Crazy Counting by Alyse

Christmas 2008

For Christmas 2008 we headed out for Reno, Nev on the 20th of December. I was anticipating the worst with traveling on two flights with a 19month old but low and behold she was great and I was thankful for the layover for someone to run around (Tim included). We made it without haste and had fun getting spoiled by the Dressels, Aunts and Uncle. While we were there Tim marked off his list, a massage! We played many games of Wii and many times traveling up and down the stairs...and up and down the stairs... and up and down the stairs. It did snow twice overnight so we had a little bit of white for the holidays! Then on Christmas Eve we flew with Aunt Amy to Colorado for the remainder of our vacation! Besides the nasty wind (no not from somebody, just mother nature) it was wonderful! We got to go through some family heirlooms, pictures and things mom had saved up for us all to divide. Alyse got to meet some deer and that became a fast new word. We played many card games, drank way too much egg nog and celebrated nana's birthday! After majority of the gang headed to their respectful homesteads we stayed around. We did a day in the Fort visiting old/new friends, seeing Daines place of employment, see Mak's new pad and the way the good ole Fort has grown and a trip to downtown Estes. We celebrated the New Year in stlye....zzz's! After it was midnight on the east coast we had a really hard time staying up (no surprise) so we said hello to 2009 as if it already happened! Can't wait to see what is in store for us in the New Year

Food for thought

I know you may find this surprising but the other day I was thinking about my life and somethings I have accomplished. This thought process is coming from the recent SPC fall retreat! It occurred to me that I have been attending a fall retreat for the last 15 years. Between my time at FCS and with the gang at Spotsy, wow that is a lot of retreating. That means I have heard 60 retreat "talks" (man you would think I would have gotten things by now). I have eaten 75 retreat meals, some so much better than others (concord is way up there). I can't even begin to comprehend how many miles I have put in driving, riding a cheese wagon, playing football or other silly games like ultimate cabbage (this last retreat I tried for a record of 3 hours of playing four square, call me insane), or the lack of sleep that occurs. Thankfully only once was I a c0-program director (once is all that they will get) and numerous times watch my hubby get some laughs! Of all these things nothing compares to the chance to make a difference in someones life or the other way around. So here's to another High School retreat and the many more to come!!!

Falling Off the Charts

Today I went in for the 18month check up and shots for Alyse. Once again we have aimed high (litterally) and she is off the charts for height (34inches). She is weighing in at 27lbs which is in the 90th. It always makes me smile how God worked things out b/c her male life giver(biological) was 6'4 and so is Tim! How cool is that! So I love to say her Dad is 6'4 and that is why we have one tall girlie! The hard part is clothes that fit since we are in the 18-24 month sizes, go figure! At least I know her chances of being taller than me are great and hopefully a great goalie, center on a basketball team, swimmer or homerun hitter. Right now I will settle for a happy, talkative, outgoing, darling little girl who loves the outdoors and is not quite sure what to think of the leaves!