A Triumph

These pictures in the past have been well-earned triumphs over childhood mood and will....well honestly not always triumphs...but completions!! This year was much better (though still a challenge)...on both sides of the family!
They are all growing so fast....

Above: Rose (nearly 13), Kale (6), Colin (nearly 4), Kailee (nearly 5) & Nate (2 1/2)
Below: add Chris (11) & Isaac (2 1/2)

Christmas Toys

The kids received a lot of great toys for Christmas. Today we spent some time resting and playing with our new toys. This was one of the top hits for the day. A box.

Inside the box was an animal day care. You HAD to come pet the animals.

Kailee even put out the hand sanitizer just like any petting zoo.

It was a good rest and recovery day.

Hike photos

Aunty Karen and Kailee mid way in the hike.

After Christmas Hike

Kailee, Karen and I out for a little hike in the trees. Had fun
exploring the snow, foot prints, dog tracks etc. Short but fun.

New Eyes

Melissa's new eyes. They work! Merry Christmas.

I'll let her tell you how it went. But she's doing great and I haven't seen her walk into any walls. Doctor said 20/20 at this mornings follow up appointment.

Thinkin' I am cool....

Decided since it was my niece's birthday on the last day of school before there break...I thought I would be "cool" and bring pizza and surprise her and her friends at lunch....I had the plan...I even called the school to ask when 8th grade lunch was.....had the plan all ready...walked into the school 11:30 with my pizza and a big smile (and two small kids in tow)...I walk around the lunch room...looking for her....until some nice soul asked who I was looking for....I told him....then the news....
"Rose is a 7th grader...they eat at 10:30am".....DUH!!! So much for well laid plans....

What an Incredible Family

The whole Incredible Family....Kailee got these masks from school....we had to call her Violet the whole night!

The Santa Story

Earlier this week Kailee wanted to go to the mall to see Santa.....after arriving and looking at Santa from afar she said.."He looks nice."...when I asked if she was ready to go talk to him she said "No Thanks." Fail.
On Saturday we had our neighborhood Breakfast with Santa. We arrived, ate some fruit...did a few crafts...then the big guy arrived. This time Nate was ready,.....well sort of...the picture below was as close as he got.....Then is was Kailee's turn...I had to go up with her...but then she warmed up and talked to him...even sitting on his lap! She finally got to relay her wishes for Christmas...."roller skates and ice skates." Success!

Gymnastics

Kailee has really enjoyed gymnastics this winter.....she is moving up to level 3...and is SO excited! She is really trying to master her cartwheel and does great on bars and beam! Nice job Kailee!!

Mom's trip to Sin City....

Did a little sightseeing with friends before the race in Vegas...good place for a day or two...not sure I'd ever go back....once you've seen it....well it was enough for me....few pics....

Bellagio fountains
Not sure what to label this...it was SIN CITY...or SKIN CITY...both apply.

They will say anything....

On the ride home from the mall yesterday we were playing "Eye Spy"...but Kailee really likes to be the person "spying"...so she decided to play this card....
"Mom, Jesus made all this stuff....does he spy...I think he does...I will spy for him..." She continued, "Jesus spies with his little eye...." Hard to argue with who's turn it is....

Breakfast

The kids wouldn't eat breakfast this morning. So, I made them
"Birthday Cake". We sang happy birthday and ate almost the entire
"Cake".

Dude....Jr

Nate was look'n sharp at dinner on Black Friday.

Insanity

Melissa wanted to start early. CRAZY early. Isn't it illegal to have
a Christmas tree up before thanksgiving.

First Time Ice Skating

Took Kailee and Nate ice skating for the first time....was a little leary...but with cousin Rose to help...it was a breeze. The kids took the ice very well...Kailee was skating holding onto just one of my hands after just 45 minutes.....
It was a little tough on the back...all that leaning over...but worth it to have a great first experience on the ice...definitely going back!!

Thanksgiving costume

Kailee is getting her costume ready for Thanksgiving.

School Pics

About this picture..
Kailee says "I am Kailee, I am 4 1/2 and this picture was taken at my school. I love my dad."

Missing Dad...

