Thanksgiving

We left a festively decorated house this year 

For a cozy family weekend in 

Estes Park Colorado

with Grandma & Grandpa Daniel

 We stayed in a darling swedish inspired hotel

Did some shopping downtown

 Ate Carmel Apples

 And Ice Cream

 In the winter of course.

 ****

 We had Thanksgiving dinner at the charming onsite restaurant!

 Grandma and her only Grand-daughter.

 Our beautiful meal.

(My favorite was the savory squash)

I didn't get pictures of the Holiday Parade on Friday night

because as we were 10 minutes away from it starting

a major winter flurry

hit us head on.  

We all took cover but were walking snowmen within 3 minutes.

It was crazy.  

We had to watch the parade sideways.

 The view on our way out of town.  

That is snow blowing off the peaks...not a cloud.  

Estes Park is G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S

and we can't wait to go back to visit.

Locks of Billie's Love

Billie has been begging me to let her cut her hair again for charity....

for MONTHS.  

So he we are BEFORE 

on our way to the appointment....

a little wind blown! 

 Brittany did a wonderful job. 

We ended up with 4 pony tails

12 inches each.  

 I was freaking out inside a little bit.

 But not as much as dad was...

He liked her long hair....ALOT!

 AFTER:

 Don't worry daddy.

It'll grow out.

And it went to a wonderful cause.

Her heart, makes mine swell 10x's bigger.

She is so thoughtful and amazing!  

Thankful Moments

 November FLEW BY!

WOWZER...

Grant and Billie went to their first Middle School Dance.

All the kids wanted to wear white because 

it was black lighted.  

James celebrated his 10th Birthday on 

11/11/11

We talked to Grandma & Grandpa's

and then we skyped with G&G Daniel

because:

Our cousin came to share his birthday with James. 

They were born on the same day.  

It was so much fun.  

We played, had dinner at Red Robin (YUM!), shopped at the Lego store,

Opened Gifts, Had Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake,

Played XBOX Kinnect, legos, watched Cars 2, swam at the hotel

and most of all made wonderful memories!

November Nuggets

November 1st:

The morning came all to early after our Halloween Candy Hangover

but we trudged along, 

glad when the day came to a close.

November 2nd:

A winter storm crept down from Wyoming

blanketing us with a good amount of snow.

The kids had a snow day, 

(the roads were terrible at going to school time.) 

The satellite was not cooperating with their morning cartoons.

So Billie put her boots on over her jammies 

and borrowed daddys jacket to clean it off. 

We ended up with 8 or so inches by the afternoon.  

 November 3rd:

Grant whipped out a batch of brownies for me.

From scratch, I might add.

I tossed him a bag of Mini reece's pieces

and he incorporated them nicely. 

 (yes he is getting tall

we haven't measured him lately

but 

he is definitely taller than me

and not much shorter than Bill these days.)

 November 4th:

James' last day of school until after the Thanksgiving holiday.

I took in Lofthouse Sugar Cookies

and Juice Boxes to share.

While the kids were singing happy birthday to him

he kept pointing to himself.  

I then promptly checked him out of school

because he hasn't been feeling well, had a sore throat 

and I could feel his temperature creeping up.

On the ride home he asked me if he was going through puberty 

"because my voice sure has been changing a lot!" 

We must have a teenager in the house.