Thanksgiving #1

 It's TURKEY DAY!  Time for all the family and guests to gather at Jaime's for food and fun!  Another day to be so thankful for all the wonderful blessings we have in our lives!

Our family consisted of the 16 of us and we also had Bev (Robby's mom) and her boyfriend Gary join us along with Rayna and Matias' 3 roommates - they are a family, Angela, Ryan and Enso!

Once again, we had plenty of great food to eat!

Look at these 2 soon to be teenagers - STOP GROWING UP!

Our 3 beautiful daughters!!

It's always a little crazy in the kitchen trying to get everything ready at the last moment!  Luckily Jaime has a HUGE kitchen which makes it so nice!

And the line has started!!  We have gone to using huge heavy paper plates - sure saves on some of the dish washing!  Our typical meal was served along with a fruit tray and dip and egg rolls brought by Angela - they were delicious!

Yes, we know you have food in your mouth boys!!  They never cease to make me laugh!

Here's one of the tables.

And here's the other one!

It was wonderful weather outside and several times we had to open the door as it got too hot in the kitchen!  I always love taking a picture with the girls!

After clean-up the afternoon passed WAY too fast - we did eat a little later than usual as Gary had to work that morning so the Keppys didn't arrive till 11:30 - but somehow we still didn't get around to serving till about 12:45!

A walk was in order late afternoon after desserts - once again Jessi outdid herself on those and they tasted great!!  Some of us walked down the driveway in the snow - yes, we had 3 to 4 inches the night before!

Family pictures up next!

Fun in Denver

 Sunday morning Jessi, Jill and I headed out for coffee!!  It's pretty rare there are 3 of us to go out together so that made it special!!  We went to our usual place and even got to sit inside!!  They made a mistake on Jill's peppermint hot chocolate and made it a peppermint mocha so I got to take that home to Glenn!  We had a wonderful time talking and talking and talking!!

Jessi and Jill decided to take the two girls shopping - I opted to stay home with Gwyn and Parker!!  They love to play cards!!

Then we headed to the park to play a little basketball and climb trees!

This picture was taken the day before - I found Papa a Christmas hat as we've decided he looks like Santa Claus!!

Papa also helped Gwyn on a school project - filling in the turkey by using anything but colors or paint!!  They used different kinds of food and it was cute as can be!

We also took Jessi and Gary out for their anniversary dinner - we used to do this years ago and then we stopped and just gave them money because it was too hard to find babysitters!!  Now that all the kids are old enough to stay by themselves, we can start the tradition back up again!!  

It was a wonderful dinner!!  Jessi shared her sangria sampler with me and I shared my dessert with her!  The meal was excellent!!

Glenn and I headed out midmorning to my endocrinologist appointment - that went well and after a jam packed weekend, we headed back to the mountains!! 

Parade of Lights

 We all bundled up late afternoon on Saturday and headed to Southlands for the parade - we took a couple of vehicles and found parking easily enough and a great spot to watch, right towards the end.  The parade didn't start for a while so we had to keep warm!!

We watched quite a few dancers before the parade started so that was fun!!  And I loved these decorated vehicles!!  WOW!!

Here's Evan in the band - playing the saxophone and wearing his sunglasses!!

Gwyn enjoyed the parade and liked getting her picture taken with this character!

And here comes the van!!

It was an awesome parade and even though it was cold, we were fine!!  And then we ended up going to Dairy Queen for ice cream - go figure!!

It was a fun evening and then we went back to Jessi's and Jill's also spent the night!

Basketball Games

 It was a jam packed Saturday as we headed to Denver about 7:30am!  The nice thing is:  no stop and go traffic!  We headed to the Keppy's place - Jessi and Evan were working so we followed Gary, Gwyn and Kenzie to the basketball court for a game!  Gary is the coach for this team of 5 and 6 year olds - and he has another coach to help him, along with Evan if he's free!

Doesn't Gwyn look cute?  She even chose #8, my favorite number!

The only practice they get to have is 1/2 hour before the game!

Yes, Gwyn is the tallest - the other little ones look like they are preschoolers compared to her!  Unfortunately the other coach didn't show up and Evan was working with Jessi so poor Gary had to coach alone - the coaching went fine and he did a great job but the hard part is the equal playing time AND the wrist bands that they had to keep changing every time they subbed!    It was hilarious to watch the game as these little ones don't seem to know a lot about it yet - they sure did try though and it was fun to watch Gwyn play!

After the game, we stopped at Chick fil a to get a bite to eat on the road to Ft. Collins - I was totally impressed with this place (we rarely are in Co. Springs to eat at the one there).  We drove through the drive thru and a guy took our order and payment and not even 60 seconds later we were handed our meal - and it was VERY good!!

We made it to Ft. Collins in good time and got ready to head to Parker's game!

