Our Christmas Adventure 2010

This year was our very first Christmas away from home. We greatly missed all of the friends and family who we love so much. As well as all of the traditions and fun times that we have grown to love.

However, we did make some good memories here, and got to start some new traditions with new friends. This is the first year that Sean could get in on the tree trimming.
We have started attending a new small group in Evergreen, CO. God has given us some really neat new friends. We are very thankful for that. He knows that we had to leave some of the very best in the world behind. We could never replace a single one of you. But God has sent us the closest thing to it.

Here you are seeing the kiddos playing games Minute to Win It style. We had tons of fun.


Here is most of the new group. It amazes me how you can move to a whole new area, and find a common thread in Christ with people who were complete strangers just a few months ago. The family of God is awesome. I am so blessed to be a part of it.
The girls made gram cracker ginger bread houses at their Home School Christmas party. They are making lots of new friends.




Ahh! It's Christmas Morning. Time for presents and fun!
The mess!!!!
This was my first time to make an entire Christmas dinner all by my self. Here is our very first Christmas Table. It turned out good. Overall we enjoyed being together, even while missing everyone so much. I hope that all of you had a great Christmas as well.

Now we are looking forward to a great new year in 2011! May God bless all of you as well in the upcoming new year.

Before and After

Here are the long awaited pics from all that we have accomplished in our house. I know that you were all just dying to see them.
Anyway, here they are. As you can see the new flooring is in and the walls have been de-wallpapered (Is that a word?) and painted.
Whew! We are so glad to have crossed all of the major hurdles.
There is still stuff to be done, but they are all much smaller jobs.

Here are the Living room and hall way being prepped for painting.
This is the bedroom with the wall paper coming down.
After this experience I have decided that I loathe wall paper.

This is a view from the back door looking in with the new flooring and paint.

Here is the master bed room after it's makeover.

The living room repainted complete with a new pellet stove.

This is a view through the kitchen of the new flooring. I must add here that the lovely green paint job was completed by my wonderful friends who I miss very very much. You girls rock!
Now is the dilemma of the orange counter tops. I mean really people Orange???

I want to say a special thank you to each and every person who has helped us with this enormous project. We seriously could not have done it without you!!

Thanksgiving 2010

This year we were not planning on coming back for Thanksgiving. However because we needed to finish up some work on the house, we made an impromptu visit home. It was wonderful to get to see everyone again.


A small gathering of Thanksgiving survivors on the side of the road!


Me and my two wonderful Aunties, Jan and Debbie!

Nani and her girls

My lovely sister Axie and myself.

This is my adorable niece Haliey

Me, my baby sister Axie and my step-mom Jacque

My Dad Jack and I at my Aunts house.

Back from the Dead

It has been five weeks since my last post. This was not because I has nothing to say. I switched my internet and could no longer access blogger. So now I have switched back and all is right in the world again.

A lot has happened in five weeks. I have been continuing to learn to put my trust in God. In a manner of ways you could say that things are just not working out for us right now. At least from our perspective. Several options we thought we had have fallen through.

However I know that the Word of God says that "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." This is my verse right now. I know God is working things together for my own good from His perspective not mine.

As I have been meditating this verse, I have been asking myself, do I show my love for God daily. How am I actively doing that? I know that I am called according to His purpose, but am I embracing it, fulfilling it?

I know I want to be. I believe God is showing me how to and giving me opportunities to grow in Him.

Right now life is a little uncertain and a little uncomfortable. But I know that God has it all in His hands, and things are going to work out according to His plan and purpose!

Work Work Work!

As most of you may already know, we have working on our fixer upper house that we bought almost four years ago ever since we got it. We knew when we got it that it would be a lot of work, but really we had no idea how much until we dug into it.

When we made our move to Denver this past spring it really posed a problem that it was so far from finished. As that made it impossible for us to get it on the market or even rent it out in its current state.

This past week we made a trip back home and worked our legs off trying to get it ready to rent out over the winter. We got a ton accomplished, however it is going to take one more trip to get it where we need to. I will post some pictures when we have a finished product.

I find that God very much uses the physical situations in our lives to teach us valuable spiritual lessons. This house has been an ongoing project for us and very trying at times.

When we first looked at the house it was far from what I wanted, but I saw the potential of what it could be. I know when God looks at me He does not see me for all my faults, but for who He created me to be. This is an ongoing lesson that I am learning.

When we first began construction I really thought that we would get it accomplished soon and everything would be how I wanted it on my timetable. Again, not even close!

As we dug into each project more and more problems appeared. I mean major, expensive, not easy to fix problems. In the same way I know that God is constantly working on me. I am consistently becoming the girl he has called me to be, this is no quick easy job either.

As much as would love to be instant super Christian, wife, mom, fill in the blank here. This is not reality. It takes time to create a masterpiece, a real work of art. And as we walk through life, things surface that we have to deal with. Some of them are ugly, and painful. Just like all of the surprise problems we found in our home, we each have "stuff" to work out in ourselves.

I am finding that working through this stuff is not very fun, but it totally necessary if I am to become who God created me to be, and to accomplish what He has for me to do.

I am on a journey to discover all that He is and all that I can be in Him. I know that it will not be quick or easy. I only know that it will be worth it!

Rockies Game!

