This post actually mentions New Year's AND the Western Slope!

I have a lot of catching up to do, and I guess I didn't get there last time!

This time I'm starting at the more recent pictures and working my way backwards.

I'll starting with convincing Owen to play outside today!
Owen hates wearing his snow boots and snow pants, but I'm not going to send him out there to freeze his ass off. Usually going outside in the snow sounds something like this.
"Owen, do you want to go outside to play in the snow!"
"Uh, YUP!"
"Ok, let's put our snow clothes on! Come on, here are your snow pants!"
"Uh, no. Outside!"
"Ok, then I guess we can't go outside. How sad!"
[he comes over to put his snow pants on.]
"Great, let's put your boots on!"
"Uh, no. Shoes!"
"No, we wear boots in the snow to keep our feet warm."
"Uh, no. Shoes!"
"Ok, then I guess we can't go outside. How sad!"
[he whines, then he comes over and puts his boots on.]
We continue until we get the rest of his clothes on.

We finally get outside, and then he wants me to carry him everywhere, so he doesn't have to walk in his boots.



I left him standing on the deck while I built a snow man and he FINALLY decided he could come check it out if I held his hand.

Good Lord. I thought kids LIKED to play and fall down in the snow!

Maybe, just MAYBE falling in the snow would be less traumatic if you'd keep gloves on for more than 30 seconds, kid.

So speaking of New Year's.... on New Year's Day we met up with Ben's Mom and Dad in Olathe and spent a couple of days in a hotel mostly hanging out, swimming, eating, and seeing the Fletchers.

Here's Owen playing with Great Grandma Lukie:

Here's Owen and Ben playing in the pool at the hotel. Owen insisted on running back and forth from the freezing pool to the hot tub. I think he was trying to give Ben a heart attack! Sadly he bumped his head, but not until he got to jump in the pool a few times!



New Year's EVE (remember, I'm going backwards here), we spent at Blue Mesa. I unfortunately had the stomach flu (which I passed on to Gary and Steph), but we all had a good time nonetheless.

Here's Owen's cousin (and my first niece, woot!), Goldie, in all her chubby cuteness. I thought Owen was laid back as a baby, but I think Goldie takes the award! She's as laid back as Owen was PLUS, she'll got to anyone! (Unless she's hungry or tired :)




This picture came out decently (pretty mountains anyway!) despite Owen's tantrum over wearing boots.


Steph and Goldie:

Owen was a little wary of Goldie. He didn't want her to touch his toys, for one. I think he secretly liked her, though, see?


All was fine until she dared look at his toys. After that he was OUTTA THERE! Goldie looks strangely satisfied about it!