Colorado Christmas

Christmas morning in Colorado Springs. Our Christmas mornings always start with hot sausage rolls and tea. Its one of our British traditions. Here's Don with the first plate of sausage rolls.

(click on the pics)

Great shot of Dad and Clementine.

Don and Seann and yet more sausage rolls.

Mom relaxing in her chair.
Seann tackling his stocking. He has a Zits calendar - one of our favorite comics.

Dad and Matilda! Her favorite spot to sleep is on the recliner with dad.

I was 'honored' by Cadbury's (yes, she is named after the chocolate) presence - she doesn't usually cuddle with me, but I had great flannel pjs.......

Fabulous shot of Pike's Peak from Mom and Dad's backyard. The clouds are covering the tip of the peak.Mom carefully studying the joke/question from inside the Christmas Cracker.

Dad and Seann getting ready to pull the cracker! Another British tradition. You put them on the table for Christmas dinner - get someone near you to "pull" the cracker with you, wait for the 'pop' and find out your prize inside. There is also a hat and silly riddle. And yes, we wear our hats :0)

Well, everyone except Don, who refuses to wear any kind of party hat.

Don trying to figure out his prize.Friday we drove around looking at houses in one of our favorite neighborhoods. The Christmas lawn ornaments in Colorado move - on their own - no batteries or extension cords needed. Lots of deer in this area.

Saturday brought another amazing blue sky and high temps in the 20's . . . yes, 20's . . . it was fabulous! There is nothing special about these houses, its the sky and the view of the Peak we wanted to capture. Later in the day you could see the snow blowing off the Peak. . . just gorgeous.

Yes, Seann's in the snow and freezing. We were out looking at model homes. Temp. was in the 20's with considerable wind!

I'm in great need of coffee! Don and I at Don's new coffee hang out, Pike's Perk.

I let Seann have the camera for this one......

Oh, back to reality. Seann and I at the airport Sunday afternoon, heading home to Phoenix.

A special dinner

Ian (our youngest son), and his wife Ronda, treated us to a special dinner when we arrived home from Colorado Springs. We went straight from the airport to their apartment to celebrate Christmas dinner with them Sunday night. The table was beautiful, complete with British Christmas Crackers and adorable bud vases at each plate.

(click on the pic and you'll be able to see that the name is actually inside the vase - very clever)

Hmmm, just what is Ronda's prize in that Christmas Cracker - the boys both had scrunchies for their hair :0) Mine was a bracelet.
Oh yes, Seann is stylin' with his hat.

Real men (and women) wear Christmas Cracker hats!

Seann, Ronda, Ian and Sadie

Me and my boys! Oh, and Sadie, of course.

The food was delicious (Ham, sweet potato casserole, veggies, queso dip, cesar salad, rolls, yummy oreo cookie/ice cream dessert! Great job kids :0)

The beauty of flowers . . .

Don't you just love fresh flowers? My new fav place for flowers is Trader Joe's - 5 huge sunflowers + some other fillers for $5.99. These were on the island in the kitchen for the realtor's open house today.

R U Tattooed?

Don works with someone who has a friend who works at RU Tattooed in Colorado Springs. Amazingly, its 10 minutes from my parents house - so off we go to visit. My first visit to a tattoo parlor. LOL
Very interesting inside - nice young guy working there - fascinating "tatts" - all kinds of awards won (who knew you could win awards as a tattoo artist?)

Clean! Its really, really clean in here :0) Blew my sterotype of tatt parlors.

Don announces he not only loves Colorado Springs, is NOT going to come back to Phoenix, but now has decided to change his thoughts on tattoos. He could really consider getting one and starts looking at designs. After recovering from the shock, I help him pick a design. He likes the Lion of Judah, I suggest he start with something smaller, like a crown of thorns around his bicep.
Hey, if you get a tattoo, don't I get one too?

Picture of Don's first choice

Interesting contrasts on the walls!

Yeah, he's gonna do it. Agh!

They don't let me get any closer - you have to stay behind this really big chain - think industrial sized - and just watch

Errrrr . . . are you really sure?

Nervous laughter

OK, true confessions! This was a PRANK we played on the kids. Don always pulls pranks on them and manages to keep a straight face.

I suggested we take his picture at the shop and tell the kids he got a "tatt"

The young man was SO nice - he went along with the prank. He attends the same Calvary church we visited the Sunday we were there.

Its his dad's shop and they are very busy through word of mouth advertising. Lots of church goers head there for the "ink."

