winter program

We had some very anxious little ladies this evening. Their school winter program was tonight and they were so excited. They have been practicing for weeks. B had to race over straight from work, but he made it just in time. The girls were thrilled to see him. 
The girls did great — all the kiddos did. They had a great time and loved being with friends. 
Silly girls!

white fence farm

We have White Fence Farm on our summer bucket list each year and sadly this year we didn’t make it. The first year I was just trying to find unique things to do with the kids around Colorado and the Tyler’s joined us. (Photos from our first visit back in 2014 here.) Each year I add it to our summer bucket list and the parents ask “why the heck are we still doing this?”. 
When we missed it this year the parents didn’t seem to mind, but the kids were pretty disappointed. They have made several comments about it so we surprised them with a holiday visit. It really is a silly thing, but we all have such a good time when we end up there together. 
 We’ve never been when it is decorated for Christmas and it was really pretty. Christmas trees everywhere! The kid were all laughs and silly and it was a great excuse to meet up with the Tyler’s. We’re lucky to have these friends in our lives (we met in California 18 years ago!) and so fun to watch our kids growing up together. 
Rhys always keeps our girls laughing…
They real did have fun. They are just annoyed by my incessant picture taking.
Tell me how you really feel?

The weather was warm enough for us to feed the goats after dinner. Annabelle was not having it but Gwyneth gave it a try.

winter purge

The girls have been working on their lists for Santa, B has just been working, working, working and I had a few minutes of peace on Saturday. I couldn’t just sit around so we decided to make room for Christmas gifts and did some winter cleaning. 
We tackled Gwyneth’s room and it started like this…
…and she was so flippin’ happy. She’s not a pack rat so she was thrilled. 
That girl can sure make some silly faces. 

Annabelle was tackling her room and I found this: 

She has been sick for a few days so I didn’t give her a hard time. When she woke up she asked if I would help and we did this:

She is my little hoarder so I was pretty surprised when she asked me to help her. She knows I like to clean and by clean I mean toss.

Her room looks great and she can actually find things now!

She even cleaned out her closet and dresser. I love her tween meets emoji style. 
She can finally sit and work at her desk. It’s a Christmas miracle!

The Tendler’s joined us for a mini-holiday celebration this evening. We used our beloved new instant pot and made some delicious steak tacos. That thing is pretty darn fabulous and you just can’t beat the speed of meal prep with it. We ended the night with the yummy cookie they brought. Gwyneth stayed up with Sarah until about 12:15 which has to be a new personal record! Luckily she slept in the next day because our girl needs her sleep.

field trip

I had a pretty special field trip for work today. I was asked to paint at the girls’ school. I painted with prek thru 4th grade and they made Christmas gifts for their families. 
The field trips are stressful for me. The stress mostly lies in the planning and getting the painted pottery back to the studio.  I enjoy spending time with the kids once I get there. This trip was even better because I got to see my girl. My first class was 4th grade and I got to paint with Gwyneth. She was awesome and I loved seeing her with her friends. Not a bad day at work, I must say. 

disney on ice

I was so excited to surprise the girls with tickets to Disney on Ice. We have been going for years and although they are getting older they still seem to really love the show. (Annabelle likes the ice skating but doesn’t get as impressed by the princesses. Gwyneth loves it all will be a princess junkie for life, I believe. )
My grand plan did not go quite as…well, planned. Miss Annabelle is fighting a horrible cold. She has a nasty cough and sore throat. The cough is keeping her away at night so she has spent the past two days on the couch resting. Poor girl! 
She really wanted to go to the show tonight but it was not going to happen. She was just not healthy enough for it. B stayed home with her and she graciously offered her ticket to Ella, Gwyneth’s dear friend. 
We missed Annabelle and B terribly and wished they could have been with us. The little girls loved the show though and stayed up way past their bedtimes! 

nuggets vs lakers

We took advantage of a brief break from B’s busy holiday schedule this evening and whisked him off for a little fun downtown. We snagged a great family fun pack deal for Nuggets tickets.We decided to get a room downtown since the parade of lights was the same night, Lyft prices were elevated, and we didn’t want to mess with parking. We had an entertaining and festive evening downtown and I’m glad we got to steal B away from his kitchen for a bit. 
We grabbed a late lunch at Maggianos and it was decorated beautifully for the holidays. 

