Nutcracker and Aunt Adrienne

This year was Lainey's first year joining Brielle and I at the Nutcracker Ballet in Boise.  Every year, I enjoy having a reason to get fancy and take my princesses somewhere special.  I was disappointed that this year there wasn't a live symphony.  That's my favorite part.  It was all danced to the recording.  Otherwise, it was great.  We always love truffles at intermission and brought home nutracker/ballerina ornaments for the tree.

This year, we were in a rush to get home.  I was so excited to see my Aunt and Uncle who were at the house!  My aunt had asked if they could stay the night in our home on their way to Washington to spend Christmas with their daughter there.  I had already purchased Nutcracker tickets and really got Lainey excited for her first time going.  They arrived a couple hours after we left home and were still awake upon our return.  I got to talk with them for a while before Uncle John needed to go to bed.  Aunt Adrienne and I stayed up pretty late talking.  I LOVED getting to have them there and catching up.  I didn't grow up around my relatives so I was able to get to know them better and just fell head over heels for them.  They are such awesome people.  It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful family is and how much treasure I find in my family members.

Adrienne brought her miniature poodle with her.  "Chipper", was her name and she was SO cute I almost gave in to much pressure by my children to get a dog.  We all loved this little diva. 

We had breakfast together in the morning and then John and Adrienne headed on to Washington.  

We had them for a night again on their way back.  Again, lots of fun talking with them.  Adrienne is a geneaology expert and she and Todd went over a lot of our geneaology since he is the pro in our family.  She was able to answer several questions he'd been stumped about regarding my side of the family.