Boo Boo's Birthday

I can't believe I actually have an 8 year-old!  It seems like just yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital and adjusting to life with kids.  Well we're still adjusting but in different ways all the time.  In the next phase we get to look forward to the tween years of boys, attitudes, and drama.  Sounds exciting!

For Boo's birthday she wanted to take a few friends to a trampoline park and then return for pizza and cake.  We decided to combine the friends and family party, as it's been getting too difficult to throw all these parties!

All the kids had a great time at the trampoline park and worked up a sweat and appetite, which made it easy to tear them away to head home for pizza.

Chowing down!

Our Birthday Baby

Cake Time

And don't forget the presents!

We were lucky enough to have Carrie and Callen in town for the weekend, so she got an extra celebration at the Mexican restaurant and just adored her sombrero.  

I can't express the amount of pride we have for our Brookly Boo.  She is the kid who always tugs at the heart strings.  As our first-born we're always worried about and for her, as she paves the way for everyone else.  Here's what makes us most proud of our Brooklynn:

1.  Your kindness - Not only did this girl chop off her hair for kids' Cancer wigs, when her school had Autism Awareness day and asked for $1 donation to wear a hat, she donated $5 (of her own $$) and didn't even want to wear a hat.

2.  Your perseverance - I know overcoming your fears and being brave is tough for you, but you still try.  You've conquered many hikes, diving, and trying out for the talent show, just to name a few.

3.  Your academic success - You have moved from an average reader to an excellent one!  You just love to have your nose in a book and finish as many as you can in one night.  Your academic growth each year is amazing and we're excited to see where the road will lead you.

4.  Your creativity - We love the way you constantly are imagining stories (usually aloud), drawing pictures, and being musical.  Your free spirit is a good reminder that it's therapeutic for all of us to let ourselves be imaginative and a little weird.

We absolutely love you Brooklynn and can't begin to describe the joy you've brought to us all.  I couldn't imagine a better role model for Chandler and Ady.


Favorites from an 8 year-old herself:
1.  Color- Pink
2.  Book - Weird School Series
3.  School subject - Reading & Writing
4.  TV show -  Fuller House
5.  Movie - Zootopia
6.  Hobby/pastime - Reading, drawing, and singing
7.  Food -  Salmon
8.  Sport - Swimming
9.  When I grow up I want to be a ........."I want to own a store where homeless people can get food for free and it'd be open all the time!"  (Straight from her mouth!)

NOLA

Before kids Steve and I enjoyed making vacations out of his work trips, even just for a short weekend.  To this day Steve still asks me every trip if I'd like to join him, but of course I have to decline Salt Lake City and then trying to get away and leave the kids is no easy task with all the dance classes, soccer practices, and school activities.

But when he said he'd be going to New Orleans and San Diego this year, I knew had to take him up on the offer, but which to choose.....two of my favorite cities.  I decided New Orleans it was!

A few days before the trip (when Steve left) I had a horrible toothache and went to the dentist to discover I needed a root canal.  No big deal - I'd be done and healed by the trip.  Needless to say I woke up the next morning completely swollen and sore.  After a couple trips back and some strong antibiotics I was feeling better (not looking better), and I was on my way to the Big Easy.

After my late night arrival we awoke the next morning to walk to Cafe du Monde for some fresh beignets and chicory coffee.  Although we visited there the last trip, I completely indulged in the beignets while Steve tried to keep his fancy clothes powdered sugar free.

Steve was off for a few hours to work, and I was off to shop alone (very dangerously) until he finished.  We spent the afternoon walking around and enjoying the sunshine and even went for a run along the river.

Had to go to Pat O'Brien's for a hurricane!

The next day we decided to go on a swamp tour, since we had done most of the other tourist excursions on our last trip.  They drove us about an hour out of the city near Lake Pontchartrain.  Our tour guide was awesome, and it was a nice way to spend an afternoon in the South - nothing like the stereotypes of swamp life.  Surprisingly the swamp was very beautiful, and if the trees had leaves it would've been gorgeous.

Wild hogs that were extremely friendly and came right up to our boat

The last day we walked to the Garden District to check out the gorgeous architecture.  On our way back we found some remnants of Mardi Gras.  We were only a few days too late.  

I think our favorite part of NOLA is the food!  We engorged ourselves in all kinds of cajun food - jumbalaya, rice & beans, and po boys.  Although it was nice to get away for a romantic weekend we sure missed the kids and were happy to be home - back to being responsible adults.

V-Day Mountain Getaway

It seems as if we've started a family tradition for Presidents' Day weekend in heading to the mountains with dad, Andy, and Kenz for some snowy fun.  This year we changed it up and rented a cabin in Grand Lake to enjoy the blustery cold, but they were loaded with a nordic center, which included snowshoeing trails, a tubing hill, and lots of people!  The "nordic center" is a golf course they convert in the summer - using the driving range for the tubing and the clubhouse for food and a warming station.  Genius!  The cabin was in the middle of town, just across from an ice rink and some cute shops, which kept us occupied, along with countless games of Yahtzee!

