Friday, December 27, 2013

Friday in Fort Collins

On the seventh day of Christmas and New Year, Oliver woke up not feeling well.  We had a hot date to drive to Fort Collins to see Mommy's long time friend, Shawna while Daddy worked.  Since Oliver wasn't feeling well, he stayed home on the couch while Daddy worked (Daddy now works in the home office) and Kellan and I hit the highway for Fort Collins.

It was a gorgeous day for a drive and we arrived in Fort Collins to this crazy girl.  Miss Abigail was was all smiles and fun.  She was so much fun that she sat in a big ball, just because she could.
After Shawna and I caught up and the kids played, we all went to the park to enjoy the 60 degree December day.
Kellan was very impressed with their variety of playground equipment and wanted to hit each and every option.
Abigail and Kellan
Kellan had so much fun that when it was time to leave he didn't want to go.  He kept asking why we always had to leave friends' houses.  When you're three, it's hard to understand that you still have to go to your own house, even if you're having fun.

Ian came over to show his muscles on the lady bug.
Abigail, Kellan and Ian
When we got back home, Abigail was hired as the official photographer of the Mommy's.  I'm not sure that the boy's agreed with that plan since they were quick to photo bomb.
It's fun to think that we have been friends for 21 years!!
Shawna... we should toast to that!

Thursday, December 26, 2013

The Day After

The day after Christmas was also our sixth day of Christmas and New Years. Our agenda was to clean up from Christmas.  It took ALL day and it was perfect!!  In our pajamas, we would clean, play a round of checkers, clean, play a round of Spot-It, clean... play some more.  It was just what we needed.

We also learned how to make Oliver's infinity bracelets,  as he demonstrates here.  They were challenging at first, but thanks to You Tube, we are now pros.

Keith worked all day, but come evening time, he challenged Oliver to a game of chess.
It was a perfect sixth day of Christmas and New Years.  We are half way through our holiday staycation with so many more days and so many more options!

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Christmas Day 2013

As if Christmas couldn't get any better... it did!
We kicked it off with a fantastic Christmas Eve with friends, celebrated with just our HamFam on Christmas morning and then rounded it out with more friends on Christmas Day.  We had a lot to feel thankful and blessed for.

We may not have had a white Christmas, but we had the next best thing; Colorado Blue Skies and Sunshine!!

We ventured west to Evergreen to celebrate Christmas with the Wells family.  Marion's Mom had made a belly warming Christmas turkey dinner that made us smile from ear to ear and wish that we had worn our elastic waist bands.
The temperatures were pushing 60 and the smiles were pushing infinity!
The war zone also made its way to Evergreen.
Miss Jin was looking Fab in her new sparkly dress.

After running outside and soaking up some Colorado Viatmin D, the kids came in for some scrumptious Christmas Dinner.
Kellan, Jin, Oliver
The Wells always have something up their sleeve and this year, it was after dinner dancing fairies, compliments of Jeff.
Santa brought Jin this awesome remote control fairy that one person drives (Jin in this photo) and another person guides along as it bounces on their hand.  Where was this when I was a kid?
The kids driving the dancing fairy.
Quick pause for a photo:
Oliver, Kellan and Jin
The dancing fairy proved to be fun for the WHOLE family, Dad's included.
As the kids wound down with a Christmas special, the parents wound down with a fire side chat.

Carrie and Keith
Jeff and Marion
Thank You to the Wells family for hosting another fantastic Christmas Day dinner.

It was official, the fifth day of Christmas and New Years was in the books.

