Short & Sweet

All month long I've found myself making a mental list of the many different blessings I'm grateful for. A nice warm home to live in, happy healthy children, my husband to love, food, good music to enjoy, and the ability to hear and experience it, family and good friends, priceless memories, good haircuts... I just love the good feelings produced from cultivating an attitude of gratitude.
On another short note... the cuteness had her first hair cut this weekend. We are both very happy with the results.

Business as Usual

Once again, another delayed photog posting... that's what you get when I procrastinate regular blog postings. The main headquarters of my business has moved yet again... we now work out of the "Leave it to Beaver residence" HA! Seriously, this place is wonderful and we are very happy here. So a peak from the front and the back, my office and my desk, as well as my latest creation. I'm rather proud of the old door I sanded, painted, and mounted as a headboard for the girls bedroom. (sometimes it amazes me what I think up and actually create)
Naturally I had to add some good ol' Halloween pics, as well as a pic of the ever enchanting Eliza on her birthday. What a gal!

Little Boo is 2

How is it possible, that our baby has turned two? Olivia Kaye is such a delight, with a hint of trouble. She is much like a very small chili pepper... as the smallest chili peppers are always the HOTTEST! I wouldn't have her any other way. We kicked off her "terrible two"season with presents, cake and ice cream.



The other day, she was racing around the house as if she was racing from 2 to 22 in a race car. Watch out!

Off to School We Go

Another summer has come and gone. It's been great! (but I don't want to repeat the events of August)
In keeping with the "TRADITION" we take pictures of all the children before we send them off to the first day of school. My FAVORITE FIVE starting with
BiGGer
bIg
mIdDLe
SmAll
sMalLeSt
Oh my, how I LoVe them!

Only my middles (Eliza, Isaac. Charlie) could morph into "mighty massagers" and perform massaging techniques so magical to make Mike and I feel better.

Our Easter weekend was as fun as these bunny cupcakes look.

4 of the 5 pose for a picture... Easter duds dawn our Easter morning.

Olivia our cute little chick.

Good, Better, Best

Spring break was fantastic, and the following are a few photos or our activities. Our Monday night "staff meeting" we talked about "color code personalities". Whites, reds, blues, and yellows... why we NEED everyone to be their own unique person (color personality) and how beautiful and colorful the world is BECAUSE of different personalities. It was a fun and "colorful" discussion... with a delicious colorful and equally fun to eat treat. In honor of St. Patrick's Day, we made bread... LUCKY 4 leaf clover bread. Making bread is my new thing these days... it's so much fun! We took a road trip to Helena, touring the state capital building (meeting the Governors dog Jag), the Exploration museum, riding the carousel, playing in the park... it was a grand adventure enjoyed by all. With the weather so beautiful, and the schedule so flexible, the best part of the week was not having an agenda, and doing whatever whenever (playing outside mostly). Not pictured is the granola I made, almond blueberry and maple pecan. After 5 years of talk, I've finally taken a step in the direction to selling it. So kudos to me.
The final photo is our practice run for Easter morning Sunday duds... It's been a good, better, best kind of week here in my little company.

New Post

Okay... so I've fallen off the blogging band wagon. This is my honest effort to climb back, do some serious business in the blogging community, and keep any followers up to date with my company's achievements.
So we all survived the Olympics... I'd like to take this moment to thank all my dear friends (and family) for their support. To be honest, that was THE HARDEST 3 WEEKS of a very long time! "POP" that was the bubble around my little comfy cozy world. I am most happy to have that over and in the past.
So, updates... and pictures Eliza has a new look. BANGS! She wears them well, beautifully I think (especially when brushed)


And Olivia finally has enough hair to do fun things with...
"And who couldn't love a girl with hair like that?" her daddy that's who little boo
That's enough hairy business for one post.

my hard working Olympian

Mike is in Vancouver working hard covering all events on the luge track between turns 11 & 12. A few pictures of my favorite Olympic camera operator.

