Thanks

What am I thankful for this year?  So much.  Not quite sure a blog post could adequately summarize my thoughts on my thankful heart, but I'll try....

Health.  Freedom to live and worship the way I choose to.  Family who love us and make that known.  My monkeys - oh my monkeys.  Unbridled love with the same astonishingly amazing man for 16 years. Opportunity to fulfill my dreams.  Wine.  Velcro rollers. Gleams in my son's eyes.  Pinterest.  Supportive friends who make me giggle like a schoolgirl and cry like a baby all in the same breath. Devotion time.  Pen and paper. This blog.  Google maps.  Goat cheese.  KBCO. Airplanes and the money to ride on them.  Jesus.  My son's passion for Jesus. Adoption.  Tubac, AZ.  The ability to decorate my beautiful home.  Home Goods.  Hot showers.  My camera.  Balsamic Vinegar.  Kindness.  My queen size bed. Nights when my monkeys stay in THEIR beds.  Email.  Hope. Children's books.  Google search.  Walks with my family.  Parks for my kids.  Music - all kinds of music. My piano. Dude's creative mind and unintended sense of humor. Squirt's spunk and independence.  Tim's hands on ability to fix anything and everything.  Medication.  HGTV. Colorado sunshine. Pumpkins. Song. Squirt's smoker's laugh. Our mountains - from a far and close up.  K-Love (when they're not talking).  Dream Dinners.  The promise of heaven.  Amber and Brook.  Leggings and boots.  Chai Tea.  Jillian's 30 Day Shred.  There's a small scope of my thanks.                   

Thanksgiving was rather dreamy at our house.  Nana and Papa brought with uncontrollable giggling, game playing, child focused attention, mad cooking skills, early wake ups with the monkeys, movie watching....it was a blessing for all of us.  The weather smiled on us the entire 5 days, to the point of almost being ridiculous.  Turkey day is recapped below.  Pancakes in the morning and a mother load of festive eats in the afternoon, complete with the company of some of our favorite peeps.   

I gave my dad a recently blown out match for his onion cutting duties.  It takes the sting out of your eyes.  Try it!  

Our (my parents and Tim and my) very first bird.  We moved steadily with slight trepidation.  

My children latched on, literally, to my mom and dad's ankles the entire 5 days.  My mom got quite the work out, especially when there was one child per leg.  

Thanksgiving morning football with the neighborhood dudes.  Why do these out of shape 40 somethings insist on sprinting around for the sake of fun every Thanksgiving?  There were two significant injuries this year and another friend tore his ACL.  I enjoy watching these men put their overall well being on the line each and every year.  

Some of our favorite little ladies.  They could care less about the football.  

How darling is my mom in her trendy hat and boots?  All the kids adore Nana Nancy.  

The bird was delish.  Well done Mom.

We saved our fancy wine from Palisade, CO for our special feast.  

See the label on the wine?  

Mom insisted the turkey be cut in the garage to avoid the mess.  Love that about her.  

And I ate all that.  Plus mashed potatoes.  

One of my "thankful" items inscribed on the tablecloth/paper.  Yeah for new baby friends! 

Give Thanks ya'll.  No matter the season.

Insulation, Sundays and Ballet

In an effort to make our pad more "green" and efficient, Tim and our bud Randy emptied the attic of this nasty and totally ineffective insulation.  They threw it out Squirt's window into what turned into a mountain of yellow, dusty crap.  To say "thank you" to Randy wouldn't quite be doing justice.  New insulation was laid last weekend and we can already feel the difference in the balmy nature of our house.

My far-away confidant, Megan, turned 3-0 and hubbie Eric surprised her with a bash at McCormick's last weekend.  He flew her in, sans kids and treated her like the Mama Queen she is.  Happy b-day friend.

What does a random Sunday look like as the Vogels?  A little something like this...

 Doesn't my little Dude look ridiculously tall in this shot?  

My mom and I took Dude to "Scenes from the Nutcracker" this past weekend.  His reaction?  2 embarrassingly loud and drawn out yawns and three requests to play on my phone.  We'll consider him "exposed" to ballet and call it a wrap for a few years. 

My Tubac

My time in Tubac at The Haven Writing Retreat was life changing for my future as a writer.  It consisted of 5 emotion packed days I've decided to hold private in my normally exposed heart.  But I'd be remiss to not introduce you to the people who were an integral part of that experience.  They were a part of my Tubac and for that, I'll continue to hold them dear.  Thanks all you lovelies, for joining me on the beginning of my new normal.  

 Joanne.  A living history book.

 Jacquelyn.  Angel of words.

 Jan.  A writer all along.

 Byron.  Our comedic relief and man of generous wisdom.

Priscilla.  Woman of steel and grace.

 Laura.  Our mentor, leader, listener, council, core, inspiration and genuine lover of the written word.

 Roberta.  Quietly brilliant and subtly hilarious.

 My Amy.  Brave and sure.  

David.  Our happy place.  Our giver. 

 The Tubac Chapel.  The beginning and the ending place of our journey.  

 The Tack Room, our private dining place.  The room that fed our souls, quite literally. 

 The walls of this beautiful space kept our writing truths private and safe.  And the patio overflowed with wine and cheese every night.  

Sharing Tubac with my Amy was an experience we couldn't have dreamed up.  I kinda love this girl.

Write on friends.