Christmas was a good one....

...a very good one!!

And now I feel like I can say goodbye to it.  

The decorations have been taken down.  

My girl is safely back in Omaha!  :(
(happy she's safe...just would have loved more time with her here in Wyoming)
Now I'm ready for the fresh start that 2012 will bring.

But before I say goodbye completely, how about a few (or a TON) pictures of

my favorite moments and my favorite people.

 Macey was home for three whole weeks.
How fun it was to have her here for three whole weeks.
It was nice just bumming around with her.
And I found out she's very crafty - like me.
love love love this little tidbit.

Love that we only have to travel 3 hours to get back to my home town.
It soooo beats the 12 hour drive we used to have to make from Omaha.

We celebrated my sister's 40th birthday.
A surprise "Look Who's Turning Awesome" party.
Lots of fun!  And boy was she surprised!  Love it!

 Christmas Eve mass with the family.
Love the comfort that the (mostly) familiar brings.
Love that Joy to the World!

Christmas Eve festivities at my sister and brother in law's home.
Family, friends, YUMMY food, and very thoughtful gifts.
(More on one very special gift later)

 
Christmas morning at Mom and Dad's.

Up soooo early to open those gifts.
Such excitement!!
Wondering if Santa's made his visit yet and if so what he might have left.
Again with really thoughtful gifts!

A scrumptious Christmas feast - eating too much!
A little after dinner napping.
A little dancing with the XBox - oh the laughs.
Mom, Carol, Jo - you rock those dance moves!!!

And that oh so fun game of Quelf.
Have you heard of this?
Definitely a fun one - would be worth the purchase. 

Goodbye Christmas 2011!

It was a good one!
A very very good one!

So good to be back in Wyoming...

It takes us less than two hours to be in the mountains...

oh how I love these mountains!

With beautiful streams that dance

Streams that would make you happy enough just to watch

But if watching isn't your thing...

...well you're in luck!

because these beautiful streams...

in these wonderful mountains...

also produce...

the most gorgeous of fish!

Which creates hours of the most healthy fun one can have!

 Truly...

...not to mention...

you can bring home the tastiest of dinners!!!  :)  

It's so good to be back!

Fun: Oh the Elves

Halloween 2010

It's so fun to get dressed up for Halloween!!  This year friends of our had a party for kids and adults.  Steve and I went as Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein and Xander a vampire.  Such fun!!  The other costumes were wonderful - I wish I would have taken more photos.  I probably would have but we had to leave pretty early because I started to feel ill - and sure enough I ended up with a nasty case of the stomach flu.  At least we were able to dress up for a little while!  Fun Fun!!

Oh you must get up and dance....

Maggie of Gussy shared this adorable video on her blog and it's just toooo good to not share here.  Xander and I have played it a couple of times and danced danced danced (He's got some moves I tell ya!!  Me on the other hand - so sad)!!  What fun!  It's so good to get up and crazy  dance every once in a while!!