Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Thanksgiving!


Puzzles during the holidays.  Always.

Kaye K and Gretchen hanging out near some of the appetizer snacks

Bridgette showed Gramma one of our family photo books

Duets with my mom!  


The table is set mostly thanks to Gretchen and Bridgette


Thankful for family

Brothers!  Let's eat!

Our 2018 Thanksgiving Tree



Day-after-Thanksgiving sight-seeing



Now let's get ready for Christmas!  My mom is the queen of lights.






Sunday, December 16, 2018

Some Shots from November

We take every warm day we can get!

Look who can finally tie her own shoes!

A fall art project; when dry, they peeled off the blue painters tape and revealed a white outline of trees




Spending an afternoon at one of our favorite places: the arboretum



Bridgette has always been able to hold her own as the youngest!



Pioneer Day at our co-op:



A super fun date with my oldest girl to play games and drink hot cocoa

I love this pic of these sister friends!

a bit of rock and mineral study for science

Kaye K and Big Daddy came for Thanksgiving!  We introduced them to Dude Perfect, which in this photo looks to be more amusing for the grandparents than it was for the kids.  But our kids think it's great, and we all loved hearing Big Daddy laugh at the videos!

Kaye K doing her thing with the kids at the piano

Shopping for, and preparing our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.  Having Mom and Dad, who work for Smaritan's Purse, with us made the tradition extra special


Sharing the arboretum with Mom and Dad.  Look at Kaye K up in the tree!

Not even a bonsai tree exhibit could distract from the football score.  I tease, but I actually love that they all enjoy sports so much together.

Riding bikes and walking around Lake Artemesia on an unusually warm day.


Our friend, who works for the FBI, hooked us up with a tour of the FBI building!  





Saturday, November 24, 2018

One Night of Camping

We'd planned two nights of camping, but 100% rain forecast changed our plans.  Ryan and I decided it was worth it, even if only for one night, and it ended up being one of those "magical memories" we made as a family.  A seemingly short 24-hour span of fun, cooperation, laughing, story-telling, and foraging for sticks to keep the fire alive because it was COLD!

I probably get way too excited about setting up everyone's beds in the tent!


A GREAT climbing tree!







Ryan slept in his neck warmer and stocking cap, and he was the warmest of anyone when we all woke up to frigid temps.  No one wanted to get out of their sleeping bags.  And by no one, I mean just the adults!

Red-head selfie!