If I had to choose something good about living in or near the big city, is would be that there are lots of things to do. One of those things being professional sports games. I may be a girl, but I love love sports. Mostly football, but I like them all.

This month Ryan bought us tickets so that we could all go see our very first Rockies game. It was lots and lots of fun. Ryan had been several times before, but the rest of us were newbies.

Here are some pics of our first Rockies adventure, and hopefully not our last!

The girls at the gate!
Felicity and Caitlyn at Coors Field GO Rockies!
Go Tulo!
Daddy and Sean engrossed in the game.

Fun was had by all even though they lost. I look forward to making lots of fond family memories here in the future!

Three Weddings and a Baptism!

That's right! This summer our family has been very busy. I dubbed it the summer of travel. It seems that 2010 was the best time for all our family to plan their important events. Three of them were in August alone.
In June we attended my niece's baptism, where Ryan and I were named God Parents. This is such an honor to us. The ceremony took place in Plano, Texas. It was a quick trip, but many memories were made.
August approached and things really got kinda crazy around here. The kiddos and I traveled down to New Mexico for two weddings. My cousin Michael got married. As well as my little sister Axie.
Later that month we all went to Kansas City, MO for my Brother- in- law Kyle's wedding. Felicity was flower girl in this ceremony.
Although it was a little stressful to pull it all off, we had lots of fun spending time with our families and meeting new family members. Here are some pics of our adventures. Here we are with my sister Ashlie, Doug, and our sweet niece Lauren. We attended her baptism in Plano, and we are her God parents. Isn't she so sweet!Just a few of the cousins at Mike's wedding. Left to right Felicity, Caitlyn, Elizabeth, Mallory, and Preston.
And the boy!
Me and my two awesome cousins Mandy and Jamie. We three have been partners in crime since we were two!
Now on to wedding # 2. My lovely little sister and her new hubby Kody.
Felicity was the flower girl in Ryan's brother Kyle's wedding in KC. Here is her hairdo. I did it, and I think it turned out really good. Love this pic!

The wedding party.For anyone who knows us, if we get invited to a wedding, someone is getting their car tagged!

All in all the summer was a success, we survived and now on to colder weather.

Thankful Thursday!

On this Thursday I have a lot to be thankful for! I am getting to make a very last minute unexpected trip back to Durango/Farmington to visit with friends and family!!! As you can tell I am very excited.

There are two family weddings going on over the next two weekends. My cousins and my little sisters. So I am going to be able to make it a sorta vacation. The only downside is that Ry will not be able to come with me:(

He gets to to go on a business trip to California for a few days. We are going to miss him, but we are so looking forward to seeing everyone there.
So today I am thankful for spontaneous opportunities:)

Memorial Day Weekend

I think we packed more fun and adventure into Memorial Day weekend than we have the entire rest of the summer!
One of the reasons for that is that our wonderful awesome amazing friends the Beaches were in town. They came for a soccer tournament, and we tagged along for all the fun.
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I will spare you my chattering. Here goes!

Here we are at the soccer tournament watching Chris play. It was super fun to hang out with friends since we really have none here yet.
The Colorado Rapids playing the Seattle Sounders. Colorado won 1-0. It was lots of fun!Sean at his very first professional sports game. He had a ball (Pun intended)
After our friends left we spent Memorial Day at Arvada Reservoir fishing with the kids. It was lots of fun!
I got this sweet pic of Sean. He was picking up pebbles and putting them in his little net. I love love love having a little boy!Last but certainly not least is my very handsome hubby teaching the girls to cast. Even though he is very ornery at times, I think I'll keep him.
All in all it was a great weekend that now holds lots of wonderful memories. There will be more summer adventures to follow. It is not that we haven't been doing stuff. I have just not been faithful about updating. I promise more pics and posts will follow. :)

Summertime Happenings!

I can not believe how fast this summer is going by. I have a ton to share on all of our adventures thus far.
I will break it down a little at a time so as not to overwhelm you with pictures.
Ever since we moved up here to Denver in March, we have been exploring our new surroundings and trying to experience the things that are new to us.
We have taken in some of the city life experiences. However, I think you may notice that a lot of our adventures take us out of the hustle and bustle and back to nature and the mountains.
Back in May we decided to take a drive into the mountains and go hiking around Evergreen Reservoir. We were not disappointed. Check out this view!

It was a gorgeous day, although a little windy.We had a fabulous time together, and plan to have many more:)More to come as this was just the beginning of our summertime adventures!

Thankful Thursday!

Today I am so very thankful for my very special, intelligent, kind, thoughtful, sometimes very ornery hubby Ryan. For those of you who who know him, you know what I mean.

Today is his birthday, and I just want to honor him by saying what a great husband he is to me, and what a great daddy he is to our babies.

For the past 12 years I have experienced his laughter,(pranks), kindness, gentleness, and patience. I know that God made him just for me:) And I thank Him so much for that.

Happy Birthday Ryan!!! I love you so very much:):)

Family Game Night

Since we have moved to Denver it has taken a while to get adjusted to a new normal. I think that we are finally getting there.

We recently reinstated our weekly family game night. It is one night per week that we reserve to play games as a family. No T.V. (unless it is the wii sports games).

It is a great time to just talk and have fun with each other. It brings out our inner competitive side, while giving opportunities to teach life lessons. I recommend it to any family who does not do it already. Even Sean has been getting in on the action!