"Make your own green grass"

 We worked on our basement for over a year, this shows the last few steps of completing Trev's room downstairs. He was a little hesitant to sleep down there for about a week or so, and then he realized that it was really nice having his own space down there, away from all the girlishness!
My Dad and Uncle Dwayne came to help us with the basement for a second January in a row, so we celebrated my Dad's birthday here. Complete with fifty-six '56' signs. I probably still have one somewhere. Gotta love Savannah and her party planning schemes.

 Entertainment . . .
 Red velvet cake . . .
 And finally, foot massages for the guests who were truly instrumental to our basement completion!
 It snowed while our visitors were here, and a tree in our front yard split and nearly landed on my uncle's car. It was a close call. Rachel loved the snow!

 Christmas pictures - it is fun and crazy when my kids are the entertainment at my parents' house.



Trevor has become a die-hard Capitals fan. And since this was taken, well, we've all become fans.
 My Mom made GORGEOUS doll clothes for the girls' dolls. A treasure!

 Rachel rockin' her new 'gui-play-tar' - she still calls it that!
 Savannah loves to dress up in our old dance outfits, she put on several performances at both grandparents' houses in UT. Ashkii is (as always) a good sport.
 Grandma Linton and cousin Leanna spoiled Savannah with this doll bed they made!
 Cousins, cousins, we miss our cousins!
 Camille's soon to be husband and his daughter Lexi came down after Christmas. They were married later in March 2011. Savannah is SUPER excited about having a girl cousin!


 If you know my parents, you know their long-time friends Rick & LeAnn. My Mom & LeAnn planned a Grandparents night for all their grandkids. The Grandpas are good sports to go along with these ladies! The best part was that while they were out with the kids, we went on a triple date with my sisters and their significant others! We'd never done that, the boys had a great time talking about us Goldy girls:) Not sure if that should happen again!

 We spent a few weeks in UT over Christmas, but before we left, we fit in some festivities here, too. First, an annual trip to our favorite outdoor ice skating rink.





Then, a few decorations . . . (I tried to do very little since we were leaving for the holidays, but Savannah just wouldn't have it - so we put up some small trees).



 And of course, Ashkii and Trev took their annual trip to the Army Navy football game in PA.  I am pretty sure Trevor lives for this tradition:) The girls and I had fun, too, as we stayed home and painted nails and watched The Muppets Christmas Carol.













 Trevor had his first piano recital. He played a "Beauty and the Beast" duet with his teacher, and the Chipmunks Christmas Song.  Here he is with his teacher - he loves her, which is good, because it keeps him taking lessons even when he really wants to give up!

And this picture is only included because Ashkii insisted I share it under the title "This is my life!"

Oh, and we also fit in a visit to the DC Temple Lights with Ashkii's cousin's family - we were lucky to have them living in DC for a short time!

Since we were married, Ashkii and I have spent about half of our Thanksgivings in NV with his extended family. But we were lucky this year because some of them came to DC and so we had Thanksgiving here with (I think) 16 of us. It was so fun to have them here! Rachel just adored Ashkii's Aunt BeAnn! Savannah loved setting the tables and making place cards for everyone. And Trevor was just thrilled to have some boys around!