Baby on Board...

It's official!  We have a little one joining our family on or around September 18, 2010. Mom and baby are doing great! No morning sickness, still have an appetite for anything, and tired all the time.  Dad and mom are very excited for our new addition and feel truly blessed by this miracle! Baby Bambino's first pictures below!

Santa Came!!!

Joe and I stayed back in Colorado this Christmas.  This was the first Christmas in 10 years that I did not travel back to MN during this time of year.  It was tough to be away from my mom and my family, but Joe did such a great job making our first Christmas together a special and memorable one for sure!  We woke up early and were excited to see that "Santa" came.  We had two trees and there were presents under them both. We were just like 2 little kids ripping open the presents, trying out our new gifts as we open them, and were ready for a nap by 10 in the morning!  The dogs enjoyed their Chrismas bones that we have been saving for them which be bought at the meat market back in MN.  We felt very blessed this year. We were definately safe, warm, and blessed with each other.  Happy Birthday, Jesus! :-) 

The Famous "Fuller" Christmas Cookies

Our creative juices were flowing...I guess!:-)

Santa came!

Joe with Kodah & Balin during our "White Christmas."

Setting up the Christmas Tree

We brought back my childhood Christmas decorations and my Mom and Dad's Christmas tree from many years ago.  I've always loved that tree, so mom has stored it for me until I got a house.  So, this is the year I got to bring it home and decorate it in my new home!  Joe has the "fun" tree with both of our childhood ornaments.  I have the "girly" tree that is decorated with Mom's hand-me-down's.  Lol!  Joe has also decorated the house and trees outside too which look great!  We definately fit in with the neighbors on the block! 

Joe putting up the downstair's tree

Joe's "fun" tree

My "girly" tree

Nativity Set (also a hand-me-down)

Thanksgiving in Hayward Wisconsin

Joe and I packed up the truck and the dogs and drove to MN and WI over Thanksgiving break.  Even though it was a quick trip, we were able to pack in lots of family time!  We were fortuante to have good weather and lots of good food!  Most of our trip was in Hayward, WI were my brothers Jamie and Josh live.  We were able to hangout and help out.  Fortunately, Sam was having a pretty good week and we were able to get some Christmas shopping done.  Sam was on her week between chemo treatments, so we got to have some fun together!  My mom continues to win over Joe's heart with her cooking.  We were able to have some really nice time after WI with Mom as we stayed there before making the rest of the trip back to Colorado.

Jamie and Sam listening to Jakob read a story in his 2nd grade class.

Balin ("City" dog #1)

Kodah ("City" dog #2)

The Chippewa Flowage

Joe showing the boys how to make Christmas cookies.

Jamie and Josh carving the deep fried turkey.

Sam and I

Fall Days & Snow Days

October is almost over and we had some great Colorado weather. Here are some pictures of the Broncos vs. Cowboys game. Also, since October was breast cancer awareness month, they did a half-time show in honor of ones with and affected by breast cancer. Then they let go of hundreds of pink balloons. Pink ribbons definately have a new meaning as my sister-in-law is currently fighting her own battle with breast cancer.

Joe surprised me one morning and took me to the pumpkin patch. This has been an annual tradition since we met.  Again, the weather was amazing! Pumpkins,carmel apples, gords, and squash...we definately did not leave empty handed.

And now I sit at home instead of in my classroom today as today is the first major snowfall in Colorado this year, and it's a big enough storm for them to close all schools! Woohoo! Balin got to play in snow for the first time today. He loves digging his nose into the snow and eating it!

Our Wedding Pictures

There are so many great pictures that my Aunt Darin took that it was hard to pick which ones to post on here.  So I took a sampling of them and made a photoshow.  Click here to view the slideshow (with music).  She did such an amazing job editing them such as making the road "disappear."  I hope you enjoy!

Keeping the "Labor" in Labor Day

We are back into the swing of work and school.  But we sure enjoyed our 3-day weekend.  Lots of housework and yardwork done (see pictures below), a BBQ with Colorado friends, and some relaxation.  I can't believe that a month has gone by already since the wedding.  I have come to the conclusion that Kodah is holding a grudge against me for going back to work.  The first week back he ate one of my Chaco sandals, and then yesterday it was the remote control and a decorative pillow.  So...mama went to the store to buy him lots of rawhides today. 

This is the backyard when the house was bought

This summer, Joe ripped out the 3 wooden planters in the back

This is the yard after the planters were removed.

Labor Day Weekend - 2009

After all the rock was moved, the backyard is leveled out, fertilized, and seeded. 

We are hoping to get grass before the start of winter.