Thanksgiving in Colorado

This is what went down in Durango and Salida last week...

Riding the Polar Express with Grandma

Chilling with Grandpa 

 Revisiting childhood playgrounds 

(more specifically: Jonny re-enacting how he would climb to the top of the rocket thing and sing, "Stop in the name of love..." to his latest crush.)

 Gabe playing for hours with the maroushka dolls

 Aunt Emma and Julia drawing classic hand turkeys

Pre-Feast Yoga

 Daddio joining in on the yoga

Jonny digging up some sweet high school basketball warm-ups from before even his time

Welcoming Rudi home from serving a mission in Guatemala

 Driving through beautiful Wolf Creek Pass from Durango to Salida

 Visiting Great Grandpa Gene

 Getting all bundled up to see the small-town Salida Santa Parade and Tree Lighting with Grandpa and Jenny

 And enjoying the fact that Jonny and his Dad prepared every bit of the Thanksgiving meal. Okay, I helped a little with the potatoes and made the cranberry sauce. (Selfishly, really, I may have been the only one that ate it. Wait, Julia loved it too. That's my girl.)

Those who know me know that I always have my water bottle with me - always. This is the way it's been since high school. I have gone through several bottles through the years* and have finally come upon a favorite that miraculously meets every possible need. The Camelbak Insulated Stainless Steel Better Bottle.

Yes, I have used a non-insulated camelbak bottle for years, but it leaked whenever it tipped over and I had to use coasters when setting it down on a wood surface. Plus, the ice never lasted long and I was tired of refilling it to keep it cold. (I prefer ice-cold water whenever possible. And it wasn't possible on outings. Until now...)

So then I came upon the insulated bottle. Not a new idea, I know, it's just a thermos, but it has all the other features I love about the camelbak bottles (like the flip top sipper) and this model doesn't leak when it gets tipped over in my purse. Best of all, the ice remains all day. All day! And because it is double-walled, no need for coasters. I'm in heaven! Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but possibly not.

The only minor drawback is that the bottle holds less than I am used to with the original camelbak - because it is double walled. But I don't mind refilling it with water when I need to and I love that I rarely need to refill it with ice. Also, I had to really know that is would be awesome before I justified spending $25. Obviously I believe it was worth the splurge. (Oh, and it does require hand washing. But I don't mind that at all.)

Anyway, I just thought I'd share a recent favorite find with those few who read this blog. If you are as passionate about finding the perfect bottle as I am, add this one to your Christmas list! You will not be disappointed...

P.S. Gabe just saw this post and said, "Mommy's drink on computer!" And Julia calls it my sippy cup. Yes, it really is a part of me. 

*Jonny remembers when I used one of those tiny half-pint plastic bottles in college - I stalled one day after class so I could talk to him by filling it up at the drinking fountain. Didn't give me much time!

We celebrated Halloween the usual ways...

Pumpkin Carving:

  (Don't mess with Gabe.)

Attempting a photo or two of the kids in their costumes:

(Notice the evolution form misery to happiness.)

 Goldilocks and the Three Bears 

(Jonny and I planned to be Mama and Papa bear, but I just didn't get around to buying/making costumes. A couple of teddies would have to suffice. The bear hat is part of a costume my mom made over 20 years ago and has been worn by most of us kids. The body part was way too big for even Gabe. Here, brown jammies would have to suffice. And thanks to a hand-me-down dress-up from Aunt Cortnie, Julia had a perfect Goldilocks dress. I love spending $0 on Halloween costumes.)

 (Again, don't mess with Gabe.)

 

Warming up a little...

 Some smiles, at last!

And of course, the long-awaited Trick-or-Treating:

Gabe couldn't get enough of the candles in the pumpkins.
He sang "Happy Bur-day dear pu-kins" several times. Julia reported that Halloween was her "best day ever." Until it snowed the next day. Then that was her "most best day."

First Hair Cut, Finally!

I have been meaning to get Julia's hair cut for the last year. And I finally got around to it - by asking my sweet friend to do it! Amber was so kind to show me how to trim hair. (She probably thought it was silly that I videotaped it. But I will be happy I did come time for the next trim!) She suggested I straighten Julia's hair with a flat iron to get an even cut. Julia loved having her hair straight "like Mommy's" (oh, how I wish my hair could ever look like hers) and we all thought she looked like Rapunzel.

Her hair is so much easier to wash and brush now that I hardly even need to cry about saying goodbye to her white-blond baby curls. Even though it was just a trim (of a significant 6 inches so) and doesn't change the style of her hair at all, I think she looks older somehow.
 

Here she is with her morning lion's main before it was straightened, or even brushed.

 

 Straight and long.

Julia was so excited that "Corbin's Mommy" was cutting her hair. Thanks again, Amber!

Viola. A little shorter, much more manageable, and still a little baby blond left.

 Corbin and Julia