Trip Full of Adventures

We've had an incredible time in Estes Park, CO with our three boys. This was definitely a trip of firsts for them - airplane ride, ice skating, tubing and sledding, driving a snowmobile, hiking up a mountain trail, being 20 feet from an elk, climbing up a frozen waterfall, hiking around a frozen lake while it was snowing and roller skating. It has been a little boys' dream vacation - full of adventure and firsts. I will say that I have been hit hard on this trip with the reality that my boys enjoy being with their daddy over their mommy. I know that is a good thing and I want them to be attracted to masculinity, but I am having to process how my role as the nurturer in the family needs to change now that they are all out of the toddler stage. Though part of me has wanted to mourn the loss of the "mama's boy" stage they have all gone thru, the other part of me rejoices that my boys have such a strong desire to be associated with all things manly. I asked Keith to take a picture of me with the boys one day and Kade laughed at Keith calling him a "lady because only ladies take pictures." You can tell that he is sorting out in his brain constantly which activities are associated with men/women.
Speaking of taking pictures, he has it right that it is the lady in our family that loves taking pictures - here is the link that will take you to our Picassa album of the trip. And I know, this is record speed for me. I just told Keith that usually the process to get my pictures from my camera to our blog takes at least a month - maybe I've gotten better in my old age :)

Colorado Trip

Ringing In The New Year

We had such a blast ringing in the new year. We started off with dinner at Hudson's On The Bend. Thanks to Aaron and Laura Murray, our sweet friends who treated us to dinner, we now know that an expensive wine really does taste better than a cheap wine and we will always remember what foie gras is - goose liver, not a sweet cream sauce! Not only was the food simply amazing, but the company was even better. Keith and I have been so blessed by the friendships that God has put in our lives. It was a sweet time of fellowship with the Murray's and Shock's.

Then, we all headed over to one of our mutual friends' 30th birthday party. It was at a little shop/cafe on the Georgetown square. There was karaoke and dancing - what more do you need to ring in the new year? I never knew how much Laura enjoyed karaoke - I so know what we're going to do on her next birthday :) The whole night was special and just reminded Keith and I what a sweet year 2009 was and how much we have to look forward to in 2010. Thank you, Lord, for blessing us beyond anything we could have imagined. And, thank you mom for allowing us to go out on New Year's Eve - that was a special treat!

From New Years Eve Fun