...another great read...

While relaxing in beautiful Salida, I finished Harry Bernstein's 2nd book "The Dream" - what a great read!  His writing absolutely puts you in the moment right alongside him.  I definitely need to pick up his 3rd one "The Golden Willow"...

..finally ~ REAL SNOW...

 

Yep ~ we finally got some real snow that's staying on the ground!  The kids are loving the pile that the snowplow driver "gave us" in the culdesac!!! 

 

 

 

 Look at those COLD cheeks ~ time for hot chocolate by the fireplace!!!

Beddin' Down

We spent the weekend at the Beddin' Down in Salida ~ great friends with us in a beautiful location among the Collegiate Peaks :-)  We relaxed, ate incredibly well, shared lots of laughs, and read (I finished Harry Bernstein's 2nd book "The Dream" - awesome!) ~ it was wonderful!!!  Thank you, Scott and Kimberly, for sharing your little slice of heaven on earth with all of us :-)  Joshua and Hannah had a great time "hanging out" with Boppa Tom and Grammy Darls!

...view from the front porch... 

 ...Scott right in his element ~ farm chores!

 ...hubby and I window shopped in Salida on Saturday and had lunch at the 1st Street Cafe...

...dinner Saturday night at the Boathouse Cantina ~

the ladies! 

...and the gents!

We returned to Denver to find SNOW - wheeeeeeee!!!!!

Words I Could Have Lived Without

Honestly, I would have preferred to live the rest of my days on earth without any intimate knowledge about cancer. But with pancreas cancer being the 4th most common cancer in men in the U.S., chances are good that if it wasn’t a possibility now with my dad, it would be later with one of the other amazing men in my life. Thankfully, the tumor on the tail of my dad’s pancreas was found early on, and it doesn’t appear to have spread anywhere else. Thank God! He's scheduled for surgery on January 24, and my dad is in incredible shape which should help with recovery. If anyone can get through something like this, it's him. I'm incredibly thankful for the faith that he has exhibited throughout his life, which is now at the center of my own life. What a blessing to know that we're not alone in any of this. Thanks Dad ~ I'm looking forward to enjoying many more scoops of ice cream with you!!!

Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad.

...a little nostalgia...

...taking the tree down always makes me feel a little nostalgic ~ I love looking at all of the ornaments and thinking about who and where they came from...

 

 Wow ~ how our babies have grown!!!

Wishing you all a year of wonderful nostalgia and great memories in the making!!!

Cheers to 2011!

hehe! This picture was taken last year. Apparently Tim and Rita thought we had TP'd their house, so this year we've all been invited to their New Year's Eve celebration (as if THAT will keep us out of trouble!)! Someone has been tampering with their Christmas lights, too ~ who knew?!?! Looking forward to a fun night with great friends, homemade chili and appetizers, and an early New Year's toast!

...and great things to come in 2011!!!

________________________________________

...here are a few from this year...

 

 

 

 Pinata Fun!

 ...birthday cake for Nathan...

...Elly with her 2011 fondue treats...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

...my latest read...

I was thrilled to find this book in my stocking!  I started it last night and it's been so hard to put down ~ even harder to come to work today when all I wanted to do was keep reading!!!  The author, Harry Bernstein, started writing it when he was 93 years old after his wife passed away.  He tells the story of his childhood growing up in a northern England mill town in the early 1900s ~ his family lived on the Jewish side of the street and the other side was Christian ~ only steps apart but separated by an invisible wall.  He has two additional books in the series, The Dream and The Golden Willow, which I'm sure will be next on my list!