A Month of Showers

February flew by!

The weekend of the 8th, Tracy flew to VA for a baby shower hosted by her sisters, Marcy & Kel (in from SF) and mom. It was a Hokie theme!! It was fun seeing everyone and we received a lot great stuff for Baby Ward...still scheduled for April 20.

While Tracy was in VA, Stan was in CO with a friend from VT, Horton and his 6 year old son Drew. They got in plenty of skiing...Vail on Saturday and Breckenridge on Sunday.
The following weekend, President's weekend, was spent at home doing lots of chores, painting the baby's room and packing up the house for our last rentors until July. We then dropped Frisco off at Erica's house and headed to the airport together to fly back to VA. Tracy spent the week visiting friends in NOVA, then we set off to Roanoke for another baby shower, hosted by Stan's mom and sister. More great stuff for BW and we got to see family we haven't seen in a while and our Hokie tailgate crew, including Ellie (Sweet's and MA's daughter) who is now walking, and Jeff & Jessica's girls, Caroline and Isabelle, who entertained our nieces, Ashlynne and Morganne.

Tracy flew back to CO Monday. Had the 32 week Doctor visit (yep, that's 8 months). Everything is going well. I'm on the 2 week doctor visits now. Stan had a "gig" at O'Sullivan's in Arlington Thursday night, then flew to CO on Friday. He's out snowboarding at ABasin today. It's been in the 40's, sunny, bluebird skies the past couple of days. Supposedly calling for snow tomorrow, but I'll believe it when I see it.

I've posted a bunch of pix, so enjoy. I'll try and be better at updates the next couple of months and of course when Baby Ward finally does arrive, we'll try and do as good as Marcy & Stuart with their lilyandjackk.blogspot.com (updated ever Monday)!! Very impressive. Kel, not so much...

Burke Baby Shower Cake...yummy!!

Opening gifts with assistance.

Exhausted after opening gifts...watching the Little Mermaid.


Big grin for such a little boy. Aunt Kel must have said something really funny.

We love our mommy...

Lily hanging out with Aunt Tracy.

Jack and Gramps.

Max chillin.

Ashlynne and Morganne getting ready for the shower.

Even Stan got a shower gift.

Maryann and Karen watching Ellie and Max play.

Supposedly what Baby Ward will look like, at least Ron and Karen think so...

A Weekend of Sculptures and Painting

Not too exciting of a weekend. Stan met up with some friends Saturday morning and hit Breckenridge for some fresh snow, while Tracy and Frisco met up with Erica and Sage for a 2 hour hike. Tracy and Erica then headed into Breck to check out the snow/ice sculptures. People from all over come to Breck in January for this week long event. They start with a big block of snow and have a week to hand chisel (no electric tools) the block into something exciting. I've add pix of my 2 favorite. Afterwards, we met up with Stan, Geoff, David, Steve and Steve's brother in town from Iowa, Mark and Amy for some dinner and foosball in Breck.

Sunday we stayed indoors. Stan started painting BW's room. He finished the green (including the bathroom) and will do the light tan/sandy brown next weekend. The crib and dresser won't be delivered until the end of March, so we have plenty of time!

Monday, Stan went to Keystone for a couple hours in the morning, while Tracy ran errands. Then we took Frisco for a stroll to Lake Dillon. Then Stan was off to the airport.

Erica, Sage and Frisco taking a break

Stan making lattes


Tracy is 28 weeks this past Sunday...(7 months in the realistic 10 month)

The green in the baby's room. You can see the brown sampling on the wall.

To give you a better idea of where the baby's room will be...directly at the top of the stairs.

Snow Bound

We've been back home in Colorado for a week now and the snow just kept coming last week.

Stan got to ride Abasin's new Montezuma bowl on Friday and then Vail all day Saturday, after Vail called in 11" of new snow. He decided to rest his legs on Sunday, so instead we all went on a snowshoe. Monday he was back out on the slopes at Keystone before heading to the airport.

Tracy's big news is a new job. Still doing real estate, but also decided to hit the resorts and work at the Keystone ski/ride school, registering kids on Wed and Thurs. Tomorrow is the first day!

