Never A Dull Moment

Indian Market 2008

      I have to share our trip to the Native American Indian Market held in Denver this last weekend.  This has become an annual event for our family to attend, mainly because Linda (MIL) and I have such a passion for this culture!  Saturday we braved the blizzardy roads over the pass just so we could take in this traditional event!  The Indian Market is a huge display of Native American Arts, Crafts and talent of all kinds.  Of course my favorite part is the jewlery and I was on a quest for something with a mysterious purple stone I had discovered while in Santa Fe.  I found just the piece... a beautiful sterling silver watch inlayed with Opal and Cerite...the mysterious stone I had finally discovered the name of!  I also found some amazing carved Aspen Vases, which being raised a Lumberjacks daughter I have a natural infatuation with anything wood! 

     The boys of course had to find knives to add to their collection and found some very cool spearhead and antler carved ones.  Perhaps the highlight of their day was having their picture taken with a Bald Eagle at the Hawk Quest display.  The culture of these people is so inspiring to me and has always been an intriguing one since I was a young girl!  My cousins and I use to play indians on our Grandparents Ranch and I can even remember our "great spirit rock" and picking a plant (it was a weed) we thought was corn and grinding it with stones!  SO FUNNY how I can remember the passion I had for the Indian culture even at the age of 8!!  I'm adding a photo album of some snapshots I took of the remarkable talents we saw.  The only thing I forgot to take pictures of was the dancers and singers that performed at the amphitheatre.  This was perhaps the most impressive part of the day, and I was so intrigued I didn't manage to pull the camera up to eye!!  Enjoy!!

Raising Kaine~ 11 Years!!

Raising Kaine...this child was named so perfectly!  I can't say it has been in a negative way though... I use that cliche' only in a positive, yet sometimes challenging way!!  Every parent says they can't believe how time flies by when watching the milestones of a birthday come, and that could not be any more true as Kaine celebrates the 11th year of his life!  For me to look back at Kaine's short little life, it represents the changes from where we began to where we are now!  Kaine in his "grow up" process has also marked how his parents have grown as well!  We have come a long way since our meager beginning living in a camper with a brand new baby!  We have lived in many environments since Kaine joined us, and although we thought we've spent the last 11 years raising a boy into a young man... the fact of the matter is, Kaine has raised his parents into 2 responsible and loving adults!!  This is perhaps the last year we will celebrate Kaine's youth in a "childish" manner.  In the next year we will see him enter Junior High, thus the trails of life will begin for him!!  I continue to be amazed at how Kaine has developed his own interests, personality and values and am proud to say I think he's got a great future ahead of hime! 

He works hard to be a good student. 

He is competitive and strongwilled, always pushing himself to do better. 

He is a resposible and caring person, yet does his best to push the limits. 

He values his family to the utmost and nothing is more important than his relationship with his little brother. 

He is not free from fault, always knowing how to push the right buttons (both good and bad).  His charm and charisma are sure to bring his mother grey hair in the very near future, but for the moment I will revel in the glory this young man has brought into my life! 

Check out pics from Kaine's bday bash and football game held last Friday!!  The cold (2 degrees) wasn't enough to keep these resilient young men from enjoying an afternoon of a Birthday Super Bowl!!

Hittin' the Slopes!

I have to share the pics from our little family sledding party and Birthday Bash this last weekend!  this has become an annual tradition and one that the adults enjoy JUST as much as the kiddos!!  With Alan, Kaine and Tiana all celebrating birthdays within 10 days of each other it makes perfect sense to get together, have a party and play hard!  Enjoy the pics of us hitting the slopes on the Elementary Sledding Hill in Walden!

Top Ten of 2007!!

I hope this finds everyone enjoying a New Year with the big celebration of the holidays and 2008 now behind us.  This is the time of year I sit and reflect on the last years activites, transfering events from my "07" calendar to the new "08" and remembering all the  great highlights from another great year in our family!  I know you are suppose to use this time to set goals for the future, but I can't help but look back on the wonderful moments that made 2007 what it was.  I guess that is the scrapper in me.  So in David Letterman style, I just have to share the top 12 in 2007... then I'll start on 2008!!

12. SOUTH DAKOTA PHEASANT HUNT... This was my gift to my  boys!  Over the holidays they road tripped to SD to hunt these beautiful birds with some dear friends.  They had an incredible time, bringing in over 70 birds in less than 2 days. (They hunted with a group, NOT just them!!)  So as you can guess, Christmas Dinner was PHEASANT!!

11.THE SHAW FAMILY CIRCUS...The Shaw family makes life REAL for me!  I have the best time at all of thier "events" and love that they make us a part of their family!!  In July they had a circus to rival Barnem and Bailey's and the time we had was amazing... Twilight Theatre, Pogo Sticking, Walking on Stilts, Game Booths and Dirt Bike riding.  Their is no limit to the fun in this family!!   

10. I REMEMBER WHEN DESIGN TEAM... I love what IRW has done for me!  I've had the pleasure of working on the design team the last year and learned and loved a lot!  I traveled to a few expos and made some incredible friends while sharing my love of this art with others.  Scrapbooking is an empowering part of my life and I can't wait til' I am 80 with grandkiddos on my lap sharing thier parents journey through life!!

9.PARADISE LANES... yes the local bowling alley makes my top ten.  I am a small town girl at heart!!  My game has really improved this year and I even bowled a 212 this fall.  I bowled in a tourney last summer where I actual won a little money from being in the top 3 All Around Bowlers!!

8.NORTH PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION... this has been a real empowering project to take on!  I have so much to learn but am excited about the challange.  I have already in 2 months learned a great deal and made some great friendships/contacts!!

7.KASON BEING OUR CHAMPION SHOWMAN... this kid has a knack with animals and can "whisper" like no other!  I was thrilled when he won Grand Champion Junior Swine Showman at fair, then winning Champion with his rabbits!  He melts my heart and makes me proud!!

6. THE BOILER... this is probably #1 for Reb because it has been a true project of passion for him!  It has literally anialated our natural gas bill!!

5.MOUNTAIN EXPRESSIONS PHOTOGRAPHY.... 2007 was a great year for me!  I traveled some, won a few contests, created my 3rd edition calendar which has been a hit, been able to upgrade my camera to a new Canon 5D and had REQUESTS for boardroom size prints!  I LOVE WHAT I DO!!

                              4. SANTA FE, NM TRIP...This was such an awesome trip!  A quick one south over a 3 day weekend, but the time we had was amazing... SOON I will finish the album and post pics!!

                           

3. MY BABY SISTERS... AT 30 AND 28 yes they are still my baby sisters!  They bring so much joy to my life and have truly become best friends to me!!  We have had some fantastic moments this last year... Jen's Graduation from CSU, 4 wheeling on Labor Day, Playing on the Sand Dunes, Fondue fun at the Melting Pot and the Great Sister Weekend at Moonlight Theatre!

                           2. Kaine being on Honor Roll/Mention for 6 going on 7 quarters now... Until the "Great Mrs. Maddox" Kaine hated school , and in turn put that much effort into it!!  He now loves school and is a champion student!

1. A NEW HOUSE...well siding, windows, deck and expanded porch!!

This list could probably go on and on, as you see I couldn't narrow it down to just 10!!  I left out so much because 07 was such a great year... but now onto 2008!!  We have an amazing one ahead of us... stay tuned!