First Stop, Estes Park

Do you remember in the last post how I told you I made Jeremy book us separate flights for our trip to Denver?  Well after we checked our luggage in (on our separate flights) we said good bye and headed to our gates.  The Southwest Airlines man politely told me that my flight would be delayed at least an hour due to a hydraulic leak on the plane.  What the Heck!! All I could think of was, "There is know way I am getting on a plane that is headed to the hanger to be worked on!" I frantically called Jeremy and headed over to his gate (which happened to be on the other side of the airport).  I got there just as he was boarding and somehow ended up flying stand bye on his flight.  I literally was sick to my stomach the whole flight!  I kept thinking, "This is a sign, this is how we are going to go down together and our kids are going to be parent less and my house is a mess cause we had to be at the airport at 6:00 in the morning! I have laundry all over the place and no one will even be able to find our will!" My mind was racing. Well, the plane didn't go down and we made it safely but ended up spending about 2 hours at the Denver International Airport waiting on my luggage that was on the other flight that was totally delayed! We laughed and joked about it (funny how we can joke about it AFTER we had arrived safely!) When the luggage finally arrived we jumped in our rental car and headed to Broomfield where we were staying.  

We checked in, changed clothes and drove into Boulder (which was about 10 minutes) away for dinner.  We had a great dinner but didn't really know what to do from there.  We had lots of ideas but without any crying kids to determine our evening, we walked around and saw a little of Boulder.  It was beautiful, however since we were in Buffalo country and it was parent's weekend at the University, we decided to head to our hotel room and call it a night! We did end up back in Boulder on Sunday also but spent most of our day walking down beautiful Pearl Street with the rest of the town.  Boulder was so awesome!  There was snow on the Rocky Mountains and fall leaves everywhere around us. I  love Colorado!

On Friday morning we rolled out of bed (remember, no kids to wake us up at the crack of dawn!) and headed up to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Forest.  The last time I was in Estes Park was Mother's Day 1996 when my parents came out to Colorado for my graduation.  As we pulled into town, this big guy was standing on the side of the road.  I really thought Jeremy was gonna cry!  He took about 800 pictures including this one:

I'm so thankful he didn't have his gun or we'd be trying to figure our how to get an elk on the airplane back to Arizona! We walked up and down Main Street in Estes Park and at lunch at a place called Wapiti.  Do you even know what a Wapiti is?  Science lesson for the day:  Wapiti:  The white coloring on an Elk's rump.  There you have it, everything you've always wanted to know about an elk but were afraid to ask! After lunch we headed to the best ice cream shop in town called Laura's.  Here is just a small sample of what was going on there!  

After filling up on the best homemade ice cream ever, we jumped back in our really cool rental car and headed up to the Rocky Mountain National Forest.  After a $20.00 admission, we took off up the mountain to look for wildlife.  We saw another elk and some very pretty views but that was about it. It was well worth the money!  After our day in Estes park, we went back to Broomfield, changed our clothes, and headed to downtown Denver.  Let me just tell you...downtown Denver ROCKS!  It is so pretty and so happening!  There were people walking all around enjoying the weather and nightlife.  We at dinner at this awesome restaurant called Vesta.  It was dang good!  We then walked a few blocks to Larimer Square.  I fell in love with this block of downtown.  There were white lights hanging across all the streets and trees.  Every restaurant in Larimer Square was packed with people dining outside.  The shopping was incredible, Oh I was so happy being there! 

Larimer Square.

So as you can see we had a great first day in Colorado!  We missed our kids terribly but were enjoying our time together.  Up next...Fort Collins baby!!

The Rocky Mountains

Over fall break, Jeremy and I did something we haven't done since we had kids.  We left our four kids with Sugar and flew to Denver for my college roommates wedding. Not to worry though, they were at Sugar's cabin with the other 13 kids and their parents! I was beyond stressed about this trip.  Actually stressed is a polite way of saying it.  If you ask Jeremy, he might call my feelings about leaving our four kids for four days ummmm....unhealthy, neurotic, absurd, flat our CRAZY!! Since we've never left all our kids for more then a night, I was freeeeeking out!! I made my poor husband book us separate flights both there and back.  Our will was checked to make sure everything was in line.  We had a notary stamp papers that gave my Mom the right to treat our precious darlings (you know, in case one of them fell and broke an arm or something!) I was stressed.  Ok I know you're laughing at me right now and even calling me some of those weird names my husband called my but seriously stop and think what would have happened if our plane would have gone down with both Jeremy and I on it.  Not only would it be super sad for my kiddos, but holy cow...can you even imagine how it would impact my Mom's life, my brother's life, my in-laws?  Have any of you seen the movie with Katherine Heigle called Life As We Know It?  That's all I could think of when thinking about this trip.  Anyhow, we both survived the plane ride and our kids survived without us (how dare they?) Sugar was super tired by Sunday night but she too survived.  Denver was beyond beautiful and I am convinced more then ever that we should be living there instead of here.  My roommates wedding was awesome as was my trip up to Fort Collins where I spent 3 years of my college life. Stay tuned for all the details on how we spent our 4 days in Colorado without our kids!!

This is what I left Sugar with...Ledger, in all his 3 year old, strong personality temper tantrum!

