Christmas

Joachim was in an exceptionally good mood as he opened presents. The bell was a favorite that he came back to again and again. Unfortunately all of our nieces and nephews were sick so our Nativity celebrating is postponed (or extended) for a week.

Below Joachim excitedly rocking Christmas morning while we got ready for church.
This is Joachim's buddy Michael. Michael recently learned to smile for the camera, this is his most genuine "camera smile". I love it.

Christmas cheer

Here are Joachim's Christmas pics,Joachim's fascination with the fireplace is has been thwarted. He was not so interested in the fireplace itself, but he would use it as a short cut on his way into the kitchen which means he tracked ashes across the carpet. It was especially bad when he would grab the poker and
drag it with him. Chris built this fence for his own kids and now we are the beneficiaries.

Tissue time

Joachim played this amusing game with the tissue box again and again as I re-stuffed it. He still pulls a few tissues out every time he passes the box.

Thanksgiving present

One of the perks to being the only grandchild on the Bartel side is that Joachim gets a present for everything. Here he is claiming his Thanksgiving present.


Joachim was supposed to be cute and play with the lights, but he was distracted by the piece of tape that stuck to his hand. He's still cute.

tree cutting

We have so much work we should be doing on our new home, but I'm enjoying living in our apartment and making memories with my family.

On Sunday we drove out into the Colorado wilderness to cut our own tree, $8, can't beat that. They are somewhat sad looking pinions, but I am supremely proud of ours.

Only a thirty minute drive from Delta, but a whole other world. I was skeptical that we would actually find a Christmas tree in this barren desert, but as we climbed in elevation, the trees emerged.
Joachim protested his car seat vehemently enough that I took him out and let him ride up the dirt road in my lap. Not to worry, we never passed another car and he was delighted to feel the air on his face.
Suited up and ready to walk.
Benjamin, my woodsman.
Joachim is not bored, he's just tired. He grunted happily through the whole adventure.

Chili's - Atlanta airport

Family hike

Being in the Appalachian mountains was like br'er rabbit in the briar patch for me (despite being so many states from PA), but the kids had never seen such sights and so many trees. They felt too "closed in".

I didn't get pictures of it, but the kids collected acorns, aka "Squirrel nuts" per Joacob, a novelty they'd only read about. The boys pants were sagging with pockets full and Nectaria's shirt was pregnant with them.

Three generations of Joneses

Georgia is in a "drought" or so they say. They're rain deficit is more than twice what we get annually.

Grandma & Katya

Jacob

Nectaria

Gonzales family reunion, GA

Greatgrandma Dot celebrated her 80th birthday and the Jones/Hanning clan (6 adults, 4 children, 2 lap babies) took two flights and a three hour drive to join her in the southern edges of the Appalachian mountains.

The kids had never been on a escalator, let alone a plane (yes, there are no escalators in western CO), but they were so well behaved, there was not one flight attendant who didn't comment on it.

view from great grandma's

We were walking out the door when I requested this picture, everyone had the squirmies, but at least I go them all

Ben, Joachim, Elena

Katerina waits while we collect three car seats and get rental cars.

Elephant's Halloween

We received this costume in a hand me down bag and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We went trick or treating with the cousins, but since houses are so far apart here we visited only four houses before he was done. Oh well, maybe there will be other kids for the costume in future years.Jacob, Joachim, Katya, Nectaria, Justin

And... here is our new house, it has what the realtor called "sweat equity". When we first looked at it the grass was completely brown, a little rain did wonders. We hope to make it habitable in the next 4 month or so. It's a very cute house with hard wood floors and a huge backyard. I can't wait for all of my friends to come pouring to Delta and visit us in the spring.

In the Doghouse

Here is our coffee shop on Main street in Delta. The owner's wife runs the adjacent "paint your own pottery" store called Fat Cat Pottery. Still, I would have called the coffee shop something a little more tasteful like Slim Dog Cafe or something.
Ben, Joachim & I get up before the sun, scrape the ice off our cars and go out for coffee before Ben goes to work.

Joachim and I stay and he crawls around greeting other patrons while I cram in all of my internet stuff. Ben was messing with the color-swap on the camera and turned froggie from a neon green to this work of art reminiscent of Barny.

Joachim watching the great chicken pen building escapade in his own little lawn chair

The chickens now have a winter home

Joachim turns 8 months old today and this is yesterdays celebration with his first bites of food in the form of mashed pear.These little videos show it all. He thought is was a strange, but delightful experience and he couldn't resist accepting tantalizing bite after bite.

baptisms

This post is in honor of my dear friends Eleni & Davi whose little one, Veronica, was recently baptized. It's an excuse to post a short video for them. In Orthodox tradition babies are baptized at about 40 days old.

Joachim & Mama

Benjamin & Lauren Huggins, Joachim's godparents

Orthodox babies are quite brave, huh?

Little Veronica's baptism

more grins

Joachim smiles so much I feel compelled to take a picture every time. I took him this past weekend for professional pictures and he was all grins, despite my insistence that he where a short sleeve shirt even though it was chilly.

After the Western Slope Band ParadeHot Air Balloon Launch

watching grandma & baba set up his swing set

celebrating michael's first birthday

Ben's sister Beckah has 40acres just a 15 minute walk along the ditch road and across a field from us. Joachim thoroughly enjoyed the outing, but alas no one was home when we got there.

grandma, the beekeeperin the background is our apartment/house above the garage

this is behind Joachim's grandparent's house Joa & friends