Out exploring the frozen lake amidst the wind!

Making our own pizzas for dinner!

The next morning we headed out to check out the nordic center.  They had a great little hill and free tubes to use.  It was cold and snowy, but fun nonetheless.

Warming up in the clubhouse with some hot cocoa

There's just something nice about being "stuck" inside a cabin in the mountains in the snow and enjoying family for a few days.  Until next year......

Super Bowl Champs

Our family has always bled orange and blue, from Brooklynn's first newborn Broncos outfit to now.  The entire state of Colorado supports the Broncos, and it's always a fun atmosphere come football season.  The playoff run was fun, and we never expected they'd be Super Bowl Champs, but what an experience!  So we had to pack up the family and make sure to watch the Super Bowl right - with lots of other friends and fans.  

These girls are ready to go!

We got this Broncos!

We had a blast and even better was watching the Broncos smother the Panthers.  The entire city was ecstatic and we were grateful to be able to share it with the kids.  I still have faint memories of the Broncos going to the Super Bowl in 1987 (when I was only 7) and of course  the big wins in '98 and '99.  It's always a special time here in Denver.

I urged Steve to go to the parade and take the girls (and yes, even pull them out of school, which I never do).  I knew it'd be an experience they'd never forget and (hopefully) make them lifelong fans.

The girls had a blast watching the rally and the parade!  

In the madness of a million people they were able to find Brett and Cenee!

Our Sweet Boo Boo

Ever since Brooklynn heard about kids donating hair for wigs to help kids with cancer she wanted to do it.  She set the goal of cutting her hair on the 100th day of 2nd grade (not sure why she chose that day, but it stuck).  So when the day come there was no apprehension.  Of course I had no qualms since brushing through her mop became a daily challenge filled with tears, yelling, and an attitude fit for a teenager.

In the end she cut about 11 inches and her perma-smile was the cutest thing ever!  She was so proud of herself and looked great afterward!  

The donation

 Could she get any cuter?

We mailed the hair and even received a nice certificate, which may be her proudest accomplishment yet.  This girl is going to do great things!

Rodeo Queen

I guess we can officially now call it an annual tradition checking out the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo.  The girls were excited to go yet again and see the animals and experience the rodeo.  It was funny how vividly they remembered each of the past rodeos and were really looking forward to the lady barrel racers.

During the rodeo Chandler leaned over and said to me, "I will never let my husband be in the rodeo.  It's too dangerous."  Glad she's already eliminating possible suitors......

 She finally got to pet a horse this time!

They had a lil' kids rodeo for Bubba to participate in, and she was pretty excited she was the only one able to do it.  That doesn't happen too often!  With her hat on and number pinned she was ready to go!

 Opening ceremonies on the stick ponies

 Even a ribbon for a fantastic finish!

 And then this happened at the rodeo.  This cowgirl is spent!

Resolution Time

It's that time of year where the gyms are packed (I remember waiting in line one day in January a few years back just for a treadmill), and we're all wanting to better ourselves.  Although I'm not much of a fan of the resolutions (I usually don't keep them along with the rest of the world...just look at the gym on a March day), I decided to make a few this year to better myself!  I thought I'd share, because then I'd be holding myself a little more accountable, right?

1.  More Plants less Meat!

This one I'd been debating over for a few years now.  Of course it always seemed more like a threat, and I think it freaked out Steve and the kids a little.  The decision came after I realized I was centering our meals around the "meat", and just adding a quick veggie to the side.  I was in a mundane routine of rotating meats and throwing in a veggie to make it healthy.  I wanted to add some variety to our meals and in the form of veggies!  So far so good (with a few cheats here and there), and we're still eating fish for all its wonderful healthy qualities, so Steve is content.



2.  Mix it up and Get Strong

For years I have been routinely going to the gym, running 3 miles, lifting some measly weights, and going home.  I haven't been sore.  I haven't been strained.  I haven't been pushing myself.  So I've started a fit Crossfit class that has been kicking my ass!  It's somewhat of a mix of crossfit but less strength-focused and more cardio-focused.  I absolutely love it!  After my first class I couldn't walk for almost a week but since then it's been bearable.  My goal is not necessarily to lose weight (which is a nice pressure-reliever) but to get stronger and push myself physically.  I was always in competitive sports and I miss that aspect of working out.  This class pushes me to my limits and I get to socialize too!

And there they are!  As moms we focus so much of our time into our kids and families that it's easy to lose the identity of who we are and make our goals outside of the mom/wife role.  Time to get it done and work on me!