Other news...we finally bought a crib for Baby Ward! So I guess there is no turning back now:) Tracy is 26 weeks (6 1/2 months) and still due April 20th. The belly is definitely growing, but otherwise feeling great! Thanks to big sister/soon-to-be-Aunt Marcy for all her maternity clothes and to soon-to-be-cousin Lily for all her hand me down clothes.

Enjoy the pix...

Tracy's belly at exactly 6 months (24 weeks).

a fun snowy picture from this past week.

we left the jeep outside while we had rentors over the holidasy...this is how much snow we got...the jeep was buried. we had our friend plow it out with his truck...very exciting!

Stan showing off his first snowshoe jaunt in Wildernest on Sunday.

It's not really snowing this hard...a tree just shook all over Stan while taking a pix...hehe.

Baby Girl Ward

BTW...the latest news is that we are expecting a GIRL April 20th.

Orange Bowl...Boo

We're back in Colorado. Arrived today! Stan drove back with me and Frisco...then we dropped him off at the airport. We'll see him on Thursday.

Before heading back to CO, we did make it down to Miami for the Orange Bowl, VT vs Kansas. The weather was freezing and the game was a bummer, Hokies lost. But we had fun with fellow Coloridians...Ken, Stacy and Jeff, Niemo from VA, and Sandy from Sarasota.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Tracy and Frisco made the drive to VA last week and made it just in time for the Christmas holidays. We headed to Roanoke for the weekend to celebrate early with Stan's family. Lisa, Dave, Ashlynne, Morganne and Max were in town from Richmond. We also got to see Blair and Chad in from Pittsburgh, Uncle Marvin, Aunt Linda, Aunt Donnie, Uncle Marvin, Aunt Joyce and of course, Lois.

Christmas Eve we were back in Northern VA. That morning we met up with Tom, Gail, Kel, Lily, Uncle Mike, Aunt Jeanne, Alli and Davis (in from KY) to go downtown to see the Jefferson Memorial, The Awakening and The Christmas Tree. Afterwards we headed back to Tracy's parent's house to catch up with Marcy, Stuart and Jack. We then headed over to Aunt Jenny, Uncle Carlton and Alex's house to kick in the holidays. Valerie and Bill were their with their newborn, Liam.

Christmas was spent at Tracy's parents house. Santa was good to all of us.

Update on baby...Tracy is 23 weeks and getting bigger by the day. Feeling good though!

Grandma Lois and Max (5 months)

Stan, Tracy, Kel, Gail, Tom and Lily at the Tidalbasin on Xmas Eve.

The group hanging with George Mason.

The Colorado Tree in Washington, DC.

Modeling our new down sleeping bags.

Frisco and Jack chillin'

Jack William

We have another new nephew!

Jack William was born on Friday, Dec 7th. Marcy, Stuart, Lily and Jack are all home and doing well. We can't wait to meet him over Christmas!

I'll get some bigger pix when I get to VA next week. You can also check out Lily and Jack's blog...lilyandjackk.blogspot.com.

Dreaming of the Slopes

This is Tracy riding Spring Dipper at Keystone last year...
We're having tons of snow right now, snowing since Wednesday night...so just thought I'd post this since I won't be doing any riding this season...unless the snow sticks around for late season!
I'll see if I can find one of Stan the man too. He gets to go shrow the pow this weekend!!!

Enjoy!

Lotsa Turkey Action

Tracy flew back to VA on the 15th for the Hokies vs. Miami game, Thanksgiving and a couple weddings. Frisco hung back in Colorado with Mark...Thanks Mark!!

Our fellow Coloradian's, Erica and Khristian, made it to Blacksburg for the Miami game (Erica went to VT). Good times, especially because we won! We then won the following weekend vs. UVA and are on our way to the ACC Championship game. Unfortunately we will not be attending, but will be cheering loud in VA...GO HOKIES!!!

Thanksgiving was spent in Roanoke with Stan's mom, Lisa, Ashlynne, Morganne and Max, Linda, Marvin and Donnie. After stuffing ourselves...we headed back to Northern VA for Chrissy's DC wedding reception. You may remember we went to Germany in Sept for Chrissy's wedding...well she had a reception in DC for everyone who could not get overseas for the wedding. Good times.

Sunday we went over to Tracy's parents to put up the Christmas tree with Marcy, Stuart and Lily.

