Late January

 We drove to Denver over MLK weekend to visit Zach, Christina, Nicholas, and Andrew Bishop for a long weekend.  The kids all played together so nicely that we adults had plenty of time to just sit around and talk and relax.  It really feels like we've entered a new stage with our kids finally.  We enjoyed taking walks and bike rides around their neighborhood with temps in the 60s that weekend and sunny.  Other highlights were going to the Denver Childrens Museum, the zoo, an indoor playground with lots of climbing structures, and walking past Peyton Manning's house.  Jack is obsessed with Manning but refused to believe that was where he lived saying, "NO, that's just a building" over and over. 

The bubble room at the museum.

Sasha and Nicholas spent hours with their box houses they made from old moving boxes.

Good buddies these days

Another day, another picture of Jack in his Colts Manning jersey.  I think a Broncos Manning Jersey is in his future.

Early January

 The long-awaited 5-year birthday finally arrived on January 6 for Sasha and I think she truly enjoyed herself on her special day.  This year she had a small party at our house with 4 friends that she invited from school.  It was the first drop-off party we have hosted (meaning parents did not attend).  My parents and Aunt Megan also were in attendance for added crowd control.  The party started off with a few games that Sasha had requested:  Pin the Tail on the Donkey and Musical Chairs.  Next was the butterfly decorating craft followed by a meal of some of her favorite foods:  Campbell's Chicken and Stars Soup, mashed potatoes with hamburger gravy, mango and pineapple, and a chocolate purple butterfly cake for dessert.  I accidentally poured quite a bit of lemon extract instead of red food coloring into the frosting so it had a distinctly tart flavor which Sasha did not care for (who can blame her!) but the aesthetics of the cake made up for it she said.

 Jack kept insisting that he was four in the days surrounding Sasha's birthday which did not go over well with Sasha.

 Phil and I got a babysitter on January 12 and went out to Chili's like we do every year on this day to relive our first date back in 1996.  Before the big night we donned our wedding attire (13 years last December).  Sasha and Jack got a kick out of it.

A Very Merry Christmas 2012

 Christmas began on the 16th at our house when we pretended that Santa came because we traveled over Christmas Day this year.  Sasha and Jack thoroughly enjoyed their gifts this year.  Sasha especially loved the new bike basket and the bag that she could decorate with markers.  Jack loved his new tractor and train puzzle.

We went to Goshen over Christmas where we had fun with Phil's family.  We started out at the Essenhaus for brunch the first morning and the favorite thing there was the spinning coin collector thing.  Uncle Joe came up big with several rolls of pennies he had left over from something else. 

Grandpa Smucker and Jack look at the model trains.

Pure joy.  Inside was a locket from grandma and grandpa with an "S" engraved on it. 

Sasha and Anna really hit it off this visit.

We stayed with Ben and Rachel this time and it was fun to play on their playset outside and with all their toys. 

It was wonderful to see my Grandma Gingerich again at her retirement home.  Sasha and Jack loved walking the halls riding on her walker.

Sasha's gingerbread house that she made with Grandma June and Grandpa Fred after we got back to N.M.  She spent several days with them while I practiced many hours for a big concert on New Years Eve.

Dinner with Uncle Jim and cousin Chris.

Early December

 We hosted a farewell dinner for our dear friends Katja (second from the left) and Kevin before they moved to Portland last month.  I met Katja the month after we moved to town at a park, and she has been one of my closest friends in Santa Fe.  Her daughter, Imogen, Sasha, and another friend Hudson (above) are good buddies.  Katja was one of those friends that I could always count on for a last minute playdate or sound advice about this or that.  I wish them the best, but they will be missed!

 Sasha, my mom, and I went to see a live production of "Annie" and Sasha wore the Annie dress that my mom had made for me when I was 4.  At the end of the show she got to give the real actress wearing the identical dress a hug which Sasha thought was pretty cool.  I love it that Sasha is getting to the age where we can start attending some cultural events together!

Jack is ready for anything this winter.

Sasha up on stage at her Christmas concert.  She took it very seriously this year and loved singing the songs at home too.

Jack and Sasha all spiffed up after the concert.

When we were in Las Vegas, Phil and I picked up a couple of tiny Coca Cola glasses for the kids for souvenirs.  Now a little glass of coke in their glass is a much sought after treat around here.

Our first big snow proved to be perfect for building a snow bunny/creature.

The slide was extra slippery with snow pants on.

Doesn't matter whose birthday it is, Sasha and Jack are completely psyched.  Aunt Megan's red velvet birthday cake was delicious.

Late November

Thanksgiving weekend at my parents house in Albuquerque was really nice.  My dad and I practiced our duet that we played for special music at our church on Sunday.

A vigorous hike at Tent Rocks on Saturday morning. 

The Yoder family Christmas photo that my parents sent out to people. 

Sasha contemplating life for a brief instant on our hike.

Thanksgiving morning we went to see hundreds of sandhill cranes in a field where they stop in Albuquerque on their migration south to Mexico.

Jack was obsessed with the binoculars.

The big dinner. 

The summit

Tent Rocks

Sasha started violin lessons at the end of October.  After toiling away on a styrofoam violin and a pretend bow for a month, her teacher finally said she was ready for the real violin.  Oh what an exciting day that was!  Violin has definitely been the biggest challenge Sasha has ever met.  We are still trying to find our stride with the practicing.  It's especially hard when the little guy (below) wants to play it too whenever we get it out.