friday photo dump 12/28/12

1.playing in the snow 2.ice skating at Stumptown Ice Den 3.moose on the loose 4.decorating gingerbread men around Auntie Melinda's table 5.a beautiful ski/snowboard day at Jackson Hole 6.Christmas Dinner at Keith and Melinda's with Janelle too 7.Fairmont Hotsprings lobby tree 8.singing together 9.swimming at Fairmont in the frigid cold was a hit! 10. Christmas brunch at Fairmont Hotsprings Resort before we hit the road again for Nin and Keiths 11. Yummy Gingerbread men 12. ready to hit the slopes 13.an evening with some new friends-Adrian & Petria and little Anika from San Fransisco 14.handmade gifts from the kids are the BEST ;) 15.at the rental shop

Sincerely hoping all are enjoying the holidays.

Sending our love and best wishes for 2013!

Randy & Alison, Kyla, Colter, Maya and Melita

friday photo dump 12/21/12

1.a friday night with friends 2.class stocking stuffers and teachers gifts for Colter and Maya 3.presents in the mail are so exciting!-thanks J & K and kiddos 4.hanging stockings with care 5.Randy pulling the kids behind the 4-wheeler in the sled 6.Maya's school concert 7.Kyla's star pretzel button treats for class 8. and 9.Chantry and Emma's swimming birthday party 10.games with Daddy by the fire 11.decorating "gingerbread houses" with Maya's class 12.Suessical the Musical 13.Winter Solstice-looking forward to longer days ahead! 14.this little snowflake after her concert 15.another colorful decoration from the craft room :)

Happy Winter Solstice!

A.

friday photo dump 12/14/12

1. making a snow fort with big brother 2.the beginning of a new science fair project for Kyla-I love this stuff... 3.Colter goes to Bowdries Birthday 4.sausage and yam soup-perfect for these cold days 5.Lita enjoys Reading Eggs with big Sister-the BEST online reading program EVER! 6.pink poinsettia this year 7.this reindeer is ready for his concert 8."out SIIIIDE, out SIIIIDE..." 9. special times with Donna playing 'I Spy' and 'Spoons' 10.birthday parties are fun 11.making snow angel lessons by Maya 12.Randy's new helicopter :) 13.Colter's school concert 14.finished products complete with organza finish at the bottom which I adore 15."Someone dropped off a misfit. We'll winter her here anyway!"-Randy

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.

~Swedish Proberb

friday photo dump 12/7/12

1.a snuggle pom-pom wreath from the craft room (thanks for the idea Tammia!) 2.a letter to Lane 3."merry everything and happy always" 4.a new antler mount on the wall of a woman who thought she would never allow such things in the house but I'm totally okay with them now (kinda proud of my man and all ;) 5.killing time at the coffee shop while Kyla is at the dentist 6.a perfect wagon for her blocks-thrift store, $7 and a vintage treasure! 7.Randy and Colter roofing the chicken run 8.cutting out fleece bears sewing project for Colter's class 9.sunshine outside, snowflakes inside 10.holiday card stuffing help 11.our first holiday card of the season!  12.she's usaully right where I need to be 13.Grandpa Alva and Grandma Ruth old time picture(their old truck and thier farm in the background) 14.empty pots and no snow on the ground this early December 15.Lita's "aaah keen"  :)

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♪♫ It's the most wonderful time of the year... ♫♪

Well, ONE of the most wonderful times of the year...

Why? Because...

-We're looking forward to company and special meeting this weekend.

-We get to see more family soon!

-The kids get 2 weeks off school.

-Randy is taking a week off work(hopefully).

-Concerts, parties, and all manner of celebrations coming our way.

-A trip if the weather cooperates.

-Crafts, cooking, being cozy by the fire.

and last but not least...

-only 26 more days without Chocolate! 

(My husband and kids think we should have a chocolate party on New Years Day.  I think that might be overdoing it a little.  I thought they were suggesting it in honor of my great and notable accomplishment of surviving the year without chocolate, but then I realized how much THEY have all missed having chocolate around the house this year.  Maybe we WILL have to think about a party...  :)

Happy December!

A.

friday photo dump 11/30/12

1.my iPad picture slide-show kept her happy for the remaining hour of driving 2.Thanksgiving feast 3.hunting on the farm 4.gathering with family 5.cousin competition 6.Mommy and Lita playing a duet 7.filing away all of 2012 holiday pictures, wedding invitations, birth and grad announcements, etc. 8.Morgan and Kyla 9.Sharptail grouse 10.from long ago 11.ear infection 12.an evening with Joe and Karen before they left to go back to Alaska 13.home sweet home 14.Grandma Ruth and the kids 15. A successful pheasant hunt-Ryan and Lane

Happy Weekend!

