Half-Brothers, Cousins and More...

It has been an eventful week! After a fun Christmas and saying our good-byes to my sister and her girls, Julie's gang came into town. On Tuesday I got to meet two half-brothers. The funny thing was that in searching for Julie I'm not sure I really thought about siblings. The other funny thing is in that family I'd be the oldest and not the youngest like I am in mine... respect, all I ask for is respect! Ha!

Julie's oldest son is Scott who is engaged to Sarah and they have Sylvie (8) and Sawyer (2 mos.). The youngest son is Sean who is dating Nikki. Everyone is great and we're having a lot of fun getting to know each other. The kids are having a blast and the girls said, "Mom, Sylvie's our cousin isn't she?" Crazy!! Gaining family left and right.

We've spent the week hanging out at the pool, eating yummy breakfasts and dinners at the hotel, playing games, and even going to Park Meadows Mall with the girls for the American Girl Store... lots of giggles that day. It has been a treat for them to all come to beautiful Colorado for a unique kind of reunion. The hotel will hold a special place for me, as that is where Julie & Jerry stayed in April to meet us for the first time, and now the whole gang is there.

Today my mom and dad got to meet Julie. We spent some time chatting and getting to know each other a little. That was a full circle moment for me. I feel very blessed to have a picture of me, my mom and dad, and Julie.

I'll be posting pictures when I can slow down a little longer!

Back In the Saddle

As an elementary aged kid I rode horses. It was the most important thing in my life ~ to have a horse and ride. I did 4-H and rode both English and Western. I spent my weekends at the stable taking care of my horse, drinking warm Pepsi out of the can, and learning boatloads of responsibility. My parents would drive me to shows at the Longmont fairgrounds and I'd enter anything I could.

One of my most vivid memories was entering a showmanship event. I'd taken my time getting my horse Holiday all show sheened up, brushed and beautiful. Then on to riding in a bareback event... not a good idea. I was on and then I was off. Slid right off that shiny back. Our friend's dad, all 6' 5" 250+ lbs. came bounding down the arena stairs to my rescue. I was fine, but my 10 year old (or so) ego was a little bruised. My 4-H highlight was winning High Point Pee Wee at a show, I got an engraved silver plate and everything. I can't think of a better way to gain confidence than to ride, and if one is so lucky, own a horse.

That is me when I was taking lessons on Holiday.

The trainer gave her to us with the understanding that

we'd give her back when we were ready. It was a sad day when

her gates were off and wasn't "show quality" anymore.

My parents graciously bought me a new one, Preka.

Me today! This is Tamale, he's an awesome horse.

What fun to have the chance to ride with Tennison.

This was his first time EVER on a big horse - Heidi, Tamale's girlfriend.

My sister also got to join us today, that was fun for all of us.

The big blessing in all of this is that we met the horses owner, Mat, while he coached Tennison is soccer last Spring. We had to pick up a soccer ball at his house and learned he owns property about a minute from us and will allow me to ride whenever I want. First I need to relearn the ropes. I'm in heaven when I smell those horses and love going home with it on my clothes... doesn't last long enough for me.

Happy trails!

Favorite Traditions

Merry Christmas! Traditions are some of my favorite things in life. Like visiting Santa. Even if your favorite Santa retires and you have to visit a new one at your health club!

I must say he paled in comparison to the jolly old man who yanked me

to his lap a couple years ago. But beggars can't be choosers.

And then there is getting the house ready... well worth the work.

God bless the inventor of the faux tree! My mountain man

even agrees it is worth it now. We have a convert folks.

But honestly, right next to decking out our gingerbread house comes the cinnamon rolls. I used to use a recipe that would cause me to stay up way too late. I'd undoubtedly forget that I had to make them (like the Dunkin Donuts baker), so there I would be at 10:00 p.m. waiting for the darn dough to rise. But now there is a glorious invention that I use...

Without her I would have been up until midnight last night. And without her

(why her? not sure) we'd have far fewer Friday night pizza nights.



Using the best recipe on the planet I roll out the dough...

Slather it with buttery brown sugary cinnamon goodness...

I could eat that combo by the spoonful.

I have started adding walnuts now that some people's palates have matured!

Then I roll 'em up, cut 'em up, and close 'em up in the fridge overnight.

Santa has never even tried to steal these round doughy delights! A dozen cinnamon rolls that can last for two breakfasts is a tradition we'd miss. We can do without the snow (sorta), but Christmas morning without cinnamon rolls covered in cream cheese frosting would seem wrong.

I hope you have enjoyed some of your favorite traditions this week! Enjoy reading the Christmas story today ~ our true reason to celebrate this glorious day.

P.S. I'll share the recipe to those with bread machines. Otherwise, you'll be like the Dunkin' Donuts guy tredgin' around saying, "I gotta bake the cinnamon rolls", with a very unhappy heart.



Christmas Week

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I think we're set! It has been a whirlwind since the kids got out of school a short week ago. We started with seeing Voyage of the Dawn Treader, playing the final basketball and volleyball games of the season, meeting Scott's parents for an early Christmas celebration in Denver and then with...

Tennison got to crush the graham crackers and...

the girls made peanut butter balls.

The kids rocked out a performance of Little Drummer Boy,

my fave Christmas song, sung by Josh Groban - you'll cry.

Our favorite Christmas tradition ~ Gingerbread Houses.

Us girls get a house, the boys get a fort. Tennison requested

more landscape, so we had to build an addition for creativity.

The baker while her candlestick makers were goofin' off!

I can't stop myself, there just can't be empty spaces.

Ta-Da! Doesn't it look grand? We made stain glass windows

this year by melting hard candies in cut out shapes.

Oh the gaudier the better!

Go Big or Go Home ~ Ten's fort is awesome.

The cousins, and my sister, from the land of 10,000

frozen lakes are here, so we went to Estes Park for dinner.

We ate at the Dunraven Inn where they have

dollar bills on the walls throughout the entryway.

It really is a nice Italian restaurant despite all those bills!!



I truly hope the joy of Christmas is right where you are!

I know it is here!

Old Traditions and New

I grew up watching White Christmas and singing the Sisters song with my sister. I introduced Scott and the kids to the movie and it has become a tradition at our house... minus some of the snoozie scenes. We have a theater in town that has been showing some old Christmas classics on the big screen - Elf, A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation and White Christmas! What a fun thing to do with my mom and the girls today.

 On our way out to the movie.

We had fun seeing this movie in a whole new light!

After the movie we went to my parents for dinner. I had secretly planned a mini-celebration with a yummy dessert. Remember, I love a reason to celebrate! This was a first for us, to be able to celebrate my adoption finalization on the actual date. I was able to have my adoption decree after I was reunited with my birth mom, Julie, this year... there will be more about that another day. In the decree it stated that on December 19, 1972 my adoption was final - 38 years ago today.

Decree of Adoption: The document that a judge signs to finalize an adoption. It formally creates the parent-child relationship between the adoptive parents and the adopted child, as though the child were born as the biological child of its new parents. It places full responsibility for the child on its new parents and changes the name of the child to the name selected by its new parents, and orders a new birth certificate to be prepared and issued for the child.

I obviously didn't need the decree to tell me my parents were my parents or to formally create our relationship, that happened on its own. But to know that there is an official day to celebrate, that was worth knowing. With the pieces to the puzzle of my life coming together, I am feeling more settled about who I am and where I came from. I feel grateful for this time in my life and for a new tradition - celebrating my adoption finalization date.

5 More Hours to Go!!

In a short 5 hours from now my kids are on Christmas break! The count down has been on and we are all really excited. We have some fun plans and can't wait to get started. Reagan has pajama day today and since the best pair of pj bottoms she had just got ripped by Moka, I ran out and surprised her with a new pair worthy of 7th grade. She was going to be watching movies in every class and probably having a blast learning nothing at all! Whitney was also in new pj's, the top says Snow Much Fun! She too was doing nothing but having fun and eating way too much sugar today. There is a cookie exchange right before a fun movie this afternoon, hope she gets something yummy to share. Wait, I take that back, who knows how many gnarly little 5th graders manhandled them (germaphob). Then there is Tennison. He wanted to wear his new Christmas shirt, his little man shirt! I love him in those button down dress shirts, I think it is a glimpse into the future. He wanted it especially for today, so cute!

