Living in Gear

Fall in Estes Park (one of our favorite family vacations!)

2016-10-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

This Fall Break we took our first trip to the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park. It turned out to be one of our favorite family vacations! We stayed in a cabin in the mountains at this incredible rec center. Or, as the boys called it, "their happy place". They wore ear to ear grins the whole time!

I warn you, we really enjoyed ourselves. So there's lots of pictures.

Just under two hour drive away, easy in the new Outback.

Yeah, that bag fell on Hershey's spot. She paid us back by vomiting on it.

Our two bedroom cabin with a fully furnished kitchen.

Oreos, milk, and lots of laughs.

Sunrise view from the front door.

The wildlife was incredible!!

Our visit coincided with the annual elk rut, herds walked among us the whole trip.

When I opened the cabin door to let Hershey do her business, we had some company.

Ethan made friends with all of the animals, including this bird of prey (hawk?).

After five minutes of standing a foot apart, the bird flew above him.

A flock of wild turkeys gobbled in our backyard. Alas, Hershey didn't fetch us dinner.

The only animal we spotted without grabbing a picture was a coyote. Needless to say, he looked well fed.

The boys even investigated a mouse skeleton they found.

Beyond the wildlife, the boys were in heaven with limitless (FREE!) activities. We didn't get to half of them!

Unlimited mini-golf- Gavin's version of heaven!

I told you the elk walked amongst us!

And my version of heaven- an art center!

Ethan painted a wooden snake.

Gavin a wooden alligator.

And I painted a wooden cabin, to use as an ornament to remember our trip every year.

Chris taught the boys how to play pool, and he and Ethan handily beat Gavin and I.

Their biggest obsession? Tennis!! Who knew?! Ethan has been begging for lessons for at least a year, but I need more days in a week with gymnastics, soccer, cub scouts, and his seasonal swim and parkour. Apparently, I need to find a time because he LOVED it!

Of course they had playgrounds, and Gavin crossed the monkey bars for the first time on his own!

Not to be outdone...

We finally left the site to explore the Rocky Mountain National Park and drove up the Trail Ridge Road Summit.

We climbed a couple hundred steps in the windy cold weather of the tundra to see the view! (We were so high it's apparently a different ecosystem and qualifies as a tundra with glacial snow).

Boy it was worth it!

Thanks for sticking with me to the end! Needless to say, we promised the boys we will be back!

Gavin's First Soccer Team

2016-09-18T20:12:00.001-07:00

Last week Gavin had his first game with his first soccer team, the Iron Birds. He's obsessed with the gear, shin guards, cleats, wants to sleep in the uniform, etc. DURING the game, he has a solid 10 feet radius kept from the ball. Occasionally the ball is kicked his way. Here how that looked...

Right before the game, a brother who shall remain unnamed, kicked the ball right into Gavin's face at warm up. My snot soaked sleeves peeled him off my leg onto the field before the game.

I'm proud he got and stayed in there, bracing or not!

Ethan's New Soccer Team- The Bulldogs!

2016-09-18T20:04:00.000-07:00

It took three seasons to get off the waiting list.

Ethan finally got a spot on a neighborhood soccer team, the Bulldogs!

He lucked out with a great group of friends, as did I!

This week was Ethan's turn to try his hand at being a goalie, a first!

Here's some warm up shots:

Then the pressure was on, game time!

For a boy who can sometimes get distracted ;), he was focused on the ball the whole time he manned the net. He had a bunch of saves!

He was particularly proud of this in air catch.

Jumping for joy at a team goal, of which there were many!

Team celebration of our first win, go Bulldogs!

Back to School Haircuts

2016-08-07T21:23:00.002-07:00

The boys spent almost an hour perusing Google Images of "2016 cool men haircuts".

"Men." Because when they looked at "boys", the haircuts weren't "cool" enough.

Finally they picked a current trendy cut with a hard part. Gavin was the most confident about the choice. He walked up to the barber, "I want the line!"

I told Gavin I thought his haircut looked good. He sternly corrected me.

"It looks COOL Mommy! My haircut is INTENSE!"

Turned out a lot better than the last time I let them pick their cuts!

Olympic Inspiration

2016-08-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

It's Olympics season.

Ethan usually is asleep around 7:30pm.

Tonight he's up well past 9.

Up watching the games? No, I haven't let on that they are still on after bedtime (even though I'm trying to rush the process to watch myself! ;)

He's up reading, grade appropriate but challenging books that he didn't want to try a couple of weeks ago.

I try to tuck him in again as he debates with me how many more books can he read first. Then he makes me smile.

"Mommy, it's like the Olympics. Listen... they said that gymnast [Simone] practices 32 hours a week and I only practice 1 hour. That's like ALLLL day. MORE than a day! If I want to be a super fast reader I have to be like an Olympian and stay up later and read more."