Ronda, our daughter-in-law didn't buy the pics because she knows how Don feels about "tatts." Ian sort of believed and kept insisting to see the "ink." Seann, our oldest, who sports many "tatts" was astounded that dad would do this but we had a great discussion on how Don chose his tatt, how long it took, etc. etc.

The kids said if Dad really didn't get a tattoo, then this was an elaborate prank!

Two weeks after we were home and the kids were at the house, we had to fess up . . . anyway, it was good fun, especially since I instigated the prank. . . LOL

The color green

I forget just how green grass really is!
It was a hazy day due to the smoke blowing in from the fires in CA or you would see the front range of the Rockies and Pike's Peak behind the pine tree.

Flowers

Double hollyhock in Mom's flowerbed -

We know who is really in charge!

Matilda and Clementine, of course, rule the house, assisted by Cadbury the cat. Mom and Dad just live there.

Dad at work

Dad was supervising Don (who was up in the tree). At one point the neighbor came over and all three men were discussing the finer points of trimming the pine tree!

Up in a tree?

One morning Don helped Dad trim branches off the pine tree. You should never let Don have the saw - he LOVES to trim trees. Comparable to cutting your bangs . . . just a little more to even things up !

Colorado Springs

Mom and Dad's house. Great view from the back yard of Pike's Peak

3D . . .

LOL - one afternoon in CO we went to see Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D..... here's my mom and I waiting for the movie to start wearing our 3D specs . . . the a/c was out in the theater - a major disaster in CO when it was over 85 degrees. Ha! We managed just fine without the a/c.

Colorado Bound

Off to cooler weather and beautiful Pike's Peak.

Stay tuned.

Who Moved My Cheese?

Has anyone read this book? Our oldest son called, very excited about this book! Excited enough to say he would buy one for everyone to read. Since Don and I were going to a bookstore that night to hang out with friends, we picked up the book while were there.

I loved this book. Its not a Christian book - but the simplicity of the story and the truth of it will surprise you. A lot of big corporations have used it and I can see why.

Its written as a story of two mice and two little people, who all have very different ways of approaching life. Especially hunting for the cheese and what they do with the cheese once they find it. You will see yourself in these characters and you will put all of your friends in one of 4 categories.....Sniff, Scurry, Hem or Haw....when it comes to how you / they behave when the cheese is moved!!!

And what exactly is 'your cheese'? Career, finances, health, money, marriage, talent, relationships, ministry? Take a look at how to "move with the cheese."

There is a teen version and one for kids also.

The book takes less than an hour to read . . . go ahead . . . find out what happens when someone moves the cheese.

This past week . . .

Don't you just love this picture? I needed a purple hydrangea fix today to combat the heat and brown dirt in Phoenix. :0(

I lost track of time and stopped posting! Father's Day was very low key due to Ronda, our daughter-in-law, being ill with strep throat. So, we have had strep in the house, but praise God, no one else caught it and she is much better. We had a couple of days where some of us didn't feel great, but we are all good at this point.

We celebrated Father's Day with the kids here, ate steaks and sat under the fan and a/c.

Its the beginning of my third week at the gym - another praise. I started weight training, as well as cardio. My muscles are yelling rude words at me. :0)

Sad news yesterday - one of our friends died unexpectedly. He was 30 and we have known him since he was in jr. high. We watched as he brought his girlfriend to the youth group at our house, smiled as they fell in love and celebrated when they were married nearly 8 years ago. Derek will be missed. He was a talented poet, winning many awards in his short lifetime. He was devoted to his wife Katina. The Lord called him home long before we were ready to let him go. One day we'll understand why those younger than us sometimes die first. This side of heaven, I don't think we can grasp it.

Blessed be the name of the Lord,

In His love He gives and takes away

He loves us passionately.

5:00 a.m. and walking

I finally made it! I 'intentionally' rolled out of bed and made it to the gym before work! What a battle that was but I feel much better for having made it. So, there is day one and now the real battle starts for day 2, etc.

I bet I'm asleep in the recliner as soon as I sit down. LOL

Freedom . . .

I am seldom at Luke AFB during the day, but on my way to Luke today, the F-16s were doing touch and goes . . . well, I think that's what they are called. They take off, fly, barely touch down and go again. . . it was amazing to watch them as I drove on Northern Ave. At the stop light at Litchfield, one flew right over the cars in front of me. I LOVE the sound of jets and to see them fly. Its the sight and sound of freedom and I never get tired of it.

Lord, protect our military, where ever they are serving, as they guard our precious freedom.