We are so thankful!

THE SHORT

I'm way behind, so i'm blogging Halloween and Thanksgiving here and Christmas is to follow....

I had a "Thing 1" and a "Cat in the Hat" for Halloween and we love when the candy goes on sale! We went to MN for 10 days over Thanksgiving and enjoyed it so much! Memories...made and remembered. Too many good friends to name them all that we are so thankful for throughout the years, who've ridden out our storms with us and have stuck by us, faithfully. Thanks. And snowboarding season has officially open!! Come on out! MERRY CHRISTMAS! I'll tell Mickey you said "hello!" SEE PHOTOS BELOW!

THE LONG

Since i haven't written in awhile, i'll try to catch up through some photos, too... I had to come up with "book characters" for the boys' school Halloween theme and had a "Thing 1" (Andy) but Thing 2 refused, so he (Noah) was "Cat in the Hat" with a handmade hat i'm VERY proud of! They had fun and although we skipped trick-or-treating, they didn't care when we showed up at Wal-Mart and they each picked bags of sale candy!! Daddy included!

How was your Thanksgiving?? We ventured north, gladly, and went to see dear friends, Robb, Kim and their girls, Megan and Greta in MN. I can't begin to tell you how thrilled i was to go back 'home' to MN! Just being on Hwy 8 and other familiarities....ahhhhh, i do miss it. I even got 2 trips to IKEA!! While home, we drove past the old house, nope, not a thing stirred in me, but driving past the lake house and into Lindstrom is what got me... amazing what God has done in and for us over the past five years! Can you believe we've been in Colorado for 1 year already!? I can't believe how fast it's gone! Dan and i were discussing the "what if's" regarding our sale of the lake house and building the new one, which ones we didn't/couldn't buy at the time, all the reasons God moved Dan to PA and then CO and timing of the sale of our home...(so many are STILL for sale, from before ours sold! We were so blessed to sell ours!) Anyhow, again, we are so thankful for the losses and gains throughout these past years.

Well, i made a promise and i'm going to keep it! Kim is my dear friend and the whole reason we took the journey to MN! She mentioned, asked, discussed, coerced - haha! anyhow, we went for her and her family! She's had a long, hard year of battling and overcoming and what a thankful year they've had as well! Being with friends for the holiday was so much fun! The guys went up north to the cabin for a few days and the moms held down the fort and got some projects done (then had the guys finish the rest when they returned!) And i have to say, Kim makes a mean feast! At my house, and hers!! -- i'm such a terrible hostess and she's the cream of the crop! It's embarrassing, but she loves me still!) Like i always say, "i'm all about the get-together!" not the details. The kids got along great, the mommies shopped on Black Friday (calmly) and we all made some great memories...loved being there! Thank you for asking, Kim, it was more than meaningful.

Awesome Elsholtz's!

I was thrilled when Dan said we could add a few more days and i was able to plan a church potluck, school playdate, and two days with my friend, Lucie and her husband, Dave and twin boys, Cade and Liam! Of course, it was a surprise and they love to play together, which means, "play with the DS's" and hardly spoke any words to each other! haha! Thanks so much for having us, Lu! And next time, Dave, "Chicago and Pizza" that's all i'll say. This is a video of my kids surprising theirs.... click to play

surprising the boys

I LILA playground 'playdate'!! FUN!

Now, for Andy Brogan's sake (for making fun of my long-windedness) i'll try to shorten up the "long" portion. (See, i fully recognize my inability to keep it short, thus "the short AND long of it")... I quit apologizing for it a long time ago... right, Jes! Our visit with many families on Sunday after church was awesome! Thanks for Krista who allowed me to plan it at her house! and Thanks for so many that took time out to come and catch up with us!! It was amazing and the kids had a blast! Check out the "kid table" in the basement! It was a full house and we laughed alot, thank you all for coming! We miss you and my heart was full.

Well, now Halloween and Thanksgiving both passed and so many things and people have reminded Dan and I just how thankful we are... for being where we are, for where we've come from, for knowing who we know, for having what we have, and for losing what we've lost. For being able to be at peace in so many areas of our lives that have been bobbing up and down for so long. Thanks for sharing in our lives and riding it out with us. We are thankful.

We'll be spending Christmas at DisneyWorld celebrating Mom and Dad Hooten's 50th anniversary and then several days at Dan's folks in Florida, so i'll definately have to catch up after that! Oh, that's right! When in Colorado, do as the Coloradans, right? The boys have officially begun snowboarding! Lessons first at Sunlight mountain, but Aspen passes have been purchased and the family's ready to bring it on!! Dan's been searching for his own snowboard (yikes, he's got a long way to fall!) but i'll stick to two skis, thank you very much! As well as my 1990's snow gear, what do i care?! Here's their first video -- Noah's wearing red helmet, another boy falls, then Andy follows with black helmet... click to play...