake.  The party ended with a personal viewing of Felicity (an American girl from Williamsburg) complete with red and white candy popcorn!  Everyone had a great time and we are so blessed that Adeline has so many good friends to celebrate with!  It's hard to believe that the next birthday party will be for the TWINS!!

Hannah and Adeline set up the table with the supplies!

As we waiting for all the guests to arrive, each girl colored a picture of an American Girl

All ready to create!

Hard at work!

Pizza time!

All the beautiful girls and their dolls

Gifts- she got such fun gifts that were all perfect for her!

Cake!

Making her wish!

Making icecream- which didn't exactly work, but it turned out to be super yummy milkshakes!

The amazing candy popcorn made by Karen!

All snuggled for the movie!

It was a great time to celebrate Adeline- I am so thankful for all her good friends!

Adeline's 8th Birthday!

Adeline's birthday fell on a Wednesday this year- and she woke-up early, full of giggles and excitement!  The day started off with donuts (sadly, they were NOT Dunkin Donuts as it was still closed) and opening a few gifts!  She got a gift cards, a book, kazoo, a necklace and tickets to the Nutcracker!

Happy Birthday!!

 At lunchtime, Daddy AND Mommy ate with her- and Daddy brought her a Chick-fil-A Kids Meal!

Our sweet Birthday Girl!

 We ate lunch with Alden, too, his lunch is later than Adeline's!

Wednesdays is the night of our Community Group- and we celebrated again!  She requested a Cookie Cake- which needed to be "shaped" due to some technical difficulties...  It still tasted yummy!

What a special day for a very special and loved little girl!

Gingerbread Mansions!

Our good friends, the W's, invited us to be a part of one of their traditions, building graham cracker "mansions" at the church were their kids go/went to preschool.  It was SUCH fun!  They sang Christmas songs, read the Christmas story, and then made the mansions!  The best part -we left and didn't have to clean anything up!  And an added bonus- no bags of half eaten candy sitting around the house!  It was a blast and we will certainly be doing this again!

Waiting to begin! 

Hard at work...

Concentration...

The placement of MnM's is a precise act

Alden's mansion

Adeline's- notice a bear on the front porch!

The creators and their work

4 cuties!