Katie Beth is very excited about Christmas. She is worried about Santa Cluas, too. She has just finished placing out a plate of gingerbread cookies and a jar of milk, but she wanted to clean the fireplace before he arrives.

We are getting ready for Christmas. The tree is up. I have been traveling, but Katie Beth and Karen have been working hard to get things in order.

It won’t be long and Christmas day will be on us.

We are having a great time here at the festival.

The weather is just wonderful.

Katie Beth is enjoying running into her mother on the bumper cars.

Next up, Home Depot Workshop craft area.

We are waiting for the fireworks to start at the Air Force Academy.

Katie Beth has been playing tag with the other children. It reminds me of playing kick the can as a child.

The weather is prefect.

We started by panning for gold. I know I saw sparkles in my pan, but we had to get to hiking Helen Hunt Falls.

But, it all ended with the police ordering a forced evacuation of the area due a forest fire. And, the car wouldn’t start so a park range drove us to the Golden Bee.

Over head, we have seen fire retardant planes flying.

Our Hertz agents don’t know how to get us another rental car without getting their car back. We explained where their car was and they are still wondering what to do.

Well, we continue relax at the Golden Bee. Some of us are really relaxing.

I have brisket and a slice of a leg of lamb with a very nice rub on each that is slow cooking on the smoker.

We have some mini-golden fingerling potatoes simmering on the stove, which will made into smash potatoes with heavy whipping. We haven’t started the green beans.

I just wish we had started the brisket sooner. We are pushing it up against dinner time.

Karen and I have made an apple crumb.

Katie Beth and her friend Leah had a great time today at the Easter Egg Hunt.

All the children had a great time. We got cookies, tattoos, lemonade, stickers and more.

The hunting was great. Each age group was given different areas. Katie Beth and Leah both collected a lot of eggs.

The picture is of Katie Beth at her tree in the children’s garden.

Karen and Katie Beth are enjoying their treats. I couldn’t have better Valentine’s.

Now, I’m taking my ladies to their favorite place for dinner: Bandito Buritto.

The Big Green egg has been working overtime and so has Karen with trips to Earth Fare.

We are having five different chicken wing recipes and smoked deer loin. We have layered dips and chips. A great selection of beer is on the way, too.

The weather is wonderful today making for a great day to play outside while working the smoker and play with Katie Beth.

Update: Jay Kissell brought a Sierra Nevada’s Sierra 30th Anniversary Ale bomber to share. My dad brought Founders’ Breakfast Stout and Founders’ Centennial IPA. And, we cracked open the Jay’s previous gift of a Cigar City Brewing’s Humidor Series Indian Pale Ale. They were all every enjoyable during the game.

Karen is relaxing while I cook dinner. She is enjoying a chocolate sauce with apples, marshmallows, apricots, ginger snaps, and pretzel sticks for dipping. The Verdi Imperial Stout doesn’t hurt either.

Dinner is coming along nicely, too.