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.

Family Pics & Thanksgiving

6 Months Old

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Amanda & Greer's house.  I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few. It was nice just to be home and spend time as a family.

Annual Ornament Exchange...Dave opening his from Maya...a cow with cowboy boots on.  :)

Great-Grandma Fern & Jacob

Relaxing at home

Lots of Love,
Tara

Current Update!

JACOB:

I can't believe he is almost 6 months old already! I took him to the doctor last Monday and he weighed 18 lbs. 4oz.  We started feeding him rice cereal just at dinnertime a couple of weeks ago.  He wasn't a big fan at first, but is starting to get the hang of it and enjoys it *a little* more.  He is still a super happy and healthy little guy and loves to eat and sleep...we couldn't ask for anything more!

GABI:

She is loving Kindergarten!  We had to deal with a bullying issue a few weeks ago, but after we helped her get that resolved, she is excited about school again (I wish girls weren't so mean to each other!)  She is really good at sounding out words and loves to write and draw pictures.  She is even starting to write sentences on her own...she made me the card below all by herself yesterday (I was battling a horrible stomach flu bug).

 MAYA:

Maya is still enjoying school as well!  Her new thing is legos...just like her daddy!  She will sit at the table for hours working on a project and follows the little direction book very well!  She is a sweetie and her teachers always tell us how much they love her enthusiasm! :)

JOE & TARA

Joe is still staying busy at his office.  They were an office of 4 engineers, but had to let someone go, so now they are back to 3 and very actively trying to find more help!  He travels quite a bit around the state, but really enjoys what he does.  He was asked to serve on the University of Wyoming Advisory Board and was recently offered a Principal position with KL&A.  I don't have a current picture, but he sure loves to get Jacob laughing and loves having a buddy to watch football with. :)

I look really tired in this picture...life has been pretty hectic lately.  I decided to go part-time starting Second Semester of this school year (~January 20).  I will just work in the afternoons.  So, I will get to be home with Jacob and Maya in the morning and then will take Jacob to Evonne's house and Maya to Pre-K in the afternoon.  I am so looking forward to being able to spend more time with them.  I am very thankful that my school district values me and family time enough to let me make such a change in the middle of a school year.  I hope to continue working part-time for as long as they let me! :)  My other big news is that I am now a National Board Certified Teacher!  I went through the process last school year (and finished 5 days before Jacob was born).  I just found out yesterday and am just beyond excited!  It was a tough challenge that included 4 papers/videos/reflections of myself teaching and 6 subject-area tests. I'm so thankful that it is done!!  To read more about what it means go here: www.nbpts.org 

We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving here in Buffalo!  Lots of love to you all and Happy Thanksgiving!  We have so much to be thankful for!

More Fall Fun!

Raking Grandma Phyllis's leaves one Sunday afternoon

Climbing the apple tree!

"The longest hopscotch ever!" - Gio

Jacob's 1st Haircut

At 5 months old, Jacob's hair was getting a little shaggy up on top, so we decided to take the clippers to it...

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Still a happy boy!!

Halloween 2013

 The girls were very excited about Halloween this year.  I was able to go to both of their school parties and then we hit the Monster March in downtown Buffalo where they made out like bandits!

Of course Maya had to be a monkey...she is slightly obsessed with monkeys right now!

Gabi the mermaid!  These were taken in front of Joe's office before the Monster March

With all the cousins...I forgot Jacob's pirate costume at home, so he just went as Jacob in a pumpkin shirt...oops.

We were also able to go to Diane and Splint's house for dinner and the pinata!!

We stopped at Russ & Nancy's house.  Jacob is riding Russ's (Phyllis's brother) saddle. :)

This should have been Jacob's actual costume...such a silly boy!

October Pics

Here are some pictures from October.  Besides a couple of early snowstorms, it has been a beautiful fall!

The big guy sacked out with Grammy Joyce.

The cousins' snow wall...it was them against Joe & Greer in the snowball fight that took place shortly after!

 I can't get these pictures to turn :(  We had a nice leaf collecting hike on Saturday morning on the Mentock Trail.

In early October, we went to Denver to attend the wedding of my good friend, Lisa.  Grammy Joyce came with us to help with the kiddos!  It was so nice to have her along.  We also got to go the Denver Zoo!

A couple pics from the wedding...so much fun to see old friends!

All of these people worked at O'Connell Middle School at one point...it was one of the toughest schools I've ever worked at, but the most fun because of the people I worked with!  We have ALL moved on to different schools, cities, states....but the friendships have remained strong!