Ram Fam Back at it!

Steve and I's college friends started a "Ram Fam" tradition where we get together every other month with families and have a fun time!  There was a long lull during the winter, because I think we were all frightened at the thought of having all these little kiddos running around our houses.  So I bit the bullet and signed us up for late April, assuming we'd get some nice weather for our "Cinco de Mayo" celebration.  But with our crummy wet spring, sure enough we got stuck inside while the kids destroyed the house.

It ended up being not as crazy as we anticipated and it's always fun to see the kids playing so well together.  We were even able to sneak in some adult time and beverages upstairs while the kids had a dance party in the basement.  Score!

I love this picture!  While the kids were having band practice sweet baby Brecken slept!

 Adult fun

 The band/dance party begins!

 Total chaos in our squished kitchen.  Looks like we need some birth control around here!

Our Little Athletes

Of course Steve and I have never objected to any of the kids being athletes.  We're always hoping there's a little of that in their blood.  Up until now Chandler has been the only one who seemed interested, but of late Brooklynn has really morphed into an athlete.  Ady's still on the fence - she would just about do anything!

One Friday afternoon I was thumbing through the piles of handouts in Brooklynn's Friday folder when I came across a congratulations letter.  I was shocked to learn she had made the team track team and was asked to compete in the district meet in May.  That meant she was one of the 3 fastest girls in her class - WHAT?  I knew she was always capable of running, but it was the competition part that I knew turned her off.  After a couple practices and multiple running training sessions with Steve she was ready!  Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate and the meet was cancelled with no reschedule.  Boo!

Brooklynn has been working hard at swimming lessons twice a week for the last few months.  Her goal is to make the swim team in the next year.  So now we can add running and swimming to repertoire of sports.  Up next - softball this summer!  Woohoo!

Chandler has found a true passion with soccer.  On a nice day she'll ask Steve to go to the park or the backyard to work on her skills.  This season we decided to move her to a more competitive league and with enough participation was able to build an all-girls league.  She was grouped with other 6 year-olds as well as 7 year-olds and had Steve to coach her again.  Although she dominated the league last year as an "old kid" it was a little different this time around with better and older players.  Overall the season was a great experience and she was awesome with lots of goals, but the best part was watching her improve all-around, especially her defense skills.  She has a special gift and love for soccer, and we can't wait to see where it takes her!

Finally got a goal on video!  

 What a fun season!

Adaley demanded to do gymnastics this spring rather than dancing, so we obliged.  Of course being in the high 90th percentile on height, there's no chance this could last, but for now she did great!  She wants to try soccer this fall, so we'll start our first season of double sports.  Uh oh!

Spring Break

This year we had a rather late spring break being in April, but I wasn't complaining since we got pounded with snow during most of the spring breaks around here.  We were in dire need of some warm weather after our last storm.  Steve (yet again) was in California for work, so we were all stuck in the house for 2 days until we were finally able to shovel ourselves out.  We actually welcomed the shoveling just to get out.

 I wasn't even about to attempt the other side of the driveway

 The girls really did help

Just like the kids I'm always counting down the days until their next school break.  Of course it always throws off the routine a little, but it's all worth it to sleep in and spend extra time together.  Plus I don't feel like a taxi driver carting kids around, because we can actually go to fun places, rather than the usual dance class or swim lesson.

Thursday we took the girls and Brooklynn's BFF Adilan to see a performance of Junie B. Jones for her birthday.  The kids had a great time, and the play was really entertaining.

Unfortunately a little one got ahold of my phone and deleted all my other pictures from spring break :-(, but it was for the memories, right?

Friday was Steve and I's spring celebration, because we were able to enjoy beautiful weather at the Rockies opening day.  Although we were packed in like sardines at a totally hip patio bar (yuck), it's always fun to see the excitement of the day - the only day of the year we can truly be excited for our Rockies.

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!