Trimming the Tree

Since we weren't home for Christmas, we didn't have a tree of our own at home.  Nothing to clean up when we got back, which was nice, but I missed the lights when December did role around.  Since we didn't have a tree, Katelyn couldn't decorate one.  Oh what a surprise Katelyn had when we got to Nana and Papa's house.  They had left the decorations off so she could help them put them on.  What fun she had.

Papa the "Personal Ladder"

This is where the other part of the family  parked themselves for the decorating.

If it were up to K, the tree would have had every hanging ornament available hung at her height.  She was good if we moved them though, as long as she could do the moving.

Pellegrino Christmas & Bismarck

Our car was packed for a winter drive to Canada, but first we stopped in Billings to see Jason's parents and have Christmas with them.  His parents are about 2 hrs away and we thought that this would make our trip even shorter the next day, since we had a 2 hr head start.

Grandma Pellegrino had to wrap and bring out the presents.  No Peeking.

 Katelyn got some goodies for the drive, a penguin pillow pet that is a night light as well and some Crayola paper and markers.  I'm sorry, Megan but I don't remember what you got.

A new pretty pink bracelet.  This girl is all about pink.

Our friend's Adrian and Erin stopped by with their son, Simyon who likes to play with Katelyn, stopped by to say Merry Christmas and to tell us that they are going to be moving to Hawaii in the New Year for Adrian to work on a movie about the story of David.  Adrian is a stuntman in many big name movies and he's a fellow Canadian.  It's nice to have connections in warm places like that should the need for a trip ever arises.
We got up the next morning and left around 11am but didn't get out town till 11:30.  A little later than we wanted, but we were only driving to Bismarck, ND.  Only 6 hrs away.  Jason got us the Presidential Suite at a hotel for $100!

The total square footage was almost as big as our house!  It was pretty nice.

Our bathing Beauties sure enjoyed the pool and hot tub 

Even Jason thought it was pretty great, to go on vacation and get paid to swim.  First time in his life that has happened. 

Our girls are awesome travelers.  Can't say we had anything really happen.  Just keep them occupied and fed.  We couldn't even use the dvd player we borrowed and we still survived.  We just have great girls!

Cody Museum

The Christmas Season started December 1st for us.  The girls and I, along with our friends, Jon and Sheila Henson, made our way to the Cody Museum for the Annual Christmas Free Day.  Unfortunately, Jason had to work. They have different musical numbers going on throughout the day in different galleries, featuring school music classes and local groups.  Refreshments are served and they waive the entrance fee for everyone.  So it was a great time to go.  

 They just renovated the Buffalo Bill Gallery and many new features were added to make it more interactive. So, Megan got her first seat on a saddle.  Not like we don't have 2 in the garage that she couldn't sit  on but this was just more fun.  Can't you tell by my over zealous smile? :)  Katelyn, however, didn't want to join in on the "fun".

 Katelyn and her friend Micah, watching a video of how they took traveled into Yellowstone with Buffalo Bill.

 A replica of Buffalo Bill Cody's hunting camp.  There was even a copper tub for bathing! Try packing that on a horse to carry into the mountains.

Another interactive spot.  Lift the blocks under each building to see a picture and description of those buildings in the days of Cody's beginnings.

 And this was towards the end, when everyone was getting tired.  We did spend a couple of hours walking around

We capped the day off with some down time at Micah's house, pretending to fish together in their "boat"

I believe it was the weekend after Thanksgiving, we headed to Cody to take in the Lighted parade.  We took a short horse-drawn wagon ride, walked downtown and roasted a marshmallow along the street at the warm up barrels and tried to find snacks at different businesses to keep the kids happy until the parade.  Sorry, no pictures were taken.  I had a disgruntled 3 1/2 yr old who didn't want to keep her jacket zipped up against the very cold breeze.  Again, we did this with Sheila and her two kids.  Jon and Jason were working together on our house renovations.  I was glad to get out of the mess.

Backyard Camping

One very warm September day, I headed to Red Lodge with some friends and Megan while Daddy had his girl at home.  I had been telling Jason that he needed to set up the tent with Katelyn and sleep in the back yard since he's been gone during some of the summer and busy working long shifts.  This was the day to finally set it up.  So when I got home later that afternoon this is what I found.

 They were watching movies on the computer and relaxing, eating pretzels.

 Since we didn't go camping this summer, I suggested they spend the night outside.  They ventured out at night and slept until the early morning when they got cold and climbed into bed with me and Megan for a warm-up.
                                      

Making Apple Sauce

I was lucky to have someone I know call me up asking if I wanted some apples.  "Yes Please".  Since last year wasn't the year of the apple, this year promised to be a better crop.  It seems, or so I've heard that apple trees do better every other year.  This was the year for apples again.  With my faithful helper by my side in her Strawberry Shortcake night gown and helper number 2 perched on the freezer in my kitchen, in her bouncy chair, we peeled apples.

"Look mommy, C's."

 So after getting about 4 dutch ovens full and only burning the bottoms of two batches, we have apple sauce in the freezer.

New Wheels

We had to upgrade Katelyn to a bigger bike because the trike was just too small. So we headed to Walmart to see their selection. We came home with this sweet little bike, complete with princess helmet and princess bell.

We met her friend Oriah at the park one day and saw she had the same bike and helmet but a different bell. So that's how we told them apart. We had to learn how to brake the hard way after a few falls but she kept getting back on. Now she knows how to slow down when we go down a small hill.

Thank goodness we started off with a helmet, because she would have kissed the pavement a few times with her forehead had it not been there the few times she's tipped over and we don't have to fight her to wear it. We went for a long walk the other evening and she rode her bike. Daddy did have to help quite a bit with the curbs and the occasional off balance, but she did great. We walked past main street and back. Probably a good 14 blocks she pedaled. She had no trouble going to sleep that night. We've put a few miles on that bike this summer.

North Fork Fishing

Sunday after Jason's graduation, we went up the North Fork after church with some friends for a milk can supper and some afternoon fishing. A milk can supper consisted of a new milk can purchased specifically for this type of cooking, from Cabelas. It basically is a pressure cooker you put on a propane burner or over the fire. Tracy had put in red potatoes, corn cobs, carrots, onions and sausage mixed in with some beer, butter and other things. It was really good. So while Tracy, Megan and I sat around the camp site, Quin and his step son Corey, Jason, Katelyn and Malissa all went fishing. Katelyn was quite excited to go fishing. I think this was her second time going. Jason got her rod ready with some new tess on it and away they went.Malissa was more the photographer than fisher woman.

Fishing was slim or next to nil, so they all headed back in for some food, which was great by the way. Megan had her own sort of fun, sleeping and photo obsessed auntie just had to manipulate her as long as she was sleeping.