NUTS!

Makena is here at the MimiPop Hotel enjoying 3 fun filled days and 2 nights with us. We took her to get her hair braided last night by this young Ethopian girl. It is fun getting to know their family. They have 3 daughters all adopted from Ethiopia. The mother is American and the father is from Ethopia so they speak Amaric and eat Ethopian food. The mother is going to email us some phrases in Amaric so we can teach them to Makena. Makena will probably pick them up quick as the following story illustrates:
This morning the dogs were following me everywhere, and in this small apartment there is not much room to move. Makena was in her room and as I was putting the dogs in the other bedroom when I said "You dogs are driving me nuts!" Suddenly I heard a sweet little voice from the other room say "Nuts!" I guess I taught her a new word!

Merry Christmas Greeting!

Make a Smilebox postcard

This is what happens when you are bored!

Bored!

I am bored! Old Man Winter decided to push an artic front down this way and set a new record low in Denver...-19!! Needless to say, the Subaru decided to rebel and is not starting this morning. I guess with 100,000 miles on the original battery, it might be time for a new one. Of course, I can't get the car started to go get a new one so here I sit. No work, no thrift stores, no Christmas shopping, no nothing to do. So I wait and hope and pray it will get above 0 and the car will start. I just checked and at 10:41 the temperature is still -4...it doesn't look promising. At least Mitzi will be here this afternoon for a visit before flying out on Wednesday so we can do something then. So I guess I will just sit and read a book for once!

Dog Wash...not Hog Wash

So... after living in the mountains, swimming in the Arkansas River, and hiking on the Midland Trail these mountain dogs are turning into city dogs. I actually took them to to get cleaned up...to a dog spa (the groomer at Petco). They got their nails clipped, ears cleaned, teeth brushed and of course a bath! She also threw in a Blueberry facial for free! I wish I could have gotten a picture of that! Getting two dogs to sit together for a picture is as difficult as getting two children together. In the picture above, Rukah is in front and in the picture below Wyatt, ol Greybeard, is in front. Note the Christmas bows for that special holiday look...Merry Christmas Wyatt and Rukah!

Change in Plans

It has come to my attention that I am a slacker blogger already, so here is the update I intended to post last Sunday. After getting dressed in her "new" Elmo fleece, just as we were beginning to decorate the Christmas tree, the telephone rang..."Is Makena there?". It seems Mama (Gretchen) was missing her little girl. Long story short, we decided to meet Mike, Gretchen and Beckett at Kenosha Pass for the handoff...it was time for Makena to go home. So we quickly "decorated" the tree meaning Makena put the Santa on top and we hopped into the car. It was a beautiful day as you can see in the pictures. We got to see Gretchen, Mike and Beckett and play in the snow. Anyone who knows Dale, knows he has all sorts of knicknames for people and pets. So, with me in one picture is Beckett aka Mr. Serious, Pirate Boy (due to the boy noises he makes), the Professor and Checkit Beckett. Makena has been Showshe for a while and her new one is MackeyMac. We got a new picture of us with the grandkids which I put on for fun!

Christmas Cookies!

This weekend is so special as Makena is here for a visit...Pop and I are SO excited! We have had a big time so far. Of course we had to take her to our favorite thrift stores and we hit the mother lode. We got a pair of red Gymboree clogs for $5, a red Elmo (her favorite) fleece hoodie for $2 and best of all...when she moved from Korea she had to leave her favorite toy which as you can guess we found for $3. She saw it and wouldn't let go! A new set of batteries and it is as good as new. After her nap, we "made" Christmas cookies. After Mimi sliced the roll, Makena decorated them with red and green sprinkles. She is quite the artist with a jar of sugar crystals! Tomorrow's events include a trip to the park (weather permitting) and decorate the Christmas tree. Better go get my rest...good night!

Snow

Today we WOKE UP (Gretchen will get this as we saw a T shirt in Korea with this on it?!) to a light snow. When Dale and I were out cleaning off the Subaru at 6 am, it was so light and glimmery, like little shiny diamonds glistening in the light of the street lamps. Beautiful! By the time the puppies and I went for our morning stroll, the wind had picked up and it was snowing horizontal to the ground...not so beautiful. It reminded me of when Mom and I got caught driving in that blizzard last winter which had to be THE most terrifying experience of my life...I never would have made it home without her! After that experience I declared I was done living in the mountains! Funny that we should be living on the Front Range now...I can enjoy from afar. But, I do love snow. We had so much snow in BV last winter which is fun if you are a kid living in Cleveland Ohio and you can make tunnels but not so fun if you are an adult who has to shovel it! So I will post some pictures of last winter's snow in case you missed them. You can see the work as the pile is as tall as me (which is about 5 feet you know) and the play of snowshoeing and making snow angels. Enjoy the winter wonderland!

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

I really have no idea what I am doing with this blog thing but it sure passes the time as Dale is home recovering from surgery on Thanksgiving Day. It is a bit dreary here...looks like snow up in the mountains. It is very rare to have a day like today. The "puppies" are even draggin'. I hope this will enable family and friends to keep up with life out here in the West!

So, I am trying something new here...I thought this might be a way to stay in touch with friends and family. Check back later.