Christmas Morning 2013

At 6 AM Christmas Morning, Kellan came into our room to ask for a snuggle.  He didn't make mention of the living room that he had to walk through to get to us.  A few moments later, he was snoring between us.  At 7:30 AM, Oliver came into our room to exclaim that "SANTA WAS HERE and there is a Pop-A-Shot in the living room for the WHOLE FAMILY!!!"  He went on to explain that the Pop-A-Shot didn't have a tag on it, so it must be for the whole family.  I didn't expect this response, but as he continued to express this, it made my heart swell with pride that his first thought was that it was for the whole family, not just himself.  In fact, I think Santa left if for both boys, but we will gladly enjoy it as a whole family.
They may have slept in, but that didn't mean they were any less excited.  They were anxious in anticipation of what Santa had left, as well as what all of the other gifts were under the tree.
Does this look like a burst of excitement for some new Jake and the Neverland Pirates guys, or what?
When I was a kid, I would take each item out of my stocking, one by one.
I found it interesting that our boys just tipped it upside down for one big dump.
Santa delivered coordinating hats to Oliver and Keith.
Naturally, Oliver's was Broncos colors.
Keith's was red, black and gray to match his jacket.
That Santa is a smart one.
Oliver was super excited to get the Infinity Loom to make rubber band bracelets.  To top it off, Santa delivered rubber bands in Broncos colors and his favorite color, silver.
The boys had two joint gifts; the pop-a-shot and whatever was in this big long box.
Could it be?  A Fathead?

Look at that!
A Broncos Fathead for the Playroom!!
The happy activity continued for quite some time.

This isn't the most in-focus photo, but it was a quick and instant shot of Oliver's initial reaction to his new Broncos blanket from Grandma.  The package had said that you could hear the cheers of fans when you opened the package.  I think you could definitely hear the cheers of excitement from Oliver.


"WHOA!!  Jake and the Neverland Pirates!"
Kellan has such a big imagination and watching him in imaginative play is quite entertaining.  Actually, he's almost always in imaginative play.  He is quite creative and we find it to be a great way to understand how he interprets what is going on around him.  
Has anyone seen Kellan?

Whoop, there it is!
Santa officially delivered.
Oliver asked for a bow and arrow from Santa last year and the one that Santa's elves made broke very easily.
This year, Oliver was very specific that he wanted a Nerf Bow and Arrow and this year, Santa delivered.
Oh hey... there's Kellan!

Chess anyone?
Go Broncos!!
It didn't take long for the living room to turn into a war zone.
Mommy and Daddy may or may not have been seen in a heated archery battle later in the morning.
He aimed and fired in about .6 seconds.  The kid is quick and accurate.
Meanwhile, if the package had a "K" on it, it was being opened by Kellan.  This meant that if it was From: Kellan, he thought it was his and he should open it.  It also meant that if it said To: Keith, he was opening it.  He was very insistent that "K" was for him.  We are very proud of him for learning his letters and so instead of ruining Christmas morning with tiny details, Kellan just helped the other "K" in the family.
Keith was very surprised by this gift.
Finally, he had a gnome.

When Keith and I first met, he wanted a gnome for his new yard.  On our second date, he asked me to to to Estes Park (1.5 hours away) with him because they were having a craft festival and he thought that he could find a gnome there.  He also thought that he could find ideas for porch swings so that he could make one.  I was smitten.

We never did find a gnome or a porch swing, but we did find that we enjoyed each others company.  So now, nearly twelve years later, he finally has his gnome.  It also happens to be a Broncos gnome.
Kellan also has a tree house, a Jake and the Neverland Pirates tree house.

The morning was magical and we loved every second of it.

Finally... after most of the activity was done, Mommy and Daddy opened their gifts.  Oliver was So Excited for Daddy to open the gift from him.
It was exactly what Daddy had said that he wanted, a slot machine.

Our friends won a real slot machine at a silent auction and Oliver heard Daddy say that he would like one.  Low and behold, Oliver remembered when he saw this at the store.  He couldn't have been more thrilled.
The rest of the morning was full of fun and games.
Grandma must have known that on Christmas Eve, Kellan would be a blue hippo (Head Bandz) since she sent him a Hungry Hippos game.


Finally, Oliver had a chess set and someone to teach him how to use it.  He's getting ready to head back to school to challenge the big kids.



What a fantastic Christmas morning we had.  It was full of fun, love and many, many hours in our PJ's.  We couldn't have asked to have been more blessed.

But alas... we were.  We were headed to Christmas dinner with friends on this glorious Christmas day.
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