Pre-Christmas Chirstmas

Our Little Family celebrated Christmas on the 22nd, because we were going to be in Utah with our family on Real Christmas, and I just didn't want to pack all the gifts.

River ran out and was amazed at all the gifts. He liked opening them, more than I thought he would, which was really cute. The Tool Bench was a hit!

My handmade gift to River was a play mailbox with felt letters and for Skyler I finished our Animal Spotting Game (not pictured).

Charlie got a big giant bone, which River carried all morning.

It was a really fun and relaxed morning. 

River finished the Christmas festivities eating chicken nuggets while playing with his new "laptop".

Happy Birthday Chuck!

You make us crazy, 

but we love you like crazy too.

Happy 6th birthday silly Charlie Dog! 

Georgetown Christmas Market

We drove up into the mountains to go to the Georgetown Christmas Market to get ourselves in the christmas mood. It was the cutest little town with really neat old houses and Churches, but the market was only so-so and the parking and crowds were crazy!

We did enjoy some really yummy apple strudel with vanilla sauce and 

saw bighorn sheep along the canyon wall.

We found THE MOST AWESOME playground, Foster's Place Playground. It was huge tree fort/hobbit house with lots of places to play and climb around on. River loved running around with Skyler, sliding down slides, playing in a patch of old snow, and his first time on a tire swing.

It was just nice to be out playing in the mountains together as a family.

Cars + Popcorn + Playing with our bud Doug = One Awesome Afternoon

(Plus I got to have some cuddle time with baby clark! Yay!)

Nicki!!

We got to spend the week playing with our friend Nicki
(ok she's really more like a sister and we definitely claim her as part of the family!!)
who came out to visit and we had so much fun!

We ran around going out to all our favorite restaurants, exploring the butterfly pavilion, shopping for boots and jewelry, and lots of girl talk. Oh how I loved the girl talk!!

River was a little bit in love -- a beautiful girl to play with? Sweet!! 

He'd cuddle up to her and play.
He cried on the way home from the airport, sobbing "Gone!"

I am so proud of Nicki! She is an amazing person and so so sweet!
She's also very talented, check out her one of a kind, handcrafted jewelry,
SilverWear, HERE. 

She gifted me the cutest Elephant necklace and I love it.

Thanks for the visit Nicki! We love you!!

You're amazing and never forget it!

The Christmas Gift

This Christmas Season let's try to shrug of the all those Target commercials,

and try to remember, celebrate, and honor the true gift of Christmas---

the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

For God so loved the world, 

that he gave his only begotten Son,

so that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.

- John 3:16 -

Learn more at

http://www.mormon.org/christmas

Post-Thanksgiving Hike : Chautauqua Trailhead, The Flat Irons

Notice how the flat irons and skyler's hair are twins? Awh cute!!

This hike felt like Everest . . . in that there were crazy numbers of people hiking!

I guess everyone had the same idea we did; time to work of those Turkey Calories.

The beginning of the hike was, well, full of people and very muddy, but once we got up higher and followed a less traveled by trail at sky's suggestion, the people "thinned" out and the snow melt disappeared. 

It was very pretty and I loved getting out. Next time we need to go to the tops of the flat irons. With their access to the mountains,I think I could get behind living in Boulder.

After our hike, we got our favorite Mochi Balls from smooch.

(Li Hing Mango & Guava are the best!)  

Then we wandered Pearl Street (Black friday doesn't exist there) and basically hung out until it was dinner time so we could enjoy a belgian pretzel burger and fries from Rueben's Burger Bistro. SO GOOD!!

smooch and Rueben's are a must if you find yourself in Boulder, CO.