Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Here are pictures from Christmas Morning! First you can see the "opening the presents" craziness and then there are pics of Savannah and Syd before they were allowed downstairs. Holly also posed for a pic by the tree!

Christmas at Wild Animal Park!

The girls and I decided to go to the Wild Animal Park yesterday. I read that they had a festival of lights and snow to play in, so we loaded up our scarves and hats and headed out. The animals were lively and playful, not like when we go during the summer. They had a sledding hill that was really fun and it was Syd's first sledding experience!

Lions taking a break on their range rover in the lion camp!

Syd's favorite, the giraffes. These were two babies only about 9 feet tall!

SO...another day of Berghorn Christmas...

I lost count and got busy...but here is another day of Berghorn Christmas...let's say day 7,8 and 9

These are more ornaments from our tree....sports themed as you can see... Our trees started with a theme of sports and sports Santas, but has morphed into travel, and things the girls like. It is kind of like a memory tree now...

11 Days of Berghorn Christmas - Day 5 and 6

on Day 5 and 6 - Amy brought...

a Moose ornament from Yellowstone...We try and collect ornamnets from the places that we travel to. This one reminds me of our fun trip and also that we did not get to see a moose...

11 Days of Berghorn Christmas- Day 4

On the 4th Day of Berghorn Christmas, Amy brought to me...

an ornament of Sydney!

Rob made this ornament for me! He cut a piece of tree from the base we cut off, took of picture of Syd and added the Santa hat on the computer! We call it Sydney Claus! I love this ornament and it can always make me smile after a long day.

11 days of Berghorn Christmas - Day 3

On the 3rd day of Berghorn Christmas, Amy brought to me...
2 wooden angels...
One of the crafts that I have done in the past is tole painting. I really like painting, but it was one craft I gave up when the girls were little because of the mess that I needed to leave out while finishing the project. I painted these angels about 12 or 13 years ago.

11 Days of Berghorn Christmas - Day 2

On the 2nd Day of Berghorn Christmas, Amy gives to you...

stockings that my grandma handmade...

These stockings were handmade by my grandma Kinne. She hand sewed every sequin and cut out every shape from felt. She even cut every letter from felt. I think I got my crafty side from her. She was amazing with crafts. My goal is to make a similar stocking for my nephew George, grandma never got to finish his stocking. These are my favorite decorations!

The 11 days of Berghorn Christmas - Day 1

Grandma Kinne, Sydney and Savannah

My grandma Kinne died last May. She was my dad's mom. At her house there was a hall closet that had a door where everyone that came to her house was measured. Even some of our dogs were measured! It was a very big deal and I remember when I first took my girls to her house and we held them up to the door to be measured. The big thing when I was little was to be as big at the girl with the pigtails. The close-up shows that I made it to that goal on 12/24/76. WOW! It is hard to see the names on this post but if you look near the 45 on the green stripe you can see my name. I didn't realize that my family always thought it was me who kept this tradition going. But when my grandma passed away and my aunt, uncle and dad were getting rid of everything, they decided that I should have the dooor. Yep, I have the whole door. My dad had to get a custom door to fit the closet to replace it. We don't know what we will do with it yet, but it is truly a special piece of "Kinne" history.

Berghorn and Capone Families

Here are pictures from our Christmas card photo shoot! Cathy has been one of my closest friends since junior high! Even though there have been times when we have not lived close to each other or did not talk or see each other as much as we wanted, I knew that she was always there for me. Now we only live 20 minutes from each other! Cathy raises guide dogs and has two growing boys! I love being so close to her and her family!

"These books are like a drug...and I am Addicted!"

So I love to read. I always have. I used to take 4 to 5 books to my dad's house when it was his weekend of visitation and read them all. I would read by flashlight or hallway light at night at my moms house, after "lights out time". I love books. I still love reading and books, but never find the same amount of time to read. That is because of life, mostly, but I also love stupid tv, scrapbooking, crocheting, and time with my family, of course. But I have found a book that is written by a genious. Of course my brother would not agree, he is a super avid reader of classics and lit major. But in my reading world, these books transport me into a world that I never thought that I would like.
My frinend Mona and I decided to read them for a reading contest, to get some points for our team. But then I opened the cover and fell in! I could not stop, it was like a drug. Rob and the girls say I ignore them, my tivo is filling up with unwatched shows and the blanket that NEEDS to get done is not getting done. The books put me in the type of happy mood that I cannot explain. Sure other people laughed at me (Alicia), but now I have shown her my drug and she understands. Mona knows the drug, and at this time, she is probalby reading the fourth drug of choice and will soon entice me with her giggle and hints! Soon Jane, Angie, and Tracy will understand and their husbands will wonder what they are on...or what spell they are under. It is amazing. I am trying to slowly go through book 3 of 4. I know 4 is the end, and I do not want the feeling to be over. Stephenie Meyer, author of "Twilight" thank you! Mona and Alicia leave a comment about where you are.....I need to have a lit circle discussion!

Thanksgiving and Grandma's Noodles

Noodles and Mashed Potatoes

Thanksgiving was always a time for my family to "go over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house...". We had the traditional turkey, stuffing, and in our family we had noodles. Not little noodles,but, big, thick, german noodles that are similar to small dumplings. We cook them in turkey or chicken broth. They are delicious. When Rob started to come to our family gatherings he looked at our plates piled high with noodles on mashed potatoes and thought we were nuts (we are, but that is beside the point). I can proudly say that he is now an official noodle lover! My Aunt Diana is the one who has taken the task on to make them and I hope to get to make them as well as her!
This year we didn't make them from scratch, and they were not the same, but they were good (thanks mom) and did the trick!

This year, and always, Thanksgiving was a busy time for us! In fact, I was so busy, that I hardly took any pics. I need to get someone else to be the photographer on these days! These pics are of the girls with our dog Holly and my dad and Kelly's dogs. Cosmo was our first dog, she is the biggest of the dogs. We thought she would be happier on my dad's property, and she is! The other pic shows my brother Mike, my nephew George and Savannah and Syd.

Katelyn Grace Bailey

Katelyn Grace Bailey was born November 13, 2008! She is the beautiful daughter of our best friends, Mike and Tracy! We are so excited for them and wish them the very best and many joyous times!

Disney's Dance the Magic

The girls at Savannah and Sydney's dance studio were invited to dance in the "Dance the Magic" performance parade at Disneyland! These are pictures from their big day! They had to dance in the morning, where they taped the parade over and over again. This taping will be part of the Disney Christmas special on Christmas morning on ABC! Ryan Seacrest hosted the parade and it was a long process! Then the girls danced from Main Street to "It's a Small World" at night! It was hard to get pics because they danced quickly by us! While the girls got ready for the parade, the JONAS BROS did a taping by the castle and I was able to go and get pics for the girls. I was sad that they missed it, but they like the pics that I got!
don't forget to watch and hopefully see the girls - Christmas morning on ABC!

Like Sands through the Hour Glass...

My friend Mona and I went to
see the stars of our favorite soap,
Days of Our Lives.

Halloween

Here are the pumpkins we carved this year and the girls and their best friends on Halloween night!

Dallas

Rob and I took a trip to Dallas to see the Cowboys play. Thanks to his cousins Joanne, Dale and Will, we also went to Southfork Ranch and the Dallas Book Depository and the grassy knoll.

We had a great time seeing the game, other Dallas attractions thanks to his cousins Joanne, Dale and Will.