So we have been back for almost 2 weeks, to be sure my intentions were to have posted this almost two weeks ago. Such is my life... We had the most wonderful trip! Michael's Gram Ballard passed away in early January. Thanks to our favorite Aunt Anne, (Michael's Aunt) the entire family was able to fly back to Connecticut for her Memorial Services. (along with a trip to the "Big Apple")
Since our last visit with family in Connecticut, (3 1/2 years ago) we have added Charles and Olivia to the family. Needless to say, we had plenty of catching up to do, so our days were long and packed full of fun with the cousins.
We flew out on Thursday. To be sure, being on two airplanes in 8 hours time was the most exciting day of Charlie's life thus far!
Friday Anne took myself, Gina, Eliza and Isaac to NYC. Riding the train into the city, we were able to take in Grand Central Station, the American Girl Store, Rockefeller Center, Toys R US, Time Square, AND we even managed to squeeze in an interview for the Today show with Kathy Lee and Houda. Finishing off the day with dinner at Friendly's (Michael's favorite Ice cream/eatery joint)
Saturday we attended the Memorial Service, and a reception after. I'm amazed at how kids can instantly pick out cousins they have never met and play together as if they do so every weekend.
Sunday, after church we made it over the the cemetery with balloons to write messages on them before letting them go. Then we were off to Aunt Sarah's house (Michael's sister) for dinner with everyone. (Michael's siblings and children) What a special night to see Uncle Seth and Aunt Carrie who just returned home after serving in Iraq for a year. What a night! It was so good to see everyone, kick back and visit while the kids ran wild!
Monday bright and early, we boarded another airplane to head home. Thanks again to Anne for making it possible for us to have such a memorable weekend!

Afternoon Naps Gone Wrong & Reading Books

So this last week, I half heartedly attempted to put my two little monkeys down for an afternoon nap. I realize it was my fault, because I wasn't as serious about it as I should have been to be successful. Anyway... Charlie had escaped and Olivia followed him... I was distracted by something so I didn't give chase. When they came back into the bedroom, Charlie had pinned his hair up with all of Olivia's hair bows. He was so proud of himself, I couldn't resist taking a picture, followed by tickle torture. Forget a nap at this point Kristine.
Isaac has become quite the reader, reading anything and everything. We are so excited for him, and we often sit down and listen to him read. Charlie is Isaac's #1 most devoted fan, so naturally he has become quite the reader too. Last week his favorite book was "Super Hungry Dinosaur". He "read" it to Mike several times, and now you also have the opportunity to hear Charlie "read" his favorite book of the week.

Dear Gram,

Christmas was wonderful! Perhaps the best we have ever celebrated. Going off of the "less is more" theme if you will, we had less chaos and clutter and more of a genuine Christmas Spirit. The children were all so happy and content. For Gina, Santa brought a new open holed flute, a marching band sweatshirt, and duffel bag. Eliza was tickled pink with her Ruthie character American Girl Doll. Isaac was up to his happy gleaming eyeballs in star wars action figure stuff. Charlie couldn't get enough of his "red and blue speed racer cars" A fast and cool shake and go race track. Olivia was just so fascinated with every ones goods, she hardly noticed her own leap frog farm fridge magnet thingy. Michael and I both received what we asked for too... a new coat for him, and kitchen stuff for myself. It was the perfect kind of day I wish I could freeze frame and go back to on the not so perfect kind of days. I was amazed at how magical it all worked out... we had very few presents under the tree. But the kids did chores and saved up to buy something for everyone. I was impressed with their generosity and ability to think of others wants and needs instead of themselves. For the first time, I hated to take down "Christmas" and put it all away. Charlie and Olivia were tremendous helpers. Unpacking boxes just as fast as I'd packed them up.
We celebrated the New Year like never before! The Mission Mountain Wood Band (Michael's 'Never Long Gone' documentary) was playing at a place in Big Sky. We were able to get the last room for the night. The kids partied in the room, and Mike and I partied in the ballroom with the Band and over 200 other guests. Did you know it was a Blue Moon on New Years Eve? Well it was, and that explains why Mike danced the night away like Michael Jackson (ha ha okay, not really. But I sat out more dances than he did) Normally I can't get him to dance. However, on New Years Eve, I couldn't keep up with all his dancin moves... Only once in a BLUE MOON! Seriously, I can't remember the last time we had so much fun party-n it up into the wee hours of the morning.
It's been the most fabulous Holiday season, and yet we are all ready to resume our regular routine. I've thought about you so much during the last few weeks. I miss you already, and you haven't even left yet. I wanted to tell you one more time how much I love you, and to thank you one more time... for your example of all that is good, and gracefully enduring when it's not so good. Thank you for encouraging me to dream big, and believing in me. You are an amazing woman, and I am grateful I've been so blessed to have you as Gram these last 9 short years. "God be with you till we meet again..."
Love
Kristine