We spent some time at the arcade at the pavilions:

And then off to the game! 
Annabelle purchased some fancy new Nugget earrings. 
And the girls went crazy with selfies

watching Rocky, the Mascot
Using up the $15 credits that came on each of our tickets

We had such a great time at the game! The Nuggets pulled off the win and we had a blast cheering for them.

The next day we scooted over to Mellow Mushroom for pizza and the Bronco game. Our server brought Gwyneth two Dr Peppers. Oh my!

After lunch we went to Lucky Strikes for some bowling. It was pretty crowded but I great place to watch the rest of the game.

Two bad B couldn’t find a bigger tv to watch the Bronco game huh? HA!

It was a really fun weekend and we’re so glad we could steal B away for a little fun. Now back to reality!

parade of lights

Both girls’ troops participate in the Parade of Lights in Louisville. 
Wow! Just wow, what a night. I’m admitting to be a full-on drama queen over here, but my goodness the crowds! There were so many people. It’s a tiny little town and the route was only 3/4 of a mile. I get super anxious in these situations and a few profanities (ok, maybe a few is being conservative) flew from my mouth as we tried to find parking. The girls just giggled and were so excited to see their friends. They didn’t mind the madness one bit. 
The weather was perfect. Just a bit chilly but bearable and we didn’t have to really bundle up too much. Gwyneth’s troop chose elf ears while Ananbelle’s troop chose reindeer antlers. They all had their lights on and they lit up the night. 
Not all the girls were able to make it and the troops are getting smaller and smaller, but I sure do enjoy spending time with these little ladies. It has become more than manageable – it has become quite lovely and we are able to do such fun, memorable things with these smaller little troops.
Happy Parade of Lights Ladies!

elfing around

Annabelle had a volleyball game in Greeley today. Gwyneth is feeling a bit left out because not only does her sister play, but most of her buddies at school are playing also. She’s committed to playing next year. Not sure if she is really interested in the sport or just wanting some more time with friends. Anyway, today B and I surprised her by picking her up from school and taking her for a milk shake. 
She is one goofy girl and we adore her!

mckay

I do not fancy myself an outdoorsy kind of gal. 
I like to read, write, and take pictures  and most of that I do from the comfort of indoors. I live in a stunningly gorgeous state and when I do venture outside I’m always mesmerized by the beauty of where I call home. I often ask myself why I don’t get out and explore more often and then I remember quickly that I’m afraid of critters, ax murderers, and my own shadow and go back to reading my book safely on my couch. 
This morning I woke up feeling a bit cranky from staying out too late last night celebrating, receiving news that the toilet at my studio overflowed and flooded my party room, customer complaints, and a bottomless hamper of laundry. 
I decided to throw on my kicks and go for a walk. What the what??? I know! 
It was a chilly fall day but the sun was shining and I was determined to get out of my own funk. The crisp air was phenomenal and just what I needed. I adore this time of year! I went to my favorite hiking spot close to home and enjoyed a little bit of fresh air and peace and quiet. I tell ya, it was just what the doctor ordered…and now back to overflowing toilets, oh boy! 

19 years

We celebrated 19 years of marriage today. It was wonderful and I loved every single minute that I got to spend with my husband today. 
B brought me roses, which are my absolute favorite, and we had a delicious dinner at Oceanaire. We talked and talked and that’s one of the best things about being married to this guy. Even after 19 years of marriage I still love to talk and laugh with him. He’s the one I want to spend all of my days with.
He asked me at dinner “what advise would you give our girls about getting married?”. It didn’t take me long to answer: 
1. Marry someone you love and most importantly really, really like. 
2. Marry someone who makes you feel like you are always enough. 
B is that perfect person for me. Even at my worst he makes me feel like I’m enough. He is encouraging, supportive, and kind and I’m lucky to have him. 
We ended our night at the theater. The first time we saw Chicago it was in New York and we were eager to compare. It was a great show, but there is just something to be said for Broadway. The music was phenomenal and we both enjoyed it. Not our favorite but a solid 4 stars.