Getting Through January!

OK, so this is how I've gotten through January so far! I know they aren't the best photos, but I've had a lot of fun putting puzzles together. It's something we did a lot when I was young, so I guess I'm loving remembering those good times too. I think I'm trying to keep my mind busy too. It's been so cold and snowy here, it's a great thing to do for me!!

Christmas Fun ~ 2010

Christmas 2010 was a lot of fun with Beth and McKay coming home a week early and then Brenan and Dillon joining us just before Christmas Eve. It was great to have a few of our children home this year! Here is the result of creating my very first gingerbread house. After much effort to keep the walls from caving in and the roof from sliding off the ends, the house finally solidified and this is it! Beth did a lot of encouraging along the way!

We had a load of logs delivered early in the month, so Dillon had fun with the chainsaw, cutting them up into stove-sized pieces, and then stacking them in our wood pile beside the house.
Dillon's sweet girlfriend, Megan Thomas, joined us on Boxing Day after finding a ride up to Canada with our niece, Shanna, and her husband. They were so good to bring her here. We had fun getting to know her. Thanks for coming up, Megan.
Don and Brenan spent time jamming on the guitars around the house. Dillon and Megan did lots of playing as well, and that really added to the spirit of our home each day. Thanks for all the music you guys!
McKay and I had fun reading books, and doing lots of other little activities. Here, McKay is lacing some cards of sea animals. He was so talkative and said just about everything we did!
...one of my favorite things in the whole world....
McKay is stylin' here with his new snow hat from his Uncle Grayden. What a cutie!

Brenan and Beth (Beth is 6 months pregnant and looks so good!)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Skating with the Klain Family, as it was Brenan's mom's birthday on New Year's Eve!
Here, my Beckett over in Sydney, Australia is talking to me on the phone on our Christmas Day, his Boxing Day. He sure can carry on a fantastic conversation, and can talk forever about so many things. I love to call him before my bedtime and have him tell me a story.
A common activity around our home...McKay getting someone to read books to him. What a gem!

What a fun Christmas, even though we missed the Halls and the Roberts like crazy!!

Beautiful Snow!

On December 3, 4, and 5, Don and I made a weekend trip over to Kalispell to do a little shopping, a little relaxing and to mail most of our Christmas presents. Our drive over was so beautiful! There had been a recent storm and the snow was completely undisturbed! If you look closely, you'll notice the snow perched on each little branch and twig. I especially enjoyed the tufts of snow on the rocks in mid-stream, sitting just as it had fallen. The pass from East Glacier to Columbia Falls was so gorgeous. I just had to post a few photos, but of course they don't really do the scenes justice.

Happy New Year!

Wow, January 2011! We just wanted to wish you all a Happy New Year! January is my longest and worst month of the year, so here's to the days flying by! Cheers!