Classical Stretch Weekend

A few weeks back Angela and I drove to Estes Park to participate in a Classical Stretch weekend, we had a ball! Fun exercise, great company and we traveled so well together! Here we are with the shows creator and host, Miranda! It was like meeting a celebrity!

Weekend Happenings

In about 10 years these types of pictures will make fantastic blackmail! :) Out of the blue, Chase decided he wanted to hangout on Tate’s big boy toilet. He kept asking for more and more books.

Tyler made quite a bit of headway on the fort!

Before Tate left, he made me an impromptu note he left on my nightstand.

Sunday AM, we drove up to Breckenridge to hang with Mom and Jerry and pick up Tate. Chase was chillin’ in his babyseat eating his snack on the way up.

We walked around Breck for a while before heading home.

 

Update on Summer

Summer has been so totally fantastic! The boys are having a blast playing and hanging out with a less hurried schedule. Although we have still been busy! Today ad had some time at the playground before going to Toy Story 3 (which was terrific by the way). The remodeling project is done, so even that has lightened out load a bit. I noticed I had quite a collection of pictures that hadn’t been posted. Here is a quick update on some of the happenings as of late.

We took some pictures to remember the signed we used to welcome Daddy back from India.

Another dress-up day and just hangin’.

 

I picked up some water pistils and the boys are loving them!

We had a outstanding rainbow right in the in the backyard a few days back.

Chase is enjoying books more and more; here we are after finishing number 9 for the day. I love it because it is my best chance for a decently long cuddle.

Tyler has had time to get to some of the little things around the house that were put off with the big remodel. Here is the lovely gate he made going out to my garden boxes, which incidentally are not producing much this year….:(

 

Tyler loves to wrap the boys in their bath towels and watch them wiggle around the house. Here Chase is working it, but can’t keep it going for long!

Our week of sweet nothings…

Our goal this week was really just to do nothing - no plans, no commitments, no schedules…and that is just what we did! It has  been relaxing and refreshing. Tate, I suspect, is ready to get back into our normal routine. He misses his friends and all the energy-expending activities they do at school. However, Tyler and I could use another week or two. Here are some fun moments from the week.

The boys did some backyard explorin’.

We finally got around to taking Tate’s birthday tie picture, and then Chase and Daddy wanted to get in on the photo-fun!

 

 

Thanksgiving was fun and relaxing. I started preparing food on Tuesday, so when Thursday rolled around, there was only a few things left to throw together. We had the works, turkey, gravy, stuffing, sweet potato cranberry casserole and cranberry sauce. I forgot about a green veggie, but decided at the last minute to just let it go, we had plenty. Today the boys started enjoying turkey sandwiches with the leftovers.

This morning (Friday) we took off around 9 AM for our tree-cutting tradition. This year was easy, we spotted the tree from the side of the road and just went with it. Usually, we are trudging through the forest humming and hawing over the “last tree we saw.” It is easy to get sucked into the “there has to be something better a little further” trap. It worked out perfectly, as the boys were a bit antsy anyway from the 45 minute drive there and we still needed to drive home.

Weekend fun!

Grandmommy came in last Tuesday. We had a blast! Then on Saturday, Tyler and I left for Boulder for a night away while Grandmommy watched the boys until Sunday afternoon. THANK YOU GRANDMOMMY!!! It was very refreshing!

Here are some highlights from the visit (note: Grandmommy was in her house clothes much of the visit and requested no pictures)

Swim class on Friday:

 

Movie night – Swiss Family Robinson

Box races around the house…they had a ball! This is definitely one advantage of having hardwood floors.

Grandmommy took a family photo – everyone is smiling!

ZOOOO!

Wednesday was zoo day! Unfortunately, Grandma and Grandpa left to drive back to AZ this morning, so they couldn’t join us. The drive to the zoo was only about 30 minutes, but we left just around the time of Chase’s nap and low and behold he feel sleep! So adorable. His little mini-nap refreshed him enough to stay alert the whole rest of the zoo trip.

Tate didn’t linger at any of the exhibits, he just kept marching through, so we were able to see a lot, not all though, it is a huge zoo.

Chase lounged in the stroller the whole time, really not making a peep until it was lunch time and his tummy started to rumble (notice his feet stretched out on the tray; he is totally kickin’ back).