A.

friday photo dump 11/23/12

1. cold day in Northeast Montana 2.tea with our twelve year old at ten o'clock at night 3.our feather garland 4.sleepy little traveler 5.our MADE feathers are taking shape 6.old picture of Randy 1987 7.happy travelers 8.pumpkin and apple pie 9.miles and miles of open road 10.daddy's glasses 11.a mild autumn so far in Northwest Montana 12.leaving one day early for our Thanksgiving Vacation! 13.on the farm 14.packing 15.kids craft place tags around Grandpa's table

friday photo dump 11/16/12

1.friday photo dump scrapbook pages! 2.stirring the broccoli salad 3.the newest member of the household 4.assembling Colter's room cabinets-he did most of it 5.avoiding eye contact cause she knows she's not supposed to be there ;) 6.Ree's vanilla scones made with oat flour and almond milk-delicate and delicious 7.sharing her snack 8.putting on the winter tires 9.reorganized to fit the 4-wheeler/snow plow 10.Thunder the Fish 11.new chore charts 12.one of those "every five years or so" home maintenance jobbies 13.first fire in the stove 14.just another mess by Melita 15.a moment of weakness

Happy Friday
A.

friday photo dump 11/2

Here's another instaweek...

1.dollar bin stickers are a great paper craft find 2.Lita cleaning out her own pumpkin 3.tea and cookies on a Saturday afternoon 4.Colter and Daddy taking care of the burn pile 5.quiet morning 6.Maya's mask-Happy Halloween! 7.Jackolanterns 8.hunting in the snow 9.beautiful 10.snowgirl 11.more sewing 12.carving pumpkins with our buddy Lance 13.pumpkin glazed cookies by Kyla-yum! 14.their creations ;) 15.tea time with Anna and kiddos-Thanks!

friday photo dump 10/26/12

1.a visit to the pumpkin patch with friends 2.ahhh...it's been to long 3.sighting in and hunting day for Daddy, Kyla and Colter 4.now that Lita got her own room, the toys dissapeared from this corner in the living room-lovin' it 5.first snow 6.rolling a giant snow ball with big brother! 7.hunting day fall colors 8.Lita looking out the window in her new room 9.Maya cleaning and organizing her new room 10.BBQing as the first snow is beginning to fall 11.with our new friends from Iowa! 12.sewing 13.saying goodbye and hoping to see each other again someday ;) 14.playing pictionary with Grandpa and Grandma 15.Sunday dishes

Have a Super Weekend!

friday photo dump 10/19/12

1.gathering eggs 2.maybe the beginnings of another home improvement project 3.planting bulbs 4.a new kind of pancake from elanaspantry.com 5.looking out my kitchen window in October 6.mariokart 7.first time home-made tomato sauce 8.baking in the kitchen with Shawna! 9.sketchers 10.apple sauce in the making 11.pickin' out punkins! 12.spending her birthday money at Petco 13.mornin' coffee? 14.fun with Carolyn 15.listening to the second presidential debate-a piece of history...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Alison and Family

friday photo dump 10/12/12

1.leaves 2.october camping 3.our faithful chickens 4.watching the sherriffs department divers training and practicing 5.cuddles 6.lake mcdonald 7.happy birthday maya and randy! 8.what?! you don't eat peanut butter and jam right out of the jar at your house?! 9.playing games in Grandpa and Grandma's trailor 10.cleaning out the flower pots 11.our october adopted 'tober-such a good dog 12.snow on the mountains above the camper 13.vintage 14.apgar 15.almost 20 months!

friday photo dump 10/5/12

Here's our instaweek...

1.a new instrument to practice for Kyla 2.one pumpkin 3.she always wants her "toof bwush" like big sister! 4. i only remeber to burn candles in the fall and love it 5.saturday morning 6.rising 7.happy birthday Grandma and Grandpa! 8.maybe the last bike ride to school for the year? 9.um mum 10.climber 11.maybe 2 year molars?  still loving my slings (thanks Jeannie and Melinda) 12.my second favorite fruit in all the world 13.Maya's scribble art 14.lollipop lollipop oooo lolli lollipop 15.a cut for Colter

Happy October to All!

