Monday, January 1, 2024

December 2023

Basketball has started for Gabi! I love to watch her play!

She is seeing some varsity action this year and has been doing great!


Jacob swam in his first ever swim meet! He was confident and had lots of fun!

Jacob struggles with coordination. Even though it is very hard for him to kick and do the arm stroke at the same time, he has been working hard and making progress!


We opened a few Christmas gifts to each other before we headed to Colorado for Christmas!


I gave Joe a custom topo map of our cabin location

At our Friends' Christmas, the kids always do a gift exchange. It gets more and more fun each year as the kids grow older and can pick unique and creative gifts for each other.

Jacob received Minecraft Legos

Gabi received a Jordan pillow

Maya received beauty products from Brett...he was so proud! She was so embarrassed! :)

I guess you can see my sling in this pic...I had surgery on my right wrist (same as the one on my left wrist in September). All is going well.

Christmas with the Halls...

We also celebrated with Joe's family before we left for Colorado...Phyllis gave each grandkid a speaker...here Gabi is showing her how they work. :)

Jacob loved his electric blanket from Grammy Joyce...he said he was, "living my best life!"


These two are good buds! :)



Suns out, guns out! Jacob loves his cousin, Gio


The kids opened one more gift before we headed to Colorado - It was a big surprise - a 2+ week trip to Europe for the family this summer!

On the back of each of their kindness tasks in their advent calendar was a letter. They dug them back out and put them in order to spell: "WeAreGoingtoEuropeinMay!"

They were so excited to next open a package with packing cubes for all of us and the details of the trip. It will be quite an adventure!


We went to my parent's house in Colorado for Christmas. My brother and his girlfriend from Atlanta were there as well. We had a fun time! My Mom is such a good cook, so we were so spoiled!
Decorating cookies

After Christmas Eve Mass


The kids helped my mom cook and clean up.


Maya gave Papa Gary the moose eggnog mug from Christmas Vacation...our favorite movie...in the ornament exchange.

Tom gave Jacob a sonic ornament!

My dad made this for Maya for the ornament exchange...it is made out of leopard wood

Gabi gave Joe this mug...from our 2nd favorite Christmas movie...Home Alone

Gabi's cowbell ornament from Angelene

Jacob gave me a hedgehog! So cute!

So excited!

Jacob always makes displays of things...Here are Christmas gifts. :)

Joe demonstrates one way to drink a coffee martini

Looking good girls...ready for Christmas dinner. Maya made the poinsettia napkins

No Christmas is complete without a visit from our friends from Montana! :) They have so much fun together...always lots of laughs!

Jacob got to use flippers at swim practice one night. He thought they were pretty fun!

Jacob ran the Legs to Kegs 5K this year...it is our neighborhood fun run!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR! We can't wait for all of the adventures and laughs that 2024 will bring!

November 2023

More Cowboy Football!

Celebrating another win against CSU! Go Pokes

Passing the time on the way to Laramie...our avid reader

Maya reads a ton too!

We pull out the Home Alone house every November to put together. :)



We bought a new LEGO set for the cabin - an A Frame! You can see our good progress in this pic too! Still lots to do though. :)



We celebrated Dave & Joyce's 50th Anniversary with a party!


We spent Thanksgiving with the ranch family in Lead, South Dakota. Dave and Joyce rented a large house for all of us. Lots of fun! The kids were way better at taking pictures than the adults were.







Marco had fun taking pictures of all the kids


He does great work...check it out: www.marcellomonterastelli.com


We took a quick trip to see Mt. Rushmore and ate lunch in Rapid City on the way home.




Found the perfect Christmas tree!


Our first time with a Ponderosa Pine and I love it!

I'll never get tired of our ever-changing, beautiful view in God's Country