Timber Frames 09

A year's worth of CAD drawings come to life...

Evan's Xmas List

Dear Santa,

How are all of your reindeers? I got a new kitten. I went to Mexico. I am being nice to my sister. I’ve been nice to my friend Katie. Now I will do the things that I want for Christmas:
- Lego castle
- race car track
- ramp and two motorcycles
- door, roof, and walls for my timber frame
- real dolphin
- rubber toys for my dolphin
- Star Wars Lego set
- metal pretend rifle
- rubber band bullets
- bike shorts

Love,
Evan

Maya's Xmas List

Dear Santa,
How are you doing? How is your home? How is your wife, Santa? My home is very good cause I have a kitten that is cute. I hope your home is doing good. I have been behaving good. I have been feeding my cat. I have helped my brother. I have been nice to my neighbors. I have been nice to my mom and dad. Here is my list of things I would like for Christmas:
- merman
- toy for my cat
- more necklaces for me
- polar bear stuff for learning (books and movies)
- saddle for horse riding
- bracelets
- ankle bracelet
- a pink Phillies jersey
- camera
- horse costume
- pretend reins for horse riding
- bug stuff for discovering (books and movies)
- hair stuff (barrettes and ponytail holders)
- stuffed animal horse, grown up unicorn, and Pegasus
- wedding Barbie
- dolphin toy

Love,
Maya

Thanksgiving in Mexico

We traveled to Puerto Penasco, Mexico for the week prior to Thanksgiving with our neighbors, Dave and Renee. The temperature was in the 70s and the water just warm enough for a little playing (although I thought it was fine and snorkeled a ton).

Had an early celebration for Evan's 5th birthday beating on a Spiderman pinata and eating a fresh shrimp feast.





Ideal travelling for us includes simple accomodations. So we stayed in the cheapest motel we could find, and spent all our time on the beach that was just steps out our door.



Evan's highlights included beating the pinata and a hole we dug in the beach; perfect for hours of jumping fun.





Maya's highlights included buying a dress and when she found a "dried up seahorse" while we were swimming; she grabbed it to show me and turns out it was alive. Oh the screaming that its wiggling provoked!

Fall Update...

a new wine rack for the adults...







a new kitten, Thunder, for Maya and she took voice lessons this fall...






first day of school: Maya's in 2nd grade and Evan's in his last year of preschool...





Evan's first soccer season where he is a natural defensive player protecting the goal.

Halloween

In the great tradition of super heroes, you can never tell an identity when they are wearing glasses.




We had a cajun boil at Cookie and Graham's house and then headed out with Spiderman and Tinker Bell.

Durango & Silverton RR

In September, Grandpa Denny let the kids and Doug skip school and work so we could ride the narrow gauge rail road from Durango to Silverton. The tracks go far back in the San Juan mountains along the path of the Animas River.


The crew: one of the rare moments Evan was awake!










Amazing views and lots of soot and ash for souvenirs.





Maya was cute enough to get on the train, but we had to lay out some bribes to get the kid in the KU (yuck) shirt on the train.

Creede

We went to Creede in Aug. before school started. It was a nice quiet trip camped next to the Rio Grande river in a canvas wall tent. Did a lot of dutch oven cooking, including pancakes on the lid.



Lots of time playing in the river during the day...







and lots of time next to the wood stove in the evenings.






Home away from home.

Evan's First Backpack Trip

Earlier in the month we all headed to the "Winter Trail" in search of stream, waterfall and canyon. This was Evan's first backpacking trip.

After dodging some storm clouds we found the canyon, a stream, and pools of water perfect for exploring.

Our home for the night was a wide open meadow with views of the Lizard Head Wilderness Area.

We hiked, studied the swarming habits of mosquitoes, played in the water, built rock towers, and had other adventures.

Evan was fascinated with eating freeze dried lasagna out of a bag. Maya loved the painting of frost in the morning and we all had fun shouting boys vs. girls insults between the two tents until way past bedtime.

Evan's Soccer Camp

Summer Fun

Ahh... Lots of summer fun. Grandpa Eldon and Grandma Marlene were out for a visit. Had a nice afternoon hike in the mountains.










Our new, dear, friend, Ally added spice to our summer!










And you just can't beat a slip and slide.

Mem Day 09

A hs degree makes you just smarter than a channel cat.









New fishing poles

















LaMunyon Class of 09

Maya's 8th Birthday

Maya celebrated her 8th birthday at the park in Dolores with several of her friends from her class at school. There was face painting and a pinata!

Maya's (and Westley and Indigo's) First Backpack

Last weekend Maya and I headed for canyon country with our friends, Lillian, Sage, and Stacey. The only boys allowed were the beasts of burden, Westley and Indigo, who were also on their first backpack.







The sun and warm felt good down to our bones and help start to thaw us from the Colorado winter. The boys more than earned their keep by carrying all the tents and sleeping bags.








We found a beautiful home for the night by a spring fed stream in a canyon bottom. There the girls made plans for their "animal rescue shop" they are going to run together when they are "animal researchers".




It sounds like Maya is ready to go again. Tonight she asked me if Evan could go with a babysitter for a week so she, Doug, and I could backpack together. Not sure who will be on that next trip... Want to join us? We're thinking about the mountains next!

Training Camp

Cycling camp was held in Dolores, Colo. this year. The word is that the destination was not chosen for altitude but for the sweet accommodations in the "studio". (Be sure to ask Kip about mountain bike day.)








One of the big rides was from Dolores to Telluride which takes the cyclist over Lizard Head Pass.









Camp was capped off with a trip to the Grand Canyon. This is an overlook that shows the mile long Hance Rapid on the Colorado River.






We loved having family in town for a while. If only an earthquake would swallow Eastern Colorado and Western Kansas, people would probably visit more often. But keep the words of Steven Wright in mind when you think of coming out here to visit us, "Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time."

Rabbit Season

Things were good at the kitchen table coloring eggs...








then we went outside into the spring weather...








the snow was blowing sideways...








the Easter bunny was able to bring eggs, but we just wanted her to bring SUNSHINE!