Berman's visit Durango

Life in Durango is great, but it is even better when we get to share it with wonderful friends. Last week we had our first official guests and let me tell you it was great to have Ken, Becky, Sammy and Lily for a visit. I know home is where the heart is, but I also know I am home when the Berman's come to see us. They were the first friends to visit us on the rez (only a few did) and now our first guests in Durango. We had a great time catching up and Sammy and Laurel played so well together. It was super fun for us to sit around and watch our kiddos play together, laugh lots and a day of skiing at Purgatory in Durango. Thanks for a great week you guys..you are fantastic friends.

Oh and by the way we are hoping for and expecting lots of guests...so please come on down.

It has been awhile

Well what can I say we are living in a mountain winter wonderland. We have gotten tons of snow this season in Durango. We have tried to make the best of it for sure. We have cross-country skied, made snow-people families and Laurel has been down hill skiing twice. Chris and I are so proud of how confident and determined Laurel is. She is always up for trying something new and seems to enjoy a good challenge. We took her skiing on Valentines Day and she loved it and she did an amazing job. We couldn't believe it!!
Life in Durango is going really well. Laurel and I have started taking come classes and we have meet some really great people who have welcomed us into the Dango community.-Laurel's language (aka Durango) We are taking a music class and a gymnastics class in which Laurel has never hesitated or questioned a new setting or experience...as long as I am there too! We are having a great time.
Here are a few pictures of all our fun.

Laurel's 2nd birthday in Durango.

What a wonderful year we have had. We have been blessed with a year of good health, travel, loving friends and family and experience that will last a life time. We are so happy to celebrate Laurel's birthday and another year of growth and challenges. She is going to be just like me (I'm afraid that is the truth) she is not a big fan of being told how or what she should do. Laurel has always figured it out on her own and she continues to more confidently each and every day. Her vocabulary is flourishing and it is so fun to see her use all her words in context. We were getting ready to travel for Thanksgiving and I asked her if she needed more books to take on the plane and she responded by saying, "I have plenty." Another favorite is "probably not" which you can all imagine is used frequently. There are so many sweet characteristics that make Lolo (her self-given nickname) the most incredible little person in my life. We are so lucky and so in love. Happy 2nd Birthday!!

Laurel's birthday with the Willis'

As part of our trip to FL we made a stop over in Atlanta where our good friends The Willis' live. We were there the day before Laurel's birthday and they were so sweet to have a little celebration for her. There are some pretty cute picture of the kids. Luke Willis, Liliy Willis and Lil Laurel. She REALLY loved the cake...we don't really give her sweet treats like that. She said, she loved the "candy on the cake", meaning the frosting. YUM and happy birthday sweet girl.

Thanksgiving in Florida

Yes, I know we traveled again even though we said we weren't going to once we moved to Durango. We went to see Chris' side of the family in Tampa. It was really nice to see Laurel play with her other set of cousins. We had a lovely Thanksgiving with family and also spent sometime with some dear friends in Atlanta.

more house pictures

Here is the wildlife...and a few other random pictures.

The big move

Well we did it. We left the Navajo reservation and we have moved to Durango, CO. We spent many weekends searching for the perfect house and we found one. We found an amazing end lot with fantastic views of the mountains and lots of windows to enjoy the views. We are about a mile or so from downtown and we have been enjoying life in the big city..not really Durango is only about 17,000 people. Laurel has adjusted very well and she is now sleeping in her big bed. She also loves the public library, enjoys listening to the Durango/Silverton train choo-choo as it goes by near our house and most exciting is the wildlife that she can see right out her window.