All the teacher gifts were purchased and put into cards with sweet words from the kids (and everyone remembered to bring them to school, just barely). This is funny to me: Tennison says, "Mom can we get Mrs. Sinclair an iTunes card, she really wants one." How observant. So indeed she'll be opening an iTunes card today.

Scott & I didn't have pj day, but I wish we could have. Instead I'm running around making sure everything I can get done, gets done. I'll be going to Ten's Christmas party in a bit, so I better scoot!

Here is to wonderful Christmas memories for all. I can't wait to see what Santa brings us!

Pomegranate Anyone?

We're walking through the grocery store and Reagan sees 2 pomegranates for $3. She asks if we can get one. Um, I don't know what to do with it. Would you believe they have a brochure right there with step-by-step directions for the pomegranate rookie? Thank goodness for that or we would have been lost. After a little knife help from Scott, Reagan got going on it.

See, there really is a brochure. Kind of looks like a biology class project.

None of us expected it to look quite like this.

After a bit Whitney walked up and honest to goodness says, "This looks like so much fun. Like picking scabs." Yep, that's my girl!!

They both looked like they had blood all over their hands,

but were total troopers in getting all of those seeds out.

The black trash bag was due to the juice shooting everywhere.

The seeds were quite sour, but worth the try. I'll be painting that back wall, the juice shot up and left it a lovely shade of purple! I love a good reason to have to paint. Here's to try more new foods!



Bonding Over First Aid & CPR

Scott and I have been working toward being the Cradle Care family for Adoption Dreams Come True. I have volunteered with the agency for a while and feel honored to have been asked to do this. What this would entail is our family taking in a baby after birth until placement. With open adoption it is more common that a family would be chosen for the child and would be placed right away. However, there are times when a mother hasn't chosen a family or the family she chose hasn't fulfilled all of their requirements. In these cases ADCT now will have a family for the baby to stay with. Again, we feel honored.

Scott and I have done everything an adopting family would in order to adopt - filling out tons of paperwork about ourselves, individual meetings with our social worker, meeting as a couple, a home visit, meeting the kids, finger printing, background checks, a CORE Training class (state requirement for all adopting families, great training) and now First Aid & CPR. The cool thing was ADCT has an adoptive dad who is an EMT and fireman who offered to certify us at our house. I acted out fainting at the kitchen table, Scott was a crazy diabetic who needed sugar, later he fell off a ladder hanging Christmas lights - to which I said if this was real, instead of "making sure the area was safe, putting on my gloves and calling for help" I would have said, "What were you thinking?" Then of course use my new first aid skills.

Brandon, our teacher, set up the scenario that I got stabbed by a

candy cane... the pen there. Scott did great bandaging me up!

 Working on good ol' Resuscitation Annie. We even learned to use an AED

(a defibrillator)...big time. And thankfully no full contact - the

germaphob was really glad she had a device to put over the mouth.

We'll have one more class on infant CPR in a couple weeks and then we're official. We are really hoping to be able to be a small part of the adoption process for a family. We look forward to the opportunities that may come.

Side note: As a Closet Genius I shocked Brandon. Scott asked what CPR stood for and after Brandon sat for a minute thinking he said, "Man that's a good question I haven't been asked that in a long time." I said, "It means Cardio Pulminary Resuscitation." Shock and awe, shock and awe!

Getting Really Tall

I've been getting a lot of, "Wow, Reagan sure is tall" comments. When you live with the person they are referring to it is hard to notice. I do recall one evening this fall when we were in her room and I felt like were we looking eye to eye. I kind of looked down hoping she was standing on something. No such luck! I soon realized she had grown an inch since school started. So here were are, Reagan and I on our way out to our Mother Daughter Book Club Christmas dinner. They are right, she is TALL!!

Me with heels...

... and without.

What is a mother to do? I guess buy higher heels!! And be thankful for such a beautiful daughter, inside and out.

Not So Gentle Nudge

Yesterday's task was to conquer the Christmas letters. Address the envelopes, fold the letters, stick on stamps & return labels and then... lick. Ick! If Moka could have done it I would have let her. I hadn't bought stamps so I thought I'd get out of the house a minute to do that. I went to the grocery store thinking it would be easier than the post office to buy my stamps.

