Welcome to our World

The Butterfly Pavilion gave us a chance to meet the very rare Atlas moth and demonstrate what a great dad Dan is by allowing himself to be used as a step stool. Grandma Karyl helped us enjoy the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on a free day at the Zoo that wasn't as warm as we had hoped.  We did manage to walk over and ride the train and carousel as had been promised the day before after discovered a section of the museum we had never seen before:  the Native American Culture exhibit, complete with hogan.  You would think by now we would have seen it all!

January was pretty busy for someone who is used to being a stay-at-home mom.  Other than going to Steamboat and Dan switching jobs (which means he is home about 10 hours less a week due to an increased commute), some other great things happened.  Christy and I earned our Young Womanhood medallion, she as a mom and me as a leader.  Every year the stake puts on a nice dinner and I was happy to celebrate, especially with Rebecca, Alex, Lora, and Camille as well.  I miss being able to hang around my Laurels every Sunday and Wednesday, but am loving my calling as Personal Progress advisor too. My dear husband let me throw a Chinese New Year party with the families of these Taibei missionaries.  Can you believe there are so many people in our little city who served in the same mission?  It was the biggest party I think this house has ever seen.  I was worried we would feel like sardines, but putting the dozen children in front of Ni Hao Kai Lan's Hap...

My hubby turned the big 3-5!  To celebrate we took a trip to Steamboat Springs.  The condo we stayed at was great, thanks to some vacation points my in-laws couldn't use while serving their 2nd full time mission together.  It came in handy to have such a nice place for the children and I to be in the chilly weather while Dan went skiing an extra day by himself.  Thank you, Wayne & Nita! This also provided us an opportunity to see the ice castles again in a new location, go sledding, spend an afternoon at a bounce house, go bowling as a family of 5 for the first time, children's first gondola rides, and the big event:  Kaelah & Danny's first time skiing!  They loved ski school and did a great job.  Kaelah was a natural and Danny was a full 6 months younger than anyone else in his class but managed to keep up.  It was a pure joy to watch them!  They have already asked more than once to go again.  (: And the oth...