Oy. The last time I posted was last year. How am I doing ;)
We were in Golden/Boulder over break then came home and things took off! I'm blessed to be able to go to Denver and kind of turn off my brain. The trouble with that is restarting it when we get back. Especially when you come home with a cold you can't shake.
I caught something at the end of our trip. I was totally on the mend but today feels like 1 step back. I'm hoping I can kick this thing this week! We've got lots going on!
Mark called a 21 day fast for our church when we got back. It starts this Saturday. Mark and I are juice fasting. This is a first for me (to do it this long). You'll remember Mark's a pro ;) I started early because of my cousins wedding I will be attending at the end of the fast. I wanted to be able to get back to eating before attending the wedding. I am on day 4. I think part of my feeling bad has to do with my body detoxing. Sadly I didn't put the best stuff in it over the last couple months.... I'm hoping to feel better soon. In actually excited for the health benefits of juicing! My body needs a reboot!
The kids and I started up school this week. We all loved and needed the break. We didn't go full on. We're kind of easing our way back into it. I seriously love homeschooling!
Here's a few pictures from our time away. We had so much fun with aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, grandmas and grandpas.
This was Christmas morning at our house.
This was taken at our friend's house. We've spent the last several Christmas' with them. They're family! We played games, ate food, went sledding. Had a good time.
Our friend Kim gave Kale a Last Supper Lego set. He was thrilled to have real disciples!
This was the beginning of the mountain of presents up in Golden. We arrived there Thursday night and had Christmas with my family. 7 nieces and nephews create tons of presents!
Jack got a big Darth Vadar. Yes. Yes he did.
Kate's big present was a bed for her American Girl dolls and matching outfits for them. She even got extra money to go shopping with her aunties for more clothes. She doesn't look disappointed does she?
Lilah saw Kate getting her picture taken and wanted part of the action.
Kale got a Lego Clone Gunner Ship. He had another perfect, thrilled reaction to yet another Lego set.
This little cutie pie was who we got to shop for this year. She's my brother's daughter Emma. She liked our gifts :)
This is my niece Ashlyn. And this is her Chandler smile. (Hopefully you've seen Friends and know what I'm talking about)
Some more adorable pictures.
Aunt Katie and Gavin.
Gavin with his hat on that I made for him.
All the babies fascinated with Kate's toy.
This one is just too hilarious!
Ashlyn, Gavin, Lilah and Emma. Oh and the dog Cutler.
One night we attempted to see Zoo Lights. We underestimated the crowd! Our second attempt was successful though. Here's a few pictures from there.
This is my nephew Gavin. At first I didn't recognize him. He's usually always smiling!
The crew looking at elephants.
Jack, Lilah, Kale and Kate.
The crew looking at giraffes.
The whole crew.
I was supposed to have LASIK surgery that day to correct my right eye (that got over corrected in July) but I had some crazy, freak allergic reaction to who knows what and my eyes swelled. I decided to skip the surgery...
The second half of our trip we headed to Boulder to hang with the cool kids.
Kieran
Sweet Alannah
And um Kale ;)
We did Christmas with the Palmers on New Years Day.
Grandpa reading the Christmas story. Doug, Kale and Jack
Julie, Mike, Grandma and Mark
Kate, Alisha and Chad
The great hat from Aunt Julie and Uncle Mike.
We only got to spend one day with the Palmer cousins. :( a little here and there with Allanah as we arrived and left. They're starting to warm up to us and it's so fun!
The last night we were there Mark and I weren't feeling well (the start of the awful cold!). We watched Return of the Jedi. Jack hadn't seen it before and I didn't even think about how he'd react to the movie. I figured he'd love it. I think he did but the sweet boy cried when Yoda died and he went and snuggled Kale. You would've thought that would've clued me in to the final scenes but no. Still wasn't thinking. Poor guy had to watch Darth Vadar die and it about sent him over the edge. Lots of tears then! His favorite character was gone. Broke his sweet little heart :(
Especially after he got his own Darth all ready to watch the movie...
If you made it this far you're amazing. I think I'm all caught up now.
