home sweet home

April 1, 20116 Comments

I had hoped to get a post up of our last day in Colorado, but after an afternoon spent in airports and an airplane alone with the kiddos I am spent.

I did take 600+ photos this week…and have another 100+ that I got from my dad’s camera. Oh, and that doesn’t include photos taken on my iPhone. There will be more posts to come.

I did not mention it, but during all the fun we had I was battling a cold that I caught the week before we left. It’s still sticking around. It started out with my left side (nose, ear, throat) all stuffed and plugged and migrated to my right side the last couple of days. Not sure if I also had allergies in Colorado, too…the wind was blowing all kinds of dust around!

At any rate, I am headed to bed with some kind of get better medicine and vitamins.

home is…home sweet home.

{colorado} day 6

March 31, 201111 Comments

Today started with saying good morning to the deer.

And, hanging out with the dogs.

Then it was all about tu-tu’s and capes.

And, all the play that happens when you are wearing them.

I made tu-tu’s for the girls, and Meme made capes for all of the kids.

Baby girl liked the tu-tu!

The little guy and Sha-Sha, I mean Batman and Batgirl, loved the capes!

We took a trip to another beautiful playground in my parents neighborhood.

Baby girl and the little guy did not want to leave. They had so much fun in the warm, sunny weather…even if the wind was blowing like crazy.

The little guy tried to teach Sha-Sha about remote control Jeeps. She wasn’t as interested as he had hoped, but she did alright.

The Jeep has a busted rear axle…a couple too many trips down the stairs.

We did have to change the batteries three times during our visit…the little guy loves the thing! We’ll definitely have to get a remote control Jeep for home.

We even painted finger and toenails today.

My sister came up to have dinner with us tonight. I wish I could have spent more time with her, but we’ll just have to plan another visit…or they can come out to visit us in Oregon!

As I was packing up some of our things tonight the little guy asked, “Can I bring my cape home?”

I said, “Of course, that’s why Meme made it for you!”

Then he said, “Can I sleep with my cape on?”

To that I had to tell him, “No, it’s not safe.” Although I thought that was one of the cutest questions I had ever heard.

I have a feeling that we will need Meme to make many more capes for the little guy!

Meme is putting him to bed tonight…with his cape right next to him.

home is…super heros and ballerina fairies.

{colorado} day 5

March 30, 20117 Comments

Today we went to one of my happiest places on earth.

Vail.

From the time I was my children’s ages I spent a lot of time up in Vail…Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. This continued throughout my 30 years in Colorado.

When I drive up the East side of Vail Pass it is like pure magic. And, when I drop over the West side into the Vail Valley it is like coming home. Everything about it is awesome…the views, the smell, the sounds.

I wanted to share this with my kids as soon as I could.

Today was the day.

It was a quick trip into the village. Across the covered bridge. Up Bridge Street to The Toy Shoppe. The same toy store, with the same Hello Kitty toys, keychains, and vanity license plates for kids bikes as 30 years ago.

We made it up to peek at the Vista Bahn and watch a couple of skiers come down the mountain. Then the kids were ready to move on.

And move on we did.

We drove up to the Cordillera where my aunt and uncle have a beautiful home. We had lunch with my aunt and uncle, cousin and his fiance.

We played, talked, reminisced about fun had in Vail together, and just enjoyed eachothers company.

Everybody was happy. It was magical.

Thank you to my mom for driving us up and back.

Thank you to my aunt, uncle, cousin and fiance for entertaining my kids.

Thank you to my wonderful kiddos for sharing one of my happiest places on earth with me.

home is…going to a happy place.

{colorado} day 4

March 29, 20113 Comments

Everybody slept well last night. I know the update on the sleep thing is boring, but when you are traveling with 2 kids under the age of 4 sleep is important…for everybody!

Although the weather people thought we *may* get snow last night we woke up to blue skies this morning. Weather people can be wrong everywhere…not just in Portland! I also find it funny that no matter where you go people always say, “Just wait a few minutes and it will change,” about the weather…but I digress.

So, the snow and Sha-Sha were no shows today. My niece had a bad cough so stayed home in Denver with my sister.

So, we improvised.

We took our time this morning taking showers and getting dressed and then headed down the hill. We made a quick trip to Michaels to get supplies for making tu-tu’s and capes, went to get a bagel at Einstein’s for lunch, and drove into Golden to play at a playground while it was nice and sunny!

We played outside a bit at Meme & Tophers and then baby girl had a nap and the little guy and Mommy had some quiet time when Meme ran a quick errand.

We eventually went back outside to play in the sun with the remote control Jeep that Topher brought home on Saturday.

We also headed to the playground that with arguably one of the best views in the world.
You be the judge.

Then it was bathtime!

And, shortly after we had more visitors to the yard.

Tomorrow we have a fun adventure planned…stay tuned!

home is…being tired, happy and excited (and missing the hubby).

{colorado} day 3

March 28, 20112 Comments

The kids crashed last night.

Then both woke up around 1 am and wanted to be snuggled, but would not snuggle with me in the same bed. Thanks to Meme for snuggling with the little guy so I could snuggle with baby girl.

Eventually everybody got back to sleep and woke at a decent hour for the day.

We woke up to an unexpected (for me, at least) snowfall. A few inches of the white stuff had fallen and was falling as baby girl and I headed up for breakfast.

In Portland, schools would have been closed for a snow day, but life went on here in the foothills west of Denver.

The deer were eating their breakfast outside.

We shoveled the snow.

Tried to play with the deer.

Threw snow in the air.

Went sledding.

Built a snowman.

And, watched the snow melt.

We also took a trip to Whole Foods and Target, played with the remote control Jeep, and took naps (baby girl and I took naps while Meme played with the little guy).

The kids are sleeping and I am headed to bed soon…lets hope everybody sleeps through the night. We have a big day planned for tomorrow with cousin Sha-Sha! And, we may get more snow tonight!

Oh yeah, we also saw a coyote running up the draw before we went out sledding this morning!

home is…fun in the unexpected snow!

{colorado} day 1 and 2

March 27, 20113 Comments

We made it to Colorado with the two kids in tow!

We got up to my parents house last night after a pretty uneventful morning of travel.

We got acquainted with the wildlife (actually said hello to some deer out the back window, too).

Played with a new remote control Jeep that Topher brought home.

And had dinner with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece.

Ryan left to fly to Florida for work on Sunday morning, so he missed out on the festivities which included lunch with the Catlin/Fields/Larson/Maiman bunch.

A little time playing outside.

And, a visit from the rest of the Larsons on their way home from Costa Rica!

Baby girl also learned about Elk poop.

And, how to fall down gracefully in a tu-tu.

I also feel like I have been eating non-stop since we got here. Might have to go for a run tomorrow morning to work some of it off!

home is…time for bed after a busy couple of days!

pdx to dia

March 26, 20111 Comment

home is…going home to visit family.

early spring in the pacific northwest

March 25, 20115 Comments

I love it here in the Pacific Northwest.

Sure, winters are wet and grey, but it makes spring that much more welcome once it gets here.

It’s here. For now.

{at least it was on Wednesday when I wrote this post}

I know we will still have our share of rain until June, but I don’t have to be worried about late April (or even May) snow like in Colorado. And, I am not celebrating the first week of spring with a snowstorm like our family in New York.

I saw my first hummingbird as I was washing dishes and looking out my kitchen window Wednesday night. When we return from our trip to Colorado I will put our hummingbird feeders out so we can watch them until October!