Mac Eliason, Age 8

That's there for any Ramona Quimby fans.

Today was the big day! Mac had a big smile on his face all day long, which for the most part, is the way Mac is. Of course he has his grumbles, but Sam and I were just saying how he really is a kid who sees the bright side of things most the time. His feelings don't get hurt easily, he's comfortable in any situation, he has lots of different types of friends, and he just likes to have fun! Our hope is that this strong sense of himself will be a strong sense in his faith in God and that his courage will make him a light for Jesus with whomever he's around.

Mac woke up to balloons (of course) and about 8 inches of snow. He figured he would tell his friends to bring their snow boots, so they could still play outside.


When the boys got home from school, they immediately got to work. They made a trail from the back door to the tree house and the trampoline.


Elly and Mac got up in the tree house and shoveled off the deck. They also cleaned it out. Apparently that's another area I need to check once in a while for filth!


Nate cleared the patio where we would hang a pinata


After eating some pizza, we headed out for some pinata action


Mac took the first crack...it took all the kids going through twice to break the thing open


Our birthday boy. I love the smile he gets when the birthday cake is put in front of him. I feel like I have many birthday pictures of him like this!


Make a wish!


I tried out a rainbow cake this year. It was a fun surprise to cut open the cake.


If you look super close, maybe you can see that we got Mac a mini-leatherman. It comes in a case that he can attach to his cub scout belt. Feels like a right of passage to get a little boy his first pocketknife or leatherman...Better start checking for carvings in their tree house!


All the boys wanted to check it out. That's a liability waiting to happen!


From danger to cuddly...Mac loved his Happy Napper from Gramma and Papa Eliason. He was saving his money for one, so was super excited to unwrap it. Mac just seems more and more grown up everyday, but then when you see his eyes light up for a new cuddly...I know my little boy is still in there! Happy Birthday Buddy!!!

10 years in Colorado!

This deserved it's own post. 10 years ago we moved to Fort Collins, CO and leased our first apartment on November 1st. At the time, we just thought we were exploring, checking out a state that had songs written about it and great ski hills. Little did we know that it would feel like home so quickly...and still be our home 10 years later.

Halloween and Snow!

Well, I'm starting with pictures from a week ago...our first snow. As I'm writing this, it's snowing again. A little nastier this time. We have a birthday party planned for Mac tomorrow night, and he was praying that it wouldn't snow so they could play outside. However, the weather man is right and we'll have to come up with some indoor games. Here goes...


Our first snow last Wednesday. We started our day with breakfast at McDonalds. Our family tradition to go out for breakfast on the first day of snow. We didn't have much time for more than McDonalds...maybe next year.


Elly in the snow with her two buddies that I watch Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, Eli and Mia.


Carving pumpkins. Mac's template is on the wall.


The finished product!


The kid's in their costumes with a crazy camera setting. Mac's a wizard...but not Harry Potter, 'cause everybody's Harry Potter (sometimes he's a little too original for me!), Nate is hockey player and Elly a nice warm, pink butterfly.


Met up with our friends for a great Halloween night of catching up and trick-or-treating. Notice Nate's roller blades.


Nate rollerbladed the whole time and was a sweaty mess by the time we were done.


Today is our lull day between Halloween and Mac's B-day. It was spent raking leaves before the storm hit and blowing up balloons, which is what Sam is doing now. Mac remembered waking up to balloons on his bed and thought it would be fun if that happened again. :) I'd better go help...

Hope you all had a happy Halloween!