friday photo dump 9/28/12

1.brothers 2.4-H Hayride and Bonfire night 3.Hunters Safety Field Day 4.Frog (or Toad?) who lives under our cement pad 5.scribble art 6.lets go shopping Mom! 7.arms full 8.& 9.hayride 10.Morgan and Kyla being silly 11.Saying goodbye to Grandpa 12.Logan 13.making a fort with Lane 14.dead duck! 15.she really loves having her car cart at the grocery store ;)

friday photo dump 9/21/12

1.changing seasons 2.sliding with Grandpa-NO, Grandpa did NOT go down the slide!!! ;) 3.after nights and nights of freezing! 4.a day home from school because of a cough 5."cackers" 6.peanut-curry something-or-other Fall = Food! 7.in the van headed home from gospel meeting 8.summer days are passing 9.instagrammin' 10.the "family movie" maker is at work 11.first zucchinni bread of the season 12.sunset 13.this is a hit for practicing spelling words! 14.some of this came home with me 15.same tree, two days later

Some of you have asked about Dad, and how he is doing after his back surgery.  We are happy to report that he is doing well and feeling better and better every day!  He isn't allowed to sit to long or go out much, yet.  We are sure enjoying our Dad/Grandpa time!!!  Not every day that one of your favorite people comes to stay with you for a couple weeks.  We are feeling very lucky!

Happy Weekend to All!

Hugsfromus+Grandpa

friday photo dump 9/14

Another week of "little things"...

1. I have the perfect place for these! 2.so hard to wake up from a Sunday afternoon nap 3.almond-milk vanilla pudding-
out of this world! 4.Granpa's here 5.a little coffee with my cream 6.a visit to Grandma/Grandpa C's & Great-Grandpa/Grandma B's graves
7.we (heart) pink 8.the little one who gets all the attention 9.a perfect evening for some pictures
10.the view from Grandpa's hospital window 11.mocha by Kyla 12.an evening walk with Grandpa
13.no sleepin', just playin' today 14.cheery smile from NoDak 15.sunrise

I am seriosly enjoying these snapshots of each week.  It is so much easier to take pictures of the
"little things" with our phone and pad using instagram, instead of always running and getting the big camera. 

Here is a little parting thought...

Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.
~Robert Brault

friday photo dump 9/7

1.painting the dog house 2.the moment Lita looks forward to all day 3.bunny salad 4.first curls! 5.four-wheeler ride through the farm fields 6.just lovin' these 7.shouldn't you be doing your homework? 8.Vern and Des stop by for Rzr rides! 9.I didn't intent to go here today, but when I got the idea in my mind I couldn't get it out. 10.painting the trim 11.star flare 12.sweetness in the rearview mirror 13.our bobcat girl 14.splish-splashy day 15.comfort food 

Keep encouraged in ALL that's good and right!

Love, Alison

friday photo dump 8/30

These instaweeks make the weeks feel like they are just going by in an instant...

1.swinging always does the trick for calming an over-tired little girl! 2.ahhh...camping. 3. after dark, glow sticks 4. twelve years old 5.making tied fleece pillows 6.new carpet feels so cozy! 7. Randy's 'matoes 8."sisters" 9.first day of school 10.cooking frenzy 11.together 12.missing her brother and sisters :( 13.fifteen years and still counting 14.beans from the neighbor (they spoil us!) 15.beautiful Texas Nature calendar from Ray and Myra-So neat to see them Wed night for a short time! 

Have a super Labor Day weekend!
Alison and family

friday photo dump 8/24

Here's our instaweek (one day late)...

1.packing 2.sweet nieces 3. Grinnell Glacier 4.chariot rides 5.longboard pulls 6.bounty from our neighbors garden 7.swingin' 8.eating lunch on the garden wall 9. s'mores 10.glacier view just before the storm hit 11.Nin and Keith  12.big brothers boots 13.Granite Park Chalet 14. Opies 15.Grady-boy

Many more pictures to come!

You can still enter your comment in my last post to win a mug until Monday morning.

All for now,

Alison

friday photo dump 8/17

Our summer is winding down. Here's another instaweek...

1.yo-yo ride 2.strawberries 3.painting Kyla's room 4.somewhere between here and Bozeman 5.thanks for sharing M&D! 6.corn on the cob-mmmm! 7.bull-ridin' 8.bedtime story 9.Mom's hydrangia 10.perched 11.carnival 12.long trip 13.bye-bye Kyla-we know your having fun this week with Wyoming Winds 14.faces at the fair 15.stuck in the shower :-) 

friday photo dump 8/10

and here's another instaweek...

1.balloon chase 2.sweet dreams 3. reading 4. Grandma Gladys's birthday 5. drywall with Jon 6. another year older
7.huckleberry italian soda mmmm! 8. packing her bag 9. little rocker 10. pressure washing 11. croquet 12. painting after drywall
13. school supplies 14. hun outside Randy's window at work 15. inseparable