Stocking day at our house

Since we were going to be spending all of Christmas away from our home we decided to do one present opening with just the 3 of us, so on Saturday the 22nd we opened our stocking presents.

Ok, so these first few pictures aren't actually of stocking morning, but I just couldn't resist posting these pictures of Vanessa in her bed. One of her favorite things to do lately is have us tuck her into one corner of her bed and she reads her princess books to her stuffed animals, it's so cute and she'll do it for about 45 minutes or so!

Ben helped Vanessa unpack her stocking...

She got an Ariel purse, a book, hello kitty hair clips, and a hello kitty doll.

Opening up everything...

Modeling all her treasures...

My Grandpa made our stockings, mine is the middle green one, I suppose that it's about 27 years old, Ben got his when we were married and then Vanessa's was given to us right before last Christmas, they are so very special to us!

Fun at Oma and Poppa's house...

The day after gourmet I went to Denver with some girl friends for a very fun shopping trip and Ben and Vanessa spent the day at Oma and Poppa's house having a blast!

Yep, her cousins finally taught her the fine art of dress up...

She's got quite the unique style...

The original princesses Abbey and Maddie...

Oma has a sheet of lady bug stickers and everytime we go over Vanessa always wants one on her nose, where she got the idea I have no idea, but it's really cute! This is one of my all time favorite pictures of our little butterfly!

Layering hats, it's a cool look!

In the afternoon Oma taught the girls how to make a Schuchard tradition, Peppermint Angels...

Maddie's finished masterpiece...

Abbey's...

Final product...they really are very beautiful to look at, but even better tasting!

December gourmet

Ben and I hosted this years December gourmet. We chose a 'Feliz navidad' theme that turned out to be super fun and really yummy!

Charlie was our appetizer man, he and Liz provided a wonderful shrimp with chipolte and mustard sauce...

Ben and I chose for the main course Chili Rellenos, this is them before being battered and fried...

The 'fry station'...

Enjoying appetizers and strawberry liquados...

Ben and I hard at work getting the rellenos all fried...

Fry, fry, fry...

Our Feliz Navidad table...

Enjoying each others company and great food!

We are so blessed to have these couples in our lives, what awesome people to do life with!

Above: Charlie and Liz, Brent and Sarah/Below: Len and Miki

At the December gourmet we always do an ornament exchange, the only rule is that the ornament has to in some way represent one of the gourmets from the year. Ben opened a hat that was to represent this gourmet...

Charlie's was a tea pot that was from an 'extra' gourmet where we all had to cook with a 'secret' ingredient, that ingredient just happened to be tea...

I opened a beautiful pear that was from the November gourmet, sadly, this ornament was stolen from me as we play the way one would play 'white elephant gifts'...

Liz opened a red, white and blue santa that represented the September gourmet (it was on labor day)...

Sarah got a beautiful leaf from the November gourmet...

After gifts we ended with Spiced Bananas with the most wonderful rum sauce...good job everyone!

It's big girl bed time!

Yep, we did it! Vanessa moved to her big girl bed at the end of November and she loves it!

She and Ben and a good time setting up her bed...

Already a big girl!

You go girl!

Yea! As you can see her room is very white, in fact it's the only room in the house that is still white, so you can just imagine what my next huge project is before baby comes! Yep, painting the big girl room!

We hung snowflakes in our kitchen eating area and for a while we thought they looked kind of funny, until it snowed and now they look sweet!

Vanessa LOVES snow, she calls it 'no'...

November gourmet

Ok, so November Gourmet was a 'Warm up to Thanksgiving' and it was amazing! I actually used 2 of the recipes at my mom's house for Thanksgiving because they were so awesome! Len and Miki hosted this month and it was a blast as always!


We had endive with ricotta and golden raisins for appetizers...

Miki made some very fun cookies for 'place cards'...


Welcome to the group Charlie and Liz!


and also Asher Wick!


A very beautiful fall table...


Brent and Sarah enjoying the fellowship...


Food is back to being my best friend...


The gals chitchatting in the kitchen...


For some reason we always end up taking a girls picture, but never a boys picture! From left to right, Liz, Sarah, Lauren and Miki...