Merry Christmas

Brandon ~ 1st Grade Gingerbread House

Our local school has a great tradition where all the first graders get to make a gingerbread house out of gram crackers.  They get to invite someone to come help and since Charlie helped Taylor two years ago Brandon selected me.  It is lots of fun and Brandon created one very cool gingerbread house. 

Brandon with his house

the backside

Christmas Cookies

 Last Saturday, Charlie, Taylor and Brandon decided they wanted to make gingerbread cookies so here is some pictures of all the fun!



Taylor our Dancer

 Taylor decided to participate in a local dance group this year.  They meet once a week for almost an hour and the primary focus is on having fun, getting some exercise and learning a few new dance moves.   So far they have had two dance recitals- one very casual performance at a local nursing home and the second one a Christmas program at Northwestern College.  She has really enjoyed it and best of all her two best friends are on the team as well. 

Taylor is the in the front

Taylor & her tow best friends ~Lilly and Julia

card 2 2010

Elegant Greetings Christmas 5x7 folded card

Shutterfly Christmas cards

View the entire collection of cards.

We Love Shutterfly . . .

Each year we get so busy we almost forget about sending out Christmas cards but this year we discovered this amazing deal with a GREAT company SHUTTERFLY .  So this year we are starting early … and what better place to look than SHUTTERFLY.  Don’t clink on the link unless you want to fall in love with great photo products!!
In the past four years we have made completely custom CALENDARS with lots of great personal photos from Shutterfly for my family members and each year they are a BIG hit so check-out this amazing company for all your Holiday Photo needs.  Shutterfly has a huge variety of great gift ideas for every HOLIDAY … they are so Easy to Create Christmas Gifts at great prices and lots of styles and designs to choose from!  The quality of the cards, photos and gifts are excellent so order with confidence!    The SHUTTERFLY website is super easy to use and you can even see how your calendars, photo cards or gifts will really look before you finalize your order!

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Two New Adventures ~ Hockey & Violin

This year Brandon decided he wanted to play hockey and Taylor decided she wanted to sign-up for Violin. 

Hockey ~.  Since Brandon had never ice skated before it has been a big learning experience, but he is doing great and is starting to really enjoy it.   He even scored a goal last week at his game on Saturday. 



Brandon skating - in the royal blue



Waiting to get on the ice





Violin ~  One of the many blessings of Taylor's school is that they encourage the kids to start learning music early.  In 3rd grade the kids have an option of selecting a string instrument to play and Taylor selected the Violin.  She is doing great and it is starting to sound like music.  She is currently learning part of Orpheus In The Underworld to eventually play in a concert with the 6th and 7th graders later this year. 

Taylor practicing

Something New and Something Old

Besides having a great time in Colorado at the Women of Faith conference I drove back with a full truck.  About a month ago Emily started climbing out of her crib so we knew it was time to ditch the crib and find her a bed.   After a little searching I found a very cute and super fun playhouse bed on Craigslist in Fort Collins.  Thanks to my wonderful dad and sister they went and picked it up for us.   Emily just loves the bed and the small little playhouse has been a big hit with her and Caleb. 

Besides the new bed, I also brought back my parents piano.  We are planning to have Taylor and Brandon start piano lesson in January.

A Weekend of Fulfilling a Dream of Hope, Love and Remembrance

About six years ago my Mom expressed a desire that she would love to take all of her girls to the Women's of Faith Conference in Denver sometime. Unfortunately it was not long after she expressed her wish that we found out she had cancer which lead to her passing shortly after that. So this past March when my sister Bonnie called and proposed  the idea of having all of us girls go to Women of Faith the last week in September I was all over the idea.  The week finally arrived and thanks to my amazing husband for playing super daddy and managing all the chaos at home I got to spend an incredible weekend with my sisters in Colorado.    It was a weekend full of tears, praise, prayer, laughter, food, football and great fellowship!  I am so blessed to have two amazing sisters that are my best friends!

So it was fitting that my first stop in Fort Collins was to see mom.

The three girls - Me, Sheri and Bonnie getting ready to leave for Women of Faith



 Thanks to my awesome cousin and dear friend Darci, we had front row tickets to the Denver Bronco game.  Even though the Broncos lost it was tons of fun and an amazing experience.

The view from our seats!

 Tim Tebow

Buddy Walk 2010

 Since the Tri-State Down Syndrome group is kind-of small we only host a Buddy Walk every other year and since this was an off year we decided to attend the Sioux Falls, SD Buddy Walk.  It turned out to be an incredible day and lots of fun for the kids.  One of the great highlights was meeting Chris Burke, a famous actor from the 1980's TV show "Life Goes On".  Seeing Chris on TV as a kid helped me see beyond many of the false stereo types at are associated with people with Down syndrome.  Who would have known that this amazing little boy would change our hearts, lives and souls so much or that because of him we would make friends with some incredible families and build amazing friendships.  It was an honor to celebrate and spread awareness of these incredible individuals at the 2010 Buddy Walk! 

Brandon, Taylor, Caleb and Lori with Chris Burke

 Caleb and his friend Cheyenne

 Caleb and Daddy having fun

Chris Burke

Brandon and his buddy Tavian

Taylor, Caleb, Tavian, Brandon and Kadin

Emily and Caleb - A.K.A  Double Trouble

Emily

The whole family

Taylor and her friend Kadin