Christmas Eve

Our Christmas Traditions
On Christmas Eve we celebrate by opening up a gift of PJ's. The kids put them on and we go out to Dinner.
There is no substitution, it must be chinese food. We read our fortunes to one another. Mine was simple and sweet this year. Believe in Miracles. Lucky for me I already do. There have been many small and simple miracles in my life. I recognize them and give thanks.  Sydney prepared frosted sugar cookies for Santa this year. She is a great chef. This was her first experience with food coloring. Needless to say she went crazy. While she was in the kitchen we set up a wood workshop in the garage. I refinished an antique dresser for the girls. I love decorating and refinishing furniture. I'm so happy with the results. Everyone worked making something using drills, hammers and nails. We sing some carols and sprinkle oats outside for Santa's Reindeer. We agreed to setting the alarm for 5:45 A.M.  Soon everyone was dreaming of sugar plums and candy canes.

We awoke to screams and squealing. They were so happy and loved everything. What a relief! We always have hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls. No one gets around to them until noon. Before we eat them we put a candle in them and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. He is the reason for our celebration. This year seemed especially fun and quite. Everyone played with their toys and I even had the chance to watch Little Women. One of my personal favorites for the Holiday.  

Believe in the Magic

 Wishing you all peace in you heart. Joy in your life and love in your heart for Christ.

 Going to church to show gratitude for Christ our Savior.

My better half and I. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Train - Shake Up Christmas

Top Ten Thurs.

1. I have discovered that I meet my Doctor only once a year.

During the second week in December! Amazing. For the last three years that has been when I see her. She thinks I should just schedule an appt. for next year now. Is it the month my body decides to stop fighting bugs? It's nice to catch up with her before the Holiday!

2. I  am on a strong probiotic and antibiotic. They seem to be Working.

3. I miss my massage therapist I have had now for 5 years. She has moved to the big city. But I didn't mind my massage with Kristy. I think I will schedule for January!

3. I found time for a pedicure! Bright Red is a must for Christmas morning.

4. I am now offically a homeschool mom to a 5th grader. It has been good to spend some one-on-one time

with her. She is smart and beautiful. Inside and Out. 

5. I think I know what Ben is getting me for Christmas. I hate surprises. It fits on my camera! A new lens! I can't wait. Do you think he would notice if I unwrapped it used it and put it back??

6. Lunch with Susie was refueling. Thanks!

7. We found a home in Leawood Kansas. This is a big relief. The school is 5 minutes away, and so is Pottery Barn. Is that bad?

8. Dillon is very talented. He played the Polar Express Conductor in his school play last night. I am a lucky girl to be apart of his life.

9. Christmas shopping is finished.

10. I found something called "Perky Jerky". Performance enhancing jerky! I laughed all the way home!

Some lucky person on my christmas list is going to be perky for christmas.

Joyful Way Montrose Colorado

Is FOR SALE!

We are moving to Kansas City, KS in March. We are already emotional about leaving what we consider to be our home. Ben has always said that Montrose is where he would like to "grow old". I couldn't agree more. We have great friends, who are like our family. Many of them have seen us through some of the roughest bumbs of our lives. We will miss them more than words can express. We have lived a country life here and have had lots of space to wander. The wild life has been amazing. During the fall the geese go over head buy the hundreds. The frogs and toads of summer are huge and love to meet me unexpectedly in the garage! The blue heron always comes back to the pond in the spring. Winter always brings the sheep in the field next door back. At night it is still. You can see millions of shining stars for miles in the sky. Every spring the children look forward to "Four-O-Clock Charley".  He is a pilot of a little yellow airplane that dips and dives over our home throwing streamers out his cock pit to the kids. He gets so low it really does scare me. I will miss my fresh garden foods. I will miss the homemade tote-goat and six person go cart. We built this home from a paper plan. We watched every detail of its design. We had a 9 month old toddler crawling around on the floor when we were unpacking. I brought a new baby boy home to his room here. I came back from Kazakhstan with  two small sons and a daughter. They learned love and safety here. I will miss you Joyful Way. You hold many found memories for me.

Top Ten Thurs.

Contentment is....
TEN kisses or hugs from people you love
NINE pieces of dove chocolate
EIGHT warm smart wool socks
SEVEN minutes of peace
SIX delightful faces
FIVE dollars found in my coat pocket
FOUR hours of refueling rest
THREE best friends
TWO parties
ONE  nice warm cup of tea

Twinkling Lights

...and baby Jesus.

Two of our favorite Christmas Decorations. I would love to know what some of your favorite decorations are. Please share!

A Hunting we will Go....

Life isn't a Matter of Milestones

but of Moments.

Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy

One of my favorite recent "moments'' was last Friday afternoon. The moment we found

our Christmas Tree. Going to the Covered Bridge Farm has been a tradition since we moved to Montrose seven years ago. We piled our kids and 10 cousins in the car and went hunting. We rode the wagon out into the fields and began the HUNT. We finally found our proud 11ft. Douglas Fir. It is a beautiful thing. We celebrated with campfire smore's and hot cider. It was a great day. We love turning the lights down in the evening and watching our tree all a glow. We are blessed to live this sweet country life!

