Reporting From the Mountains

That's right...I am alive, I am well, and I am NOT in Ohio anymore!

Instead there are beautiful snow capped mountains looming just outside my window, a sister in law sitting just feet away, and lots of spoiling by grandmas and grandpas going on.

It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

So far our adventure has been a fabulous, if not emotional one.  This first Holiday season without two of my favorite people around is proving challenging.  While there are so many happy moments, there still seem to be some hard ones in the mix as well.

Stella and I were able to visit Dad's grave for the first time.

It was a beautiful, snowy night and seemed to be the perfect time to bring Dad his own Christmas tree.

Seeing the headstone and seeming to finally come full circle was heart wrenching, but I am glad we can always go visit this special place to remember Dad.

I also attended my first HHS girl's basketball game without my dad at the helm.

Not many people can say they have cried through the first 10 minutes of a high school basketball game, but I guess I can be counted with the lucky few.

It was weird not seeing him there.

But the girl's are having an awesome season and I know they are making Dad so proud.

We have also spent time in Logan where Aunt Ashlie introduced Stella to the piano.

Big, albeit unbelievably cute mistake.

She is a bit obsessed now.  Perhaps we have a little prodigy on our hands?

We celebrated Stella's BFF's first birthday.

She isn't even my own child and this milestone made me a little bit emotional.

I think it just reminded me that in a quick month and a half my baby girl will be blowing out that same candle.

It just isn't fair how fast they grow up!

We didn't just celebrate Brielle's birthday on December 3rd, but the birthdays of a couple of my cousins, some friends, and the 5th anniversary of our engagement.  Something about that day I guess...

I really can't believe five years ago I made the decision to marry that boy of mine.

Time flies when you are having fun and still going to school and doing hard things and chasing a baby around.

But I wouldn't have it any other way or with any other person.

Between all of the shopping, sporting evens, Christmas parties, eating out, and play dates we are still finding time to do what everyone hopes to do on vacation and that is rest.

Stella even has the hair do to prove it.

So if you don't hear from us again soon, rest assured that we are being well taken care of in this place we like to call home.  There really is nothing like it.