8 Months

I swear this little boy has to be the happiest little guy around.  It seems like he is ALWAYS smiling and wanting cuddles.

He is getting SO big!  He is about to outgrow his 12 month clothes just because he is so long.  I'm excited for his 9 month check-up just to see how long he is.  Maya was a chubby and squatty little one.  Jacob is just long and hefty!  He is sitting up by himself very well now.  He studies things in his hands and is just content to chill out and play with his toys.  He really loves his jumperoo and can kind of push himself in his walker.  Of course his favorite thing to do is cuddle.

My students and I were joking about taking selfies and they were daring me to take one of myself. So, I used the tips they gave me and took some of Jacob and I together.  (I'm sorry but I think it is silly to take a picture of just yourself...maybe I'm just too old school).  Anyways, they turned out pretty cute and even my students thought they were good. :) 

I really want to crawl, but haven't figured out how to move my legs and arms forward.  It shouldn't be too long!

Checking out the cat.  Rocky loves Jacob and uses every chance he gets to cuddle up to him.

I like to roll onto the concrete floor and don't seem to mind one bit that it is so hard.  At least it is warm!  Crazy boy!

Lots of love!  Tara

Christmas with the Halls

After returning from our ski trip, we celebrated Christmas with Joe's family. :)

Just what she wanted...a monkey!!

All the cousins and an impostor...another monkey that Maya received!

At our home, in front of the Christmas tree, fresh from bath time, dressed in their new jammies and robes from Auntie Manda and Uncle Greer.  And Maya's even has monkeys all over them. :)

Merry Christmas from the Halls!

Christmastime Fun!

We all did lots and lots of skiing while we were in Winter Park.  We spent a couple of days at Granby Ranch, a smaller ski area that was perfect for the girls.  Maya took lessons and then spent an afternoon skiing with me.  Gabi is a little ski bum already and just bombs down the mountain.  By the end of the week she was riding the lift by herself and beating Joe and I down the hill.  It is so fun to ski with her!!

We met Santa in the ski lodge as we were meeting for lunch!

Joe and I even had a day to ourselves while my Mom and Dad watched all the kiddos!  This was a rare treat and we took full advantage of it!

Maya and Joe riding the lift.  This picture makes it look like there wasn't much snow, but actually the snow was pretty good!  It snowed a lot while we were there as well.

Ski Buddies!

My Mom, Gabi, and I skied together one afternoon

Nice pizza slice Gabs!!

My Mom and Dad on the bus to Winter Park!

We also went tubing with Tom and Angelene.  The girls had a great time!  It was even more fun when we tied all the tubes together and raced down the hill all at once.

My dad brought these awesome marshmallow guns that he had at his office.  They were super fun and brought lots of laughs one evening after the kids went to bed.  The girls got in on the fun a couple of days later.  We need to figure out how to make these because they are hilarious!

Nice helmet, Joe

Great times were had by all!

Christmas

On Christmas Eve, we went to the base of Winter Park for a lighted skiier parade and fireworks show.  There were lots of carolers, a huge bonfire, and lots of merriment.

With my mom and dad waiting for the show to begin

The parade of skiiers coming down the mountain and the fireworks display set to Christmas carols.

Maya received a huge set of legos!

Both Maya and Gabi received snowshoes from Grammy Mary and Papa Gary

Gabi picked out an Elmo CD player for Jacob from the Christmas Shoppe

Angelene and Tom adopted a seal and sea lion from the Marine Mammal Center near San Francisco for the girls.  They received a picture of their own adopted animal and a special book and stuffed animal.  They love them and have even shared the with their classmates on show and tell days.

A onesie for our Rootin' Tootin' cowboy.  And a soft lion from Grammy and Papa

On Christmas Day, most of the clan went skiing, but we also decorated cookies and hung out.

"Farmer Jake" He is excited about his scotch cap!

Decorating Christmas cookies!

Winter Happenings

Some of our friends from our fun college days were in Sheridan for Thanksgiving.  We spent an afternoon visiting them and their newest addition...Briggs.  They used to live in Golden and had two girls before having their boy!

Briggs and Jacob

All the big sisters :)

If there is a tree, Gabi will climb it.

Here are some other pictures from our time between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Jacob is getting better at eating solids!  He is such a happy boy!

We had a busy Saturday in early December...the girls built gingerbread houses, went Christmas shopping at the Children's Christmas Shoppe, and had their pictures taken with Santa.

We had a REALLY cold snap for almost a week (like -25 without counting the windchill).  Near the end, it was 5 and I decided to send the girls outside to burn off some energy.  I bet Joe they would last 5 minutes...they lasted nearly an hour!  They are so used to being outside and active that they just tolerated it because they needed their fix!!

Both girls are taking dance lessons.  Here is (part of) Maya's class after their Christmas performance at the end of lessons one day.

Gabi played basketball on the YMCA league and really enjoyed it!

Maya was Mother Mary in the Christmas program.  She did an awesome job memorizing all of her lines and during the performance.  We practiced using her "big girl voice" (She has a tendancy to talk in a high-pitched kind of baby voice) and she did very well.