Looking forward to this week...Stan's band, SML has their first headlining gig in Arlington. 2 hours of SML, so excited. Then Saturday is Dyani's wedding in DC...can't wait.
Enjoy the pix.

Tailgating for Hokies vs. Miami

Uncle Stan watching Ashlynne and Morganne cruise down the driveway.

Max showing off his Hokie jersey.

Lisa and Max

Stan carving the turkey. Yum!

Tom organizing the lights. Gail and Lily supervising.

Lily in the Christmas spirit.

Marcy and Baby K...she's due Dec. 7th...can you tell?

Tracy at 5 months.

Gail & Kel Visit, Halloween and more...

Sorry for the delay in updates. We've been traveling a lot lately and getting ready for the holidays. So here is a briefing of what we have been up to in October and November.

Gail and Kelly came out to Colorado the weekend of October 24th. Tracy picked them up at the airport on Friday. We stopped for lunch and shopping in Denver at the 16th Street Mall and then at Buffalo Bills Grave. Friday night, Stan got home. Saturday we drove to Aspen for the day. We walked around the farmers market, ate lunch with Tracy and Stan's friends, Ken, Stacy, Phillip and Emily, visited the John Denver Memorial Park and then drove back to Dillon, by way of Independence Pass (a first for all of us). The temperature started dropping and the clouds were rolling in as we were leaving. Saturday night...a big snow storm hit Summit County. The storm continued through the night and into Sunday. That didn't stop Stan, Kel and Mark from shreddin' it up at ABasin, while Gail and Tracy watched patiently from the lodge. That afternoon Gail, Kel and Tracy hit the outlets!!

Monday was a day in Boulder, CO. While Kel visited the University of Colorado, Boulder Business School, Gail and Tracy met up with Terri for shopping and lunch. We then dropped Kel off at the airport and then headed back up to Dillon. Tuesday was spent shopping the outlets and walking around Breckenridge. Wednesday Gail and Terri dropped Tracy off at the airport.

Tracy flew home in October for the VT/BC game on Thursday night. It poured down rain throughout the game and though VT actually played pretty well during the 1st 3 quarters...they were able to lose it in the 4th in the last 4 minutes and #2 BC took over, got 2 TD's and won. Oh well.

Tracy and Stan then headed to Roanoke Friday to meet up with Lois, Lisa, Ashlynne, Morganne and Max. Saturday we went to a pumpkin farm to pick out pumpkins, visit the petting zoo and go on a hayride. Pictures are below.

Sunday we drove back to NOVA and met up with Tom, Gail, Marcy, Stuart, Lily, Maurice and Phyliss to carve pumpkins and celebrate Stuart's 32nd bday!!

Tracy headed back to Colorado on Monday. During the week, Tracy and Harriett took the dogs on a hike and ran into a tree climbing porcupine (pix below). Halloween brought ZERO trick or treaters to the house:( Even though we did have 2 huge bags of candy ready for them. Rumor has it, because it's a resort town...it's a little tough to trick or treat in the neighborhoods, so Frisco, Silverthorne and Breckenridge host town parties. The kids trick or treat at the businesses and then get to enjoy games, etc. I'll try and remember this next year...but for now...we are stuck eating all the candy...life is so tough.

Stan came into town for the weekend and we took Frisco on a nice hike in Wildernest. Started off the hike on dirt, then a little snow...then a whole lot of snow!

Tracy flew back the second weekend of November for the VT/FSU game in Blacksburg. The Hokies were able to finally pull out a WIN against those darn Seminoles!! Sunday night was dinner at Tom and Gail's, with Marcy, Lily and YG (we celebrated YG's bday!!).

Tracy flew back to Colorado on Monday to get the house in order for Thanksgiving week rentors.

Enjoy the pix!!

Kel & Gail at Buffalo Bills Grave.

Stan & Tracy on the way home from Aspen.

The tree climbing porcupine.


Stan & Max hanging out.

Ashlynne & Morganne working up the courage to pet the goats.

Stan & the itty bitty baby piggy.

Daddy pig.

HAAAYYride.

kinda look alike.

Tom, Marcy & her belly hard at work.

Stuart's work of art.

family portrait