Top Ten Thurs.

My Favorite Four Legged Friend "UTAH"
1. I can count on you to warn me of visitors...thanks to you I have never been caught off guard!
2. You know what shoes lead to a great morning walk.
3. I always have someone to share popcorn with during a movie.
4. You never talk back... I really can't say that about the others I live with.
5. You lick my hand to show you care when I am sick.
6. You follow me everywhere and I don't mind your company.
7. The kitchen floor is always spotless.
8.  I think you understand what I say!
9. You still like me even when I am riding my broom!
10. I love you.

BOO

This year on Friday night we carved pumpkins and ate homemade popcorn and homemade root beer. Everyone was very creative. Although no one threw up cleaning out the pumpkin guts. I always look forward to one of them dry heaving at least. Halloween is always a good laugh. We lit them on the porch and cuddled together on the couches to watch a vampire movie.
Yesterday we meet up with the Brown and Hokit Families to do a little trick-or-treating. I am pretty traditional when it comes to a lot of things..this is one of them. Good treats were had by all. My kids are even nice enough to pass their Kit Kats to me! They know they are my Halloween favorite. We finished our great time with chili and homemade rolls at the Perry's. Susie has a Halloween Hoarding Sickness. She admits it. We love being part of the sickness once a year! This year the Sugar Sprite Fair visited our porch. She takes all the Halloween candy back to her home. Her family enjoy the sweet nectar over the winter. In return she leaves a toy for the kids. It was a success. I am hopeful it will be a new tradition.

Top Ten Thurs.

The things I love today...
1. Easton had me pull his first tooth out. I love pulling teeth!
2. Ordering the cutest Christmas cards ever.
3. Spending one last night at the soccer fields with ALL my boys.
4. Going for Hot Chocolate with my boys and talking about the great
Soccer season.
5. Getting a "I miss you" text from a girlfriend.
6. The cool weather and the snow on the San Juan Mountains.
7. Sneaking a "mellow" to eat while waiting in line to pick up kids.
8. Listening to Diana Krall. Her music makes me dance.
9. Having my old dog at my feet as a write.
10. Loving Dillon's new green winter coat. It makes his eyes so green.

Thou Art Beautiful

A Girls Best Friend!

These beauties I woke up to on my night stand. They were a surprise from Ben. I have never owned a pair of THESE before.  He has never brought home such a nice surprise. He doesn't even surprise me this much at christmas. I love him...but he isn't the thoughtful gift giving type. Is it our anniversary and I forgot? No. They were "just because I love you" shoes. He has been in San Diego and maybe the sunshine got to him! I like them either way.  Now we need to decide on a restaurant for friday night...just because.

Top Ten Thurs.

This idea I borrowed from my friend Cara. She is an inspiration in many things. So here they are
1. We found a home for our live-in Foster dog Jesse. (She will be very happy at Keeley and Jeff's Home).
2. We signed contracts for a lease for a building in Indepenence, MO. We are offically Missouri bound.
3. My favorite bike that was ran over by a dear neighbor is back from repairs and looking brand new again!
4. ALL five teacher conferences yesterday afternoon were a great success. I am so lucky to be surrounded      by such smart people.
5. I went to VOTE in the primary elections...and so should you! I am so grateful for bold women in American History.
6. I am so popular with four little 8 and 9 year old girls..I took them to tour Papa Murphy's Pizza last night and let them make their own pizza's. Thanks Jerry Thun. You are a great asset to our community!
7. I found the "Thriller" video on you tube and made all my kids watch it! It was SCARY! Easton and Ian were looking for a full moon in the sky before their tuck in.  I did end up with two kids on my bedroom floor by midnight:)
8. I had lunch yesterday with my favorite guy. We even ordered dessert which we usually never do.
9. Moving makes me think I can live with a lot less things. I have four big bags of stuff ready for salvation army. Maybe moving for awhile isn't such a bad idea.
10. My Sierra asked that Santa bring her a gallon of "CELERy GREEN" paint for christmas. It is to paint her new room in Missouri. How many 10 yrs. do you know that keep paint samples and house plans in their night stand? A girl after my own heart.

An Apple Day Today...

This morning was cool enough to make apple pie. This really only happens once a year for me. While I was peeling the skins the saying "a BAD apple can ruin a whole bushel"came to my mind.  How many times have I been the bad apple and realized it and changed my behavior?
 The pie recipe I used took 1st place in a 4-H contest in the eighth grade. The smell in the house was wonderful. I made four for the freezer and three for our family. Ben loves apple pie. It is his favorite. The kids devoured a whole one after school and the third I handed off to a special friend.  The secret to good golden brown crust... is to put half&half on the top! Oh, do you think it's okay that I had my piece al mode for lunch?  Pie just might be what I want for dinner too!

Picture Day

Today I took photos of Easton and Anna. They were both coorperative  AND I remained fairly calm. It was the most beautiful fall day in the Rocky Mountains. We ended the evening at the soccer fields. Dillon and Sierra both won their games. Niether one of them complained about playing in the rain.