November

I am not going to say it again--you know, I am so sorry it has taken me so long........it just has and it isn't like I haven't tried.  I have tried to post this 4 times now--blogger is getting really frustrating lately.  I will keep at it because I know this is a great way to keep everyone connected to our family.  This is going to be a long one, so get a drink and a comfortable chair.

At some point in the last month (it is just a blur), Layne got to get her four braces off.  She was very excited; I am just hoping they don't decide they need to put them back on at some point.  Her teeth look great, for now, and she is happy.

Also, at some point in the last month, I won a sandwich tray from Safeway!!  It was a very weird thing--I got a call at work that I had won.  I didn't even know I had entered, so it was a super surprise.  I guess at some point I had put my business card in the drawing!!  It was really good.

This is just a photo of the mountains from our house.  We have gotten much more snow this year--well, the mountains just west of us have and they are so beautiful when all the trees have snow on them.

Shortly before our Thanksgiving trip to Iowa we had another day of snow and went for a drive up Cheyenne Canyon.  For those of you who have visited, this would be Helen Hunt Falls.  It is such a beautiful drive this time of year and here are just a few photos that Layne took--it is hard to capture just how pretty it really is.

This next photo I took one Saturday morning--actually the Saturday morning before Thanksgiving.  Layne was still sick and Heath was asleep.  I was in the kitchen making coffee with my back to the window.  As I was standing there, this crazy huge shadow passed by the house.  It was almost like an alien movie; it was just so big and passed by the sun so slowly, it was creepy.  When I looked out to see what the heck it was, I saw this hot air balloon passing super close to our house.  By the time I got Heath and Layne out of bed and took this photo, it was kinda far away--still very cool with the mountains in the background.

Now begins our Thanksgiving adventure to Iowa.  We left CO on Tuesday morning and had great driving all the way out.  We were fortunate enough this time to have some great friends watch our two big dogs--so our stops were much faster with just Pedro and Baly. 

On Wednesday we met all 4 ladies from the Iowa Region office (my old job before we moved to CO).  We had a great lunch with them in Des Moines and it was so wonderful to see them and catch up, but I have no photos.

  We also got to see their new and super cool office.

  We left them to met Jessica, Zach, Hayes and Camrin (my sister's family) at the mall in Des Moines for some cousin pictures.  It was a very entertaining activity--Camrin was very upset and cried a lot and Hayes was just a goof ball, 4 year old boy!!  We laughed a lot and the pictures were great.

Just before all those photos, the kids got to see Santa and ride the Christmas train.  This is my sister Jessica with Layne.  I think Layne looks so old in this photo--it is a great photo of both of them.

We headed to Jordan Creek after the photo session and met my mom so that she could do some shopping with Layne. Below is my brother-in-law and niece at Jordan Creek Mall.

While at Jordan Creek, Hayes was able to make his Christmas moose (Henry) at Build-A-Bear.  He really had a lot of fun filling him up and giving him a "bath"--serious business.

Camrin wasn't so hip on the Hoke's at first, but really took a liking to Heath.  Or she was just super tired after pictures and shopping that she didn't really care who was holding her??  But it sure was cute.

We are still on Wednesday--Heath and I left the family at the and headed to Oskaloosa, IA to watch our dear friend Darren and his band.  This was his really old band from the 80's, so we got to hear some classics.  It was so much fun to be there and hear him sing again.  We always loved going to the shows--really miss that.

Darren the rock star.

Heath and Darren.

Thursday started just how it should, cooking and baking in Joyce's kitchen.  Here is my mom and grandma Joyce.

My mom's oldest brother and his family were also there and it is always great to see them.  This is my cousins Erica and Dana with Layne.

A lovely snap shot of Jessica and Zach.  Maybe this is why Hayes makes funny faces in pictures??

These would be the four grandkids together.  Yes, it is a little blurry and that would be Heath taking the photo.

I took a picture of Gordy carving the turkey--I think he looks irritated with me.

It was a really great day with the family.  It was great to have Grandma Joyce's famous favorites and to just relax a little bit at the farm--I also really miss those days.

On Friday morning we headed to Pella, IA and our usual spot at Smokey Row to have a Fusion reunion.  We did a very poor job of giving notice, but we got to see many and it was wonderful.

After that great morning, we then were scheduled to head to the Smith family Thanksgiving at my Uncle Jay and Aunt Laura's house.  I didn't take enough photos there, sorry.

This is my aunt Amy and her youngest son, Charlie.  He is getting so big!!

You would think that the day might be over, but no!!  Jessica and I packed a bag and headed to Iowa City for a girls night out with my best friend from school--Kari.  It has been several years since we have seen each other and it was really great.  It was great to see her and great to go out--we had a blast.  I also have many more photos that I will not be posting here.

This is a photo with me and Jessica and I thought it was a great one.  We don't have many of these.

Kari and I--the night is young and we are just getting started.  Kari looked fabulous, her kids are adorable and she has a sweet house!!  Thanks again for the wonderful memories--I hope we can do it again soon.

I also wanted to include this photo that Kari posted on Facebook a few months ago.  This photo is Kari and I in 1994ish?  She was visiting me at college.  Just thought everyone might enjoy the reference.

Another great photo of the three of us together.  There was plenty of laughing that night.  We did stay the night at Kari's house and enjoyed coffee with her Saturday morning.

Saturday was another low-key day.  I took Jessica home to Newton and then we all met at the Mexican restaurant in Knoxville before heading to the farm for left-overs and some much needed down-time.

I was just trying to get a cute photo of Hayes and I, but he would not have it.  I suppose this one is much better anyway.

Later that evening we had our Christmas, since we will be unable to travel back to Iowa for Christmas this year.  I will explain all of that later.  Here is Layne and my mom just before we begin to open gifts.

Layne got the new Converse she really wanted--she was super happy.  She keeps them in the box and wipes them off when she takes them off.  They are zebra print with sequins.

That would mean that it is Sunday and time to pack up to travel back home.  There is never enough time to do everything, but we were fortunate to see so many family and friends.  It seemed like a super fast trip, I am sure since we were so busy, but it really was a great trip back.  Thanks to all we got to see and made time for us and put up with our crazy schedule.  We wish all of you a happy holiday season.

Before I finish, we did have one last stop before really getting on the road.  My dad is living in Des Moines and we were able to meet him for breakfast Sunday morning.  It was last minute and we didn't get nearly enough time with him, but it was a great and memorable breakfast.  He took us to the Machine Shed (which we had never been) and they have excellent food and a cool gift shop.  Layne decided to order the cinnamon roll--no harm, just a simple cinnamon roll.  The very nice waiter brought it to her early, I guess they were running out--must be a favorite of many.  Well, to our surprise--it was kinda big.......

She was unable to finish it, even with all three of us taking a bite.  She had a snack on the way home and breakfast Monday morning.  Thanks again, dad, great breakfast!!

I am trying to capture the spirit of the season and change our thinking--at our house.  I just don't think the most important thing about this holiday season is gifts--I can probably only name a dozen gifts I have receive in the last 34 years--don't get me wrong, I appreciate every single one of them.  I just feel like it is such the focus but it is the memories that stay with us.  I am trying really hard to make those memories and to make the gifts fall further down the list of priorities.  I came across this silly simple quote that I will leave you with.

The Best Things in Life are Free.