It's Ashame These Cousins Don't Love Each Other More

Keira was sick for Thanksgiving, but is finally feeling better and able to join us on our Denver sightseeing tour!  We met at the Cherry Creek Mall to see the snow globe - which is Peanuts themed this year.  When Keira walked through the door my kids ran to hug her.  When Jak finally let go, he looked at Keira and said, "You feel better Keira?".  Casey, Rob and I busted out laughing at our 2 and 3 year olds having such an adult like exchange!

 The new dinosaur playground in the center of the mall is quite impressive, slippery as all get out, but impressive!  Our friend Stu's company created it and the kids all loved it!

More Stay-Cation Fun in Denver

The Nature & Science Museum with Daddy is such a different experience.  We explored many of the same exhibits we usually do, but learned something all along with way.

Our Premiere Movie Premiere!

The kids were in awe of the big screen experience.  And the Peanuts Movie was the perfect first movie for their eyes.  They spent most of the show standing just like this.

 The video games in the lobby weren't too bad either!

Thanksgiving - A Holiday I Never Host

We had a small but very relaxing Thanksgiving at our house this year.  Just Ian, Kim and the kids unfortunately.  Casey and Rob should have been here, but Kiera had a stomach bug they didn't want to share with us.  Our hearts were a little heavy - missing our  Michigan family - and wishing we were with them.  But holiday traveling with young kids is the opposite of relaxing! And boy did I have fun cooking and prepping.

 Kim and I are both over-feeders - we had enough food even without the delicious-ness Casey was going to supply.

 To honor a holiday tradition at Oma's house, the kids enjoyed sparkling cider in real wine glasses. 

 Mike and I truly enjoyed our first Thanksgiving in the "new" or not so new house (that we purchased two and a half years ago!). But we're already making plans for Thanksgiving in Michigan next year!

A Little Piece of Michigan comes to us from Florida!

Mark Cooke came to visit his friends Benny & Kathy who also live in Colorado and we were able to meet up with him twice.  Always nice to see an old friend, be around his contagious smile and receive big bear hugs!

Daddy's Big Catch

Mike's been up in the mountains for the last four days rifle hunting.  The kids were so glad to have him come back home.  And so was momma!  Bedtime without Mike is darn near impossible.  Lillian said, "Momma, it's not our fault.  Us kids need two parents to help us go to bed.  And it's really hard on us to have just one parent".  I couldn't agree more honey.

 While Mike didn't see a single elk during those four days, he saw hundreds of deer.  But of course, he didn't have a tag to shoot a deer this trip.  So when he stumbled upon a deer that had been hit by a car, he called it in to the sheriff.  The sheriff helped him end the deers suffering and let Mike bring him home. 

 I'm so glad he didn't come home empty - handed.  Even though he didn't hunt this deer, Mike is a hero in Jak's eyes.  That little boy had his heart set on his daddy bringing home an elk.  This small deer is as good as the largest elk on Colorado record to Jak!

And Jak was a big help grinding it up.  Even splattered the kitchen window a couple of times. Yuck!

Such an Awesome Experience at the Zoo

 The new giraffe exhibit is amazing!

The giraffe feeding is only available 2 hours a day - but for $5 your kids can let the giraffe wrap it's long, black tongue around their hands and slurp up some romaine lettuce!

 Some kids were a little shy about the whole process, but not my kids!  They acted like they have been feeding giraffes their whole lives.

 Lillian and Joseph tried to help Nora (Kelli Raia Dickson's little girl), but Nora wasn't having it. So that meant more lettuce for my kids!

 Kelli snapped this picture of me enjoying a ride through the zoo while the kids pulled the wagon for once.  Being a passenger made me feel a little helpless - those kids whipped me around!