Nativity

Joachim has a great smile now... I try telling him to smile softly and he says, "I is smiling softly." Oh, well, he still smiles normally if I catch him slightly off guard.

36 weeks

We had a wonderul Christmas and were blessed with some great "hand-me-around gifts" that we were able to regift to Joachim. I'm grateful to all who shared with us. Christmas is definitely a lot of fun with kids.

Snow and S'mores

Mid December we got a nice big snow storm (big for Delta, 8 inches). Grandma made the snow man this time because since the last snow I've gotten too big comfortably bend over.Even though my belly's too big to bend over it didn't stop me from dragging him up and down the driveway for his first sledding experience. What was a brilliant idea to wear him out for his nap really just wore me out (I should have had him get off the sled and walk up the driveway himself... duh. Then downside of the snow was that it was a full week before I could get my car up the driveway. I knew from last year I should have parked at the top when it started snowing but I couldn't imagine it would last so long.Ben works until 9:30pm on Tuesday's so this particular Tuesday I rewarded Joachim and I with S'mores and Christmas music after a day of snow. He humored me for the pictures, but really he liked marshmallows, "not burned" as he put it. After he was asleep Ben and I had a nice evening eating S'mores. I hadn't thought about a stick until it was already dark and very snowy so we cut a bottom branch from the tree and sharpened it giving the marshmallos a strangely piney flavor.
Joachim's idea of decorating the tree included lining the ornaments in a row on the lower branches. I cut out christmas cards from last year to make ornaments for this year. Joachim very carefully cut out the tree ornaments hanging infront of the orange slices.

sledding

dancing too

Christmas tree cutting

Our 3rd Annual Uncompaghre tree cutting! We got our $8 permit and cut another perfect tree with all of Joachim's genuine Christmas enthusiasm. We got it just in time too because two days later we got a huge snow storm and the car would never have made it up the mesa. The snow has lasted two weeks which is pretty unusual for around here, it was a whole week before I got my car up the driveway.

Thanksgiving

The wedding

The culmination of the trip was attending Jonathan and Tina's wedding (which went flawlessly and beautifully). For my sake (and theirs) I was glad Joachim was such a good boy. He slept through the actual service and then partied it up for the reception and was the cutest little ham of a two year old all day long. The pictures tell it all.

A dancing video

please touch

For Joachim, the highlight of our trip to Philadelphia was the Please Touch Museum (courtesy of Mhari and Craig's membership, thank you guys!). The rest of the week Joachim suggested, "How 'bout we just go back to the Touch Moo Zeum?"

This single aspect of city life made it a little hard to appreciate the many advantages we enjoy in the country, but Beckah pointed out that here boys play in real ditches, dig with real shovels, carve with knives (surprisingly young I might add) and can mold mud until their hearts content. Still... the museum would be a really nice indoor alternative in the winter and the best part is some one else cleans up the mess in the craft area!

Birthday two and friends

Ben had another double birthday since he and Mhari share November 16th.
Joachim and Ethan were of course the early birds around the house, here they are sharing a little screen time watching Sesame Street on one of those cool video ipods (I forget what it's called).We visited all sorts of old friends, although all new to Joachim. So many people have become parents since the last time I saw them. Here is Joachim and Arlo.
Joachim and Julia

Harrisburg

I also had the opportunity to visit some of my old college haunts. I used sit here on the Susquehanna and read or write. It was nice to be bathed in golden fall colors.
And of course my coffee shop fix.My dear Melissa