Free Range Family

We had a pretty mellow Thanksgiving this year, it was surprisingly wonderful! My parents and siblings all went to Townsend to see family for Thanksgiving, so we spent it with Lon's family and my father's relatives in the Heights. We were hoping to go up to Townsend to see my mother's relatives this year but as that sounded good in the summer, we just didn't have the funds to actually be able to make it happen. With my car breaking down in August, we spent more money then we had originally planned and couldn't afford to save up for a trip. I am sad about it, but hopeful. Lon reminded me that it only meant that we would have to postpone the trip, not cancel it entirely. We can probably save up for it again after Christmas is over and go in the spring, maybe for our anniversary. That would be cool because we would be able to see everyone AND it would kind of be like a "surprise" or "spontaneous" trip for my family. We usually only try to go up to T

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my wonderful readers! <Via> I am very thankful for all of you! You are all so wonderful! I hope that your Thanksgiving is full of happiness, love, laughter and family. No matter who you are, where you live, or what your situation is, everyone has something to be thankful for. My family has a list so long, it keeps growing the more I think about it! We have had a rough year and some months, but we are getting back on our feet again. That is one thing to be thankful for right there! All of the support we have received from family and friends is another thing. There are many, many more! We are about to head out for our Thanksgiving festivities, so I will have to drop back in tomorrow and share my "Thankful List" with all of you. But I do hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that everyone is able to spend it with someone they love and care about. That is all Thanksgiving is really about… Being thankful and being with tho

This weekend was a weekend for my sisters lol. Saturday was the annual Griz and Cat game (an important Montana rivalry, if you haven't ever heard of it). Since both my sister and her hubby go to University of Montana, we are totally supportive of the Griz! So we had to wear our maroon AND totally harassed anyone that I saw in Navy Blue lol! I mean, I had to! Its a Montana tradition! And of course, the wonderful Grizzlies won!  That same night, was Aunt April's first formal dance of the year, Twirp. I remember when they called it Sadie Hawkins, but apparently they think that "Twirp" is a much more attractive name for a semi-formal where the girls ask the boys. In that case, we should rename Prom "Dork" in my opinion. But I digress… Aunt April had asked me to come take pictures for her, since Aunt Natalie (the only other person in our family with any photography skills) was still in Missoula. So Anna and I made a little trip to the Yellowstone Country

We ended up getting the car! Its perfect and I love it! It is a silver 1996 Mercedes-Benz with a sun roof. Oh I love it so much! The best part about the whole thing? I bought it 100% by myself. Yep! Paid $3000 in cash and felt like a BOSS! Whoop, whoop! It is so awesome being an adult sometimes. :D I know, its not an apartment… But we are taking baby steps to a better life for our family. First comes a new car, then more hours and more money, then a place to live. Lon and I have a plan made, it will just take some time. Which does suck on the hard days. But on days like today, days when all my hard work has finally paid off, days like today rock! I have yet to really settle into the car, I haven't even cleaned it up or taken a decent photo of it! I had Lon snap a quick one for me this morning (we have to wait until after work before we can get it registered) but I think that it doesn't even do it justice. It just looks so fancy and so nice! How did we get so lucky? Isn&#

Alan's hair has just been growing, and growing, and GROWING lately. Or so it seems… It recently has grown so long that his bangs are now in his eyes. And with his glasses been broken (he broke them wrestling with Aunt Ariel several weeks ago, we are waiting for his replacements now), there is nothing blocking his little eyes from all of that hair! He has refused me cutting it since the last time I cut his hair, I butchered it pretty good lol. See exhibit A. Exhibit A. But it was starting to get ridiculous and I felt like it was interfering with his seeing, so I convinced him to let me trim it slightly. After some bribing, he agreed. So last night before bath time, I trimmed his whole head for him. I wasn't able to get a photo of his hair before I cut it, but here is a good example. Its his Pre-K school photo! So handsome! :D But look at those long curls! He definitely was in need of a trim! Before... And after! I am quite proud of my trim job, I took my t

Sunday evening, it snowed. Still leaves on the bush, with snow all around loll The residents of Billings were horribly upset, Alan and Anna were so excited, and I couldn't really care less lol. Born and raised in Montana, I am quite used to seeing snow in November. I was actually more surprised that we had a WARM Halloween instead of the usual snowy Halloween. Snow mid-November was nothing for me, it just meant that I needed to start looking harder for either a new car or new place to live. But surely nothing to get too upset or excited about lol. Yesterday, I took the kids outside to play for a few minutes. It was in the teens outside, but we Montanans are never afraid of cold weather! We just know how long to be out lol. :) The kids were in total hog heaven! They are complete snow puppies, the opposite of their mother and father. They must take after Aunt Natalie and Uncle Jake, that's it… :P Alan chased me around, trying to peg me with a snowball. Anna walked

Alan and Anna recently went to the dentist for their biannual checkup. They go to Legacy Smiles and see Dr. Stuart there. He and his staff are just wonderful! They are so kind, so helpful, the kids just love them! Alan and Anna enjoy going and seeing their dentist and his sweet staff! :) I could be biased because Dr. Stuart is one of my good friends' fathers lol, but he is still just wonderful! It wasn't just any ordinary trip to the dentist though, oh no! It was Miss Anna's first time at the dentist! Now Anna doesn't quite have all of her baby teeth yet, she is still missing her canines and her two year old molars. But Dr. Stuart told us to bring her in regardless. :) The wonderful dental assistant showed Alan and Anna all the dental tools right away, so that Anna wouldn't be nervous. But missy was very brave! Miss Anna was a great dental patient! She didn't like the sunglasses they had her wear but when the dental assistant asked her to put them ba