Experiment 52, # 27 {The days before...}

...she turned ONE. 

Believe it or not, I had never seen the Colorado, wild flowers in FULL bloom until this last weekend.  We made it a two day ordeal.  The first day was in Crested Butte and the second day was in Ouray, Yankee Boy Basin, to be exact. 

I was completely blown away at the beauty.  Everywhere you looked there were meadows full of the most vibrant reds, purples, blues and yellows.  It seemed so fitting to be in such natural beauty as we celebrated our girl. 

She too is beautiful.  Her eyes.  They light up my whole world.  It's like looking at them for the first time every time.  I'm certain I'll never tire of fully taking them in.  I love what I see in those eyes.  Security. Hope. Truth. Innocence. 

Over the next few days we will celebrate her, her first year.  Unlike a lot of moms, I'm thrilled she's about to reach this amazing milestone.  She's beginning to connect more, communicate, move, kiss, love and experience what we love about our family, each other.

Yes, those days of holding her tiny body, resting my face on her sweet smelling head, and watching her perfect little body rise and fall as she sleeps, are only but a memory, photograph or video now, but...I'm excited for the new ones to come. 



photo by Caryn Ahern

We love this adventurous and spirited one. 

This past week she only wants her Momma, I know this stage will pass too.  At times it's wearing and others times I hope it lasts longer than I know it will. 

Thank you, God, for knowing that I needed her,

 and that they needed her too.

I know we only have today, I pray I never really know what that means.

Ailee, you turn 1 tomorrow.  You now have a number :-)

I love all the color you bring to our home. 

Blue in your eyes, pink in your clothes, red in your TOOTHLESS smiles, and the caramel in your hair.  We love you right up to the moon...and back.



Experiment 52, #26 {2 wheelin'}

It all began 1.5 years ago when Mema got Griffin his first bike.  It was love at first sight for the motorcycle crazy guy.  It is lovingly called the "green machine."   He loved to cruise on it and was so comfortable, no pushing, no high centered rescues, no scary uneven ground to deal with, just pure self-guided fun.  The transition to a pedal bike seemed funny to me.  He really didn't know how to pedal, so we spent about a month or two with training wheels on his pedal bike, that I scored at the Ridgway sale, to learn how to pedal.  Then just two days ago we were passing some dirt bike trails that we told him he would love once he could pedal w/out the trainers, he said, "Mom, tomorrow let's take off the training wheels and go to that bike course."  We did and the rest is history, although, we haven't been to the course yet.  I'm thinking a parking lot might be good first

.

He did it!  We are on the way to new adventures. 

Just a side note, I am learning to LOVE July.  Last July at 2.5, Griffin was potty trained and this July he learned to ride his two wheeler.  What does next July hold for us?  I'm hoping it's not a motorcycle!

3 yrs and 10 months...

I finally did it...I reached my quota of space on here...got some more and we're back in action...
Glad I am able to keep our friends and family updated with all our happenings on this blog. 

One picture from a little coffee date this morning:

and these are the toes I was talking about last night, remembered to get this picture tonight.


picture taken through the top of my stroller

I do my best blogging...

...while running.  It all comes out so clearly.

It's the perfect time of the day.  It's neither cold or hot, just still.  The air is calm, my eyes are open bigger.  I realize the mountains around our valley neither begin or end, but just surround.  it's about 8:45, Ailee and I are out for a run.  She comes with me on nights when she's not quit settled and ready for bed.  The run rocks her right to sleep and seeing her little piggies hang right over the seat brings such hope to my journey. 

And then it happened, the Mat Kearney song, "closer to love" came on Pandora. 
                                                                           
                                                                      here's the music video:

She got the call today

One out of the gray

And when the smoke cleared

It took her breath away

She said she didn't believe

It could happen to me

I guess we're all one phone call

from our knees

We're gonna get there soon

If every building falls

And all the stars fade

We'll still be singing this song

The one they can't take away

I'm gonna get there soon

She's gonna be there too

Cryin' in her room

Prayin' Lord come through

We're gonna get there soon

Oh it's your light

Oh it's your way

Pull me out of the dark

Just to show me the way

Cryin out now

From so far away

You pull me closer to love

Closer to love

Meet me once again

Down off Lake Michigan

Where we could feel the storm blowin

Down with the wind

And don't apologize

For all the tears you've cried

You've been way too strong now for all your life

I'm gonna get there soon

You're gonna be there too

Cryin' in your room

Prayin' Lord come through

We're gonna get there soon

Oh it's your light

Oh it's your way

Pull me out of the dark

Just to show me the way

Cryin out now

From so far away

You pull me closer to love

Closer to love

Cause you are all that I've waited for

All of my life

(We're gonna get there)

You are all that I've waited for

All of my life

You pull me closer to love hu huuh

Closer to love hu huuuh

Pull me closer to love

You pull me closer to love

Closer to love oh no

Closer to love

Closer to love

Pull me closer to love

My friend recently got that call.  She lost her younger brother very tragically.  The line,

"I guess we're all one phone call from our knees," really hurts.  This life is so fragile.  My heart breaks for you, friend.  I have hope in the things we discussed.  We'll continue to trust in our loving Father, and until we get to leave this earth, may you always feel His peace. 