Kids were missing dad so much today...we took there mind of it by going to Pump It Up (the gigantic jump castle place)...I think they forgot...until we got in the car anyway!

"Wheeeeeeee!"

Funny how we gauge our children are growing up....today I thought they were going up because they both ate a Go-Gurt (yogurt in a tube) without making a total mess....makes a mother so proud.

Happy Birthday Brian

Tub Time & a sign of things to come?

Dad's on a week long business trip.....solo mom blog for 5 days.....
Kids love the tub.....2nd picture is Kailee's version of "I'm not touching you.."


She thought of this little game all by herself....sign of future activities as a teenager (minus the tub-water hopefully)? Yikes!

Bath Time

Nate decided to give himself a bath. The tub was a little small.

Fort Breakfast

For those times when you need protection from your younger brother!

Our next little rider....

Nate decided it was his turn to ride....he started riding with training wheels on his big kid bike a couple weeks ago. With the exception of not watching where he's going...oh yah...and not really being able to brake..he's good to go! YEAH NATE!


Oh yes...one more proud parent moment for the day....post his shower Nate called me in to show me this little (well not so little) prize! We couldn't be more proud....getting teary just thinking about it....

Its Started

After school/evening activities. Gymnastics! She did great.

Wake up

If your kids normally get up at 5:45am. What time do they get up when
daylight savings ends?... Even when you keep them up late trick or
treating.

4:45am

So much for getting my hour back.

Sent from my iPhone

Halloween Scary

Kailee, Nate and neighborhood friends just before our Trick or Treating adventure. They ran like a pack of wolves to each door.....at least the big kids....until they finally dropped (into the candy bucket)!

Nate for Halloween....news about Tyler??

Nate decided to be Uncle Tyler for Halloween.....Uncle Tyler Costume

...but I never knew what Uncle Tyler had hiding underneath......quite a little secret life he has!

Nate's (well Tyler's) Dance Outfit

Not Stopping

The snow is still coming down!

New hiding spot?

Nate found a great place to hide.....and he's close to his favorite thing....milk cup drawer!

SNOW DAY!

First real snow of the season! Kids were a little green...in all that white....Nate lost a boot in the snow and stood there screaming with a bare foot....Kailee got tired after about 40 minutes and was ready for a hot chocolate break...emphasizing the need for marshmallows.....AHHHH...the beginning of winter!

A new trend?

For the 2nd morning in a row...we have gotten out the carpet cleaner before 9am...not a trend I want to start. Yesterday it was raspberry smoothy ...this AM.... more ominous...poop. OUCH! The life of a mom is so glamorous! Hate to guess about tomorrow......

The Great Pumpkin..."Mom this is gross..."

Kailee, Nate and I carved the pumpkin last night....well is started out with enthusiasm anyway....

Kailee has a great plan for your pumpkin's face..."star eyes, diamond nose and a very happy mouth..."
Then we opened her up.....the enthusiasm fades with the first hand full....."it's so slimey and gross"...Nate never did stick his hand in...and Kailee managed to get a few seeds...
Better help than last year.....our finished project looks pretty good though.....maybe it will even last until Halloween!

Visit from Great Friends

Briggs and Kailee playing in the water/sand at Confluence Park.

You know how you have friends who are great...no...I mean wonderful. You can be away from them for a while, but catching up is easy and not akward. They are helpful when they visit, treat your kids just like their own, they are easy to talk too, they know why things are funny when you talk about your family and understand your life......Briggs, Kailee and Nate playing on the ox cart at the Denver Zoo.

The Ganser's were here over the weekend and they are some of those friends for me....Briggs and Kailee...measuring up at Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Mountain Zoo with our cousin

Kailee, Nate and Cousin Isaac went to the Cheyenne Mtn Zoo couple weeks ago.....they had a blast! Little chilly...but the bears did not care!

Kailee cracking us up...cracking out of her "egg".

Isaac and Nate....two peas in a pod?

Fall Festival

All the grandkids....post pumpkin picking!

We went on to a Fall Festival end of Sept with the family....they loved the haystack maze, face painting, petting zoo and balloon bending clowns!

Auntie Shel and Nate feeding the goats

Kailee in the barrel train..being pulled by
the oldest riding lawn mower I have ever seen!