Easter 2011

Tutu came out for Easter 2011 and hung out for awhile. Obviously, there was egg dying, cake making and egg hunting in the house that week. The carrot cake ended up being inedible due it not being cooked at high altitude temperatures (or so that's the excuse of the chef). Next year, hopefully it'll turn out.

Therer were also whoopie cushions in their easter baskets and they thought those were HYSTERICAL. Needless to say one broke or one got lost so they quickly lost out on using these apparati for extended amounts of time. Thank goodness!!

We also hit up the Denver aquarium for a visit which the both both loved. See all the pictures below (some of which are from the boys' camera).

And we went to Jodi and Vince's farm...saw the fish (and fed them), met their new dog, fed their horses. Although, the alfalfa didn't quite make it over the fence when we were feeding the horses...It went flying back into Eban's head and clobbered him. There was alfalfa ALL over him...in his eyes, under his fingernails, in his ears, etc. It was comical and he took it well as he knew we were going to get him home and throw him in the tub. Jackson was a tad more timid around the horses, but that's okay. One day, he won't be.

Feeding horses for the first time

Feeding the friendliest fish (and petting him) - - White fish is named Al

Adopt a Soldier - Billy

We also 'adopted' a soldier in February. We received his name from America's Military Families and their lunch program (can't remember what it's called). Eban was super into writing a note (or having me transcribe what he thought) and I was too. We packed a big package full of items like clothes, snacks, magazines, etc. We shipped it off to an APO address in Afghanistan and I had no idea what would happen from this little activity - - more to come with this. This was on Valentine's Day - - I remember this as this was the day that Eban got kicked out of preschool for the day.

Eban, at the class party, proposed to Zoe who told him 'no'. This set him off and he was banging his head on the wall and just going bezerk. The principal said he could hurt humself on our watch - - not hers. Talk about his first heartbreak and getting booted from school for it...interesting, eh?

And as a side note, I love their little buzz cuts from this point in time - - - they both want to grow their hair long (or shaggy) and look like Justin Bieber. We'll see if this happens...

Here are the pictures from the Easter Egg hunt at Scott and Sandy's church from 2011. The boys had a blast on that super windy day and I remember leaving due to the fact that there were 1000 kids running amok high on sugar and my kids were among them. I'm yelling at them to hold hands, and talk about herding cats as they wouldn't listen to me as I tried to wrangle them into the van to leave. Anyway, we didn't stay long but it's hard playing zone defense with my boys...man-to-man defense is much easier considering their energy levels!

2011 Healthy Eating...Yay!

The boys continued to have healthy appetities and eat diverse foods this year - - edamame and Caesar salad are some of the favorites (and continue to be so even a year later). In fact, just this week, I took Jack to work with me and headed over to dbar desserts where Jack ate my salad instead of his mac and cheese. All the folks who were there couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Pics below are from Frbruary 2011.

Wow - - a year has gone by

So I know I haven't updated this in a year. Can you believe that? In one sense, I have loved having a living diary of the boys and in other sense, I was lazy and just didn't do it. Nothing more than that (and maybe a new job)!

I'm going to cram one year into many paragraphs here - - much like a standard Christmas card.

I ended last year in mid-January after Ryan and I went to Manitou Springs, Colorado. I still look back at that weekend with fondness as we relaxed the entire weekend. Simply relaxed. It was heavenly.

In early 2011, the boys received their first library cards (Eban actually signed his name). What a first! They have computers you can use for 30 minute stretches and have many videos you can rent for a week. It's a cute little library near us but not with the amount of 'book club' books that I'd like. Hopefully soon, our little AnyThink Library will bring these items to their shelves.

Harriet and Seamus are the best of buds still...while Seamus is getting on in years (**sigh**), Harriet has taken to our boys more than I can dream. We often catch her sleeping with Jack - - as seen here - - and she craves time with them. Seamus, at his age, will simply check on all of us to ensure we are here, but he doesn't nuzzle the boys like Harriet does. It's just too sweet for words. Really.

Just looking at February 2011 photos and videos...I realize how much they've grown in one year. No more diapers. Writing. Kindergarten. Riding bikes. Swimming without floaties. Amazing.

Eban learned to write in the beginning of the year. Huge milestone. See below...

Eban writing his name

Early Spring Jack Concert (while Eban dances)

Early Spring Dance Concert (with Eban bonking his head midway through the song)

On a Ledge B&B

Following Ryan’s gig in the first weekend of January, we went away for the first time in ages - - just the two of us. Chris and Jenn took care of the boys and entertained them at Chucky Cheese…while we headed down for a weekend stay in Manitou Springs, Colorado. It’s lovely there. Really. Or maybe we did nothing and that’s what made it lovely - - I haven’t put my finger on it.
We stayed at the alleged haunted On a Ledge bed and breakfast. I think it’s onaledge (all one word), but I’m not too sure (http://www.onaledge.net/). We stayed in the only room on the first floor in the place and it was guarded by a large armored man holding a sword. But the bed was SO comfortable and the claw foot tub added to the ambiance. We got there late Friday night and ate at some restaurant that served ‘game’ fare. All the food was okay. We quickly returned to the historic mansion that was built by a Texas oil baron and made a fire in the over sized fireplace. We read, played Scrabble and simply took it easy. In the picture above...those couches were our safe haven and our bliss. It was awesome!!

On Saturday we did the same thing. Sat on the over sized couches and Ryan tended the fire and we read and rested. It was refreshing and restful. Sunday…we left and took the above picture with my phone in the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. We hope to bring the kids back this summer and backpack, hike and picnic!

So we finally retrieved our kids and Chris and Jenn said, “Maybe one night next time.” I get their sentiments as having three kids of their own and then add our two…it must have been chaotic to say the least.

It was funny. Jack told me he was looking forward to sleeping with Chris and Jenn. This was a couple of days prior to dropping them off. I thought nothing of it at the time. When we picked them up, Jenn said that Jack slept with them. I was about to question her as to why when she said that it was around 11pm on Friday night and everyone else was sleeping except for Jack who was still carrying on. So Chris firmly said, “Jack, if you don’t go to sleep this instant, you’ll sleep with us.” With that, Jack happily replied, “OKAY!” and grabbed his pillow and followed him into their room. Jenn laughed as this comment backfired and Jack got his way. He’s a fine manipulator that Jack!

For MLK Day, I participated in the Marade honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This was my third year participating in the event. I took a lot of pictures throughout the morning of the AmeriCorps groups and other walkers. It was great to see such a vibrant community come together...anyway, I didn’t bring Eban this year as I knew I was going to meet the Lt. Governor and in the event that a conversation ensued, I wanted to be prepared and not smiling and running away to catch Eban! Eban also finished his testing to get into the gifted and talented program in Thornton. There is a school near our house that is a charter school and does the lottery March 15. Ryan will attend this night as I stay home with the boys. It’s a little too reminiscent of the movie Waiting for Superman for me to attend.

Finally, I love the pictures of Eban playing the guitar. At times, he really wants to learn how to play but holding down the strings hurts his little fingers. I know you have to build up callouses for this so he’s taking a rest until his fingers get older…so he says. I also love the picture (while not good) of Jack holding his ears as the continual strumming was not impressive to his three-year old ears.

And of course…the crème de la crème of pictures this month…Jack and Seamus. LOVE it!!!