The End

This blog has served 2 primary purposes over the past 8 years:

1) to keep family and friends who live far away updated on the lives of our kids
2) to serve as a family journal/scrapbook which I turn into a photo book each year

In the past few years we have moved closer to family and see them much more often (praise the Lord). The photo book service I use for our yearly scrapbook stopped uploading from blog sites. Also, our last baby turned one thus her baby book via the blog can be completed. Considering all those factors I am sad/excited to notify you this will be the end of my blogging days.

I love this little space and I cherish the memories I get to relive when I look back, but as our family grows and evolves the time for blogging has diminished and now it's more of a chore than a joy. So, here's to a new year, a new start and more time off the computer!

Thank you for sharing in our lives over the past 8+ years!

And because I can't post a blog without a picture...here's the 1st photo I posted on the blog!

Me and Kyle at a wedding, Sawyer in my belly

And to highlight the progression...here's our current family situation

 Just a few things have changed ;)

Tube Time

On our final day in the mountains we visited the Frisco Adventure Park for a little tubing fun! And even the little ones got in on the action!

 This was actually Evy's first snow experience. She was too cute all bundled up. She was a little confused and was pretty indifferent to the snow ;)

 The kids had a blast! They probably could have stayed out there all day long!

While the parents and kids tubed the great-grandparents sat in the lodge and enjoyed this ;)

Here are a few videos that capture the pure joy of sunshine + snow + tubes + children ;)

Ski Bunnies

While in CO we spent a few days in the mountains near Breckenridge. One of the days we went skiing at Loveland Ski Resort.

 All ready for ski school! This was Nora's 1st time on skis and Sawyer's 2nd time (he took lessons when he was 3).

 Sawyer had a few hiccups after lunch (i.e. he got warm and didn't want to go back out in the cold but after a little coaxing he went back out and outlasted all the other kids on the mountain that day). Nora loved it...she also really enjoyed eating the snow ;)

 While the kids were in ski school the adults got to enjoy the slopes too! We had a fun day of leisurely skiing. We braved a few blues, but we kept it pretty tame ;)

 After ski school we each took the kids up the lift and down the "big" hill. They both did great! Sawyer even went down several times!

All in all it was a fun day of winter fun for both the adults and kids!

Here are a couple of videos...
1) Nora skiing down the bunny hill (you can see Sawyer in the background too)
2) Sawyer getting on the lift for the first time ;) he may have lost a ski
3) Sawyer coming down the big hill

iPhone Unload {December 2017}

Pictures (top to bottom, L to R): Evy just can't help herself; love those little toes; looking out the window; Evy's first selfie; my usual view; this girl is a hot mess!; my mini-me; Sawyer reading makes this mama's heart melt

Pictures (top to bottom, L to R): ya know just eating a snack naked; turning a fruit roll-up into a beard; hiding in the puzzle cabinet; Kolter loving Mommy's green smoothie; rocking' the sunglasses inside (also Evy's 1st ponytail); my sweet sleeping babe; my hot mess express dumping dish soap all over herself; the result = a bath in the kitchen sink; being cute at big brothers round-up; girl loves her pasta; a new craft endeavor...bias tape; someone learned how to climb on the folding chair all by herself and she's pretty proud!; Evy's POV

 Pictures (top to bottom, L to R): Mommy's Evy view most of the time, Mommy & Nora selfie, celebrating our 12th anniversary, sister love/mini mama