Some December highlights, what else, my birthday, Christmas and A New Year! I should also mention the solstice, I am glad to be tipping the scales back toward light. I had a very nice birthday, Val surprised me with tickets to the Yule Tide Celebration. It is this big, somewhat cheezy Christmas production complete with tap-dancing santas that really got us into the spirit. Drew was my date and he was on the edge of his seat for most of the show.

Santa was good to us this year...The new toys are a welcomed distraction as cabin fever sets in. Val and I got to celebrate the season with good friends, an even better distraction! Overnights at Grandma and Grandpa's house are fun for everyone.

I look forward to 2008. Hopefully yours-



Tickets for the show.

Nora LOVES Happy Cake!

Let it Snow!

Telluride Trip

Val and the kids on mainstreet in Uray
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The Youngs

Girls and kids

It snowed on our last day! Emily and Drew

The trout pond on the mesa




Drew took this one of me.

For us, a trip to Telluride is like many vacations wrapped into one. We are visiting family, coming back to a beloved place and picture-taking tourists all at once(we also re minis about being college spring breakers). We just got back from a week long trip and had a great time. Thanks to the exceptional nannying skills of our sister Emily, Val and I got away many times by ourselves. Two fat hikes, a nice dinner, a night out and an afternoon beer. That may be the most time away we have had in a year! The kids got to spend lots of quality time with their aunt. Drew rode the Galloping Goose (the local bus) all over town and Nora walked town at least twice. We also rode the gondola twice just for the views and a peaceful cup of coffee. Drew and I played at a beautiful river all afternoon one day (well, Drew played,I sunbathed), while Nora and Val shopped in town. (if you know Nora and Val, this is a funny thought, the two of them shopping).

We spent an afternoon at the house on the mesa complete with a stocked trout pond and hot tub with the best views on earth (at least in colorado) In a word, amazing.

We ended the week with a lovely Thanksgiving day. We had Emily's friends over at the big house in town (she is a caretaker for some very wealthy east coasters). We have known Chad, Heather and Mike since college so it was great to hang out with them and the new additions, Tate and Wesley.

All and all, it was a great trip. Now we are back to life, back to reality. Sure is hard to leave Emily and the mountains!
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Val and I up on Tom Boy Road

Emily and Nora "cooking" in her cozy alley house.


Drew looks right at home up at this multi million dollar mesa house.

Zoo Boo

Here are a couple shots of the zoo. We went with our friends Matt, Jen, Willow and Autumn. Despite the rain, we had a good time!

Little Autumn Witch

Hey all four backs is better than nothing!

Sir Tigger and Madame Witch

Introducing Boaz David Dresslar

My new nephew Bo was born September 21. We were finally able to meet him last weekend. Drew and I went up for a quick night to Ann Arbor to meet Bo. He is so sweet and Toby is doing great with him. Drew and Toby had a great time. They are like brothers too.

Sweet Bo

The happy family, Toby, Emily,Bo and Peter

I didn't get to hold Bo much, wonder why?

One more from the patch

This is about 2:30. Nora is so tired she can hardly keep her eyes open. Still, I like the picture.

Home Schooling

We just got back from the pumpkin patch. We went with our home school group called Roots and Wings. We has a great day and Drew is really starting to get to know the kids. The great thing about the group is we get to know the whole family and many of the families share similar values. We have made the big decision to home school next year and I couldn't be happier. Val and I are completely on the same page about this which makes it seem like a simple decision. We seem to really agree when it comes to the important stuff...(don't get me started on how high to turn up the heat in the winter).

We will take the schooling thing year by year, and of course if we are in a different place that will impact our decision. I just look forward to spending time with the kids as they get a bit older and continuing on the learning path with them. As a teacher, it just makes no sense to me to go and work with other children when I can teach my own. There are a lot of opportunities right here in Indy such as museums and farms, and as they get older we can do some more day trips. They also will be able to participate in things like sports and music with out our schedules getting too crazy. In short, I believe homeschooling will allow us to slow down and enable Drew and Nora to relish their time as children. Kind of like the slow food movement, only kids:)

In the corn maze

Drew loved feeding the goats, he was running with them and hugging them, I surprised he didn't get kicked.


Nora right in there with the big girls.