 

We're gonna get there soon...

Baby Bathtubs...

We've got a little hiker on our hands.  Griffin loves to hike and explore.  Whenever we go, I always wonder why we don't go more often.  He loves it and never complains about the hard work.  This week a group of moms took our little ones out to a great trail in Ouray called, Baby Bathtubs.  The river has created spots where the water gathers and creates little "tubs" if you will.  Anywhoo, always a good time outside, even if we got rained on :-). 

 Even Ailee was a champ and just hung out.  There was a moment or two that she caught some Z's.

Miracles are happenin'

You wouldn't think you would have to convince your child to enjoy a bounce house...

BUT

yes it's true...that's is, until Aidan took Griff under his wing and showed him the ropes.  He's been goin' strong and lovin' it.  Thanks Aidan, for being such a good friend to our little guy.

Hold on to your hats...

...this girl's got new boots.  OH and they were only $8 compared to the retail price of $50.  Found these beauties at Fashion Junky in GJ!!

Griff had these same ones, but with the JD green on top.  More pictures, I'm sure, to come!!

Experiment 52, # 25 {showin' daddy the new swimming skills}

...and there he goes again.  So happy that we got to spend the afternoon showing daddy all G's new tricks.

                                       Check out these three going big - even the two year old.

 Although she's in this tube for this picture, it didn't last long.  She wants to be out and exploring...up and down the stairs she goes.  Warm water.  Cold water.  Love spending time here!

Look at these two cuties...only 2 days apart.  Little Parker is so chill and takes it all in with hardly a peep!!

His gills are starting to develop.

He did it folks.   And he loves it.  In no time at all, he's underwater, doing belly flops, and kickin' those little legs.  "Patience, Momma...he'll get there," if I could only remember this when my blood pressure is through the roof and he's refusing to join his class for swimming lessons.

Yes, this was the day our boy became a fish.

Experiment 52, #24 {11 sweet months}

Ma ma ma ma ma ma... ahhh you warm my heart with the simple "m" sound.  Miss Ailee, you are now 11 months.  We are loving all the new expressions, laughs, smiles, attitudes and growth.  You are showing me that you just might be our adventurous one.  At the pool (a zero entry one) last week, you crawled yourself right into the water and had it up to your face.  You didn't show any fear or desire to turn around.  Time will tell. 



(these pictures were taken while camping over the 4th, this tub later turned into her bathtub!)



You are pulling up on everything, but still hanging in that one spot until you lower yourself down to the ground.  So, no real interest in walking around, but you will surely get there in no time.  I will be working on getting you a baby walker this month to help you get around. 

Still no teeth or any real sign of them coming...still fine by me!  You are eating like a champ, so it gives me hope for when all mine fall out..hahhaha.

Still sleeping great and waking between 6-7.  I never thought I would like that, but now that you seem to be staying consistent, it's starting to feel normal and more things are getting done really early in the day. 



(these garden pictures were taken last week at the steamboat botanical garden.  same place J and I got married)



I've been day dreaming about your party next month...just brace yourself for the serious cuteness that is coming your way...

Oh and this just in, you have recently realized how cool your daddy is.  Even in my arms, you will occasionally reach for daddy and give him huge smiles.  He is LOVING it.

                                       

 

4th of July camping

It's the feeling of not knowing where one family starts and the other ends.  The only time you know who belongs to who is when the sun goes down and little ones reluctantly follow their parents toward their tent.  Although, it did look a little commune-ish, thankfully not many people passed us by. 


(do take note of the 8 or 9 coolers in this picture alone)

 My boy played with the littlest to the biggest...thanks mr. chris for pretending to get hit by the atv!!  He was dirty, I hated it, he loved it.  I mean come on, does dirt under the nails send anyone other than me?  Okay, I got past it and absolutely loved that he was loving the purity of just playing and pretending.  PLUS, hours spent on a real ATV.  Did I mention it was parked for the most part!

My girl, well, I'm pretty sure the majority held her for a least a second during our weekend.  Being the crawler that she is, spent a lot of time in the stroller or in our arms. 

Although our spot from last year was flooded, we were able to go back and have a little water fun there one afternoon. 

It happens every time...these girls are always on the same wave length...something matches and we can't stop the cuteness!

One more for good some good clean fun!  Note to self, leave drinking water out all day and it will be warm by night, baths in the morning are for the birds!

thanks to the lanes, rosentreters and freeds for going up ahead of time and working out the details.  we had a great time and appreciate all your work.

Experiment 52, #23 {THE 5k}

The day finally came...it was time to see if I would survive my first 5k.  Not only did I survive, I got forth place in my age group with a time of 29 minutes.  I'm thankful for those that encouraged me to run and I look forward to this becoming a lifestyle for me.  I hear there's another race in GJ at the end of July and another in town here in the fall.  I hope I look back on this someday and have a 10k under my belt.  BUT for now, I'm proud of my work thus far.  FYI, third place was 27.3...so I have a little work to do, but I'm planning on placing next race :-)

Honestly, I do this first for me and then for these guys.  I love that my kids know that we run together in the morning and they see me make the effort to be healthy.  I hope this sets a pattern for them as well.