This mountain lion is something we could see in our neck of the woods. While we visited his exhibit, a zoo worker was walking her dog about 10 yards away and this lion was thinking…”dinnner”, you can totally see it in his eyes!

Tate said he liked the zebras the best…they are very cool animals.

Here we are on the metal polar bear together.

And poor little Tate climbed on the hippo to take a picture and his little baby leg got stuck behind the hippo's ear. He was crying and waling saying how much it hurt. Quick thinking Mom pulled out the hand sanitizer to moisten the area and Dad was able to pull it out carefully. He still wanted a picture, here he is, with a sad little smile.

We stopped off at the zoo gift shop on the way out and picked up a fun snow glob and Curious George book for Tate and and a little stuffed panda bear for Chase to remember our trip. Fun morning at the zoo. We were all ready to come home and take a breather…ayyyyy, naps are lovely aren’t they!?

CA Family Vaca ‘09

To really capture the true feeling of our first family-of-four vaca, we must go back a few days. Friday morning I started planning and cleaning (I like to come home to a nice house). Friday evening I started packing…it irks Tyler that I start so early. I organize bags of toiletries, get out suitcases, make lists..that is just how my brain works. I hear Tyler say, '”Baaaaabbbbbe, where is the toothpaste??” But what he is really means is, realllllyyy? You packed the bathroom stuff already crazy person (lovingly of course)!

Saturday AM, the house is buzzing with excitement, Tate could hardly wait and with all his pent up energy, he found himself getting into a little bit of trouble every 5 minutes or so. I was going about 100 miles a minute getting everything we needed into piles, yet attempting to keep them light enough to fit into one suitcase (it really chaps my hide that airlines are now charging for luggage). But alas, I was unsuccessful, the one suitcase weighed 56 pounds and needed to be split into two.

Sunday morning we woke to a dreary cloudy day with a light dusting of snow, which made it a bit easier to leave. We so enjoy being home; why leave on vacation when your home is already like your little dream vacation spot, right? Nevertheless, every once in a while, it is also nice to get away and experience new and exciting places. And, thoughts about playing at the beach made the the trek to the airport, lugging luggage through the terminal, schlepping baby seats and preparing travelable food worth the effort.

Here we are waiting in eager anticipation to board the plane.

This was Chase’s first airplane ride and he was his typical superstar self! I would go as far as to say he was un-phased. I made sure to give him sips of milk during take-off to clear his ears, but he didn’t even really notice. He just sat on our laps, played, looked around at his new surroundings and read books. He particularly liked smiling over at the family of kids sitting behind us; we decided it wasn’t rude for him to over-look since he is a baby.

Both boys went without their afternoon nap (and Chase’s morning one was even condensed), so by the time we stepped off the plane in San Diego and Tyler said “half way there” I knew we might hit a few bumps. It had already been a long day and the boys were tired! But I was still optimistic as things were off to a great start. Tate was doing beautifully (he is such a little boy now), playing with his toys, carrying his own backpack and keeping up with his long-legged parents. Giddiness started settling in around the time we were waiting for the rental car. When we finally hit the highway, it was time for Chase to go down to sleep for the night! Pour little guy, I kept handing him little bits of food just to distract him from his tiredness. For some reason, this little guy just won’t let himself fall asleep in the car these days. 

The first order of business was food provisions (Jimbo’s is our favorite health food store in San Diego). We needed baby milk (one very exciting thing about visiting CA is that raw milk is legal to sell in the stores), ingredients for a few meals, sandwiches for dinner and, of course, just real food. Our “lunch” consisted of little snacks that definitely left us wanting. Funny how our systems are so accustomed to our normal fare of real, whole foods...funny, but good.

We were re-energized once we reached the hotel and met up with Grampee and Grandma. What a treat at the end of our long journey. They loved on the kids, helped us get settled in and then off to bed for everyone. With only a few disruptions early on, the first night away from home was good. Both boys are incredibly adaptable, especially considering we travel so little and we are fairly consistent with our routine at home.

After a good nights rest, we were fresh and ready to take on the day! I scrambled up some eggs and blended up a smoothie for breakfast. Tate is being creative with his train “track”.

And Chase and I enjoyed some cuddle-time.

Now I sit and blog while Chase takes his first much-need nap and the boys (Tyler, Tate and Grampee) hit Target for some diapers and sand toys. Chase needs both his naps today, we really overextended him yesterday, but he took it like a champ…my little sweetness of the world.

More fun and excitement to report soon.