Our trip...

Aren't trips great?!? We just got back from Colorado where we spent some time snowboarding, shopping, hanging out, and walking around cute little towns. :) I had such an awesome time with the family. We visited some friends we knew from Italy in Kansas on the way out there for a rest and little break before finishing up the weary drive. :) On the way home we took a different route through New Mexico and Texas instead of Kansas and Illinois...so that was pretty neat. :)


Yes....superman helps with a 30-some hour drive....

K-man did really good....only a few meltdowns. :)

Gorgeous!! I love mountains....

On top of the world....good times, good times...

Hanging out in the lodge...just about to make a break for the slopes! :)

It was really pretty up there....mountains behind mountains all covered in snow!

Cute little Bella...

What's up Eskimo?

What fashion!! I just love this picture....she looks like a advertisement for a trip around the world! :)

It was really neat the way the edges of the river freezed and snow snowed on top of it...just had to snap a shot while driving by... :)

Charming!

One of the nights we went to a cute little town to check out some snow sculptures. They were really neat. Professional snow sculpting people came in from all over the world to compete with one another. All they could use was hand powered tools like saws, chisels, and hammers.

In Colorado springs. Mom and Dad went to a marriage seminar by Emerson Eggerich (the guy that wrote the Love and Respect book). We hung out with Art's family and the Underwoods(friends from Italy) came out to CO springs as well. They enjoyed the conference. :)

Me and my buddy Jeremy...

Mom and Mrs. Underwood...

bad throw...or was it a bad catch. :) anyway...don't throw your keys to one another...that's all I'm saying :) Dad (the expert key-getter-outer-the-gutter) fished out our friends keys successfully. :)

On top of a volcano in NM...driving home.

Oh yah....the most spectacular snow sculptor....

spectacular!....isn't it cute!

Bella with her Daddy...

Looking a bit rough after the first 20-some hours of the drive. :) It was Valentines day and Dad got each us girls a pretty rose! :)

Family picture....taken by the hood of the truck :)

Oh...I loved it! Snow and mountains are like my favorite thing ever!

Anyway....such awesome country God made!

Have a great week!!

K.K.M.D

Psalms 39:7

Family get-together part 3...and part 4 :)

This is the wrap up for the family get-together. I shall no longer bore you with such...after this one. :)
Jan. 8th, we held a turkey auction, which is where you bring some junk to be auctioned off to other junk buyers, and you leave with some junk of your own. Like the famous saying, "One man's trash, another man's treasure." And the big bonus was...that we got to play with fake money! It's fun to buy stuff without paying for it. :) We also had a white elephant...or also known as chaos-exchange. :) We had a standard that the gift had to be a food item...even more fun. :) I think I could have enjoyed it just as much sitting back and watching! People flying, running, yelling, rolling over in laughter, dashing, sprinting, cart wheeling....well maybe not quite cart wheeling, but I'm sure some wanted to. I dashed around and got what I wanted...300 dum-dums of which I believe will be with me for quite some time. :) the entire time Mom never got the right number to be able to trade with someone...and at the time she had nothing but some kind of gummy candy (of which she doesn't like). It was in the last like 30 seconds when she got it...oh...she was relieved. Lol :) Anyway.....on with the rest....

Blankets? Girls?..both? I'm not sure whats what. :)

the treasures previously spoken of...

the junk buyers..

Wasabi covered peanuts, crazy enough to bring the biggest and buffest man to tears, send him gasping for water and come back asking for more.

introducing (drum roll here) the Val-co dancing team! With their very best, Cotton Eyed Joe. (applause)

