Yes it snowed....

While I was in Colorado, it snowed!  It was beautiful ~ quiet ~ peaceful....and cold.  We were all excited because it was the first snow of the season.  The good news is Sarah got a snow day and Arie and Jennifer stayed home from work!!!!  The bad news is many people were without electricity for a day or more.  Thankfully, the power went off but came back on at Jennifer's house.  They did loose some tree limbs....sad.

This is how it started ~ that's snow

even thought it sort of looks like rain,

doesn't it?? 

This is the tree out front loaded down with snow

limbs scattered underneath from the burden. 

Isn't this one BEAUTIFUL??

It didn't loose many limbs 

Their poor cottonwood survived a tornado

a few years back only to be beaten and

broken by snow!

(They may take it down this time)

Arie is underneath there shaking the limbs

to lessen their burden

Alas, we didn't have a picnic

The girls were ready to go out asap!!!  Jennifer was smart enough to ask if ANYONE needed to go to the bathroom BEFORE pulling on snow gear.  Then ~ they were out the door!!!!

Claire

Sarah

Dad came in way before the girls did

Our Jennifer ~ all bundled up

and SMILING  

Sarah helped Arie build a "fort"

which to me looked like an

igloo?? 

The proud construction crew

Sarah wanted the pointy thing on top

"like a castle"

Sarah inside the fort 

There was room for both of them

(they wanted to sleep out there!)

And then it was time for a SNOWMAN ~ not a snowman like I would build in Alabama ~ oh no ~ this was a work of art that required all members to contribute.  He stood proudly in front of the house for several days and on Halloween an evil trick or treater karate chopped him....

My redition of a snow something

(check the ears)



The girls got busy rolling the

snowman. Sarah did the bottom

and Claire did the second ball

Jennifer and Arie started the assembly

Mid section ~ check!

A few finishing touches and....

Voila!

He is almost as tall as Jennifer and Arie!

Showing the snowman some love!

(check the smile ~ I think he liked it)

Gotta admit Snowman has STYLE!

(check the hair)

After a battle with Dad

and a group shot of Claire, Jennifer,

me and Sarah

it was time to go inside

shed the snow clothes

and relax

Traveling with the girls

Jennifer and the girls hung around Jasper for a few days after Arie left.  We did a little mule hunting and the girls liked this one ~ Dr. Vague's office.  It is covered in pebbles? and has a cosmic theme.

Claire sat on it first but decided it was

"uncomfortable" due to protruding "jewels"

On Friday, October 21st, we headed for Colorado.  This was the first cross-country drive for the girls so it was EXCITING!!!!  After a breakfast at Jack's with all the fam (Kim, Skoot, Jakob, Topher, and Granddad) we headed out on our ADVENTURE!!!!

Tennessee Welcome Center

(rest stop) 

ARKANSAS ~ woo hoo!!

When we got to Arkansas Jennifer and I decided it was time for a REAL break so we drove into Fort Smith to Creekmore Park where the girls enjoyed the playground and Jennifer and I enjoyed stretching our legs a bit and the fresh air.

Once we were back in the car, it was time for a nap....

Do you think they were faking????

When we got to Tulsa, Oklahoma we stopped for the night, had supper at an I Hop, went for a swim, and CRASHED!

Sarah is a good swimmer

Claire thought the "heated" pool

was a bit chilly

Got a "thumb up" from Jennifer 

The girls were ready to hit the road

again the next morning!!

At a rest stop sometimes

a girl just needs to climb a tree!

Welcome to Kansas!!

"Who cares if we're there yet??"

Still in Kansas despite the background

At "The Oasis" truck stop

there was a playground

with a gorilla for climbing and

photo op

and a Starbucks Coffee Shop!!!

Onward we traveled....finally passing into the Mountain Time Zone and wonder of wonders....the Welcome to Colorful Colorado sign....Hallelujah!!!!

I'm not sure who was more excited

Jennifer or the girls

As Jennifer drove us into the sunset

they knew they were almost home.

It was a great cross country drive and I would do it again.

Thanks for riding along....

Wilson Lake

Last weekend we drove up to the Doublehead Resort on Wilson Lake.  The boys and Skoot rode up with me while Kim and Buck went to the Birmingham Airport to pick up Jennifer and her family.  It was a nice relaxing weekend.

The boys found the hammock right away.

They enjoyed swinging and reading while

waiting for the girls to arrive.

As many of you know Kim tore her ACL a couple of weeks ago while playing in a faculty/8th grader volleyball match.  She is scheduled for surgery in November but in the mean time she has a few exercises to do every day.

Kim "working out"

 

Buck and Jennifer enjoyed the back

porch early one morning. 

The girls got their first chance to go fishing

Claire caught the biggest one, Jakob caught the most, Sarah had the most patience, and Topher fished but mostly just enjoyed the day.

Jennifer took advantage of a down moment 

There's always room for marshmallows roasted (or burned) over an outdoor fire. YUM!

October

October Birthdays

Tanya Best ~ 6th

Wanda Kehler ~ 8th

Jimmy Walker ~ 13th

Will Herzig ~ 18th

Olivia Wells ~ 18th

Lesley Mitts ~ 26th

Claire Willenbrecht ~ 30th

Our sweet Claire will be 5 this year!!  Notice she is the only one whose age I've mentioned??  The whole Willenbrecht family will be flying to Alabama on the 15th.  Arie is going back on the 18th and Jennifer and the girls will be driving back with me later.  This will be their (the girls) first cross country drive so I'm sure there will be blogging to be done later.