Owen's 4!

Owen was so happy on at his 4th birthday party. He could hardly wait to eat. . . and then to have cake and presents.

Kate Date

 What a special treat when Kate D. and I had wonderful one-on-one time.

 
 A ship in the center of the Fort Wayne Botanical Gardens was her favorite.
















We walked through the gardens but not for long.



















She was eager to get back to the ship where she was in constant motion!

George Washington slept here

Stephanie, Amy, Alec; Stacia, Judd and Jessa; Brooks, Masha, Tory, Beau and Jack; Hilary, Colin and Caroline: nieces and nephews who have all stayed overnight at our house multiple times for multiple nights. It never happened with Ike . . . until last Friday night, January 21st, in the year of our Lord, 2011.

Ike,  we're so glad you came! It may have been the first time you spent the night at our house but don't let it be the last.

The next morning Ike, his parents, Brent and Sandie, and Neil and I took blueberry sausage breakfast bake, one of Mark's favorites, to Swiss Village, and had brunch with Grandma Birdsall. A great time of visiting took place in the dining area and then back in her apartment.

Pristine Beauty

Low-lying shrubs, aspen trunks and evergreens.













So much "dead and down" was cleared in the first two years we owned the property that made way for new growth. This brave, little tree is just about 18" tall.

Just a few months ago the leaves on this aspen tree were all ablaze. Now snow nestles among some of the empty branches.

Snow really clings to the long needles on this tree near the side porch.

A picture of that same long-needled evergreen from the porch.

Clumps of grass are scattered in one of our little meadows. The moisture in the snow will help more of it to grow next summer.

Home Sweet Home

A bright blue sky after a new snowfall. Beautiful!

It was a little tricky getting up the driveway. 4-wheel drive really helps!

The trees were beautifully flocked with snow.

Visitors

 Deer came to visit us. Both of these pictures are taken from the front porch.

We went to visit Scott, Heather, Bridger (2 years) and Iris (3 months) Livengood--our young, cool, cousins in Breckenridge! Mark went with Scott and Heather to a wedding Saturday afternoon and evening. Neil and I were with the kids. After 6 hours of dedicated, non-interrupted one-on-one play time, Bridger was my buddy for life! Unfortunately I have no picture to show for it :(. We saw Iris when she was 3 days old and now again at 3 months. She slept a good deal of the time we were there but when she was awake she was cuddly and content. Neil and I both enjoyed extended time with her. (When Bridger was taking his nap I got to cuddle with Iris. :)



Connie's projects

Drum roll. . .I inserted the key in the deadbolt Neil had just installed. It worked perfectly! 

I used some scrap wood from the basement to lay out the plan for the kitchen even before Mark and I moved the railing being stored there. (The light colored rails go right above the kitchen on the loft. The darker rails behind them will be used outside on the porch.) When Jeni was in Colorado in June, she sketched some possible floor plans for the kitchen. Instead of choosing one or the other, I adopted both! Both top and bottom cabinets will be along the outside log wall. Only cabinets below countertops will be where the boards are located. It will be a cozy kitchen but open to the great room. I'm very excited about it!

I used newspapers to get a feel for the available space. The refrigerator and stove/oven/microwave will be against the framed wall. The sink will be under the window with cupboards, including lazy susans, to the left and a dishwasher to the right. The opening to the kitchen will be by the long, darker board extending from the framed wall. A breakfast counter wide enough for just two will be at this end of that dark board. The angeled board will have some shelves open to the great room. It will be great place for some of Janet's pottery or other decorative items!  Nothing is set in stone yet but it is a plan that Neil and I both like thus far.

We walked around the space and pretended to be working and talking. It felt good. A door can be seen at the back of the picture behind the framed wall. I refer to it as the "servant's entrance." That is the back door and the one I think will be used most frequently. The washer and drier will be your right as you walk in, along with an open coat closet, and a half bath will be to your left which will share that framed wall with the kitchen.