Winter Break

We have had a very quiet break so far. No big storms. No snow at all in fact. Yet. Maybe tonight they say. Lots of cancelled plans due to the flu. We haven't gotten it. Yet. I really hope we don't ~ had enough of that last year!

We managed to play at Chuck E. Cheese with Grandpa Mike and Uncle Seth. We also had some nice quiet days with Grandma Tina at her house.

While in Iowa we snuck in a quick visit with Auntie Shari & Grandma Mary!

So, we haven't been terribly busy, but as I watch the kids swimming & laughing together in the hot tub I feel like that's just fine.

Extremely Random And Oh So Funny

I'm referring to Ayla's letter to Santa. I found it in her backpack and totally cracked up. Click the photo to make it bigger & you should be able to read it all. Enjoy!

Another Girls Weekend

Here is a photo of my drool worthy breakfast from Snooze. What you see are seasoned hash browns, honey smoked salmon on bacon-jalapeno spoonbread, topped with a poached egg, cream cheese hollandaise and chives. Mmmmmm, my stomach is growling just thinking of it. Not shown, but also consumed are the best pancakes I've ever eaten. I can't describe them. Look at the website & if you're ever in Colorado look for Snooze!

We were lucky enough to have a couple of other ladies join us for part of the time, but up above is the core group of 37's. We didn't even realize it until we got together, but we were all born in 1974. If we get together between 3 certain months we are all the same age at the same time!

I didn't take many photos, because we walked everywhere & my camera is large & bulky. The other photos I have I won't share. They are of us lounging in bed & relaxing in the rooftop hot tub. Our time was spent walking, window shopping, eating really good food, taking a night-time sleigh ride, half a day at the spa, talking, drinking coffee & did i mention the FOOD? It was awesome. All of it. Looking forward to 40!!

Thankful Times Three

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward

I love this photo.

I love these three.

And I am so thankful that I'm their mother.

Here Comes The Snow

Our first light dusting of snow. Yee haw!

Here's some proof that my son is a 4th grader. He's too cool to dress warm.

Kaia on the other hand couldn't wait to put her snow pants on. I caught her stripped down to her underwear putting on her outerwear!

Little Helpers

I love this photo. Two of our three brown eyed helpers.

The other brown eyed girl was banished to her bedroom. For what you might ask? Being sassy, what else? 7 1/2 is the sassy age. 9 1/2 is the distracted age. 3 is the adorable, annoying, hilarious, naughty & sweet age.

We are trying to teach them to help. We're starting to make progress. I've noticed they immediately clear the table after supper now. They all like to help outside. Stacking wood is fun somehow. We're still working on the morning routine, but making progress. It's all good.

This And That In October

Why oh why must we stand here and smile? We need to get candy!!

OK, fine. Here's a smile. Kind of. Can we go now?

While the kids carved pumpkins I decided to bake some of my pie pumpkins. I cut this one open and found a ready made jack-o-lantern!

On one of my babysitting days the baby woke up while I was making supper and started fussing. When I had time I went to relieve Micah and found him doing his homework AND holding the baby. Maybe we should have had a 4th child!