Valentine's Day with Elly

The PTIC at Elly and Grant's school sponsored the first annual Father/Daughter formal last night - what a great time! They had punch and cookies, a professional photographer, prize drawings, carriage rides and a dance. We got there a few minutes late - and it was already packed. It was BIG FUN. How many times in my life will I be able to dance to 'Celebration' by Kool and the Gang with my daughter?

Rodeo on MLK Day!

Took the kids (and Elly's friend Holli) to the National Western Stock Show here in Denver on a frigid night (-5 when we came out). We had some time to look around at the exhibits and animals, but had to get over to the Denver Coliseum for the start of the rodeo. It was in honor of MLK Day - so all of the cowboys and cowgirls were African American. It was big fun - and very moving. Here are some shots.

Stage coach and freight wagon

Enjoying the show

Bronco Busting!

Elly and the pigs

New Year's Day at Vail

We headed up to Vail on New Year's Day - 6 adults and and 7 kids - to take in the slopes. It was about 12 below zero when we came through the Eisenhower Tunnel - but didn't get much above 5 below all day. Even with the cold temps - it was still - an awesome day!

The kids all together at the top of the gondola.

The whole crew.

-5 - brrrrrr

New Snowboard!

Grant got a new snowboard for Christmas from grandma and grandpa Johnson and his uncles and aunts. I took him over to the local sledding hill to give it a try. As you can see, he's getting the hang of this.

Big air in Roxborough!

Denver at Christmastime

I was walking downtown the other night and snapped some shots of downtown Denver near the 16th Street Mall. Denver sure knows how to do things right - starting with the Parade of Lights, which the kids and I attended a few weeks ago - down to the lights covering the trees on the mall. Merry Christmas!

16th Street Mall

Skiing at Breckenridge

Last Friday, we had the pleasure of accompanying some friends of ours to Breckenridge for a day of skiing (Grant and I) and lounging around the pool and hot tubs (Elly). It was a great day - although cold and snowy. I don' think it got above 10 degrees all day - and it snowed most of the day as well. We had a great time and got in quite a few runs as it was not crowded that day.

Here are some shots from our day at Breckenridge:

Grant's first turns of the year!

Warming up in the lodge

Snowing sideways at the top of Peak 9

Elly and Grant Visit Grandma and Grandpa Johnson in Chicago

Elly and Grant flew to Chicago in September while they were off track to visit their grandparents, aunt and uncle and cousins. They had a BLAST! Grant celebrated his 10th birthday while they were there - and got a new guitar.

Grant's new Fender Guitar!

Cool!!!!

Elly, Grant and Grandma at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago