Babies, Babies Everywhere!

Oh my, two wonderful friends welcomed gorgeous babies into the world last week. I couldn't be happier for them and their families. First time mama Heidi and third time mama Carissa (who finally has a boy to throw into our playgroup mix!).

Welcome to the world Lucia Olive and Patrick Michael! What a wonderful world it is having you two beautiful babes in it!

(and my hubby is probably glad he is "taken care of" because his wife might be bugging him for a third right about now....)

Overexposed Cheesestick

Something about this photo I love. Yes it is overexposed. Yes it has some blur. Yes my son is eating a cheesestick (there's a celebration in him eating something right there). Yes he's wearing a fruit and veggie apron. I love it!

Yogi Bear: Part III

The thing we learned on our recent adventure to Estes Park, Colorado, is that when traveling with our two small children, for every 30-42 minutes of fun there will always follow 10-12 minutes of tantrums, crying or general meltdowns. So while yes, it was a totally fun getaway, it was also a lot of work. A lot. I guess the old saying of "You can't make all the people happy all of the time" really stands true for our two specific people.

But at the end of the day we had a really great vacation. I think I'll just try and forget the tantrums and meltdowns and focus on the fun we crammed into our 48 hour getaway!

The Getaway Car

Blue suckers make everyone happyHappy Kids (check out our load in the back...plus we have a Thule on top!)

We arrive in Estes -- quick stop at the visitor's center for maps and such

This cool river flowed through the whole town
and had various wading points throughout

Cute water statue with a boot

Chasing butterflies (and each other) in one of the
many cute little parks throughout the town

Family snapshot (do I look freakishly excited or what?)

These boys (all 3) are so handsome

Jackson and I playing chase

More games of chase -- isn't it gorgeous here!?
Reminded us a lot of Washington

So handsome

Yep, this one too

Seriously, do you see that white speck? It is a butterfly that they chased
around for about 15 minutes. It was totally playing with them!

Stopping to smell the flowers

Time for some dogs at our cabin

We rented this cute little one room cabin at Jellystone Campground. It was really awesome. Very clean. Very accommodating. The boys loved it. The folks who ran the place were also super nice. We would totally stay there again.
This is our cute little porch. Look who forgot plates. Duh.

Me, teaching Jackson who to cook a dog. It actually was a comedy of errors just trying to get the dang fire lit. We are not outdoorsmen.

Family shot

Forget the s'mores, H just wanted the graham.

Getting ready to ride the tram up the mountainUm, yeah, check out Holden's nose. He took a tumble in our cabin, got a nose-rug burn, and now has a nose similar to the one he had just after he was born.
Soon there will be a dangling chad to contend with.

TramUnloading from the tram, the mountain awaits

Checking out the chipmunks (chick-monks as my boys pronounce it)

From the peanut gallery

Cool view from the top of the mountain

View of The Stanley Hotel from the mountain (This is the hotel from "The Shining")
We actually visited the hotel later in the day and it was lovely...
what we saw of it before one of those aforementioned tantrums took us back to the car

Yep, he's hand-feeding the chipmunk! This is the only place in the park you can do so.
It was so neat to see the little critters come right up to you and beg for nuts!
(though a wee bit creepy, too, to have those little critters so close to your feet)

View from the top of the tram

Me and the boys...yes, my transformation to "mom" is now
officially complete -- I'm wearing capris and sneakers...sigh...

The boys

Super-strong mom and her super-strong babe

A lovely little warbler I got a decent shot of

View from our campground

Holden and Yogi having a chat

A friendly little game of air hockey...
Shawn's and my game was not quite as friendly (but he won, I admit it)

At the playground

Playing around in our cute little cabin

Preparing to meet Yogi...

Meeting Yogi!
The man of the hour

A quick stop in Lyons for an awesome cup of Joe -- great shop,very
environmentally friendly, yummy breakfast, nice folks and great coffee!

So, as you can see, a totally jam-packed, fun filled weekend. We were packed in the car and heading home by 9AM Sunday morning. The fun can only last so long!

In addition to the activities in the pictures above, we also:

• Rode a four person bicycle
• Drove race cars
• Took a mini train ride
• Played 6 games of mini golf ("Golf-to-Golf" Jackson calls it...we have no idea why)
  
• Ate really good pizza at "Bob and Tony's Pizza"
  
• Ate really good burgers at "Penelope's"
  
• Drank really bad coffee at The Stanley hotel
• Let the kids pick out whatever candy they wanted at the candy store
• Waded in the creek
• Got really dirty
• Laughed at each other and with each other and near each other

Awesome!