Vegas baby!

After Joe's Family Winter Holiday program, we skedaddled out of town and drove down to Las Vegas to visit Ben and Rhiannon.  The 8 hour drive was really not that bad... the most thankful I've been for Moby the Minivan yet!  We had a great time hanging out, seeing the sights, and celebrating the New Year!  Thanks Ben and Rhi for hosting us and loving on our kiddos!  Yay for having family close by (well, reachable by a one day's drive)!!!

Check out the photos for more details:

Goodbye Tahoe!

Goober

Smiles...roadtrip!

I think this is the first time I have ever put GLOVES in the GLOVEbox!!!

More smiles

First morning bringing gifts to Ben and Rhi!

Let me help you with that. :)

Off to the park to burn off some energy!

We got a date night thanks to Uncle Ben and Aunt Wee Wee.  We got to go see Les Mis (that I have been SUPER excited about seeing) and I got a big surprise that my hubs shaved off his beard for me!!!! He is such a handsome fellow!

The next day we headed out to Red Rocks and took a hike.... up to Turtlehead Peak that you see in the way background of this picture.

On our way up!

It was an incredibly beautiful day.  Yet still cold!  I started warming up though carrying Chloe and ascending... have no fear! :)

 Me and my cold girl!

 Pretty Mamma made it to the top at 7 months preggers.

Group shot with Vegas in the background

Both kids crashed on the way back down

I was just amazed by the colors of these rocks.  Amazing.

The hiking crew

Playing guessing games with Uncle Ben

New Years Eve delicious dinner

Lots of cards and cribbage

Cooling some champagne

We hit up the strip the next night.  It would have been a little too cray cray with children on New Years Eve.

The last time we were here was over 7 years ago when Joe and I were dating and on a road trip with friends... now we have two children.  Amazing how fast life can change! (by the way, thanks Rhi for a great photo!) 

I could sit and watch this for awhile.  

Inside the Bellagio.  I can't even describe all the things to look at inside this massive decorated room!

 The kiddos watching the train go by.

 In front of the ginormous tree and hanging bells and different colored poinsettias.

"Our parents are weird"

"But I guess we'll join 'em... its more fun that way"

 The volcano show in front of the Mirage. Nate was a little scared, but still entertained.

 Chloe was not impressed and did not want to watch.  But she knew exactly when it was over and turned around and clapped at the end of it.

I was impressed. 

So much visual overload!  This is where my grandparents stayed on their honeymoon years and years ago.

 The very tall balloon making man at Margaritaville.

The kids loved his creations and I loved that they were entertained while we were waiting for our table.

Great table right in the back of a fishing boat. :)

Chloe was intrigued by the dancer sliding down into a pool. 

 Hail Caesar!

 Donuts for breakfast before hitting the road.  Sure! Thanks dad. :)

It was a great trip and we can't wait to return!!!

Christmas 2013

I'll let the pictures tell most of the story...

We had to wait till Chloe woke up in the morning to get the festivities started.  Nate played with our little nativity with Joe. 

We finally let him open one present since he was being so patient

Sleeping Beauty arises and we hit up the stockings

They had gotten to open a gift on Christmas Eve of matching Elmo PJs.  I got new PJ's as well. :)

They thought getting all these little fun trinkets was so much fun!

Matchbox cars mom!

New toothbrushes!

Yea right mom.  I'm not going to keep a flower in my hair. Dream on. 

Then breakfast was served!

Then we read the Christmas story out of the Jesus Storybook Bible and talked about the Greatest Gift of all time!

Then we got to open our gifts.  

Check out this nifty phone cover I got from my "secret santa".  

The house was quite a sight when it was all over.  Funny how sometimes the wrapping paper can be more fun than the gift!

Then we hit the slopes!!!!

This was the first time we have ever taken our kids skiing and they LOVED it!

Chloe was ready to get off the chairlift about 3/4 the way up, so I had to keep a good grip on her.  She actually kicked off a boot and ski right before we go to the top. 

This little man did awesome!  (and the big man actually)  Let me tell ya, it is WORK to ski holding a kid between your legs.  

Every time I stopped, Chloe would say, "more! more!"  And then as soon as I got going again... "WEEEEE!"

Good ole family fun!

After both kids took naps, we headed to the Spoelstras to celebrate Jesus' birthday! Sorry I don't have a picture of them blowing out the candles. 

Merry Christmas everyone from this Dalton fam! 

Next up: Our trip to Las Vegas!  (Can you tell I'm playing catch up this week?)

Twas the night before...

...well, really the day before.  Christmas Eve was a good day, but I was also in a bit of a funk as I missed being with my family who were ALL together.  The kids helped me with some cooking to prep for Christmas. (Making fun food can be a lot of work when you are the only one doing it!  HUGE thanks and appreciation for my mom and lots of moms out there who work their tails off on holidays!!) 

We decided to bundle up and go visit daddy at work.  I must admit we had a few snowball fights on our way up the hill.  It was a little scary as Nate can throw hard and usually found the ice balls instead of making his own snow balls!  

We got the kids all dressed up and ready for the Christmas Eve service that night.  

Nate was being super fussy and not wanting to eat anything for dinner and just acting really tired, so we made a last minute decision for Joe to stay home with him. 

It was probably a good choice since he fell asleep by 6:45pm in front of a video. 

Then we hosted the Holmes, Bedford and Sara, and their daughter Bonnie and her boyfriend for a delicious Christmas Eve supper of Clam Chowder... a Leestma tradition.  

 Even though it was way past her bedtime, Chloe Marie did not want to go to sleep.  If there is a party happening, she is going to be there!  

 We play fun card games for awhile after dinner and enjoyed some of Sara's homemade banana pudding.  After they left, Joe finished up some last minute wrapping... I was not invited.  

Cookies galore

We went over to the Ellender's house for a Christmas Cookie Decorating party.  Nate got right in on the action and actually had some very creative designs.  Joe, being the person that he is, had the most perfect decorations, Chloe ate most of whatever she could get her hands on, and I got to try my hand at being creative.

It was a fun time!

White Christmas

We got two huge snow storms right before Christmas.  This is what our driveway looked like.

I don't think its going to be chaco weather any time soon.

I think trees heavy laden in snow is simply beautiful.