Christmas Celebration x2

We got to celebrate Christmas a little different this year. An early celebration at home, just the 6 of us. No real tree this year cause we weren't gonna be around much. (We are headed to a reunion in Tuscon after Christmas.) Justin got creative this year and made the kids a pvc pipe ropin' dummy. They loved it! He did a great job. Then, with a fully loaded van we headed to Cedaredge on Christmas Eve. Celebrated with Laura's family and Mom and Dad, our first holiday all together in their new home! Cousins had fun being together opening presents, playing inside and out in the snow and with the horses. 
It was a Merry Christmas!! We are blessed and so thankful we can celebrate our Savior's birth.

A play house that you can color! Kept the kids busy, and Dee Dee too! ;)

Kids in order youngest to oldest. (3, 4, 5, 6, 8, & 10)

July 4th, Fun in Cedaredge

We spent a nice 3 day weekend at Mom and Dad's over the 4th. Justin was excited to try out the fishin', it has been too long since he's been on the river. So he got the boys up before the sun and they all headed to Ridgway to fish the Uncompahgre River. Not as good as Justin had hoped, but Coltin caught his first rainbow trout river fishing!  In the afternoon we visited Sweitzer Lake for a picnic and some swimming. That evening, we went took the younger two up to the Grand Mesa. Fished in a little lake, but the only thing biting there was the mosquitoes. Yea!  Justin had to try out this little creek nearby, and sure enough his "Give me 10 minutes." turned into 30 min. Where he and Corbin caught 8 fish (brookies and rainbows). Corbin was thrilled and just kept giggling, cheering, and helping dad! It was cute.  As always we enjoyed playing with the horses, feeding, and helping with the clean up chores (actually only the kids like to help, ya know scoop manure and clean the water trough.) On the 4th we took a drive over to Paonia for the Cherry Days Festival and enjoyed their parade and cherries!  Our evening fireworks show was put on by the town of Delta and it was a lot of fun. Other than the tired 3 yr old. :(  Whom might not make it on the next long trip as he definitely made the long drive longer!! Guess he is out of practice. All our kids, no matter the age, have been pretty good at sleeping some during our road trips. Corbin was not bad in the car, just talkative, loud and restless, I guess you could say 'annoyingly happy.'  Not fun when you are sitting in I-70 traffic. Oh well.
It was still fun to get away and enjoy time in the mountains and with my family.

 

 The coolest float in the parade: an excavator dressed up as a dinosaur holding a swing and live cave girl. They were moving the girl all over the place, it was very clever. 

Water fall in Vail.  :)  At least we were stopped in a pretty location!

Spring Break in Cedaredge

Alayna and Everitt playing Horse and Cowgirl in Mom's living room with a fun kid size saddle.

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Chore Time:

-Feed the horses

- Clean the water trough

 -Clean the corral 

(For some reason the kids loved scooping manure.)

 -Brush the horses

-Look a cute little cowboy

-Saddle up and Ride!

The kids enjoyed hanging out in the pasture bug hunting. the horses didn't care but occasionally got curious.

Out for an afternoon walk along the Uncompahgre River, in Delta.
We had fun on the bridge and in the big ol' tree.

Love them boys!

And back across the bridge! It was quite bouncy.

Happy little guy when his big brother is being a good friend.