Day 344

Pretty standard Friday, or at least as standard as they get. The girls handled a visitation and some shopping in the area while Matt and Jamie did Walter's for lunch (wings!). Jamie went out to the Ranch for his horse volunteering after enjoying some Torah Time by the fire. And check out the shirts he had embroidered to promote his class. Thanks to the Button, the Needle, and the Wardrobe for the beautiful work and quick turnaround!

Prepping for Sunday morning Kids

Day 343

Woke up to about 1/2 foot of snow. AJ helped Matt and Jamie shovel the driveway; bam, done by 7am! Oh, it's also a school Snow Day! Nana and Papa got Vaccine Shot #1 today! To celebrate, they had lunch at Basil and Barley. Perseverance successfully land on Mars today! Matt cooked us up some very prime beef for dinner.

Snow days usually involve a game or two.
Today it was Settlers of Catan with AJ, David, and Papa.

COVID vaccine!

Basil and Barley

Outdoor dining in Colorado can be tricky.

Tracy: My now sister-in-law Jennifer Foster gifted this set of books to me at my baby shower for Serafina.  Almost 16 years later we are still reading them, now to babies #11 & #12.  Yes, some of the originals are missing, pages torn and bent, but every time I read them to a new baby I can remember reading it to all of them and their tiny baby selves.  And when I say read I mean recite by memory.
#bestbabybooks #sandraboynton #fostering

Perseverance has landed!

Day 342

The snow started again this afternoon (and as it turned out, snowed all night). Two fun dinner items... Matt whipped up taco makings (tortillas optional) and Lynn made a butternut squash soup.

Day 341

The temps actually got above freezing today. AJ and Papa walked to school and even did their little race between the signposts despite some pretty achy legs from bowling (they think). This may also explain Papa's sore elbow. Torah Time by the fire came in the morning with lots of snow still on the fire pit. Jamie's about 35 hours from completing all 241 hours of lecture! Nana and Papa enjoyed a great lunch at Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano for the first time since the lockdowns began. Another great Horse PT session for David. Can you believe only one more week to go and he'll have completed his first full session. Matt whipped up some beef stew for dinner along with some sauteed cabbage and spinach.

Torah Time, back to Deuteronomy

Biaggi's

Day 340

The trip started cold, stayed cold, and ended even colder. We had already dropped Sam at Fort Riley last night, so for the remainder of us this morning, we hit Varsity Donuts in Aggieville and headed out on the road. We tried to eat at a steakhouse in Hays, KS, but alas, not open on Mondays. So we grabbed a quick burger at McDonald's and blasted on to one of our favorites, Oscar's in Limon, CO. Home by 5:30pm!

Crack!

Day 339 Valentines' Day

Valentines' Day! The boys are still in Manhattan, KS and the girls are at home. Frigid cold in both locations. In fact, church was cancelled for TimberCreek today due to the cold. On the other hand, the Manhattan group attended the church Sam usually goes to, Rock Hills Church. They have taken over an ex-AMC movie theater. Lunch was at AJ's New York Pizzeria! Best cheese pizza AJ ever had (and it really was!). The boys spent some time in the Mall in Manhattan, mainly the bookstore and at the Girl Scout Cookie table in the hallway. Dinner at El Patron Restaurant, very good. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Valentines' Day was in full swing...

Parking lot of hotel. -2F when we headed out.

Rock Hills Church - where Sam attends.

El Patron

Ice forming at the base of the door.

Day 338

Big day, here and at home! The Manhattan crew had breakfast at Early Edition, then bowling, then the movies (Lord of the Rings; Return of the King) in IMAX. It was a three-dog night both in Colorado and Kansas. Valentine's gifts around. And Tracy got her first COVID vaccine shot!