He continued, "If I do that then I can become an Olympian. Not like the sports, like a scientist or something. That kind."

Needless to say, I let him read another book.

Camping in Colorado

2016-07-21T20:43:00.001-07:00

The boys are sooo happy, we finally went camping (for the first time!). It felt silly to live at the bottom of these glorious mountains with these nature loving boys and not go for it.

Golden Gate Canyon Park was recommended as a good starter mountain. Boy did we go for it, refusing to turn back.

Even when we went to set up camp and we realized that I forgot the tent poles.

Even when it took a two hour round trip to come back down the mountain to buy a tent from the closest big box store.

Even when the whole afternoon and all night we were pounded by rain in a thunderstorm.

Even when the rest of the site was almost abandoned, with most people leaving early or not showing (forecast, schmorcast!).

Even when our tent smelled of wet dog, as Hershey curled up with us dripping wet.

Despite all of that, the even the most reluctant camper (Chris) stuck through it with a great attitude and we all had a blast! The sun shown when the boys were awoken by chipmunk chatter at 5:30am, cheering to start exploring the mountain.

And that we did.

Next time, fingers crossed for a dryer trip. With tent poles.

Dry patch

Ethan talked about smores nonstop until he had one!

Huddled under our tarp to stay dry, with said wet dog.

Chris is the cook with the most, including when roughing it.

The view from Panorama Point.

This little friend was happy to wake us at 5:30am.

With the trails completely empty, Hershey was THRILLED to trot alongside off leash.

"We'll be back mountains!!"

Butterfly Pavillion

2016-03-31T13:12:00.003-07:00

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Butterfly Pavillion

2016-03-31T13:12:00.001-07:00

Posted via Blogaway

Butterfly Pavillion

2016-03-31T13:11:00.001-07:00

Posted via Blogaway

Butterfly Pavillion

2016-03-31T13:11:00.000-07:00

Posted via Blogaway

Cone of despair

2015-06-16T16:44:00.001-07:00

Goodbye reproductive organs. Crated and semi sedated for a week. I might have to lock it to keep the boys following that rule!

Gavin last day of school 2015

2015-06-11T20:16:00.001-07:00

He changed clothes and hair several times before this.

Oh, wait. He does that EVERY morning.

The time I let the boys pick their haircut

2015-05-27T16:59:00.001-07:00

Also known as the time I want to cry every time I look at Gavin.

Mother's Day 2015

2015-05-10T19:11:00.001-07:00

Today Chris and the boys put together such a thoughtful Mother's Day!

The boys picked roses, we had breakfast at First Watch, then took family photos I'm always wanting to get done. First "pro" pics since Gavin was born!

Then the stomach bug the boys had last week arrived hit me like a bus. Afternoon festivities of handprints in stepping stones and dinner are postponed.

Enjoy the pics of the happier moments of the day! So grateful these three guys made me a mother!!!!

And then there was one

2015-05-05T18:08:00.001-07:00

Chris and Ethan were sick last week (well, a Chris STILL is actually) and now Gavin's down for the count. Woke vomiting on me. Here he is on the couch after "waking up."

I feel like an injured gazelle waiting for a lion germ to pounce on me for its prey.

Doggy dress up

2015-05-02T18:04:00.001-07:00

Any guesses as to how Hershey felt about Gavin's wardrobe choice?

Maybe Hulk shirts should stay on Ethan.

Stopping to smell the dandelions with Gavin

2015-05-02T17:58:00.001-07:00

Those flowers were handpicked for me and gifted with the question, "Does that fill your bucket Mommy? "

Mom's night out

2015-04-30T20:45:00.001-07:00

Hey, who said I forgot how to rage?

Dick Sporting Goods newest golf pro

2015-04-29T09:42:00.001-07:00

Chris serving as caddy and press photographer.

Boys who are sick together

2015-04-27T18:19:00.001-07:00

Nap on the couch together.

But I want to be PLAYER GAVIN!

2015-04-27T05:57:00.001-07:00

Brothers + puppy + stream

2015-04-18T19:23:00.001-07:00

= a PERFECT spring afternoon!!

Hershey fulfilled all expectations of poodles and dove right in.

All three had a thorough bath once home (not all at the same time!)

Barber Shop Brothers

2015-04-15T16:41:00.001-07:00

I can't match their fades at home!

Sun's Out, Guns Out

2015-04-12T19:26:00.001-07:00

On the monkey bars, Ethan's new obsession.

He's quick to tell you how he's "brachiating" across them, a term learned from the Wild Kratts spider monkey episode.

Gymnastics camp builds

2015-04-07T17:47:00.001-07:00

MUSCLES!