He went on into the game to practice (the actual court is in a mall - I know, strange!!) so we walked around a little bit to see the decorations and stepped outside by the ice skating rink!  I saw this moose and knew I had to have pictures!!

Then it was back inside to watch the game!  Parker did a great job and even made 2 baskets!!  Yay Parker!

He played well and it was easy to see how much he had improved from 2 years ago when we last saw him play!  They didn't win but still played great!

Back to Jill's where we got ready to head BACK to Denver to go to the parade - Jill, Aleah and Parker also came down in their car so we had a great showing!!  More on that to come.....

Lefsa Making

 Has it really been almost 3 weeks since I've blogged????  WOW - but when you're retired and tend to stay home a lot, there isn't much to write about!  I've stayed busy, believe me, and the house has been completely decorated for over a week, the Thanksgiving meal is all planned, and all but 2 gifts are bought for Christmas!  So I HAVE been busy - along with my volunteer job at the Food Pantry and the homeowners association which has been really keeping me busy lately!

Now it's time to blog again!!  I had decided that I was ready to make lefsa again - sister Patty had taught me how and I had all the appropriate equipment but I just remembered that the last time I had made it (only once since I had been taught), it seemed to take FOREVER to just make one batch!!  But I was willing to make it because I was darn hungry for lefsa!

Between texting and face-timing Patty, I got the batch going - and yes, I can't believe I didn't take good notes the first time - but I sure did this time!!  It is time consuming - that I will admit!  

But the end result is still worth the effort!

I shared with Jaime and Jessi - Jill is gluten free so can't have it - and of course that left plenty for me to eat my fill!

This is how I eat it - heat it up in the microwave and put homemade jelly in the middle and roll it up!  Oh my gosh it is good!

I often thought that paying $25 for one batch (which makes 12 to 14 pieces) was SO expensive but once you have made it, trust me, it is worth every penny!!!

Am I making a batch for Thanksgiving?  Absolutely!

The Nights Are Getting Chilly

 It was time for my annual neck ultrasound which is done in Denver so I always try to schedule those appointments on a Monday or Tuesday so I can spend a night with the Keppys and possibly go to a grandchilds' event!  This time worked out perfect as Evan had his final marching band "concert" outside on the football field!

I got in just as Gary and Gwyn were walking home from school and Gwyn was excited to see me!  We played with new dot to dot and sticker books I had brought her while Gary cooked dinner!  After Jessi got home we quickly ate and bundled up to head to the football field!

We covered up with a blanket as it was darn cold out!!  The band did an awesome job with a few songs played on the sidelines and a few more on the actual field with their movements!  It was great hearing a few Beatles songs!  Once again, the band sounded fantastic!

Afterwards it was down to the football field for pictures!

The next morning Jessi and I got to walk Gwyn to school!  Fall is in FULL force in Denver and the leaves were gorgeous - I love the walk to school as you go through their park and it's beautiful!

Jessi sent me this picture later and I just had to include it - love those large leaves!

Jessi and I went out for coffee and talked our time away until I had to leave for my ultrasound appointment which went just fine!

October Photo Dump

 Where oh where did October go?  It's mind boggling how fast time goes!  But never the less, November has arrived so it's time for the October Photo Dump!

One Saturday we headed to the Springs to watch Kylan play soccer - he has really improved and we sure enjoyed watching him play!  GO KYLAN!!

After a couple of months of not seeing the deer, they have returned!  These two decided to relax right by the play area!

We've had a few amazing sunrises!!  It's a treat to wake up each morning and look out to see if there are clouds for the sunrise!!  WOW!!

Glenn went over to the Smiths' one day and helped install a new door!

Jaime and I met over at the Wild Horse for coffee - I tried a new one and it was delicious!  What a treat to have it so close by!

Remember the shed that Glenn hauled home from over by Buena Vista that he was going to turn into an ice shack?   Well, he's sure been working on it and now has it painted and insulated.  Once he gets home from hunting, I'm sure he'll be back at it - but the other projects around are sure suffering - ha!

And that's a wrap for October!

Halloween

 I always love posting photos of the kids dressed up so I can look back at them in years to come!  Halloween has never been one of my favorite holidays but I enjoy looking at other peoples' decorations and enjoying the kids having fun trick or treating!

I do miss carving pumpkins!!  And it never seems that I am around when the kids carve them!

Kylan doesn't really enjoy carving pumpkins so the Smiths' opted to just not carve this year!

They Keppys' looked cute as can be!!

This is Parker who went trick or treating with mom and a friend!

Aleah went with girlfriends in another part of town and had a great time!

Kylan met up with friends in Woodland Park!

And I had no idea this was Rayna and Matias when Jaime sent this to me - they decided to come up and trick or treat with Kylan and his friends!!  See - you're NEVER too old to trick or treat!  They're on the left of the picture.

So Halloween has come and gone - and it's almost time to decorate for Christmas if you're one of the early birds like I am!