I meandered around, got a couple things and looked for the shortest line I could. I doubted self-check had stamps so I went to the 15 or under fast lane. I got in line behind an old lady with my cart of the 3 whoppin' things. Standing there with her ginormous glasses (too cute), her gray hair up with barrettes, and the hands of a sweet woman who has lived a full life, she says to me, "Oh, you can go ahead of me, you don't have much." Good grief woman, I can stand around all day (I mean I'm only 39, not even 40 yet), "No, I'm OK, but thank you." She stood there clutching her cloth bag of groceries - this should tell you she didn't have much either. As she unloaded her items - frozen entrees, a few boxes of jell-o, and something I couldn't recognize from the medicine aisle - I hear, "You should pay for her groceries." Whoa! My heart starts pounding, I get a little shaky and think, Should I? I thought that might be weird... "You should pay for her groceries." OK then, let's do this. I leaned into toward the cashier, my heart pounding out of my chest, and said, "Char, can you tell her that her groceries are paid for?" Char, the gal who normally rings me up every Monday morning, says, "OK. Well." I think she was thrown for a loop. I said, "Just tell her that they are covered and I'll pay for it with my stuff."

The old lady stood there with her wallet open looking for her total on the screen. Char said something I couldn't hear and the woman looked confused with her hand on her cash, ready to pay. I leaned forward, "I'm going to pay for your groceries. You have a great day." I had to repeat it, adding a Merry Christmas. With teary-eyes and a quiet voice she says, "Are you serious?" Yes, I was told do to it and I did. I'm kind of freaked out right now, but yes I'm paying for your groceries. If you start to cry or say much more I'm going to fall apart right here in the fast lane.

I turn to Char who is now teary-eyed as the sweet woman shuffles off. She says, "Well, she used coupons, it saved you a little." This helped lighten the mood. "Oh I don't care. I've never done that before... Wow." I was shaky, sweating and near tears. "The Christmas spirit is alive and well", she says.

I get in the car and call Scott, "I paid for an old lady's groceries." What? He probably had me repeat it because the last time I called with a shaky voice was to say I was in an accident.

Scott had just read this verse to the kids this week: "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, your were doing it to me." Matthew 25:40  He was challenging them to find someone they could reach out to who might feel left out or needs a friend. Just as I had my not so gentle nudge, I thought of this. I had done this for this old woman, but really I did it for Him.

Friends, Food, Fun

I think my head is in party planning mode 24/7. I look at pictures in a magazine and think, "That would be a great party." Television shows, movies, pictures... they can all spark something in my creative juices. Recipes make me want to have different food themed parties. Even the Royal Wedding coming in April. I already informed the girls we're having a Royal Wedding Party, so get out your dress up gloves!

This year I found two new ideas for Christmas parties. First was a night of caroling with our Potluck group. We met at the fire station down the street from our house so we had enough room - all those people with winter coats, hats, boots - it was a great setting! Everyone brought cookies, we chose our songs and off a' caroling we went. We even had song books from one of our Potluckers, even though we only sang 3 songs. Addy (6 years old) asked, "Why are we singing the same songs?" "Um because those are the only 3 we all know!" The kids were a hoot... most had never been caroling and the way they ran from house to house was just like they were trick-or-treating. One house was quite the show for the kids who were right up front. After singing my friend jokingly says, "I don't know if we'll be caroling with you again next year. I mean with the nudity and all." Say what? I guess one of our little neighbor girls wasn't quite prepared for carolers and stood at the top of the stairs listening, naked like a jay bird, the entire time. Her mom emailed me thanking us for coming and that, "Autumn and naked Lily loved it".

The kids - Could you just eat 'em?

These kids are some of my kids very favorite people!

We wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year!

My girls with Cooper... careful, Scott might just keep that one.

Time for cookies and hot cocoa.

My other new party idea was a Christmas breakfast I hosted this morning. In my new found freedom with all 3 kids in school full-day, I decided to invite some friends for a Christmas season slowdown. Everyone brought an item to share and with 13 of us we had the FOOD! We spent a few hours catching up, chatting, meeting new friends, and chatting some more. You really can't beat time spent with girl friends.

Some friends I've made at the schools and others at church...

A fellow pastor's wife and a neighbor... 

