Christmas Break Part 1

 Grammie and Papa came to spend Christmas with us.  They had to come between storms and thank goodness they made it when they did because last week was full of snow, wind, and COLD!

Winter in Wyoming sometimes involves quite a bit of snow.  Last year we didn't get as much as we'd have liked.  This year we seem to be getting more.  We got about 6 inches this last week, and so we took advantage.  Exercise involved shoveling snow....

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...and sledding!!!

We have a perfect little kid hill behind our house and we all enjoyed making runs down the hill.

Abby was WORN OUT!  Papa gave her a lift home.

My dad turned 60 this year and he was here for the celebration.  That was a treat for us all!!!!  I think all of us adults are going on a major diet after all the celebration the season brings!

We spent two days sledding. Grammie and Papa got all the kids sleds, and they had a blast racing, falling, making snow angels, and enjoying the frozen outdoors!!!

Merry Christmas

 The kids had their Christmas concert this past week, and since it's near impossible to get us all looking presentable I figured this was the best time to get some Christmas photos of the little angels.  Clint is looking particularly dapper in his snazzy suit.  Two years ago we went to the very same concert, with only Katie preforming, and I told Clint he had to dress up (you know...in nice clothes) he decided to go as a minion.  And while that wasn't exactly what I meant by dressing up, I let him go that way because well who cared right?  But this year he indulged me and dressed very well!

 I can't believe it but this was Katie's Christmas dress when she was 4.  My mom made it for her years ago, and it fits Abby now.  She loves wearing dresses!!!  She can't wait until it is her turn to sing on stage, and it is bittersweet for Rick to think this is the last year she will be sitting with him.

 Katie had a duet in the Christmas program this year on her recorder.  She practiced so hard and was able to be first chair in the concert.  For us non musical folks first chair is reserved for the best player.    Katie is in the oldest class in the school.  We always saw her as our little girl, and I suppose she will always remain our little girl, but she is a leader in her school now and we couldn't be prouder!

These three kids sure do make us proud.  They are such great kids, full of fun, and just enough mischief to keep us on our toes.  Please ignore the mess surrounding them.  It was a busy night getting ready for the concert, the kids give us like 5 seconds to smile in front of the tree before all hell would break loose, and we were running late.  Cleaning up our mess would have to wait for another day.
We wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas!!!

Breakfast with Santa

 Clint wants the Millennium Falcon with Nerf darts

Abby wants a BIG bow for her hair.  

Katie doesn't know what she wants but I sure hope she figures it out soon!  Our school puts on a breakfast with Santa event every year.  This year was particularly fun.  For one Rick didn't have to help cook for the event.  He enjoyed getting to spend the time with us rather than watch from the kitchen.  For another my friend Shonna put together a super fun event, complete with a candy bar...which during set up I may have been the unofficial taste tester.

There were crafts to do which was lots of fun, and now the tree has a few new ornaments!

Breakfast was wonderful, eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, and a coffee, hot chocolate, and juice bar (aren't we fancy?!?!)

Abby partook in both juice and chocolate milk, and ate her weight in scrambled eggs.  

It was a great day to catch up with friends, young and old.  There were kids I taught 6 years ago who came back to volunteer as elves for the event, or who came with their parents and siblings.  There were school and church families who we rarely see, and we were able to catch up tell stories, laugh, and reminisce.  I am proud to be a part of such a wonderful community of people, and to call this place my home!

In case you blinked

 It seems like just yesterday our little Katie bug was born.  She made us a family, and although it seems like yesterday I also can't remember a day without her in it.

 She's been a joy to watch grow.  She loves adventure, and has to be one of the funniest people I know.

She has an insane love for sweets.  She takes after her daddy that way.

 

Happy Birthday Katie!!!  We love you to the moon and back.  You are a bright joy in our lives, and we can't believe 10 years has already gone by!!!
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Just Fishin'

Rick took the kids down to the Gorge a few weeks ago to fish.  

Katie got lucky and caught a super nice trout.  She was pretty proud.

One proud Daddy, with his little girl!  BTW Clint took the picture.  Perfection will come with time:)

The kids had a great time, and can't wait to go back!!!

Star Wars

The Copsey's are full on Star Wars fans.  Clint and Katie can tell you facts about the movies that blows my mind.  We watch the movies often, and Disney put out a lego Star Wars show that is hilarious.
Last week the library put on a Star Wars event.  Clint was beyond psyched.  He was convinced he was going to drive the Millennium Falcon.  I tried to calm his excitement down to a more realistic library budget level.  We took his friend with us and they were hoping to make a light saber.  Well lady luck was on their side and they made the coolest light sabers out of pool noodles.  While hunting down the next activity they found Darth Vader and had a little fight,  complete with light saber mouth noises.
There is a series out called Origami Yoda and if you or your child are Star Wars fans they'd like this book.  One of the crafts was to make an Origami Yoda.  Then they got to eat snacks while watching Star Wars.
Clint thoroughly enjoyed his day.  He used the light saber all weekend.  I was kept safe at Papa Murphys, Smiths, and anywhere else where dastardly events could occur.  My Jedi was by my side protecting me from danger.
May the force be with you!!!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I don't know how many of you know, probably all of you do, but October is national Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Everyone has been affected by cancer in one way or another.  We Copsey's, Thorner's, and Meisenbach's are currently being affected by breast cancer.  My aunt is battling such a courageous battle.  She is a person who hardly ever gets sick (unless she's been around my family and then she'd get the mother of all colds!!!)  She is a caregiver.  Always helping us when we are suffering from one malady or another.  She has helped me and my family through more illnesses then I care to remember.
But now she is the one who is in need, and all the chicken soup and rest in the world can't battle the illness inside of her.  She is taking such powerful medication.  Medication that makes her weak, and ill.  I am sure she hates being the person in need of so much help.  But all of her friends and family have been the recipient of her support and they are falling all over one another to help her.  She is seeing what a friend she has been and people want so badly to make her feel better.  We all wish we could.
Watching her go through her chemo treatments makes me so sad.  She will get better, we know it, but the battle is long, and arduous.  She will eat countless bowls of soup that people will bring her, because they don't know what else to do.  She will wear her wig, and head wraps, and she will look beautiful through her illness.  She will have good days and bad days.  She will laugh and she will cry.  We will all laugh and cry with her.
We will all pray, and pray, and pray, because there is nothing else we can do.  We will wear pink in her honor, and we will shave our boys heads, and Rick's mustache and beard in support for her.  We will pay a little extra this month for food, and other products that donate toward cancer research because we want to see a cure in the future, so that this disease will not affect our children, or their children.
When you wear your pink, or shave your head, or watch football and see all those men wear pink with pride, remember there are people suffering, and there are people surviving breast cancer.  Those people are fighting, and surviving, and living.  Honor them, make them soup, love them, and pray for them.
Fight hard Aunt Carrie!!!!  WE LOVE YOU!!!