2020 Family Pictures

We felt very fortunate this fall to be able to hire a photographer from my MOPS group to take some family photos. It seems like the kids grow and change so quickly, we were really happy to have Kristin capture us altogether as we are in this moment. 

Holiday Reflections -- December

We had a {mostly} joyful Christmas season -- kids are still kids no matter what the day or season and we had some re-setting to do with ours, but otherwise a peaceful season, full of thanksgiving. Rapid City has had unusually warm and dry weather for this time of year and we have been very thankful for what that has meant for us ... with so many indoor options closed, the above freezing temperatures have been a real blessing. 

Getting our tree from the Black Hills National Forest.

Winter Soltice celebration -- tamale dinner, gazing at the aligning planets and the kids get to spend the night sleeping under our tree. 

Warmer days mean we get to hang out with friends! So good for all of us.

Special treats, always.

A beautiful Christmas Eve -- going to church in-person, having special friends, Vanesa & Anne over for dessert and getting our new PJs.

Even Goldie gets a red bow!

Christmas Day activities, so many thoughtful gifts, lots of yummy food and a hike in the snow.

Ringing in the New Year with special friends from Idaho. So thankful. 

Hello 2021 from Mt Rushmore!

Holiday Reflections -- Thanksgiving

We had a lovely holiday season this year...starting out with an amazing road trip to California to be with my family. It was wonderful to be warm and to be where things were still growing (& even blooming!) instead of our cold, drab, brown landscape. We even got to have our Thanksgiving meal outside on my parents patio! And even better, my whole family was able to be there. We got to meet my newest neice and nephew which was really great.

We were given a surprise with really unbelievable gift while we were home -- some long-time, special friends gave us a CAR!!!! It still feels very surreal, but this wonderful, new family car for us sits in our driveway and gets us around the Black Hills very well. So I think it's real! We are calling her Goldie, short for Goldilocks :) 

After that any Christmas gift seemed to pale by comparison; but we were certainly just fine with that! This undeserved gift reminds us over and over how we have been given so many good things that we have done nothing to earn and certainly don't deserve ... similar to God's gift of salvation through Jesus to us. It was a perfect reminder to our family of the reason for the season.

Road trip in a fancy rental car! We even found a bike-pump track in St George to run the kids on :) 

Sunset at the beach! Soooo good to be here!

All family donut gathering at Bonnie's - YUM!

Meeting the newest babies in the family -- Scarlett & Ethan and having LOTS of cousin-time!

Some sweet time for the kids with Nana & Papa -- breakfast & crafts, plus tractor & go-kart rides!

Helping out at the farm -- picking apples and raking leaves!

Our all-family lovely outdoor Thanksgiving with my mom's beautifully set table.

Black Friday Lunch -- In-N-Out Burger!!!

Black Friday Shopping @ Goodwill -- my kind of shopping!

More very wonderful beach & tide pool time! 

Most of the family -- we forgot to get everyone together on Thanksgiving Day, so sadly missed
Jeannie's family getting into the photo. 

On our way, in our new car!!! With one last stop before leaving CA. We were so so happy to see
some very dear friends from Idaho who now live in CA. Such a blessing to catch up with them.