Pumpkin Patch & Cousins

Our nieces, Elise and Everlee, were down for a visit at Grandma and Grandpa's this past weekend, so we took advantage of  the opportunity for our girls to have "cousin time" together.  On Saturday morning we headed to the Hillcrest Pumpkin Patch in Reedley for train rides and hay rides and pumpkin patch picture fun.  Grandma (Chad's mom) packed us a delicious lunch and the girls ran all over the place.  It was dusty and exhausting, but memories were made!  Later that night, we attended "Zoo Boo" at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo...great in theory, but truly a zoo (literally and figuratively) and not very well lit, making it hard to keep track of your little ones when there are a thousand girls dressed up like princesses.  The girls got to dress up, complete with sparkly princess hair, and got some candy out of it... I got the flu out of it, literally, and spent the next 2 days in bed, barely able to move!  Sometimes I think I overdo it... The last few pics show Tess's Zoo Boo costume (and attitude), and the small pumpkin that Tess and I carved together.  

Whew! The holiday season is just getting started...and on Friday we are headed off on another family adventure!

Happy New Year!

Our New Year's Day tradition is to have a belated Christmas celebration with the extended Unruh family.  I didn't take that many pics this year, but thought I would share one of Tess opening a special gift from one of her great aunts/uncles...and then a picture of two of my most favorite people ever, my beautiful grandparents! They seem to get more wonderful as the years go by. They've been married more than 65 years now, with 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren to their name.  I couldn't possibly love them any more than I do!



Tess with great uncle Dave.

Quentin & Fern

Pajama Party!

We made the difficult decision not to attend PrideStaff's Holiday Party this year (one of our favorite events) for the opportunity to make some family memories and hopefully start a tradition!  Paul and Barbara bought us all tickets to attend Hillcrest Christmas Tree Farm's "Pajama Christmas" this past Saturday night.  They had Elise and Everlee for the weekend, and we brought Tess -- it was a freezing cold good time!  There were unlimited steam train rides through the forest (with various light displays to see), hot chocolate and holiday cookies, live music, and warm fires to stand by.  The little ones had a GREAT time riding the train and dancing around!  Although it was supposed to be a "pajama party," we were glad we dressed super warm with long johns and layers.  The girls all wore snow suits!  Tess was adorable in a leopard print kitty hat and mittens.  I realize I sound like I am narrating a fashion show, but what can I say -- she is just the cutest thing I have ever seen!   Below is a one-minute video taken at about 9pm, after cookies and hot chocolate, and well past her bedtime.