Adorable January

A few things to adore about the month of January.

• Snowflakes...each and every one of them. They make my heart pound faster and always bring a smile to my face. 
• My hubby...The look on his face when he made his first Internet jiggystick sale...adorable! You could say he was gettin' Jiggy with it! 
• Satellite radio...Listening to long lost songs whose lyrics lie completely dormant in your mind somewhere. Do you remember Raper's Delight by Sugarhill Gang? Suddenly I do, "i said a hip hop the hippie the hippie to the hip hip hop, a you don't stop" 

• The boys...friends of the teenager. Apparently they text him days in advance to reserve an invitation to hang at our house on Friday nights. We seem to be the Kool-Aid house. It's probably my own fault, I always have freshly baked cookies ready as they walk in the door. They are great kids!
• White Chocolate Toffee Caramel Popcorn...available at a Kiosk in the mall...it's divine!
• The Backside...A secret paradise of fresh deep powder at Beaver Mountain.
• Antibiotics...they rock!

• Snow Removal...He's finally old enough to take over when Dad is away on business. When Spring comes, I'll have tons of projects just for him.
• Road trip...Cherry Creek Mall in Denver while the boys attend the Broncos/Chargers game. I win!
• Photography...details of the joyful moments in the day.
• Olivia...the chubby pink one.
• Friends...all of them...ever so grateful for their presence in my life.
• My heart...it's healing.

Play Date

Hey Nana...

Mommy and Daddy had some boring adult things to do and left me in charge...do you want to come and play with me this afternoon.

 I have lots of new tricks I need to show you.

 Watch this...I can shove my whole fist in my mouth!

 So Nana...let me read you a story, how about Chicka Chicka abc?

 A told b and b told c, I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree.

 Chicka chicka boom boom...will there be enough room?

Nana...the plot in this book is awesome, we should tell Uncle Chet about it.

By the way, what is that black box you have up to your eye all the time?

 Look Nana, look at me. I can touch my toes.

 I'll bet you can't do that Nana!

So...everyone is telling me I look like the Gerber baby...what do you think Nana?

I know you and I are going to be great friends Nana. Now let's talk about when we're going to have those brownies for breakfast that you promised.

xoxo Livvy

Baby Steps

Something big happened over the holidays that I've been meaning to tell you. Baby Steps were taken...quite literally led by the grand baby herself. On Christmas Eve, Olivia came to stay the night with us. While I was out finishing last minute details, Papa Dean had the task of setting up the crib in a spare bedroom. Upon my return, he announced that he had set it up in Jocie's room.

No discussion...just did it...stating that's where it belongs.

I believe the word would be stunned! No one has slept in my angel Jocie's room since she stumbled out of bed and dressed in her ski clothes that dreadful March morning...everything being just as she left it. Everything!

Papa Dean and his wisdom...knowing it is time to push forward with this next step. Ever so gently we chip away at scars that have settled on fragile parents. Taking turns, we nudge each other closer to joy and healing.

Later on that evening, we all swaddled that beautiful babe and put her to sleep in Aunt Jocie's room. The tears flowed easily as I walked away. Baby steps for certain, but monumental to say the least. And it was as it should be. I have been formulating plans for Aunt Jocie's room, and now I believe Olivia will be able to help me carry them through...more baby steps! We'll keep you posted.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

It was a beautiful relationship and we had a wonderful time over the past couple of years. But we were bound to outgrow each other.

 Together we went to magical places like this...

 and witnessed the awesome force of nature...

 high on mountain tops...

and keeling over on the ocean.

Together we witnessed ordinary moments etched in the sand...

 and Christmas morning joy.

Remember when the birth of this tiny miracle made a family...

and the wonder of motherhood took hold.

Together we watched as big steps were taken...

and the excitement of a first harvest.

There were simple moments...

 moments just because...

 sweet moments...

 soaring moments...

delicious moments...

 cool moments...

 and creative moments.

Yes, dear Nikon D60 you were my first camera love...but move over because there's a new camera love in my life.

Photo Op

The phrase "photo op" or "photo opportunity" was coined years ago by an aide to President Nixon. On occasion he would announce to the White House Press Room that there would be a photo opportunity in the Oval Office. To an amateur photographer the term now refers to any opportunity to snap a great photo.

Following a fresh snow storm, here's my photo op...

So quiet, so still, so peaceful.

The Distinguished Advocate

So herewith let it be stated...that this post must be read with a pompous fake accent.

It was with great honor that we welcomed the distinguished advocate Lawyer Girl home for the holidays. Her visit consisted of movie watching moments, piano playing, pie making lessons, puzzle solving, skiing of extreme terrain, and sheer madness.

Using deliberate finesse (acquired during her first semester of law school) the distinguished advocate kicked off her winter break with a desire to expand her culinary skills and prowess. Setting her MacBook aside she donned the task of pie crust mastery. Nothing but success for the self titled "Pie maker's apprentice" would be acceptable. Precise rolling of the delicate pastry was involved.

The distinguished advocate was  sufficiently careful to use the tool only as a means to make a lattice crust so as not to be construed as assault with a deadly weapon.

It seems evidence points out that the distinguished advocate shows great promise in pie making as well as lawyering skills.

All parties involved had a mutual agreement to have an extensive fabulous time together.

It is implicit that all parties acted in good faith.

It is the court's opinion that the distinguished advocate's father entered into an implied employee contract with the advocate as Jiggy Sticks were made on the premise during the visit.

Furthermore let it be known, that the pooch Izzy may have been under duress when ordered by the distinguished advocate to wear fine Italian leather boots.

The advocate used all manner of cajoling and coercing the court into finishing the aforementioned puzzle until ridiculously late hours on the evening before her departure.

We the jury find that the distinguished advocate is guilty of being sorely missed by the court.