Wind...

The wind here is truly amazing sometimes. I have never experienced it anywhere else I've lived or visited. It's partly our 19-year-old-windows, but mostly our location with the open space and Standley Lake right behind us. The wind gusts howled last night enough to bring 2 kids into bed with us. Once it wakes me up, it's incredibly hard to get back to sleep. Then my mind starts running! Sometimes I swear that the entire house is moving, shaking, the sound is so scary. We have a basketball hoop in the backyard, the portable kind with water in the base - we have to set it on it's side every night for fear the wind would cause it to crash through the window.

This weekend, we finally cut down (well, had someone cut down) the last of our big tree in the backyard. A victim of the wind! So many times, a wind storm would cause huge branches to break off this tree into the street or backyard - often so large it would block traffic - and Jason would break out the chainsaw and get to work. It looks so odd now, with the tree gone, to look into the corner and see straight out into the open space. It's sad for a tree to die...sadder still the money spent to have it removed!

It's true - we live in a CowTown

Today we went to the National Western Stock Show in Denver - big crazy gathering of ranchers/cowfolk from all surrounding states, complete with rodeos, trade show, and a stockyard set up in the middle of the city. It's a big deal here in Denver and we haven't been in a few years.

Look at this bird-thing! We all thought it looked like the Abominable Snowman, but it's really a "silkie." So cute!

CC riding a pony - all cowgirl-d up (can you see the boots?) She got to pick which pony and she chose "Dolly" - which makes me think of Aunt Bee calling me that.

A funny picture. Sometimes I still can't believe I live in Colorado, out here in the Wild West. Once a New Yorker,...?? It was a fun day, a really nice escape. Although when we got in the car, Jason and I said, what is that smell?? : ) (our shoes!)

1034 pieces

As most know, Brendan has been a lego-maniac for about 3-4 years now. He has been saving for the Star Wars Republic Gunship for many months - and with help from Grandpa, Mema & Papa, he finally got it this past weekend. So 1034 pieces are laid out on the dining table on their way to being this super-cool ship. He's actually been great about letting Andrew help, and it's been amazingly easy to get him to finish homework & chores lately (you can do the lego after you're done...) On top of this, he is going on Thursday to test the new Lego Universe online game, it's market research and he's even getting paid for it!

12 Drummers Drumming

We took down all of our indoor Christmas decorations on New Year's Day, with the exception of the Christmas tree, which I guess will come down tomorrow or this weekend - but I just took a picture of the kids with the tree as it's Epiphany. Christmas really takes over our house, the music is constantly playing - so it's a little bit sad to see the season end. Boys went back to school today, and Jason back to work Monday after some time off. We had a great, relaxing, lazy week - we are so blessed!

Welcoming in the New Year

We spent New Year's Eve with our good friends, Mike and Kathy (photo at left taken by Brendan!) and their kids, Kailey, Jackie, and Ryan. It's our tradition to have the kids make a gingerbread house together - the kiss wrapper tags are "icicles," the gaps where candy used to be in the frosting are courtesy of CC.

Happy New Year!

2010 - I really like the look and feel of that number, and have high hopes for this year. I've been thinking for a while of keeping a blog to share our lives with far-away family and friends who don't always get to see the antics of the young Bakers (and old!) This is the year!