What we've been up to:
Paul and Nicole -- flipflops in the snow on Saturday morning.
They didn't want to have to change their shoes when they got out of the airplane in sunny Mexico. (They both had shorts on under their sweatpants, too.) I'm so jealous!
Lots of painting and crafting going on around here. I'm trying to think of a way to show you some of the things we've made without tipping gift recipients off... I'll get back with you on that.. Here's William, though, working hard. He ended up painting his little wooden airplane in camouflage colors. He said he made it for his little dinosaurs, thus, the color-scheme. (Even William has a method to his madness...)
William learned how to peel his own tangerine this week.
(It's those little things in life, ya know? He's so proud of himself!)
The
Winter Village is in place on top of the school cabinet:
Can you believe it's the Third Week of Advent already!?
Our Nativity Scene is well underway in the fireplace,
but we still want to tweak it a bit before we add the figures. We have a waterfall idea that we're working on that's giving us a little trouble. It may need the creative inspiration of Jon and Dominic -- who will be home this weekend! Woohoo! Here it is, so far, though:
Updated photos and more catch-up, hopefully, on Friday, as time allows!
Twelve.
Five.
Eleven.
Endless supply.
It's a nice easy start. It's not too crowded and the trail is good. Someone has gone to the trouble to make stone steps along the way. That's nice. Have you finished your Frappaccino? Here, I'll put the empty cup in my backpack.
Look how green everything is! There's a little brook hidden down in the trees. Can you hear it tumbling over the rocks? That's a Bullock's Oriole we hear in the treetops. (No, I'm not a bird expert; I only know because I asked that "birder" back there on the trail. Did you see those ladies dressed all in white, swishing the butterfly nets around? I wanted to take a picture of them, but I was afraid they might not appreciate it...)
Climbing higher now. The trail is still easy, but Dan and I are trying to hide the panting and brow-wiping from one another. Had you noticed? That's just part of our no-grunting-and-groaning rule. I'm taking lots of opportunities to pause and snap pictures of wildflowers, though... Don't mind me; just keep on going. Unless you need a rest, too. 
Look how high we are now! There's the town of Golden; somewhere down there is the Coors Brewery. I could use a cold drink right now... I might even take a can of Coors.
Almost to the top. Time for a breather under this pine tree. No pretending we're not winded now. Go ahead and have a seat on that rock in the shade. Don't you love that fresh, piney smell up here?