Look-a-likes! My friend on the left and I have been mistaken for

each other often when I had the same hair style. My friend

on the right and I have been friends for 15 years... maybe

we have the same hair now, uh-oh.

Good friends for all kinds of reasons!

Tradition is a whole different area of entertaining for me. That blog will be coming I'm sure. But for now, these may become new traditions for our family and for myself. This is a magical time of year for sure. Whether bringing Christmas cheer through carols or sitting around a table chatting, I hope you find time to celebrate the season with your friends.

Namaste

One of my bucket list items before I turn 40 has been to try yoga. I only know one person who actually does yoga, the rest are celebs who brag their slammin' bodies are a product of yoga. So I figured it was worth a try. However, with my schedule I had to take the Sunrise Yoga class at 6 a.m... I don't really think the sun rose much while I was there.

Of the 16 people, yes I counted, I was the only yogi newbie - she called us her Yogis at the end of class. So, there I was praying like mad that I wouldn't make a fool of myself in front of the seasoned yogis who could contort their bodies like I'd never seen. Not all were amazing, only a small handful.

Kathryn, our teacher, started class in an unexpected way. We were all sitting on our mats and she starts talking about the mirror. She's been practicing yoga for 9 years - no wonder she could put one arm under her leg, the other behind her back while in a lunge and then proceed to lock her fingers. Psycho! Anyway, back to deep thoughts by Kathryn... She said the mirror has  been an issue for her all this time. We use it to bring ourselves down - look at my____ it looks horrible. Or to boost ourselves up - look how I awesome I look in that pose. She asked us to look in the mirror, What do we see? Now close your eyes, What do you see? At the end of class she brought it up again. "Look in the mirror. Did you use it for judgment?" I found it very profound, she was encouraging us to look at the heart, at what really matters.

Nearing the end of class she spoke of the power of intention - How are you going to live your life this week? That really challenged me. How intentional will I be in all that I do - as a wife, mother, friend, sister, and daughter. Good stuff to think about.

While I was grabbing some coffee, a veteran yogi asked how my first time went? I said, "We'll see later today by how sore I am, then I'll know." I asked her how yoga has benefited her the most. She said, "My head." A bit surprised by this answer I thought, the only thing my head did was get a head rush while I was in downward facing dog. She said, "The mental part. Accepting my body for what it is."

Here, here to acceptance! As I head quickly toward 40 I continue to work on acceptance of the body God gave me. Maybe these yogis have something for me to learn after all. In the words of Kathryn, Namaste.

Liar Liar, Pants on Fire

I have a little man in my life who likes to stretch the truth or dare I say lie. Some may call it good story telling. For example, he got some of the moms in kindergarten last year thinking I had chicken pox. At pick up a mom came to me, "Tennison said you have chicken pox, do you?" By the 4th mom I thought, this kid is going to prison via lies. I asked him about it and he said, "You have a red spot." What, a zit?  This same little man has the hardest time with being honest about washing his hands. I often have to smell his hands for proof.


Last night I asked him to hang up his coat and put his high tops away from basketball practice. After a while I told him it was time to head up to bed. He's got his coat in his hand and I said, "I thought you already did that?" He just looks at me with a smirk on his face. Busted!! Once we get in his room I see his laundry basket has shirts on top he's never even worn. Oh how this drives me nuts, too lazy to put away. I said, "Buddy, you'll always get caught sneaking or lying. Why do you bother?" So I went on to tell him how his heart is like a dry erase board. It starts out white and then when he lies it gets all brown, like when he mixes all the colors. But if you ask Jesus to forgive you it is like He's erasing the board and your heart is white again.

Laying in bed he started to pray in a quiet sweet voice, "Dear Jesus, help me not to lie. Please forgive me. Amen." When he was done he had a huge smile on his face - I told him how proud I was of him. He put his hand to his heart and said, "He's erasing it Mom." Lesson learned!

Today this same little conniver asks me, "Mom who says 'Oh, Oh, Oh'?" Hmmm, not sure. "Santa going backwards." Then, "Bree is so lucky. Her dad is Christian and her mom is Jewish. She gets tons of toys." Here's to hoping he doesn't "stretch the truth" to convince me he's Jewish for more loot. I love that boy!