most of the family left...leaving just Art and Lydia and their family and Grandpa and Grandma.

~~~

Part-4

Art and Lydia left on Monday only to get blocked up in traffic in Atlanta sending them all the way back here. We still had party in our bones...so it just went on a few more days.

"Now listen here K-man....."


Whats more fun than cuddling up and watching Tim Hawkins? He is so funny...

That night...(the 11th)..us younger people (Codi, Michelle, Asher, Cheri, Kezia, Dakota, and myself) all headed out to Starbucks for a late night fix. We went there at about 10:45pm...not the bestest of ideas if you ever want to go to bed. :)


Asher and Cheri

I always claimed that coffee never really affected me...holy cow, was I wrong! I got a white-chocolate-frappe-venti (yeah the one with like 4 shots of espresso). I was told later that it was the most sugar loaded drink that Starbucks had. It was awesome! I was bouncing off walls.

Mother's note: The green hair. *Sigh* The boys decided they needed a bit of color for the evening, not realizing they would be seen in public later that night. It was promptly washed out the next morning. This Mother worried that someone we knew would see the fearsome sight, but decided there was worse fates. Besides it was Starbucks at 10:45, who in their right mind would be there at that hour anyway??

this is only half of it...and there was only 7 of us.

The caffeine had us so hyped that Codi and Dakota got up in the Starbucks and broke out doing

Cotton Eyed Joe....but what happens at Starbucks, can stay at Starbucks. :)


K.K.M.D

Psalm 141

Family get-together part 2...

January 7th. We crammed in as much fun as we possibly could...we had a cornhole tournament (Dad won the singles, and my cousin Codi and his girlfriend Michelle won the couples), cooking contest, family photo shoot, and of course a little more Cotton Eyed Joe wouldn't hurt. ;)

All of us. Yes, me, my Aunt Pam, and Cheri are scrunched down. We may be short, but not that short. :)

And of course...one of these. :) I love the little girls in the front. ;)

Us..

And...us again...just a bit more crazy :) (note: K-man's face..."What in the world are these crazy people doing?" and "Why are there a bunch of people behind cameras, dancing and yelling trying to get me to smile?")

Codi and Michelle

Cheri and Asher

Cousins...I love the look on little Freckle's face. :)

Score keeper and rule giver...

The cooking contest. Judged by originality, presentation, and best tasting.

(Me, my Aunt Lydia, and my Aunt Pam won for originality. Dad, Cheri, and Asher won for presentation. My Uncle Art, Codi, and my cousin Ashley won for best tasting.)

Tea party...without the tea. :)

K.K.M.D

Matthew 7:7-8

Family get-together part 1...

My Dad's side of the family came down to our house for a few days of fun. Only two brothers were missing. Day one we just hung out and had a good time together...not really a set plan.
It was nice to see everyone again...and we'll have to do it again soon. ;)



Kade and CJ...they look mischievous! :)

Ladies man (Asher, Cheri's boyfriend)...such little princess' we have here. (Bella, Zoe and Pumpkin)

"Where did ya come from, where did ya go....." that tune was ringing round the house. :)

We also taught them the Virginia reel....good times, good times!

Each family had a meal to do and Art and Lydia's family really did it up. They did gourmet hot-dogs...It was hilarious to see everyone's faces when they said "gourmet hot-dogs" :) but, surprisingly, some were pretty good. :)

exchanging our knowledge (me and my cousin)

Hope you all have a great week!

K.K.M.D

John 8:31-32

Bulk Herb Store Giveaway!

A dear friend of mine, Christine, is hosting a giveaway on her blog. The prize? Making Herbs Simple DVD set Vol 1 and 2 to 5 winners! Hop on over and check it out!

www.christine-mary.blogspot.com

Calathora New years ball...

On new years eve a dear family in our church has a costume ball. It's so much fun and we enjoy it so much. Dakota and I came as Joesph and Agnes Lister. Joesph Lister was a British surgeon who was the pioneer for antiseptic surgery. Agnes...well..she just helped him in his work until she died. :) There's not much about her. (Listerine mouth wash was named after Joesph Lister)
Mom and Dad came as some really awesome people...themselves. :) Bella was a little princess.

The Mortons were such good hosts and put up with us for the entire weekend...(thanks!) :)




That's a good looking family right there!

looking quite dashing... :)

Fellowshipping

Prince charming wins the heart of his big sister..

elegance

ahem....not so sure what to say :)

Princesses...yes, the two on the side are twins not a mirror :)

live music for a few rounds of dancing...they did great!

the guys...

and the girls. :)

stay tuned my friends...

have a great week!

K.K.M.D

Isaiah 1:16-17