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!