Chilly Walks

On Christmas morning we decided to get some fresh air.  Tyler was pulled along in his new sled while the rest of us walked.

 Some friends came out to visit us.  They only had hay to eat on Christmas Day.

Our Christmas

On Christmas Eve, Grandpa read "The Night Before Christmas" to us. 

The next morning dawned with a beautiful sunrise.

 We drank coffee and began to look at all the gifts under the tree.

Tyler got a lot of gifts, including a new sled.

And the girls had an excuse to dress up and look nice for pictures in front of the tree!

All Aboard the Polar Express!!

We went on the Polar Express train ride this weekend, and it was a blast!

All Aboard!!  250 people can ride this choo-choo

So excited to get on!

Found our seat on the train!

These guys had a great time

Views out the window were neat, until it got too dark to see.

Kids sitting and listening to the elf read the book

Santa coming to the train

this little boy was entranced --looking at the North Pole through the steamy window



Santa got on board, and who here is more excited???



Ho Ho Ho, we've been good boys

Merry Christmas!!

A night in central Montana

We went to Lewistown to go for a train ride, and spent a morning walking around town.

Here are Shawn and Tyler getting ready to board the train.

And here are Tyler and I standing at the Center of Montana!!  It was just next to the swimming pool in the hotel.   Pretty neat!

Bizarre Bazaar

Oh what fun, making wreaths and wine bottle lamps and fleece baby hats.  My mother and law and I thought we would make some money at a craft bazaar selling our stuff.

No such luck, the hot items were fake puppies and kitties and squirrel-bunnies.  Every kid and adult in town wanted a rabbit-fur raccoon ordered from California and made in China. 

Some of them even breathe when you pet them.

We didn't make millions that day but we sold a few....

One year ago...

...Tyler took his first steps...

 One year ago he HATED sitting in sleds....

 One year ago I thought he was the cutest kid ever....and I still do!!



9%

This morning we heard a statistic that 91% of all Americans would be eating turkey today.

I guess we are part of the 9% that didn't.  Weather kept us from enjoying the holidays with family, and we didn't want to prepare a giant turkey for only 3 people...so I bought a chicken which was tasty, just not the same.  I used bowls and dishes that reminded us of, or were given to us by friends and family. 

Tyler did not eat one bite of dinner.  He got hungry around pie time though.

 Happy Thanksgiving to all!!



Colder than it needs to be....

Scenes from the yard........

Oh Dear, it's cold.

"Hey Dad, do you think it will ever get above 2 degrees today?"

"Mmmmmm, I don't know.  But go get mom out of the nice, cozy house to help me drag this deer back to the house."

Bozeman Football Game

A few weekends ago, we went to Bozeman.  It was Matthew's last football game of the year and we left home early to make it there on time.  Tyler loooooved watching and playing with other kids.



Grandpa and Tyler had a great view


Tyler didn't recognize Matthew at first--the shoulder pads and helmet made him nervous, but it didn't take him long to warm up.

Matthew and Tyler



The Dolphins vs. the ??? team.  Matthew's team won!!  (He's in the middle,  #74)

A slow weekend

Tyler did what many other men did this weekend.

He watched a little football---Go Griz!!

He took a little nap (some kids sleep with stuffed animals, he sleeps with trucks)

And he sat on the throne.  (just for fun--he's still in early potty-training stages).  What a life!

When your child becomes quiet...you'd better run and find out why.

The Chair

The Floor

The Dog

The ARTIST

Halloween at Day Care

The kids started the day with a Halloween Party at day care, and then went out in the afternoon to walk around town with the elementary school kids to trick or treat.

Getting in a circle to play games



mmmm...snacks

Tyler was the only kid to lick the frosting off the cupcake and then drink the ranch dressing

We yelled at him from across the street when they went on the Halloween walk to local stores.  He wasn't sure what they were doing.

"look at me...I have hooves and don't even have to walk!"  His best friend Wyatt refused to wear his monkey costume.

Shawn and I walked with them for a little bit but then decided we didn't want to deal with the swarms of kids begging for candy.