Random Pictures from 2012

On New Year's Eve of this past year we found Conner at our table munching on cheese balls with a fork. He claims they taste better when eaten that way. I wouldn't think anything would make them taste better :).

We had to get the tractor out to fully rid our flowerbed of the burnt remnants from a year and a half ago. My dad and stepmom came out to help and we got it all ready for our friends to help with planting the next day. It looks a bit bare now, but the plants will grow in eventually.

The boys decorated for Andy's 41st birthday

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Just before the Olympics began we went down to COS for a tour of the Olympic training facility. We got to see some of the shooters practicing before the headed out to compete.

Tegan seeing if he measures up to Michael Phelps arm span

In August some great friends from Oregon, the Taylors, came to visit. The boys had such a good time just hanging out at our house. They hadn't seen much of Colorado by the end of the week, so we took them up to Rocky Mtn National Park for some hiking.

While Tegan and Andy were gone in the Sand Dunes, Conner, Riley and I cleaned the basement and had a little fun while we were at it.

Riley grew his hair out for months just for crazy hair day at our CC campus. We shaved the top for a "monk" look, then spiked the sides out. It was quite a do and I'm thankful we shaved it all off once we returned home.

Another view

We try to play with dry ice once a year, so this was the day. Lots of fun!

They set up a few scenes for their toys as well.

Our car radio broke this year, so once it was removed we turned it over to Riley. He spent at least four hours of intense fun on this and was so excited over every little discovery. He still has several prize parts saved.

Then, the outer casing became a hobo stove in our driveway. They had a rather tasty roasted snack with this. 

This is Nibbles, one of our two, sweet rats. He and Christopher led a long (for a rat), healthy life and then died about three weeks apart this fall. They are awaiting a proper burial in our freezer at this time.

Over the first weekend in Dec. I got to go up to Vail with some wonderful ladies. I have spent this past year swamped in my new position with Classical Conversations as the Area Manager in Colorado. I had three Support Managers come along under me to help out, but it was still too much for me. Now, I have 10 Support Mgrs hired (most pictured below) and the 11th Support Manager has broken off to become an Area Mgr, so she can over see the western half of the state. The long row of Rockies just doesn't make it practical for me to try to take care of that part of the state as well. I am excited for the help all these ladies will offer over the next year. 

Tegan participated in theater again this year. It was a production of Snow White, with a bit of a twist. He was an angel who went undercover as a villager and he even had speaking parts this year. 

He mentioned that he was always disappointed that he didn't get flowers like some of the actors after his performances. I still didn't feel right buying him a bouquet of flowers, so I made him a bouquet of chocolate covered strawberries, which he enjoyed immensely. 

 The boys have been counting the days all year until The Hobbit was released. Tegan invited a group of friends to meet him at the theater and then he and Conner really got into the mood by dressing up for the event. Tegan went as a dwarf while Conner dressed as a Ringwraith. Riley was the wardrobe assistant.