And this...Miss B and her runny nose, goose egg as I'm walking out the door forehead! 

Bye Bye Beach Towels!

Can you believe we just finished fall swim lessons last night?  The championship meet was at Moon Valley Country Club and boy was it a good one! Brody chose to swim butterfly, backstroke and the 100 IM.  Case chose butterfly, breaststroke and the 50 freestyle. Brody ended up with 3 medals, a third place in butterfly,  fourth place in backstroke and a fifth place for the 100 IM. Case got a fifth place medal in butterfly and a sixth in breaststroke.  He would have medaled in the 50 free but had a 45 second conversation with Jeremy after the first 25 (darn water in the goggles!) It was a great way to end the fall swim season.  So for now we say good bye to the beach towels until April! Way to go boys!

Brody on his last lap of his 100IM

Yep!  We are those parents!

Poor Case, he got water in his goggles and it totally threw him off during his 50 Freestyle.  I still think he did SUPER!

Since it was freezing cold, we were glad Sugar was there to keep us all warm!

"Swimmers take your mark..." Case tends to go up instead of out on his dive!

Jeremy was right there helping the boys get across the pool!

Nice stream line Bro-Dog!

I'm so proud of this boy!  He works hard and swims hard!

"Hey Brody, where is that third medal you won?"

Hooray for me for getting the boys to swim lessons EVERY day after school!  I definitely deserve these medals...maybe!

Lil Devils

Saturday night we took our 3 boys (sorry Miss B.) to the ASU/ Oregon game.  Although it was super hot and the game didn't start until 7:3o, the boys did great and had tons of fun! After a busy dinner at El Charro (we saw half of Mesa. Happy Birthday Mr. Rob!) we stopped at Circle K (yes it still exists) and let them each pick 2 things to munch on during the game. For Brody it was a Push Pop and Jolly Rancher Chews. Case chose a Push Pop and Mike and Ikes.  Ledger chose a Ring Pop and Jolly Rancher Chews What more could you possibly want right?. We stayed until the 3rd quarter (10:30 p.m.) and then decided to call it a night.  We can hardly wait until the next big game!  Go Devils!  

My 3 Lil Devils! Ages 7, 5, and 3.

It's a looong walk from the parking garage to the stadium!  These boys did great.  They were so excited they practically ran the whole way!

It was so hot Saturday night.  Anytime the weather wants to get under 100 will be great for me!

We have the best seats in the house.

Ledger tried all night to figure out what the fans were doing with their hands. Luckily he missed out on all the fans doing a one fingered sign!!

Case had a blast at the game.  He told Jeremy and I he wanted to play tackle football now!

Oh Brody, such a ham! GO DEVILS!!

First Walking Accident and One Year Doctor's Appointment

We've been busy!  Today we went to Dr. James for Miss B.'s one year checkup.  I'm telling you, this baby girl is nothing like I ever thought she would be.  I thought if I was ever blessed to have a baby girl that she would have blond hair, blue eyes.  That she would be dainty and sweet.  I always thought she would be happy and quiet.  Not the case with this little girl.  Besides the obvious brown eyes, brown hair, she is LOUD, RAMBUNCTIOUS, and continues to do things my boys would have never even thought of.  Case in Point:  Today we walk into the Doctors office and my ever so sweet (haha) little girl spits up all over the floor.  We're talking the spit up that only 2 month old babies are capable of doing.  The office manager (who happens to be Jeremy's aunt) quickly grabs the sanitary wipes and cleans it up for me.  Gross for her right? Then, they ask me to take off all her clothes down to her diaper so they can get all the measurements on her.  The doctor then comes in and we talk, discuss and wrestle the little patient who is too little to be so strong and wiggly.  The Doctor takes her diaper off and checks her (for what I'm never really sure) and then sits her up.  He and I continue to talk and all of a sudden I look at her and she has peed all over the table she is sitting on.  This was more then a little piddle of pee, this is a flood!  Can I just say that not once have I had a baby boy pee on the doctors table during, before or after a checkup!! Not once people!!  

On to other exciting news, yesterday I'm in the kitchen and I hear Miss B. in the playroom saying, "Uh Oh!" "Uh Oh!" "Uh Oh!" I go to open the door and realize that Ledger has locked her in the playroom.  I quickly grab the key like thinggy and pry the door open.  There stands Miss B., blood dripping down her nose saying, "Uh Oh!"  I quickly grab my camera, as any good Mom would, and begin taking pictures. I start cleaning her up and realize that she has done a number on her nose.  Of course I have no idea what she did but it looks as if one of her brothers drug her by her feet, face down, and she has carpet burn across her nose.  It's funny... I mean sad!

Anyhoo!  At one year, Miss B weighs 20.1 pounds (32%) and is 29.5 inches long (63%).  Her head is measuring 17.6 inches (41%) and she is growing very well. Things to know at age one: Miss B. should be off the bottle.  She is using her right hand just fine.  That little flat spot on the back of her head is normal and was not caused by her brothers dropping her. We are happy she made it to her first doctor's appointment.  She is so comfortable with the pediatrician that she pees on his table.  There is no need to call CPS because that huge ouchy on her nose was just and accident.  She is dang cute and we love her and her wild personality a bunch! 

How many teeth do you have Miss B.?  LOTS!